At Bat III

For Mel Glenn, baseball is more than just a pleasant pastime, it is poetry in motion. Baseball plays a big part in the game of life, helping Mel and millions of like-minded fans cope with everyday stress and life-changing challenges. As we face the realities of aging, for example, Mel shows how following baseball keeps the playful child inside us alive and happy. And while Mel may "live and die" with the performance of his favorite teams and players, he reminds us that what happens on the diamond remains all in good fun.

-Sam Friedman, author, Spikes: The Story of the First Lady of Baseball, As Told to Jackie Robinson



Mel Glenn is passionate about sports. He reads, thinks, and talks about sports throughout the day, month, and year, anticipating upcoming games and entire seasons in his head. Sports even helps set his mood depending on whether his team wins or loses. But what sets Mel apart from the average fan is that his love of sports inspires him to write some beautiful poetry. In this, his third collection, each poem is a surprise. Reading them I've nodded at what he noticed, laughed at an irony, appreciated a metaphor, and as a fellow Brooklynite, commiserated and celebrated the fates of our teams.

-Dror Kahn, co-author, The Lindens Still Bloom: A Survivor's Story



Mel Glenn's poetic homage grabs the reader as it celebrates what makes baseball so special. I liked every poem and loved many, and I expect you will as well. From the first pitch of spring training to the last out in the World Series, baseball is a long season for players and fans alike. The poems in Mel's latest compilation honor those who make magic from March to October, reliving the moments that make us feel total exhilaration or complete despair - both emotions often experienced during the same inning. Read each poem with the respect and reverence it deserves, for baseball really does still matter in the lives of dedicated fans like Mel and me.

-John E. Jarvey, baseball fan