Catching Lightning Without the Bottle

Timothy F. Bouvine, Superior, WI., has penned a superb baseball novel about one, Blake Benson, a former All Star catcher for the Chicago Cubs now relegated to third string because of his drinking. Late again from carousing all night, Benson is kicked off the team in 'Hotlanta' and is rerouted home for rehab. That very day the team plane crashes on it's way to play the St. Louis Cardinals and all perish. A suddenly sober Benson is given the chance to be player/coach on a hastily assembled group of untested, washed-up, and--thankfully--some awesome rookie talent. His job is to preserve the 10-game lead bequeathed to the team, stay sober, and beat the hard-charging Cardinals to win the Division. Can he do it? It would be, as Leo Durocher said in 1941, 'Like catching lightning in a bottle.' Only this time without THE bottle.