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Personalized Book: Baseball's Unsung Hero
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Baseball's Unsung Hero ©Hefty
Here's the entire story for "Baseball's Unsung Hero." Personalized information is shown in bold
for illustrative purposes; however, your book will not contain bold personal data within the story.
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Illustration pages
1 & 2
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Baseball's Unsung Hero
was created especially for
James Edward Smith
at the age of 42
Happy Birthday
From Peggy & John
August 15, 2007
3
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Jim Smith had a list of chores a mile long.
However, it didn't matter because the San Francisco Giants
were playing in the final game of the World Series.
The series was tied three games each, and he decided his
chores could wait a few hours. Jim grabbed the
remote control, a bowl of chips, a Bud beer
and made himself comfortable in his favorite chair.
4
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Illustration pages
5 & 6
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Jim noticed the players had been out on the field for an awfully long warm up,
and the pitching coach was going crazy about something down in the dugout.
Then, the announcer broadcast the news that the pitcher of the San Francisco Giants
had just thrown out his arm. The cameras followed the coach as he paced
frantically inside the dugout. At one end of the dugout was a red wall phone.
The coach reached for it and started dialing. The cameras zoomed in.
The announcer correctly guessed the coach was calling in his back-up pitcher.
That's when Jim's phone started to ring!
7
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Jim answered the phone. "This is the coach! Come over here right away.
You're going to pitch the game today," said the coach of the San Francisco Giants.
The coach hung up before Jim could ask any questions. "Wow!" Jim thought.
"This must be a dream!" Jim packed his gear and spikes and headed for the door.
He thought, "Wait until I tell John and Doug about this!" Jim stopped on his way
to the car to pitch a few balls at the bulls-eye painted on the broad side of the barn.
8
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Illustration pages
9 & 10
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After a few balls had gotten away from him, Jim decided to pack it in and
head for the park just a couple of blocks away. It'll come back to me once I'm in the game,
so there's no need to warm up now, he thought. Once Jim had arrived at the stadium,
he entered through the back entrance, went into the locker-room, and dressed for the game.
When he stepped into the stadium, he could hear the umpire call, "Play Ball!"
The crowd cheered. Walking over to Jim, the coach had the look of death about him
as he asked "WHO ARE YOU?"
11
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"I'm Jim Smith," said Jim. "You called 972-9876,
and I answered your call to the mound." "I can't believe this," said the coach.
"This must be the lowest day in baseball. I thought I called our best pitcher
on the disabled list who was to be discharged from the hospital this morning.
I dialed 972-9875, and who do I get but you! If we don't start the game immediately,
we will have to forfeit. Walk quickly now to the mound and start throwing," the coach ordered.
"We will just have to win this one on batting." The announcer checked his notes and reported,
"Pitching the final game of the 2005 World Series for the San Francisco Giants
will be Jim Smith." The announcer's words echoed throughout the stadium and
into millions of homes on millions of TV's. Everyone in Sparks, Nevada was stunned.
12
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Illustration pages
13 & 14
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Jim walked to the mound. The crowd was silent.
The first inning was beginning. Back in Sparks, Nevada,
John and Doug picked up the TV Guide and read the notice for today's game.
A room full with baseball fans everywhere were grabbing
their drinks and chips and thinking about the sure bets
they had made on the San Francisco Giants.
15
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While turning on the set and settling into the furniture, John and Doug thought
the name Smith was spoken while the volume was coming on. Then, the picture became clear.
Shock filled the room. Jim was on the mound! Popcorn flew everywhere,
and one observer in the group pounded his Bud beer can against his forehead.
All of the fans knew that their investments were lost, and their bets wiped out.
They had been done in by their very own Jim Smith.
16
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Illustration pages
17 & 18
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The announcer called the plays..."Jim is winding up for another pitch...crack...fly ball to center,
number 18 is coming up for the catch...that's one out." The next batter came to bat.
"Jim Smith pitches again...crack...this batter grounds to first, and the first baseman
makes an easy out." Now Jim was getting confident. The crowd was warming up.
John and Doug hadn't moved a muscle or spoken a word since the first pitch.
"And now Jim Smith is winding up...the pitch...crack!...high fly to left aaaannnnndddd,
yes, the outfielder catches the easy pop fly to retire the side."
The crowd actually began to cheer.
19
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When the San Francisco Giants came to bat, they put up a gallant fight.
The first batter hit the ball hard to the third baseman. The play was made,
and the throw to first was unbelievable. Even the replay showed it was a dead heat,
but the umpire called the runner out. The second batter pounded the ball to the wall,
but the outfielder caught it as he crashed into the wall for the second out.
The third batter struck out. This series was being played in the field,
and defense was going to be the deciding factor. Innings two, three, and four
went three up and three down for each side. The crowd was getting restless.
20
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Illustration pages
21 & 22
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In the top of the fifth, Jim allowed a double and a single.
Then a wild pitch sent home the runner on third. One to nothing. Jim was demoralized.
Another single put men on first and third with no outs. Then, another wild pitch sent the runners
to third and home. Two to nothing. Jim walked the next two batters. The bases were loaded.
Jim was getting tired. A slow pitch over the plate allowed the batter to hit a hot smash to
second with one bounce. The man on third went home, while the second baseman forced
the double play between second and first. Now it was three to nothing with a runner at third
with two outs. A wild pitch sent the runner at third to home, but the catcher recovered the ball.
He threw it to Jim at the plate and retired the inning when the tag was made.
Jim was a mess.
23
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The coach told Jim to settle down. "Just throw the ball over the plate,
and let the fielders do the rest," he said. The next three innings were played quickly,
and neither side made any runs. At the top of the ninth, Jim could barely send the ball
the distance. Two balls were grounded out to the shortstop. The third batter pounded the ball
foul into deep right field, where the right fielder made the catch to retire the side.
The score was still three to nothing, and the San Francisco Giants
would now have their final time at bat. This was it.
24
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Illustration pages
25 & 26
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The sun was setting, the air was cool, and the fans were getting hot.
The lights were now coming on as the final game of the World Series
was down to its last inning. The San Francisco Giants were down
by three runs in the bottom of the ninth. The first batter struck out.
The pitcher was throwing hard fast balls. The second batter struck out.
The third batter was up...WALK! Their last pitcher was burned out.
He was all over the place with his pitches. The crowd went wild.
The next batter was up...WALK! Then the next batter...WALK!
The bases were loaded! With two outs in the bottom of the ninth,
here came Jim Smith to bat!
27
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The crowd let out a groan!
Jim was beginning to feel a little rejected.
He took a deep breath and stepped up to the plate.
28
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Illustration pages
29 & 30
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"STRIKE ONE!!" yelled the umpire. Jim didn't even see that one leave the pitcher's hand.
He stepped out of the box looking for a signal from the third base coach; it was to hit away.
As the next pitch was released, Jim started his swing. "STRIKE TWO!!" yelled the umpire.
Jim was beginning to get a little concerned. O and two was the count, two outs, down by three,
and three men on. "This is it," thought Jim, as the next pitch came in low and outside.
A deadly silence filled the stadium. Jim swung the bat...CRACK!
31
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It was gone! That ball left the park with the skin torn half off of it.
Jim Smith had pounded out a Grand Slam to win the series
for the San Francisco Giants in the final inning.
32
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Illustration pages
33 & 34
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As the team accepted victory, Bud beer was being poured.
Jim got out of his uniform, went out the back way,
and hurried home in time to watch the post-game show on TV.
Jim never returned to baseball and years later most everyone
had forgotten his name. It's a pity. He didn't even have a contract.
35
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This book is the last remaining evidence that Jim
was truly a hero that day back in 2005.
If you ask people who Jim Smith is,
they will tell you they have never heard of him.
This is more sad proof he has become "Baseball's Unsung Hero!"
36
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Personalized Books
| Code: | BK-H506 |
| Description: | Baseball's Unsung Hero ©Hefty - Pitch and bat in the final game of the World Series. |
| Price: | $13.99 |
| Manufacturer: | Create-A-Book, Inc. |
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