Pedro Gomez of ESPN was a beloved figure in baseball. His death
from sudden cardiac arrest on Feb. 7, 2021, unleashed an outpouring
of heartfelt tributes. He was 58, both a hard-nosed reporter and a
smiling ambassador of the sport. These 62 personal essays soar
beyond sports to delve into life lessons. Pedro, a proud Cuban
American, was known for his dramatic reporting from Havana. Fully
and fluidly bilingual, he did as much as anyone to bridge the wide
gap that had existed between U.S.-born players and the Latin
Americans now so important to the game's vitality and future
growth. He was also a family man who loved to talk about his three
children, Sierra, Dante and Rio, a Boston Red Sox prospect. Pedro
was universally known as a smiling presence who brought out the
best in people. His humanity and generosity of spirit shaped
countless lives, including one of his ESPN bosses, Rob King, who
was so moved by Pedro's advice to him--"Remember who you are"--that
he printed up the words and posted them on the wall of his office
in Bristol. King is one of a diverse collection of contributors
whose personal essays turn Pedro's shocking death into an occasion
to reflect on the deeper truths of life we too often overlook. Part
The Pride of Havana and part Tuesdays With Morrie, part The Tender
Bar and part Ball Four, this is the rare essay collection that
reads like a novel, full of achingly honest emotion and painful
insights, a book about friendship, a book about standing for
something, a book about joy and love. Former New York Times writer
Jack Curry writes about Pedro's passion for live music, and former
Sports Illustrated writer Tim Kurkjian brings alive spring-training
basketball games with executives like Sandy Anderson and Billy
Beane and Pedro right in the mix. Detroit manager AJ Hinch and
formers Texas manager Ron Washington both reveal that in their
darkest hours Pedro gave them some of the best advice of their
lives. Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley, Tony La Russa, Peter
Gammons, Ross Newhan, Tracy Ringolsby and Dan Shaughnessy are among
the contributors. So are likely future Hall of Famers Max Scherzer
and Dusty Baker. Pulitzer-Prize-winning Washington Post war
correspondent Steve Fainaru, award-winning writers from Howard
Bryant and Mike Barnicle to Tim Keown, Ken Rosenthal and Dave
Sheinin also contribute. Rounding out the mix are current and
former ESPN stars including Rachel Nichols, Shelley M. Smith, Peter
Gammons, Bob Ley and Keith Olbermann. This is a book to rekindle in
any lapsed fan a love of going to the ballpark, but it's also a
wakeup call that transcends sports. To any journalist, worn down by
the demands of a punishing job, to anyone anywhere, pummeled by
pandemic times and the dark mood of the country in recent years,
these essays will light a spark to seize every opportunity to make
a difference, in your work and in the lives of people who matter to
you.
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