Pujols: More Than the Game [Hardcover]

Scott Lamb (Author), Tim Ellsworth (Author), Joe Posnanski (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 22, 2011

After a decade starring for the St. Louis Cardinals, Albert Pujols is already compared with names in the highest reaches of baseball's pantheon: Ruth, Gehrig, Aaron, Mays.

Authors Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth spare no tale of this growing baseball legend, all the while accentuating "the unseen hand of divine providence" that has shaped the man Albert Pujols has become.

From the foreword by Joe Posnanski, Senior Writer at Sports Illustrated: How does Pujols find ways to keep getting better? Some of the secrets are in this fine book by Lamb and Ellsworth.

Mike Huckabee, 44th Governor of Arkansas: One thing about Pujols--he matches in his personal life the excellence that he demonstrates on the diamond. You will love this book and will love Pujols if you don't already. You may never love the Cards like I do, but there's hope for you!

Tommy Herr, St. Louis Cardinals' 2nd baseman, 1979-1988: As a part of the great tradition of St. Louis Cardinals baseball, it is very gratifying to me to see a man of Albert's character enjoy the success that he has achieved. His dedication to his craft and to God makes him the ultimate Hall of Famer.

Derrick Goold, baseball writer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Lamb and Ellsworth peek behind the box scores, scrape beneath the statistics, and illuminate not just what drives Pujols in the batter's box, but what inspires him beyond it.

Frank Pastore, former pitcher for Reds and Twins: Ellsworth and Lamb do a great job exposing the wonderful man beneath the uniform. Even if you're not a baseball fan, you can't help but fall in love with this quality guy.

Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-chief, World: ...lucidly describes both the season-by-season baseball exploits of Pujols and the impact he's having on some lives for eternity.

FLAME, hip-hop artist: You will walk away from this book encouraged in your faith as you read of Pujols' steadfast commitment to God in the midst of obstacles.

Les Steckel, veteran NFL coach and Pres./CEO, Fellowship of Christian Athletes: ... delivers a home run in this fascinating and well-documented story of a young boy who began playing baseball using milk cartons for baseball gloves and now uses his platform as baseball's greatest player to proclaim the joy and strength he receives in walking with the Lord.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Scott Lamb is director of research for the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.  He has pastored churches in Alabama and Missouri.  He writes articles for Christian newspapers and magazines, and blogs for World magazine and the "Civil Religion" forum of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  He and his wife, Pearl, have five children.

Tim Ellsworth is director of news and media relations at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. Tim previously worked as associate editor of the Illinois Baptist and director of news and information at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tim is the author of God in the Whirlwind: Stories of Grace from the Tornado at Union University. He is also the editor of Baptist Press Sports. He and his wife, Sarah, have three children.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson; 1St Edition edition (February 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595552243
• ISBN-13: 978-1595552242
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (156 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #574,204 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Faith & Baseball (In That Order) February 8, 2011

By kdea473 VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

I am a baseball fan for the sake of baseball, not too interested in the big names (or salaries) that so often accompany winning teams. I have attended more baseball games than I can count, and as it turns out, probably watched my brother play baseball against Albert Pujols in high school (just didn't realize what he would become!).

While this book advertised Pujols's faith in God as the key component to his life, I was skeptical that it would pan out. (Like most, I'm pretty weary of the constant attention paid to "celebrity" athletes, actors, and the like.) But by page 6, when the authors are describing Pujols's performance during a "Buddy Day" game, I had tears in my eyes, and I knew that he was serious.

The book is heavy on sports action and stats; it is also heavy on faith. (As the book is published by Thomas Nelson, I would expect the second.) It is also immensely readable. I snuggled up on the couch the night the book arrived in the mail, and finished it in a single sitting.

The book should appeal to any true baseball fan, Pujols fan, and young athletes hoping to "make it big" while maintaining a focus on and relationship with God. It is reassuring to hear an athlete speak so clearly about his faith.

[Please note, while it did not affect my review of this book, I received this book for review purposes at no charge from BookSneeze.com.]

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Bio on an Excellent Baseball Player February 1, 2011

By Terrence T. Delaney

Format:Hardcover

I was impressed with how the authors weaved life and baseball together on just about every page. Being able to see what makes a superstar like Albert tick is always interesting though in this case it really is not. In many biographies of living players, you will only read of the good stuff. This is not true of Pujols. While you will see a superstar who is a hero to many, and one who calls on the name of Christ as Lord and Savior, you will also see a human who gets upset and can hold a grudge. Pujols is not painted as a saint, just a sinner saved by grace trying to live in the world without being of the world.

The one chapter that felt more forced than any of the others was the chapter concerning steroids. In this chapter, the author's list 20 reasons why Pujols could not possibly use steroids. This chapter feels more like a defense attorney presentation than a mere biographical sketch. Nonetheless, in an age where everyone is suspected of using performance enhancing drugs, I can see the necessity of showing how the "guy with all the stats" is not using steroids to be of significant importance. This is even more true given the Christianity of the man, Albert Pujols.

Pujols: More than the Game is more than a biography. It is a $25 gospel tract that will be read. Since he does put up gaudy numbers, people want to know more about him, but Pujols will tell you just as he tells countless reporters - it is not about me. He wants the whole world to know that what he does, he does because the Creator of the universe has gifted him with a special ability to hit a little white ball with a little brown stick and hit it extremely hard and far. If you are a baseball fan, you will appreciate this book. If you are a Christian, you will want to purchase extra copies to give away as it will certainly open many doors to gospel conversations that you might not have had before now.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Pujols - More than the Game February 16, 2011

By thefriendlynigorian

Format:Hardcover

Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth do a great job of showing us all the sides of the man that is Albert Pujols. As a casual fan, and a lifelong Cubs devotee, I have admired Pujols from afar with more than a good bit of envy. However, it is impossible not to be completely enamored with a man who so explicitly lives his life, and by default uses his otherworldly baseball talents, for the sole purpose of glorifying God. Today's sports culture is such that there are not many professional athletes worthy of being labeled `role models', Albert Pujols begs to differ.
Although it would be easy to get caught up with Pujol's positives, the authors do a great job of presenting a well rounded picture, successes and failures, areas of growth etc. It takes real skill to paint a moving picture a la Harry Potter, but they've managed to accomplish just that. If there is one thing that takes away from this biography it is the fact that we don't really see anything from the personal side of Pujol's life, only the face that he puts on in public. To the authors credit they've done a scintillating job despite not being able to interview Pujol's or any of his family members for the book.
Overall a great read, one that I would recommend to anyone, especially those searching for a real role model in the sporting world.
Just in case you were wondering...I'm still a Cubs fan.