Gem glitters like diamond

By Tony Staley
Compass Editor

Readers seeking more inspiration from the awe-inspiring game of baseball are in luck with a new book by Gary Graf. The Seattle writer's And God Said, "Play Ball!" (Liguori/Triumph, Liguori, Mo.) is filled with thought-provoking parallels between Christianity and baseball.

Graf structures the book like a baseball game. Chapters begin with Warm-Ups, followed by the top and bottom of each inning. In each chapter, he teaches some lesson about Christianity that he ties to something in baseball.

For example: "The Jews wandered for 40 years in the wilderness. That's nothing when compared to how long some baseball teams have been waiting to reach the Promised Land of a World Series crown. The Cubs, White Sox, Phillies teach us lessons about faith and hope, not to mention that patience is a virtue."

In writing about forgiveness, he pairs Jesus' words and actions with those of Juan Marichal and Johnny Roseboro. The latter publicly forgave Marichal after a brutal attack, thus paving the way for Marichal's entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Years later, Marichal helped Roseboro through a down time.

Like any good baseball book, there are plenty of verbal gems, including quotes from Satchel Paige, Yogi Berra and Casey Stengel in a chapter on the Spirit in our midst.

And God Said, "Play Ball!" is an enlightening, entertaining and informative read that captures the sacramentality of our faith.