The Club
I adore Norman Fischer, but I'm thinking of jumping ship on his advice and in true leeway fashion, I'm actively seeking out some distraction from my woeful energies. I'm going to focus on an attitude of gratitude and look around me for the kind of inspiration that can get me up and going. Why not just ponder the inspiring story of Bert Shepard, for example? Bert was born in the historic town of DANA, Indiana. He pitched for the minor leagues but then he joined the Army Air Forces in WW2 and flew 34 missions before being shot down in Germany. A German doctor made a prosthesis for his leg and while he was in a prisoner of war camp Bert taught himself to walk and then to pitch. When he returned to the U.S., he was a pitching coach for the Washington Senators. He was called in to pitch for a game against the Red Sox in 1945. Bert was the first man with an artificial leg to pitch in a major league baseball game. That was his only time playing in the majors, but he did lots of coaching and even went on to work with the National Amps, teams of people with amputated limbs who played baseball, which is pretty amazing in and of itself.
In short. Book club anxiety is still looming and lurking, but by focusing on the inspiring tale of Hoosier Bert Shepard, I'm ready to seize the day and get cracking.
Comments
You will be interested to know that Ernie Pyle also grew up in DANA!
In other news, I cannot stop thinking about M&Ms. I might have to buy some.
I'm putting that book on my to read list.
jw