Mickey Mantle’s Last Home Run

Name: Mickey Mantle’s Last Home Run
Price: $13.99 USD
Author: Steven A. Falco
ISBN: 9781532052088

by Steven A. Falco

Formats

Softcover

$13.99

E-Book

$3.99

Softcover

$13.99

Other Books By Author

Mickey Mantle’s Last Home Run

Steven A. Falco

$13.99

Book Details

Language : English

Publication Date : 12/20/2018

Recognition Programs

Format : Softcover

Dimensions : 5x8

Page Count : 226

ISBN : 9781532052088

Format : E-Book

Dimensions : N/A

Page Count : 226

ISBN : 9781532052095

About the Book

TJ and Jonathan are teen-age friends and teammates on the JV baseball team. Like many young people growing up in America in the late sixties, they have heroes. For TJ, who is white, it is Mickey Mantle, the aging star of the New York Yankees. For Jonathan, who is black, it is Martin Luther King Jr., the leader of the civil rights movement. Unfortunately, 1968 is a bad year for heroes and—America. Their friendship is strained to the breaking point when Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated. Jonathan, who is devastated by the murder, blames all white people, TJ included. TJ then has to struggle through the challenges of the JV baseball season in his racially-torn town, without the support of his friend. Is there anything that can repair their broken bond? Would it take still another American tragedy?

About the Author

Steven A. Falco grew up playing baseball in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City. He majored in English at Montclair State University where he studied Steinbeck, Dylan, and Berra. Falco worked for many years in social services and continues to play ball. He is the author of Grandpa Gordy’s Greatest World Series Games.

Customer Reviews

Coming Of Age In Turbulent Times In his Mickey Mantle's Last Homerun, Steven A. Falco writes an engaging tale of the coming-of-age of two primary characters: TJ, a white New Jersey boy with a love for baseball, and Jonathan, a black New Jersey neighbor, put together in the same high school by integration. While the races keep to themselves in school, when Jonathan and TJ are on the same JV baseball team, they become close friends. Jonathan is clearly a very intelligent young man with a lot of experience that he shares with his ballplayer mates and white friends in the school through the use of humor and exaggeration. It is 1969, and a lot of things are happening in the wider world that affect both young men. Martin Luther King is killed, putting a damper on Jonathan's usual jovial interaction, sadness in TJ's heart and possible unrest in school and the neighborhoods of North Jersey. But the love of baseball brings the two back together, and with friends, they venture into Manhattan, on their own, to go to games of their favorite team, the New York Yankees. The Yankees haven't been doing well in recent years and are no longer the team on the top. The last great star, Mickey Mantle, is in his last year. JT wants to see all of his games, but can only get away and afford to see a few. But then, Bobby Kennedy is shot and is lain to rest at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Jonathan, famous for side trips save this document has in NYC for the education of his buddies, decides to go see Bobby before the game. A new adventure evolves. Falco writes primarily with dialogue that is easy to follow and appropriate for the time and place. The story moves along quite well and the adventures of the young men at the school, the ballpark, and the big city, all come together in a pleasing and accurate historical way. A great lesson for young people to read today about a turbulent time 50 years ago. I hope this book gets wide readership from young people as well as their highly concerned parents. Ronald W. Hull is the author of Hanging by a Thread, his autobiography, and 10 other novels and short story collections.

Ronald W. Hull
Coming Of Age In Turbulent Times In his Mickey Mantle's Last Homerun, Steven A. Falco writes an engaging tale of the coming-of-age of two primary characters: TJ, a white New Jersey boy with a love for baseball, and Jonathan, a black New Jersey neighbor, put together in the same high school by integration. While the races keep to themselves in school, when Jonathan and TJ are on the same JV baseball team, they become close friends. Jonathan is clearly a very intelligent young man with a lot of experience that he shares with his ballplayer mates and white friends in the school through the use of humor and exaggeration. It is 1969, and a lot of things are happening in the wider world that affect both young men. Martin Luther King is killed, putting a damper on Jonathan's usual jovial interaction, sadness in TJ's heart and possible unrest in school and the neighborhoods of North Jersey. But the love of baseball brings the two back together, and with friends, they venture into Manhattan, on their own, to go to games of their favorite team, the New York Yankees. The Yankees haven't been doing well in recent years and are no longer the team on the top. The last great star, Mickey Mantle, is in his last year. JT wants to see all of his games, but can only get away and afford to see a few. But then, Bobby Kennedy is shot and is lain to rest at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Jonathan, famous for side trips save this document has in NYC for the education of his buddies, decides to go see Bobby before the game. A new adventure evolves. Falco writes primarily with dialogue that is easy to follow and appropriate for the time and place. The story moves along quite well and the adventures of the young men at the school, the ballpark, and the big city, all come together in a pleasing and accurate historical way. A great lesson for young people to read today about a turbulent time 50 years ago. I hope this book gets wide readership from young people as well as their highly concerned parents. Ronald W. Hull is the author of Hanging by a Thread, his autobiography, and 10 other novels and short story collections.

Ronald W. Hull

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