Update: Stark’s book is now available for pre-order from Amazon.
ESPN writer Jayson Stark, who used to write for the Philadelphia Inquirer, has written a book about the 2008 World F*cking Champion Philadelphia Phillies.
Stark is a great writer. His columns on ESPN are a great read and he chronicled the Phillies’ run to the World Series beautifully. While he is now a national writer, he still knows what it is like to be a Philadelphia sports fan.
I can still remember reading this article after Game 5 and just thinking that Stark was enjoying this title as much as we were.
My favorite part of the article, coming from right after Lidge threw that final strike:
Lidge crumbled to both knees. His catcher, Carlos Ruiz, raced into his arms. Then that tender scene was interrupted by the sight of a 6-foot-4, 256-pound behemoth doing a full-gainer diving on top of both of them.
Asked if he was trying to kill his pitcher and catcher, first baseman Ryan Howard chuckled: “Oh, most definitely. But then, when the rest of the pile came along, I knew that was a bad idea.”
That scene will forever be burned into any Phillies fan’s mind. I still remember jumping up and down with numerous strangers at a bar in Center City. The atmosphere was crazy in this city.
I can’t wait to read this book and find out how Stark has chronicled the season. Based on his prior work, I’m sure it will be excellent.
“Worth the Wait” by Jayson Stark : Triumph Books
