Scotty MacKay is a left handed fastballer for the Washington Senators—but at 36, his fastball isn’t so hot anymore, his team is in last place, and his girlfriend’s playing a pitcher of Kool Aid on a TV commercial. Convinced by catcher Buddy Budlong to develop a curveball, Scotty is poised for a comeback—until Buddy’s knocked out of commission and leaves Scotty teamed with Jason Cornell, whom he detests. Jason is 28. He has perfect teeth and poses for underwear ads. His eyes are blue. Scotty’s favorite color is blue. And by August, Scotty has a major problem on his hands.
Book Description
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Journalist Kluger's first novel takes the form of a diary and scrapbook kept for one season by Scotty MacKay, aging star pitcher for the hapless Washington Senators. PW said, "as a parody of jock journals, this book misses by lampooning the cast instead of the medium."
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"A lively, smart alecky, first novel." -- LIBRARY JOURNAL, May 15, 1984
"Changing Pitches" moves like a knuckleball for the mind in its unleering dealings with love in, out of, and for baseball. This one is the write stuff. -- LOS ANGELES TIMES, August 19, 1984
"Spontaneous, witty and immediate. 'Changing Pitches' is an auspicious beginning. -- THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW: July 15, 1984
Spontaneous, witty and immediate. "Changing Pitches" is an auspicious beginning. -- THE NEW YORK TIMES, July 15, 1984 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
"Changing Pitches" moves like a knuckleball for the mind in its unleering dealings with love in, out of, and for baseball. This one is the write stuff. -- LOS ANGELES TIMES, August 19, 1984
"Spontaneous, witty and immediate. 'Changing Pitches' is an auspicious beginning. -- THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW: July 15, 1984
Spontaneous, witty and immediate. "Changing Pitches" is an auspicious beginning. -- THE NEW YORK TIMES, July 15, 1984 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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More About the Author
STEVE KLUGER shook hands with Lucille Ball when he was 12. He's since lived a few more decades, but nothing much registered after that.
Kluger is a novelist and playwright who grew up during the Sixties with only two heroes: Tom Seaver and Ethel Merman. Few were able to grasp the concept. A veteran of "Casablanca" and a graduate of "The Graduate," he has written extensively on subjects as far-ranging as World War II, rock and roll, and the Titanic, and as close to the heart as baseball and the Boston Red Sox (which frequently have nothing to do with one another). Doubtless due to the fact that he's a card-carrying Baby Boomer whose entire existence was shaped by the lyrics to "Abbey Road," "Workingman's Dead," and "Annie Get Your Gun" (his first spoken words, in fact, were actually stolen from "The Pajama Game"), he's also forged a somewhat singular path as a civil rights advocate, campaigning for a "Save Fenway Park" initiative (which qualifies as a civil right if you're a Red Sox fan), counseling gay teenagers, and--on behalf of Japanese American internment redress--lobbying the Department of the Interior to restore the baseball diamond at the Manzanar National Historic Site. Meanwhile, he's donated half of his spare time to organizations such as Lambda Legal, GLSEN, and Models of Pride, and gives the rest of it to his nephews and nieces: Emily, Noah, Bridgette, Audrey, Elisa, Paloma, Logan, Evan, and Robbie--the nine kids who own his heart. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts--the only city in the world.
Kluger is a novelist and playwright who grew up during the Sixties with only two heroes: Tom Seaver and Ethel Merman. Few were able to grasp the concept. A veteran of "Casablanca" and a graduate of "The Graduate," he has written extensively on subjects as far-ranging as World War II, rock and roll, and the Titanic, and as close to the heart as baseball and the Boston Red Sox (which frequently have nothing to do with one another). Doubtless due to the fact that he's a card-carrying Baby Boomer whose entire existence was shaped by the lyrics to "Abbey Road," "Workingman's Dead," and "Annie Get Your Gun" (his first spoken words, in fact, were actually stolen from "The Pajama Game"), he's also forged a somewhat singular path as a civil rights advocate, campaigning for a "Save Fenway Park" initiative (which qualifies as a civil right if you're a Red Sox fan), counseling gay teenagers, and--on behalf of Japanese American internment redress--lobbying the Department of the Interior to restore the baseball diamond at the Manzanar National Historic Site. Meanwhile, he's donated half of his spare time to organizations such as Lambda Legal, GLSEN, and Models of Pride, and gives the rest of it to his nephews and nieces: Emily, Noah, Bridgette, Audrey, Elisa, Paloma, Logan, Evan, and Robbie--the nine kids who own his heart. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts--the only city in the world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A hilarious look at life, love and the curve ball.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Changing Pitches (New Ed) (Paperback)
Plain and simple. Laugh out loud funny. I finsihed this book so quickly, i went back and literally read it again. Steve Kluger is one of the funniest writers out there. I can't wait to read Last Days of Summer.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN ABSOLUTE (AND UNEXPECTED) DELIGHT,
This review is from: Changing Pitches: A Novel of Love and Baseball (Paperback)
Having been a Steve Kluger fan ever since I read "Last Days of Summer" and "Almost Like Being in Love," I was a little nervous about picking up a copy of his first novel, since it originally came out in 1984 and authors' early works rarely reach the level that their later ones do. True, "Changing Pitches" only hints at the unique narrative style that Kluger would develop more fully in his future novels--but in some ways, the actual writing is tighter, crisper, and more to the point than it is in his more popular books. This may be because he hadn't yet stumbled upon the device of telling his story through the points of view of a variety of different people and their respective speech patterns, but is able to concentrate almost entirely on the wry and acerbic left-handed fastballer Scotty MacKay--sort of a Henry Wiggen with a college degree.I first discovered "Changing Pitches" while I was browsing Kluger on the web and stumbled across a terrific New York Times review that, for whatever reason, doesn't appear on Amazon or B&N. Thematically, it sounded as though the novel might seem dated today--but don't let that mislead you. "Changing Pitches" is just as relevant now as it was 23 years ago--possibly because baseball hasn't grown up as much as it thinks it has. DEFINITELY worth the time and the read. But not on a red-eye. You'll wake up the entire coach cabin with periodic bursts of laughter.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A MUST READ IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME!,
By Marsha Nelson (Balibaby@aol.com) (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Changing Pitches (New Ed) (Paperback)
I didn't think I would enjoy reading around baseball, but I loved every moment I spent with this book & I didn't want to say goodbye to any of these characters. Further, I lost count of how many times I scared the cat because I was laughing out loud. Thank you, Mr. Kluger.
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs):
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mound conference Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Jason Cornell, American League, Tommy Higgins, Washington Senators, Doug Hoyt, Joey Tobin, Buddy Budlong, Skip Hatten, Opie Wright, Warren Budlong, Jay Bierman, Rich Bruder, Hall of Fame, Red Sox, Benny Fisk, Mickey Fowler, World Series, Don Weinberg, All-Star Game, Jefferson Memorial, The Sporting News, Senators Stadium, White Sox, Bob Delanoy Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
mound conference Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
New York, Jason Cornell, American League, Tommy Higgins, Washington Senators, Doug Hoyt, Joey Tobin, Buddy Budlong, Skip Hatten, Opie Wright, Warren Budlong, Jay Bierman, Rich Bruder, Hall of Fame, Red Sox, Benny Fisk, Mickey Fowler, World Series, Don Weinberg, All-Star Game, Jefferson Memorial, The Sporting News, Senators Stadium, White Sox, Bob Delanoy Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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