Man versus Ball

Jon Hart is not a professional athlete. His one major sports victory is a world championship in roller basketball, which is basketball on in-line skates. More than ten years ago, he started pursuing his own bucket list and embarked on a hilarious and insightful journey into the furthest reaches of the sports world.Man versus Ball follows Hart's adventures around the country as he undertakes new missions, often with unexpected results. He became a pro wrestler, learning "fake" moves that all but landed him in the hospital after one pile driver too many. He played an entire season for a championship semipro football team, suited up as a U.S. Open ball boy, and was an "amateur caddie" for a Professional Golfers' Association tournament. He attended mascot school and performed in a neon gorilla suit in front of several thousand fans at a minor league hockey game. He worked as a ballpark vendor at several venues around the country, hawking concessions while fending off drunken fans. He even earned a bit of glory for himself, leading his roller basketball league in rebounds for two consecutive seasons. Feeling confident, he took part in the World Cup of roller soccer. All this prepared him for his moment of truth, that is, a race up the 1,576 stairs of the Empire State Building.A George Plimpton-style excursion into the unknown, Man versus Ball will delight and inspire readers who have secretly yearned to cross items off their life's to-do list.About the AuthorJON HART is a freelance writer who has written for the New York Times, the Village Voice, and Time Out New York. He lives in New York City.JON HART is a freelance writer who has written for the New York Times, the Village Voice, and Time Out New York. He lives in New York City.