Cup of Coffee: The Very Short Careers of Eighteen Major League Pitchers [Paperback]

Rob Trucks (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 7, 2003

Following in the footsteps of the fictional Ray Kinsella in Field of Dreams, writer Rob Trucks traveled the country in search of modern Moonlight Grahams – former pitchers whose major league careers lasted less than fifty innings. Cup of Coffee collects Trucks’s conversations with eighteen of these men – what they went through to reach the major leagues, why they didn’t stay, and what they saw, heard, and learned along the way.

These are stories of success and failure, accomplishment and disappointment, heartbreak and fulfillment, all while rubbing shoulders with baseball legends on the national pastime’s greatest stage. Cup of Coffee speaks not only to baseball aficionados, but students of the human condition as well.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" . . . an important reminder that not every major leaguer is a superstar . . . a must for true fans of the game." -- Jim Kaat, New York Yankees television analyst and sixteen-time Gold Glove pitcher

"I enjoyed the journey as much as William Least Heat-Moon's Blue Highways." -- - Bill "Spaceman" Lee, All-Star left-hander and philosopher

"These players just pour out their soul . . . a very enlightening piece of work." -- Frank Thomas, “The Original One,” three-time All-Star

About the Author

Born on Roberto Clemente’s twenty-seventh birthday, Rob Trucks is a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fan with one previous interview collection, The Pleasure of Influence (Purdue University Press, 2002), to his credit. He is currently working on an oral family history centering on his great-uncle, Virgil "Fire" Trucks.

Product Details

• Paperback: 420 pages
• Publisher: Smallmouth Press (January 7, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1588480399
• ISBN-13: 978-1588480392
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,068,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great bedtime read, February 10, 2004

By 

"stephencorey" (Tullahoma, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cup of Coffee: The Very Short Careers of Eighteen Major League Pitchers (Paperback)

Simply, I loved this book. I would read one bio each night before bed and found it (the individual bio) to be the perfect length, basically what Poe had in mind when he said a short story should be read in one sitting. I think readers make a mistake when they try to read this in one sitting. It should be read, in my opinion, more like a collection of short stories or a book of poetry, one ballplayer at time.

It's a lovely book, paced leisurely and calmly like the game it depicts. I mean, really, what's up with the reviewer who complains about the length. He's probably in favor of time limits on games and no extra innings too. This book, like the players and the subject it covers, should be read slowly, with the rhythms, the quiet passion and sudden moments of insight, that define America's game.

In sum, take your time and enjoy the ride. You'll be glad you did.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, despite..., May 17, 2003

By 

rolevine (Arlington, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cup of Coffee: The Very Short Careers of Eighteen Major League Pitchers (Paperback)

I enjoyed the book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to read about the "average joe baseball player". However, the tense it was written in is positively annoying and makes it hard to read some of the time. Instead of writing how real people would talk, like, "So when you were in high school, what types of pitches were you throwing?" he writes, "You're in high school. What types of pitches are you now throwing?" It's written as if you're in a hypnotherapy session and you're regressing your memories.

Bottom line: Good book. Get a real editor.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally know the real story!, July 26, 2006

By 

MN kid - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cup of Coffee: The Very Short Careers of Eighteen Major League Pitchers (Paperback)

My dad is one of the ball players featured in this book. My 3 siblings and myself always knew our dad played professional baseball back in the 60's, but we never really knew "the story". We would ask questions, but dad never really shared too much. He said it was his job. It was fun while it lasted. I really enjoyed reading the interview Rob Trucks did with my dad. I learned a lot about my own father's past and success and disappointments with baseball. I also enjoyed reading the other stories included in the book. Thank you Rob Trucks for putting my fahter's story into print!