Advanced
Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
Title details for The 33-Year-Old Rookie by Chris Coste - Available

The 33-Year-Old Rookie

How I Finally Made it to the Big Leagues After Eleven Years in the Minors

by Chris Coste
ebook
1 of 1 copy available
Borrow Read a sample Read a sample
1 of 1 copy available
Chris Coste dreamed of playing major-league baseball from the age of seven. But after eleven grueling years in the minors, a spot on a major-league roster still seemed just out of his reach–until that fateful call came from the Philadelphia Phillies in May 2006. At age thirty-three (“going on eighty”), Coste was finally heading to the big time.
The 33-Year-Old Rookie is like a real-life Rocky, an unforgettable and inspirational story of one man’s unwavering pursuit of a lifelong goal. Beginning in a single-parent home in Fargo, North Dakota, and ending behind home plate on the flawless diamond of the Phillies’ Citizens Bank Park–where fans and teammates call him “Chris Clutch” because of his knack for getting timely hits–this intimate account of Coste’s baseball odyssey is a powerful story of determination, perseverance, and passion.
For eleven seasons, Coste hustled, fought, and gritted his way to his breakthrough–and never lost faith in his abilities. Along the way, he gained the affection and admiration of baseball fans from Ottawa and Scranton to various Mexican and Venezuelan cities. Battered by years spent behind a catcher’s mask, and faced with bracing realities–there were bills to pay, and his young daughter was entering first grade–Coste decided to give it one last shot in 2006. But that year, during the Phillies’ major-league spring training, Coste was demoted to the minors at the last minute to make room for a utility outfielder, despite having hit a blistering .463 and earning the trust of the team’s pitchers. Later that season, though, Coste finally got the call-up, and he hit .364 during the Phillies’ furious battle to nail down the final postseason berth.
Coste takes us through the 2006 spring training season–with its pulse-quickening moments and close calls–and into his first season as a major-league catcher with the Phillies. From tense stretch-run games that kept Phillies’ fans on the edge of their seats to moments of intimate personal reflection, Coste’s saga offers baseball aficionados an inside look at a remarkable life and career. In this stirring, wry, and candid look at the life of a professional baseball nomad who never surrendered his dream, we savor the sometimes bittersweet fruits of victory against seemingly insurmountable odds.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    March 18, 2008

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780345507044

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780345507044
      • File size: 2599 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      February 1, 2008
      In his intriguing rags-to-not-quite-riches tale, Coste (Hey...I'm Just the Catcher) relates his long struggle to make it into the major leagues. Lacking a big college pedigree, he bounced around in independent baseball before enduring an extended stretch in the minors. There was also winter ball in Mexico. In 2006, he finally got the call-up that seemed unlikely ever to occurand he took full advantage: .328 in nearly 200 official trips to the plate for the Phillies. Highly recommended.

      Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      March 15, 2008
      Coste just turned 35 andhasplayed 113 regular season games for the Philadelphia Phillies as a backup catcherhardly a Hall of Fame r'sum'. So why has he written an autobiography? Because, despite a career filled with disappointment, he believed in himself and doggedly pursued his dream of playing in the major leagues. He is the archetype of the underdog. Born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota, he played junior-college baseballnot usually a ticket to the big timethen in independent leagues, minor leagues, winter ball in Mexico, and in any other venue that would have him. He also switched along the way from pitcher to catcher. The life he chose wasnt easy for himself or his wife and daughter. They scuffled by living with in-laws and minor-league host families, out of suitcases, and in Holiday Inns. But eventually he made it, and it looks as though hell be around a while. Sometimes nice things happen to good people, even in sports. Expect considerable interest; in these scandalized, performance-enhancing times, baseball needs all the feel-good stories it can muster.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

Loading