...I say struck a chord because it wasn’t two minutes later, after a couple of the hired cops had escorted John off the field and towards the pathway out by left field led to the parking lot, that a kid named Kyle Wiggins sent a curveball into left centerfield that had Steve Green heading for home. Strange thing happened around third base though. Steve didn’t trip like some folks assumed, no stumble whatsoever, just sat his butt down and had to wait quite some time for the ball to come back from the gap to the shortstop relay and finally to the red-headed Omaha Morris third baseman didn’t quite know what to do. But he put the tag on him there in the dirt on instinct. The umpire went to make the call but even he hesitated. And soon enough those four umps were meeting near the third base line with both team coaches. A whole lot of head shaking and Stevie could hear might have to declare a forfeit while they called him over. And his teammates, they were more in shock than the two thousand fans, wondering how the coolest and smartest of them could have chosen this moment in time to have his own personal nervous breakdown. But it wasn’t a breakdown, it was his cause, his first cause other than winning the very championship he now disdained, and next thing you know, the adults were deliberating for what seemed like an hour, and the fans sent the whole thing halfway around the world on their phones...none of that mattered to those fifty kids from two teams across the state because they were going to play extra innings anyway, more than three hundred of them in total for those of you keep score at home, went on for ten days...
331 INNINGS
is a powerful tale narrated by elderly Nebraska native Jack Schram, a lifelong witness to the folly of war and hypocrisy. Jack tells of the bullying encountered by his nephew’s son John, born with physical limitations and learning disabilities. It hasn't been easy either for John’s close friend Sarah Jenkinson, harassed constantly since moving to the area a few years ago. While John relates that he wants to bring change to the world, all Jack can see is change of the unfortunate kind. Will John continue to cast his lot with two older ne'er-do-wells and follow through on the random acts of violence they fantasize about? Or find a better path?
In a time when people ask what is going wrong with our children and ourselves and tragedies abound all over the globe, this is truly an inspirational story.
What people are saying about
331 Innings
“331 Innings is the latest offering from Peter Brav, the gifted author of a number of baseball-themed novels. . . .[t]his new book represents a bit of a departure in that it is a coming-of-age tale which only makes occasional references to America’s pastime. . . .the action unfolds in a humble, Cornhusker community littered with colorful characters. . . .a sobering, modern morality play contemplating the degenerating state of human interaction in the 21st Century.”
“I’ve read several of Peter’s books. With them as with this one the first response has always been, where’s the next one?! He writes beautifully out of beautiful wellsprings of humanity.”
“Although baseball is played in 331 INNINGS, this is truly a tale of humanity rather than sports. It reminds me of the films of Alexander Payne, both due to its midwestern small town setting and its salt-of-the-earth yet unique and uniquely American characters; characters that I really cared about. Peter Brav is a fine writer who absolutely avoids all that is hackneyed. This is a delightful quick read!”