by Wayne Coffey
Kansas City Royals, 249–50, 270–71
Katz, Saul, 308
Kershaw, Clayton, 313
Kinsler, Ian, 158
Knuckleball pitch
career longevity and, 151–52
catching, 256–57
consistency of, 252–53
Hough, Charlie, and, 167–68
power of, 264
R.A.’s change to, 102–3, 148–49
R.A.’s commitment to, 161–62, 226–27
R.A.’s first start with, 158–59
spin of, 168–69
status of, 170–71
superslow, 309
Koch, Billy, 91
Konerko, Paul, 141
Korean baseball league, 239–41
Kotsay, Mark, 88
Kremblas, Frank, 223, 227
Lake Maracaibo, 144
Lao Tzu, 225
La Russa, Tony, 126–27
Laxity, 96–97
Lee, Carlos, 141, 314
Lee, Travis, 88
Life of Pi (Martel), 296
Light, Tal, 83–84
Lincecum, Tim, 319
Lincoln, Abraham, 15
Lindsey Nelson Stadium, 82
Lipscomb University, 25, 232, 281–82
Liriano, Francisco, 266
Little League, 29
Lloyd’s of London, 94, 111
Lombardo, John, 121
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth, 85
Long Island, 154–55
The Long Season, 4
Looper, Braden, 88, 91
Maddux, Greg, 170, 314, 323
Madoff, Bernie, 308
Maier, Mitch, 223
Managers, 271
Manning, Peyton, 76–77, 94
Manuel, Jerry, 280
Martel, Yann, 296
Mattingly, Don, 19–20
Mauer, Joe, 266, 270–71
Mayberry, John, Jr., 325
Mazel, Sharon, 124
MBA. See Montgomery Bell Academy
McClure, Bruce, 222
McKinnis, Bo, 175, 240–42, 301–2
McLaren, John, 249, 253
McNamara, Rusty, 83–84
MeeMaw, 24–25
Melvin, Doug, 95, 97–98, 110, 141, 198, 243
Memphis Redbirds, 223
Miami Marlins, 304, 310
Miller, Brett, 66
Miller, Ray, 170
Milwaukee Brewers, 198–99, 227–28, 301
Minaya, Omar, 274, 279–80
Minnesota Twins, 242, 243–44, 263
Minute Maid Park, 176–78
Mirabelli, Doug, 256–57
Mississippi State University, 137
Missouri River, 204–14
Moby-Dick (Melville), 110
Monroe, Craig, 11
Montgomery Bell Academy (MBA), 3, 42–43, 45, 53–57, 110
Mora, Melvin, 161
Morgan, Nyjer, 286–87
Morneau, Justin, 266
Morrissey, Ted, 68
Morrow, Brandon, 253
Mosiello, Bill, 80
Murkoff, Heidi, 124
Murphy, Dale, 23
Nail salons, 313
Narron, Jerry, 140, 141, 200
Nashville, 15
Nashville Sounds, 19–20, 142, 204
Nashville Tennessean, 245
Nathan, Joe, 266, 272–73, 305
National League Championship Series, 126–27, 218
Nationals Park, 126–28, 295
Natural, The, 4
Nelson, Lindsey, 82
New Testament, 151
New York Mets, 36, 102, 242, 285
home opener of, 311
trust and, 308
R.A.’s two-year contract with, 301–3
See also names of individual players
Neyland Stadium, 77
Nicaragua, 94
Nichols, Reid, 111, 162
Nickeas, Mike, 326
Niehaus, Dave, 263
Niekro, Joe, 149, 151
Niekro, Phil, 149, 151, 263–65, 277–78
Niese, Jonathon, 317, 324
Nippon Life Insurance Company, 93
Nix, Laynce, 206, 210, 227
Noel, Todd, 91
Oakland A’s, 90, 134–37
Oak Ridge Boys, 30
Oates, Johnny, 133, 140, 200
Oberkfell, Ken, 283–84
Oklahoma City, 4, 120
Oklahoma City RedHawks, 4, 126, 129–30, 142, 157–58, 181–82
Oklahoma University, 80–81
Oliver, Darren, 140–41
Olivo, Miguel, 271
Olympic Games, 3, 87, 91–94
Omaha Royals, 204, 213
Opiates, 120–23
Ordóñez, Magglio, 8–9
Ortiz, David, 251
Overbay, Lyle, 253
Owen, Tommy, 56–57
Ownership, 271–72
Pacific Coast League (PCL), 129–30, 230
Pac-Man, 22
Pagan, Angel, 287–88
Pain, 317–18
Painkillers, see Toradol
Palmeiro, Rafael, 133, 135
Paschall, Rosie, 55
Pascucci, Val, 327
Passed balls, 257
Patton, Maurice, 245
Paulino, Ronny, 327
Pavano, Carl, 273
Pavlik, Roger, 97, 134
PCL. See Pacific Coast League
Pearl-Cohn Comprehensive High School, 57
Pedroia, Dustin, 251
Pelekoudas, Lee, 247
Pelfrey, Mike, 70–72
Peña, Tony, 271
Pence, Hunter, 314
Perez, Fernando, 283
Performance-enhancing drugs, 139–40
Petco Park, 237
Phelps, Michael, 210
Philadelphia Phillies, 297–300, 324–27
Pipp, Wally, 317
Pitch-calling, 298–301
Pitch count, 171
Pitt (neighbor), 16
Poe’s Sporting Goods, 66–67
Poetry, 54–55
Polanco, Placido, 299, 326
Poppy seeds, 122–23
Port Charles training camp, 116
Powell, Jay, 200
Prado, Martin, 276
Prayer, 286
Pridie, Jason, 216–17
Prodanov, Peter, 83
Psychological-profile exam, 88–90
Pujols, Albert, 228
Putz, J. J., 253–54
Racaniello, Dave, 284
Ramirez, Manny, 251
Ramirez, Ray, 154–55, 317–18
Rangers Ballpark, 200–201
Reyes, José, 216, 288, 292–94, 304–5
Ricciardi, J. P., 218
Ricco, John, 218
Riggleman, Jim, 169–70
Rivera, Mariano, 53
Roberts, Brian, 267
Rochester Red Wings, 273
Rockefeller Center, 288
“Rocket Boy vs. The Baffler” (Wright), 296
Rocky, 232
Rodgers, Mark, 95–99
Rodriguez, Alex (ARod), 4, 133, 135–37, 300–301
Rodriguez, Francisco, 324
Rodriguez, Frankie, 307
Rodríguez, Pudge, 4–5, 7–8, 133, 135–36, 288
Rogers, Kenny, 120
Rolen, Scott, 253–54
Rollins, Jimmy, 299–300, 325
The Rookie, 232
Rudy, 232
Ruiz, Carlos, 326
Rule 5 draft, 245
Ryan, Nolan, 87, 91, 95, 109, 149
Ryan, Terry, 244
Sabathia, CC, 319
Safeco Field, 249
Samsung Lions, 239
San Diego Padres, 176, 236
San Francisco Giants, 154, 216
Santana, Johan, 244
Schneider, Brian, 299
Scott, Mike, 283
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, 283
Scutaro, Marco, 253
Seattle Mariners, 162–63, 169–70, 242, 245–49, 261–62
Serrano, Dave, 82–84
Seven Products Plus, 222
Shelton, Chris, 10
Shortstops, 65–66
Showalter, Buck, 4, 145–48, 174–75, 181–82, 200
Shuler, Heath, 76
Singleton, Chris, 141
Sinkers, 169
Sisler, George, 259
Slowey, Kevin, 269, 272, 305
Smith, Bill, 244
Smoltz, John, 106
Socrates, 231
Squatting, 63–65
St. Cecilia Fine Arts Assembly, 54–55
St. Edward School, 39, 42
St. Louis Cardinals, 126–27, 227–28
STAR Physical Therapy, 142–43
Star Wars, 17, 185
State championship game, 68–69
State Department, 144
Statistics, 315–16
Steroids, 139
Steve Blass disease, 127
Stewart, Brandon, 77
Stewart, Dave, 90
Stottlemyre, Mel, 249, 261
Strange Universe, 108
Strasburg, Stephen, 295–97
Strelitz, Lenny, 109
Stubbornness, 82–84
Styx, 276–77
Sugiura, Masanori, 93
Suicidal thoughts, 193–94
Suzuki, Ichiro, 173, 249, 259–60
Tacoma Rainiers, 248
Teahan, Mark, 250
Team USA, 87, 91–94
Teixeira, Mark, 10, 200, 305
Tejada, Miguel, 161
Tejada, Ruben, 304, 327
Texas Rangers, 3–6, 90–91, 95–96, 111–12
R.A. being called up by, 130–33
release from, 175
T.G.I. Friday’s, 179–80
Thames, Marcus, 11
Therapy, 195–99
Thole, Josh, 256–57, 321–22
Times Square, 288–89
Toradol, 318, 324
Toronto Blue Jays, 253
Trades, 216–17
Trind Nail Repair, 311
Trust, 194, 198, 308
Truth-telling, 199
Tunnell, Lee, 129–31, 142, 157, 200
Turner, Justin, 292
Turner Field, 276, 284
Twain, Mark, 33
Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), 106–8
Ultrasound treatments, 142–43
Umpires, 102–3
University of Miami, 79
University of Tennessee, 3, 75–77
Upshaw, Cecil, 118
Valdez, Mario, 136
Valgus stress test, 96
Venable, Will, 236
Venezuela, 144–45
Verlander, Justin, 313
Victorino, Shane, 299, 326–27
Wainwright, Adam, 218
Wakefield, Tim, 7–8, 151–52, 161, 170–71, 179, 226, 251–53, 256
Walker, Neil, 318
Wall Street Journal, 296
Walt Disney World, 102
Warthen, Dan, 280, 284–85, 309, 318, 325
Warwick West, 123
Washburn, Jarrod, 249–50
Washington Nationals, 126–28, 261–62, 285–87, 296–97
Waters, Betty, 17
Weaver, Jeff, 88
Weight training, 80, 111
Werth, Jayson, 298–99
West End Community Church, 190
Western Sizzlin, 20
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Murkoff and Mazel), 124
Wheat, Danny, 96
Wheeler, Zack, 217–18
Whitley, Matt, 84
Whitney, James Evans, 2–3
Wilhelm, Hoyt, 7, 149, 158
Wilkerson, Brad, 253
Wilkes, Darlene, 143
Wilkes, Trigg, 143
Wilpon, Fred, 308
Wilpon, Jeff, 313
Won-lost record, 316
Wood, Wilbur, 151
World Baseball Classic, 173
World War II, 56
Wright, David, 70, 72, 126, 296, 327
Wright Middle School, 39
YMCA, 143
Young, Cy, 166
Young, Dmitri, 9
Young, Michael, 5, 10, 133, 200
Zimmerman, Jordan, 312
Zimmerman, Ryan, 295, 311
Zulia Eagles, 144
Anne Bartholomew and I were married in Nashville on December 13, 1997, before an intimate gathering of five hundred family and friends. Left to right: Anne’s father, Sam Bartholomew; Anne’s younger brother Will; Anne; me; Anne’s youngest brother, Ben; Anne’s mother, Vicki; and Bo.
With Anne’s family. Left to right: Will; Will’s wife, Shelly; Sam; Vicki; Ben; me; Anne; and Bo.
My mom and her brothers and sisters. Left to right: Lynn Caldwell, Mandy Bowers, Bob Bowers, Mom, Ricky Bowers, Helen Bowers, and Debbie Bowers. They all cared for me in some way.
My good friend and fellow pitcher Jonathan Johnson and me in the Rangers bullpen during my first call-up in 2001.
My sister, Jane, and me with my daughter Gabriel, age one and a half, and Jane’s daughter Abby, age nine.
At my first big-league game. Left to right: YMCA organizer Darlene Wilkes; Dad; my step-mom, Susan; Jennifer Binkley (Trig and Darlene’s daughter); YMCA organizer Trigg Wilkes (Darlene’s husband); Mom; Anne; Rob Merriman; Rob’s wife, Denise; and my high school friend David Fitzgerald.
Anne’s brother, Bo, and me in 1988.
Trying to steal a kiss from my future bride in seventh grade.
Eli and I figure it’s time to start teaching Van the wonder of words.
Darth Vader Senior (me) and Darth Vader Junior (Eli) get primed for Halloween.
Van’s probably not sure what to make of me or my Darth Vader costume.
Closer to home, at the Dekalb County Fairgrounds, Alexandria, Tennessee, June 2011. Left to right: Eli, me, Van, Gabriel, Anne, and Lila.
(Photo courtesy of Mark Tucker)
Mom and me, age eight months, at David Lipscomb University in 1974. It was my first baseball game.
Me at age one, in 1975.
Mom, Dad, and me, age three. My parents got divorced when I was eight.
Introducing Van Allen Dickey.
Cuddling with my girls: Gabriel is on my left and Lila on my right.
Playing quarterback for Montgomery Bell Academy, Nashville, 1992.
A picture from my senior year in high school, pitching for Montgomery Bell Academy.
After the Tennessee state championship. Left to right: my stepmother, Susan; Dad; Grandma Dickey; my dad’s cousin Dustin; me; my dad’s cousin Randy; and Mom.
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE: THE WORST NIGHT I EVER HAD
CHAPTER ONE: PLASTIC SPOON
CHAPTER TWO: SUMMER OF ’83
CHAPTER THREE: FAITH ON WALNUT
CHAPTER FOUR: THE WOLF OF GREEN HILLS
CHAPTER FIVE: VOLUNTEERING FOR DUTY
CHAPTER SIX: COVER STORY
CHAPTER SEVEN: THE LONE RANGER
CHAPTER EIGHT: MINOR ACHIEVEMENT
CHAPTER NINE: SHOWTIME
CHAPTER TEN: REQUIEM FOR MY FASTBALL
CHAPTER ELEVEN: REDHAWK REDUX
CHAPTER TWELVE: THE WORLD ACCORDING TO CHARLIE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: KNUCKLEBALLER NON GRATA
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE BOTTOM
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: INTO THE MISSOURI
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: SOUNDS OF THE MOMENT
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: RULE FIVE SURPRISE
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: GETTING MY PHIL
CHAPTER NINETEEN: CITI DWELLER
CHAPTER TWENTY: FINGERNAILS IN FLUSHING
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: UNBROKEN MOMENTS
Acknowledgments
Index
with friends
