Stealing Home

I love the game of baseball. What better summer pastime is there? So with curious anticipation I began Allison Pittman's new novel, Stealing Home.

The setting is 1905, and the Chicago Cubs are ready to begin a banner year. However, their star catcher, "Duke" Dennison has missed much of the training period, for reasons that the club is not making known. Apparently his alcoholism has gotten the better of him, and he's been sent to recover in the small, "dry" town of Picksville, Missouri. He is relatively unknown there except to the sheriff in whose house he boards and his daughter Ellie, a ticket agent at the railway station. Ned, a long-time admirer of Ellie's who runs the feed store and whose office is crowded with baseball newpaper clippings, is one of the few who immediately recognizes him.

Being much a ladies' man, Duke flirts with Ellie and charms the other ladies in town. The townsmen revere him once he's recognized. Morris, a 12 yr. old Negro boy, (this is 1905, remember) crosses the tracks to spend his days in town running errands for various townspeople to earn money he stashes away in order to eventually leave. He's polite, courteous, a hard worker, and is wiser about God than most. He finds much acceptance, to a point, though Ellie and Ned are genuine in their concern for his well-being.

Duke discovers Morris' talent for throwing a baseball and begins to think of helping someone other than himself, for a change. Possibly there will be a berth in the Negro leagues? Duke and Ned team up with Morris's help to build a baseball diamond on unused land across from the railway station. Eventually all the men of the town join in construction and friendly games ensue. It's here that Morris' pitching arm is thoroughly tested. Suddenly, tragedy strikes and threatens to break the spirits of those involved. Will faith and renewed love be enough to carry them through?

Stealing Home is new from WaterBrook Press.
In paperback, it is also available here.
I have one copy to give away.***edit: the copy is now taken.