This book covers the first year, 2012, that Mike Matheny became the manager of the Saint Louis Cardinals baseball team. More specifically it is the story of the Christian players on the team.
Eighteen men gave testimonies of their Christian faith in this book. These stories cover the gamut of age, and the amount of time they have had a relationship with Jesus. Some are young, some are older, some have been Christians for many years and some have been Christians for a short time. Seventeen of the eighteen men are, or have been, baseball players. The one exception is Rip Rowan who is the Cardinals equipment manager.
The overriding theme that all the men wanted to stress is that God doesn’t play favorites with baseball teams. Just because a team has a little or a lot of players who are Christians on it, that won’t influence who will win. Hard work, weather, the environment and the emotional state of the players are some of things that contribute to the game’s outcome. Being a Christian gives the players a richer life and peace, but it isn’t an automatic ticket to winning a baseball game. They believe their baseball career doesn’t get special favor because they are a Christian.
Each of the men blend the story of their baseball career with their story of faith. A lot of the men talk about a Bible verse that is a favorite or has meant a lot to them. They also talk about what it is like to be a Christian, as well as, a Cardinal baseball player. All of them mention what a large group of guys are part of the Bible studies, that child care is even provided so families can be included. The men state what a great support system that has been for them as players, and as Christian men. When they first came to the Cardinals, many of the men were surprised about how large and well-attended the group is.
The players also talk about the highs and lows of their baseball careers, what path they took to become a Cardinal baseball player, and some of the day-to-day life as a Cardinal. Some sacrifices have had to be made for their jobs. One example is Mike Matheny forgoing attending many of his children’s his activities, including his son’s graduation, to be present at a Cardinal game.
I thought the book was very interesting and gave great insight to the life working in the world of baseball–especially the Cardinal baseball team–and the life of men following Christ. I think fans of baseball, and Cardinal baseball fans in particular, would really love this book. I enjoyed the book, recommend it, and give it five stars.
The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through Thomas Nelson Publishing for the purpose of review. All opinions expressed are my own, and I have not been compensated in any other manner. Despite my receiving the book free, it has not influenced my judgment, and I have given an honest opinion.
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