Comeback

Book excerpt: An MLB All-Star’s true story of losing an arm to cancer—and finding strength through his faith—gives “new depth and meaning to the word comeback” (The New York Times). In one of the most memorable moments of Major League Baseball, Dave Dravecky of the San Francisco Giants pitched a winning game less than a year after undergoing cancer surgery on his pitching arm. But his comeback was short-lived. Just five days after his winning game, Dravecky broke his arm—and would later lose it entirely as the cancer returned. Dravecky’s true comeback would come later, as a bestselling author and inspirational speaker offering strength, hope, and comfort inspired by Christian teachings and his own experience with suffering and loss. This book recounts the thrilling details of Dravecky’s two comebacks—from his early baseball career and brief return to the pitching mound to his ultimate triumph over adversity through unflagging determination and deep faith. “Dave Dravecky was young, popular, celebrated and at the height of his powers when life threw him a curveball he never could have imagined. . . . There is an inspirational tone to the book, as well as the wit and flavor common to baseball, when Mr. Dravecky gives anecdotes about teammates and managers and offers a few insider’s tips about the sport.” —The New York Times “This is first a baseball book: details of his career are provided; the description of the comeback victory over the Reds is particularly effective. The other story here is one of a battle with cancer. It will be excellent reading for others battling the disease. Dravecky finds much of his strength in his religious beliefs, and the work is also a testimonial to that faith.” —Library Journal