I Can See Clearly Now, Ryne Duren Talks from the Heart About Life, Baseball and Alcohol

The autobiography of the Yankee relief ace of the late 1950s, co-authored by Tom Sabellico, is a must read for baseball fans, parents, alcohol abuse counselors, and young adults.

(PRWEB) May 22, 2004 -- Long before anyone heard of Mariano Rivera, the New York Yankees had a fireballing relief pitcher who was one of the first "Closers" in bseball history - Ryne Duren. Ryne wore trademark thick sunglasses, and used a warm-up pitch thrown into the backstop screen, to remind batters that he might not have the greatest control, and would then fire strikes. Duren had control on the mound, especially during his time with the Yankees (1958-1961), where he was the ace of the bullpen and a World Series standout (1958) and an All-Star. It was off the field where Duren was out of control. Alcohol had taken over his life, and led to several attempts by Duren to end his life.

Luckily, Duren survived to tell his tale, and tells it poignantly in a new book that is written straight from the heart. Duren takes you on to the mound in the World Series, into his carpool with Mickey Mantle, and lets you in on his conversations with Casey Stengel. This book details the devastating effects of addiction on a world class athlete.

A special feature of the book is dozens of quotes from former players, including Hall of Famers Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra and Tommy Lasorda. The book also includes some never-before-released photos, from Duren's scrapbook.