Once upon a time there was a little boy named Barry. He came from a musical family. His parents met while working with Nat King Cole. He had two older sisters. And when he born with a unique birthmark on his left wrist his mother announced that, one day, Barry would be doing something special with that hand.
Fast forward to the major leagues. After years of training, practice, and mental preparation, Barry Zito was pitching for the Oakland A’s, and he had developed one of the most devastating curveballs in baseball history. When he was traded to the San Francisco Giants, his new contract broke records. But with that came new expectations from his team, his fans, and himself. There was no place to go but down.
I won’t bore you with the weird way I discovered this book, but I will reiterate that the right books always find us at the right time. I’d never heard of Barry Zito, I don’t follow baseball, and he retired from the sport years ago. None of those things mattered when I read (and listened) to his memoir, because this is not a book about baseball. It is a book about one man’s personal and spiritual journey, and I found it fascinating.
Yes, it is easy to say that life for Barry Zito has been cushioned by that enormous contract, and it probably has. There’s a lot to be said for financial stability. But, like all of us, this is a man who sought fulfillment, and that is something that can only be found elsewhere.
I recommend Curveball most highly. It’s available on Libby. Read it, listen to it (narrated by Zito himself,) and ponder the messages of growth and humility by this man who had to do a lot of things wrong before figuring out what really matters.
9.5/10 Stars
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