Teammate: My Life in Baseball

Description

Of the many storylines to the Chicago Cubs incredible 2016 season was the late career renaissance of David Ross, the 39-year-old journeyman player affectionately known to his Cubs teammates as "Grandpa Rossy." Ross became the unlikely heart and soul of the championship team, who finally broke the near 100-year Cubs curse. At the end of the Cubs victorious game seven--in which Ross entered the game in the 5th inning and proceeded to hit a crucial home run (becoming the oldest player to homer in World Series History), he was carried off the field by his teammates. Ross's late career blossoming and role as a Cubs mentor has been one of the defining sports stories of 2016, inspiring a write-in campaign for him for the All Star game, an endless series of feature stories and becoming the nightly talk of TV analysts and sports radio. This book would be memoir of Ross' career -- written with veteran collaborator Don Yaeger -- with the championship run at Wrigley this year as the capstone through line. The book's captivating frame is the final day of Ross's career - Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, with looks book at pivotal moments in Ross' life and career. Ross's fairy-tale season is a feel-good story that captures the hearts of Cubs die-hards and baseball fans everywhere.

David Ross (Author) David Ross is a retired Major League Baseball catcher, who won the World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2013 and the Chicago Cubs in 2016. In his fifteen-year career, he played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs.

After sitting and having lunch with Rossy for over an hour at the ESPN studios in fall 2014, I knew he was exactly what the Cubs needed to help bring a championship to Chicago. His knowledge of hitting, pitching and the game overall was amazing. Couple that with his obvious leadership abilities, and I knew we had to have him. Well, I guess I was right! The past two years with Rossy have been the best of my career. He truly is the best teammate I have ever had!--Anthony Rizzo, first baseman, Chicago Cubs Ross ... has plenty of terrific stories to tell from a long career in the big leagues.... Ross shares his perspective on what it takes to be a good teammate and how that role accounted for both his longevity in the sport and his impact on the Cubs in 2016. He also weighs in with some compelling inside stories and observations about Maddon, Jon Lester, Jason Heyward, and others from last year's winners.--Chicago Tribune There aren't many backup catchers in baseball history writing books.... Compelling.... Fascinating inside stories about the 2016 Cubs, told from the perspective of someone who was right in the middle of them... A good read and worth your time.--Al Yellon, Bleed Cubbie Blue With his character and commitment, Rossy helped take the team and me to great places. I am confident he will do the same for you as you read about his journey on these pages. You will find lessons for sports and for life, including one he helped teach me long ago: never underestimate the power of a great teammate.--Theo Epstein, Cubspresident of baseball operations (from his Foreword)