HEART OF THE GAME

The life and death of 35-year-old Mike Coolbaugh, who was instantly killed by a line drive while coaching first base in a minor-league game in Little Rock, Ark., on July 22, 2007.

Sports Illustrated senior writer Price (Far Afield: A Sportswriting Odyssey, 2007, etc.) structures the narrative to achieve maximum emotional impact. He first sketches that fatal moment, then retreats for 200 pages to summarize the lives of the principals before returning to Little Rock. This strategy stretches the dramatic irony—every word, deed and moment in the lives of Coolbaugh and those around him acquires deep poignancy—but threatens to sidetrack the story into sentimentality and mawkishness. But Price, a seasoned sportswriter, mostly avoids such dangers. Although Coolbaugh spent 17 years in the minor leagues—and had some outstanding seasons—he never got, writes Price, a “clean shot” at the majors. Things just happened: untimely injuries, more gifted players ahead of him on the depth charts. Price also relates the stories of the Coolbaugh family (brother Scott also played and coached pro ball), his marriage, his young children, other serious injuries and fatalities in baseball history and, most affectingly, of Tino Sanchez, the player who hit the killer liner and who has never really recovered, despite the overtures and good wishes of the Coolbaughs. Sanchez retired from professional baseball and returned to his native Puerto Rico. Price ably highlights all the cruel ironies, coincidences and improbabilities of the moment—the ball hit Coolbaugh in the most vulnerable square inch of the back of his skull. The author also coaxes everyone into speaking frankly—Coolbaugh’s wife believes that God must have wanted her husband—and demonstrates how the tragedy brought out the best in people.

A graceful account of how quickly the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd can dissipate into silence and tears.