A Coach's Letter to His Son

by Mel Allen, John Thompson (Illustrator)

Baseball is a game steeped in tradition, played from backyards to major league stadiums, and cheered by millions of fans. But at its most intimate and fundamental level, baseball is a game grounded in fathers and in playing catch in the twilight hours after supper, in sons standing before old fences swinging at their father's pitches. Creative Editions is proud to present A Coach's Letter to His Son, a nostalgic tribute to the game.
The words of Mel Allen and sketches and photo-realistic paintings by John Thompson combine to convey a coach's story and regrets to his son, a baseball player not yet in his teens. Reflecting on his own baseball childhood, the importance of family, and the high-pressure atmosphere that surrounds youth sports at even the earliest levels of competition today, the narrator comes to reassess his priorities and rediscover the purity of baseball. In an age when "America's pastime" is increasingly defined by statistics, awards, and championships, A Coach's Letter to His Son is a powerful and touching reminder of the heart of the game.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2004

Reviews

[Trevor Oakley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had my way, I would make this required reading for every parent who puts their child/children into youth sports, and make sure every coach has read it as well...with a mandatory refresher read every few years! This beautifully illustrated and somewhat subtle "letter" reminds us all that games are meant to be played and enjoyed by the players, instructors, and parents.

[Michele Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allen’s powerful words and Thompson’s photo-realistic paintings create a beautiful poignant baseball book dedicated to not only fathers and sons, but also some of the great players, like Bobby Schantz, Robin Roberts, Ted Williams and John Matlack. This book is a dedication to all the loving fathers (and mothers too) who played baseball, or simply played catch with their young children.
But once the father realizes that his son’s “…face is taut, the face of someone who is chewing food he does not enjoy,” he realizes that, “Sports are too hard to play unless they are played with joy. I write this to say to you that I want to start over. I want to put away the instructional tapes and the clinics and the winter talk about summer tournaments.”
The father wants baseball to once again be a joyous event that he shared with his son. Not a competition where the fun is gone because everyone, players and parents, coaches and scouts are all too concerned about winning. The father wants “…to forget about perfect form, but instead find delight in putting all your strength and happiness into a swing.” Simple delights are what the father is searching for with his son, instead of the high pressure of making it big in baseball.
Armchair Interviews says: An excellent book with beautiful hard-drawn pictures and sentimental text. Great for any age child and their parents too!