As an unabashed baseball fan, this book was a delight to read. While I didn't have the opportunity to see Bob Gibson pitch (either in person or on TV - I was a wee bit too young), I was fortunate enough to see Reggie Jackson play in person, as well as on TV. I remember so well sitting in the living room when I was 12, watching Reggie Jackson hit those 3 straight homers in Yankee Stadium (each time off the first pitch) in the 1977 World Series. I groaned with despair because I was rooting for the Dodgers!
As a reader, you learn about the heart and soul of baseball from the perspective of a star pitcher (Gibson) and hitter (Jackson). Both men share their experiences and perspectives on major league baseball, the great players they played with or against (e.g., Willie Mays, Tom Seaver, Willie MacCovey, Hank Aaron, Frank Robinson, "Catfish" Hunter, Juan Marichal, Roberto Clemente, Willie "Pops" Stargell, Nolan Ryan, Carl Yastrzemski, and Al Kaline) as well as the struggles that both endured as African American players in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.
Even if you, the reader, are not a baseball fan, but enjoy reading stories about people displaying courage, heart, and endurance in the face of overwhelming odds, this is the book for you.