SOLVED. Baseball, Halley's comet, and fundamentalism [s]

[Matt]

Small town midwestern boy working for the new couple in town-the husband runs a newspaper and the boy has a crush on the wife. Halley's comet is coming (1910, I believe) and the townsfolk get caught up in religious hysteria. The town has a baseball team, and the printer plays a key role. The boy, IIRC, has a somewhat unhappy homelife. The printer is a crazy man when he drinks. I believe the book was published in the 2000s. Thank you!

[Tricia]

Maybe one of these:
The Whistling Season
The Year of the Comet
Selling Hope
Halley Came to Jackson?

[Matt]

Thanks for the response, Tricia, but none of those are it.

[Tab]

Wandering Star ?

If not, anything about the cover?
Was this a book for teens or adults?

[Matt]

TAB-that is it! Thank you!!

[Tab]

you're welcome :)