Momentous Day in Baseball History Through Eyes of 11-Year-old Fan

Holland, MI (PRWEB) October 2, 2006

The year 1956 defined a generation. The polarized mood of the country created an atmosphere like no other. Eisenhower was president, and World War II was ten years past. The economy was booming, and television shows like “Ozzie and Harriet” depicted conservative values. On the surface, this golden age appeared perfect. But just below, tensions brewed. Americans were shadowed with constant anxiety about the Russians, and the Civil Rights movement was gaining momentum. Pressure to conform to the image of the perfect suburban family was high, and juvenile delinquency was on the rise.

But at least there was baseball -- the American obsession that eased the tensions of a nation. And when Don Larsen, pitcher for the NY Yankees, retired every batter in Game 5 of the World Series, the country stood in awe. Had it really happened? The “Perfect Game”?

Author Albert Bell Jr. releases “Perfect Game, Imperfect Lives: A Memoir Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Don Larsen’s Perfect Game” (ISBN 1932158413) to coincide with the half-century anniversary of this pivotal day in sports history. Bell’s unique account is a dedication to unlikely hero Don Larsen, a tribute to the beloved New York Yankees, and a revealing memoir depicting his own personal coming-of-age story.

Uprooted from his secure South Carolina home, 11-yr-old Bell and family moved to Cincinnati. Bell had difficulty adjusting and reflects on his pain being the “new kid,” and the confusion of adolescence. Through baseball, Bell gains a new friend – another devotee of the game and recent transplant from Brooklyn. Their lives center around baseball -- playing it, talking about it, and collecting baseball cards and autographs. On October 8, the two skip school to watch the fifth game of the World Series on TV. Little did they know they were about to witness the most spectacular game in baseball history.

“Perfect Game, Imperfect Lives” vividly captures the game that hurled Don Larsen into the record books with the only perfect game pitched in the World Series – 27 Dodgers up and 27 Dodgers down. Filled with interesting quotes and recollections, this book will entertain sports fans and delight historians, and as one reader said, it’s “a book that women will buy for their husbands and then read themselves.” Bell clearly hits it out-of-the-park with his new book!

Albert Bell Jr. was born in South Carolina and resides with his wife in Holland, MI. A college teacher, Bell holds several academic degrees from Duke, Southeastern Seminary, University of North Carolina. Bell, a prolific author, has published articles, stories and numerous books including “Exploring the New Testament World,” “Kill Her Again,” “The Case of the Lonely Grave,” “All Roads Lead to Murder,” and “Death Goes Dutch.” Bell is an avid collector of vintage baseball cards. “Perfect Game, Imperfect Lives” (ISBN 1932158413) can be purchased at online bookstores or http://www.albertbell.com/

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