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A Pirate for Life
A Pirate for Life

A Pirate for Life

By Steve Blass, By Erik Sherman

BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY

272 Pages, 6 x 9

Formats: PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket, Trade Paper

Trade Paper, $18.95 (US $18.95) (CA $24.95)

ISBN 9781600788192

Rights: WOR

Triumph Books (Apr 2013)

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Overview

A story of pride, passion, and baseball

Exploring a pitching career that began with a complete-game victory over Hall of Famer Don Drysdale in 1964 and ended when he could no longer control his pitches, this book details the life of Pittsburgh Pirates great, Steve Blass. This insider's view of the humorous and bizarre journey of a World Series champion pitcher turned color commentator will delight Pirates and baseball fans alike. Recounting his first years in the Major Leagues and his battle with the baffling condition that would ultimately bear his own name, Steve Blass tells the story of his life on and off the field with a poignant, dazzling wit and shares the life of a baseball player who had the prime of his career cut short.

Reviews

"Talk about a guy whose career ran the gamut—Steve Blass went from World Series hero, to a man whose name became literally synonymous with a specific baseball malady.  He emerged from it all with humor, humanity, and perspective."—Bob Costas, NBC Sports and Major League Baseball Network

"He went from the very top of his game to the very confused. How he unraveled and overcame his malady with humor and intelligence is a lesson for all and is what this book is all about."—Tim McCarver, Fox Baseball Analyst, Recipient of the 2012 Ford C. Frick Award

"There are a lot of guys in baseball, but there are just a few you can put on one hand that have the zest for life and love of the game as Steve Blass."—Bill Mazeroski, Hall of Fame Second Baseman, Pittsburgh Pirates

"Steve Blass embodied the early '70s Pirates teams on which he starred: he was gifted, grounded, and great company. Nothing has changed in this wonderful, entertaining book. In "A Pirate For Life," Blass gives us a look behind the curtain, reintroducing us to a cast of familiar and delightful characters, including himself. He is the perfect tour guide to a golden age in Bucs history -- a history he helped make."—Austin Murphy, Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated

Author Biography

Steve Blass
See Author
Steve Blass is a former pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and has been broadcasting their games as color commentator since 1987. He lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Erik Sherman has been a freelance sportswriter more than 30 years. He lives in New York City.

Media

A Pirate for Life was mentioned in an article on ESPN.com.
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A Pirate for Life was mentioned in an article in the Register Citizen.
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A Pirate for Life was mentioned in an article on ESPN.com.
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Steve Blass, author of A Pirate for Life, was interviewed by Don Brennan on WWSB-TV (ABC).

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Listen to KDKA Radio's interview with Steve Blass, author of A Pirate for Life.

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A Pirate for Life was featured in the Bradenton Patch in conjunction with Steve Blass' book signing at McKechnie Field.

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A Pirate for Life was featured in the Bradenton Times in conjunction with Steve Blass' book signing at McKechnie Field.

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A Pirate for Life was featured on OurSportsCentral.com in conjunction with Steve Blass' book signing at McKechnie Field.

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Book Signings

Past Events

Aug
27
Erik Sherman - A Pirate for Life ›
Cooperstown, NY
1:00pm
Jun
10
Steve Blass - A Pirate for Life ›
Cranberry Township, PA
5:30pm
Jun
09
Steve Blass - A Pirate for Life ›
Pittsburgh, PA
2:00pm
Jun
01
Steve Blass - A Pirate for Life ›
Homestead, PA
1:00pm
Mar
09
Steve Blass - A Pirate for Life ›
Bradenton, FL
11:00am

Press Releases

A Pirate for Life

By Steve Blass with Erik Sherman

 

Contact: Bill Ames, Independent Publishers Group, 312.337.0747, ext. 326, bames@ipgbook.com

 

The name Steve Blass brings up mixed emotions for Pittsburgh Pirates fans who witnessed one of the golden eras for the franchise during his career.  After very successful beginnings pitching for the Pirates, he is best known for his sudden and inexplicable loss of control after the 1972 season. A condition referred to as "Steve Blass Disease" has become a part of baseball lexicon. The "diagnosis" is applied to talented players who inexplicably and permanently seem to lose their ability to accurately throw a baseball. 

 

Now in paperback, A Pirate for Life tells the story of Blass' life on and off the field with a poignant, dazzling wit and shares the life of a baseball player who had the prime of his career cut short.  Some of the stories include:

 

  • Winning the World Series in 1972 with Hall of Fame teammates Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski and Willie Stargell
  • Rejoining the team he loved as a broadcast announcer starting in 1983
  • How he defeated the thing that caused him so much grief for a quarter century.
  • Recording two holes-in-one in a single round of golf in 2009

 

The endearing story of perseverance and determination in A Pirate for Life sheds new light on both the memorable performances he achieved as a ballplayer and the trials and tribulations that Blass faced as his career abruptly came to an end.  As an All-Star, World Series champion, World Series MVP runner-up and a pitcher who won 18 and 19 games in individual seasons, Blass certainly holds a place in the hearts of Pirates fans who saw him pitch in the '60s and '70s.

 

Blass, with his notable humble personality, lays it all on the line and shares stories and insights about a seemingly tragic end to a solid career.  Blass lived out his dream by playing baseball and continues to do so in the booth as a broadcast announcer with the team he loves.  He accomplishes many remarkable triumphs, fights through an incredibly difficult experience and inspires others in A Pirate for Life.

 

About the Authors:

Steve Blass has been a part of the Pittsburgh Pirates organization since 1960 as a player and color commentator. Through 10 seasons, Steve compiled a 103-76 record with 57 complete games and 16 shutouts. In the 1971 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, Blass recorded two complete game victories. Steve and his wife, Karen, live in Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania. They have two sons, David and Christopher; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

 

Erik Sherman is a graduate of Emerson College, where he lettered in baseball for four seasons. He coauthored the highly acclaimed 1995 autobiography Out At Home: The Glenn Burke Story. Erik currently resides in New Rochelle, New York, with his wife and two children. He blogs regularly at www.erikshermanbaseball.com.

 

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