Bottom of the Ninth
Kirk Gibson
with Lynn Hemming
1997
The Pitch
You know who he is. This is his story. From his childhood and college football career through his glory days with the Tigers and Dodgers, Bottom of the Ninth tells the dramatic tale of Kirk Gibson's quest for greatness. "Visualize your success" is the mantra Gibson used to reach his goals. And reach them he did. One certainly gets in the head of the beast called Kirk Gibson. And one is a better person for having been there.Best Quote
"His best talents, hitting home runs against right-handed pitchers, and stealing bases, are not worth a million and a half dollars a year."
Tom Monoghan, owner of the Detroit Tigers,
on letting Gibson walk via free agency.
Highlights
- Gibson was named college footoball's Outstanding Receiver in 1978. After his clumsy acceptance speech he dropped and broke his trophy on his way back to his seat.
- The eye-black incident during Spring Training in 1988 is quite detailed and revealing. Hard to imagine anyone more competitive than Kirk Gibson.
- The way Gibson confronted his teammates and the media clearly demonstrates his desire to be a winner. Numerous tales confirm this throughout the book.
- Following a game in 1989 with the Dodgers, Gibson and his family were followed home and robbed at gunpoint. A truly tense section of this book, and Kirk's life.
Overall Rating: Triple!
Though his Dodgers legacy isn't explored until the final chapters, Bottom of the Ninth is a very well written first-hand account of Kirk Gibson's life and career. Baseball fans in general and Tigers and Dodgers fans in particular, will love reading about one of the game's great competitors. Recommended!-Robert Timm
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