Comeback [Paperback]

Dave Dravecky (Author), Tim Stafford (Contributor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 29, 1992

The moment was electric and unforgettable. Less than one year after cancer surgery on Dave Dravecky's pitching arm, the San Francisco Giants pitcher came back to take the mound once again. And won. Five days later, he won again . . . but tragically broke his arm. Then he broke his arm again during an on-field celebration after the Giant's won the National League Championship. In Comeback, Dravecky recounts his exciting career, from the minors to winter ball, to the majors and the earthquake-halted 1989 World Series. Dravecky has met heartbreak at every turn with determination and faith. A rallying symbol for cancer patients and anyone facing hardship, Dravecky talks about the faith that has helped him through the ordeals that ended his career and threatened his life. Millions of TV fans witnessed Dave Dravecky's unforgettable comeback. Millions more will embrace his monumental story.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Dravecky's determination to return to pitch with the San Francisco Giants after cancer surgery is one of the best stories of personal triumph in the sports world today. Dravecky tells of his dream of becoming a major league baseball player with energy and candor. Through a casual, narrative style, his descriptions of plays and personalities come alive with the integrity of the game. Dravecky doesn't gloss over the pain he suffered and the discouragements that haunted him as he saw his baseball career fall apart, but he does speak unflinchingly of the religious beliefs and attitudes that enable him to fight against the inevitable adversities in life. --Cynthia J. Rieben, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Dravecky's comeback was one of the true highlights of last year's baseball season. This book tells the story of that courageous effort and the disappointments that followed. Dravecky's tone is straightforward, even matter-of-fact; but the message of his courage and religious faith comes through clearly. This is first a baseball book: details of his career are provided; the description of the comeback victory over the Reds is particularly effective. The other story here is one of a battle with cancer. It will be excellent reading for others battling the disease. Dravecky finds much of his strength in his religious beliefs, and the work is also a testimonial to that faith (Zondervan publishes a number of Christian titles). Fans, sufferers, and anyone who finds inspiration in a strong faith will enjoy this. Expect demand.
- Robert Aken, Univ. of Kentucky Libs., Lexington
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 252 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; Reprint edition (September 29, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031052881X
• ISBN-13: 978-0310528814
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #368,844 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dave Dravecky is the best-selling author of eight inspirational books, including his gripping story, Comeback. He and his wife, Jan, live in Denver, Colorado, where Endurance, his ministry to encourage those who are facing serious illness, loss or depression, is located.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Comeback Kid, July 3, 2005

By 

Jesse B Ellyson (Dale City, Virginia United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Comeback (Hardcover)

In the face of adversity, faith in God will see you through. That's the moral of the story.

Dave Dravecky was a baseball player. A pitcher. That was all he ever wanted to be. And he was good at it. Good enough to pitch in the major leagues. But when a cancerous tumor was found in his pitching arm it looked like his career was over.

Or was it? The Dravecky family had faith in God. They placed their future and Dave's career in His hands. Placing faith in God is always the right thing to do and Dravecky's story is a testimony to that fact. Against all odds, against all expectations, Dave Dravecky overcame the loss of his deltoid muscle and worked his way through the minor leagues back up to the major leagues.

Comeback is a story of triumph over impossible odds. Ronald Reagan said of Dravecky, "The remarkable faith and courage he has shown is an inspiration to us all." So it is. Judging by the cover and the man who wrote it you may think this is a book about baseball. It's not. Comeback is a story about a man and his faith in God. Comeback is a story about God's work in one man's life.

Dave Dravecky's story is deeply inspirational and his book should be found on every Christian bookshelf.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars FANTASTIC, September 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Comeback (Paperback)

A must read for every athlete - both Christian and non-Christian. Dave is an inspriation. I have read the book six times over the years and have never found a book by an athlete better. To top it off, Dave is as nice of a guy in person as he is in his book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Both interesting and inspirational, May 22, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Comeback (Paperback)

Dave Dravecky wrote an inspiring book after his first bout with cancer and amazing comeback to professional baseball. The writing is better than in most athlete-authored books. Most sports fans know that the cancer returned, and Dave lost an arm to it. The follow-up story is revealed in subsequent books authored by Dave Dravecky and his wife Jan Dravecky. I think readers will be uplifted by any of these books.