
Recent Posts
- The Story Behind a Downed WW II Fighter Pilot and a Miniature Baseball Glove
- The Story behind a Story- Two Ball Dude Stories Couldn't Be More Different!
- The Story behind an Airport Shuttle Ride, a Brawl and a 12 year-old girl who saw way too much
- The Story Behind an Airplane Ride and a Couple of Stories
- The Story Behind a Story- How a Friendship is Born
Eric C. Gray
Eric C. Gray
Who am I, and why should you read my book? Good questions. I have written poetry and song lyrics mostly for my own amusement and training projects related to my job, but I am guessing THAT is not why you will buy this book. I wrote for a short-lived on-line baseball magazine and would be happy to share those essays with you, but, again, THAT won’t draw you to this book!
This is a book of stories that everyone can relate to, baseball fan or not, stories that make you remember something from your life, stories that make you wish you had been there. The inspiration for this book came from a nice afternoon at the ballpark, when I asked my wife, daughter and friend “what is your favorite game that you have been to?” That question took on a life of its own and changed my life in ways I never could have anticipated. The result is Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond. It is filled with stories that moved me…to tears, to laughter, to remember my own experiences in greater detail. These are the stories from people who you and I pass on the street every day, but don’t get a chance to meet, ask them questions, or hear about their experiences. That’s exactly what I did, for me, for you. I spent eight years meeting people, making friends, and collecting their stories. And I got 1250 of them, from more than 700 story contributors. We all have our favorite memories, and I was the lucky recipient of some amazing ones from people just like you and me. I gut-wrenchingly narrowed them down to about 300 for this book,
I am originally from Plainview, New York, and earned my BA from SUNY New Paltz. I came to San Francisco in 1974, where I soon began a 39-year career at the U.S. Department of Labor, administering job training and employment programs for disadvantaged youth, most of that time spent with the Job Corps program. I met my future wife, Lynn Rhodes, on my first day at the Department of Labor and never moved back to NY. Lynn and I have two adult children, Rachel in San Francisco and David in Washington, D.C. We are all baseball fans, along with David’s wife, Lisa. My hobbies include rock and roll, following politics, playing and watching baseball and basketball, hiking, and hanging out with friends and family. This is my first book, but it won’t be my last. I am already well on my way to a second volume of my baseball book, having saved some amazing stories and chapters for the next one. I am always soliciting more stories, so if my book brings your own great story to mind and you would like to contribute it for my next book, share it with me at eric.baseballstories@gmail.com.
As a big music fan, I am also beginning to collect similar personal memories from folks of their experiences at concerts of any music genre, or any other music-related story that you might want to share with readers. Send these to me at eric.concertstories@gmail.com.
A random question asked at a ballgame in April 2011 became a project which has been a labor of love. I hope you love these stories as much as I do.
Recent Appearances
Date | Venue | Address | ||||||
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Date:
February 29, 2020 7:00pm - 9:00pm |
Venue: Third Place Books |
Address:
6504 20th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98115 |
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Notes: Eric will be talking about his book, Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond and reading selected selected stories at Third Place Books in Seattle, WA. Books will be available for purchase and Eric will sign your book. | ||||||||
Date:
February 26, 2020 6:00pm - 7:45pm |
Venue: Multnomah County Library, entral Branch |
Address:
801 SW 10th Avenue, U.S. Bank Room Portland, OR |
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Notes: Eric will discuss his book, Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond, and will read selected stories. | ||||||||
Date:
November 16, 2019 11:30am - |
Venue: SABR’s Dusty Baker-Sacramento Chapter |
Address:
2525 Jefferson Blvd West Sacramento, California 95691 |
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Notes: Eric Gray will discuss his book Bases to Bleachers and read selected stories | ||||||||
Date:
October 30, 2019 11:25am - |
Venue: NPR Here and Now |
Address:
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Notes: Eric Gray is interviewed by NPR's Here and Now Host Robin Young about his book Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond | ||||||||
Date:
October 29, 2019 11:00am - 12:00pm |
Venue: NPR Here and Now |
Address:
WBUR and syndicated nationwide National |
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Notes: Eric is interviewed by Here and Now's host, Robin Young, about his book Bases to Bleachers. The show is carried on 535 NPR stations nationwide. Times vary, so consult local listing to find the stations and times the show will be aired. | ||||||||
Date:
October 23, 2019 7:00pm - 9:00pm |
Venue: Evanston Public Library |
Address:
1703 Orrington Avenue Evanston, IL 60201 |
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Notes: Eric Gray will be talking about his book, Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond, and reading selected stories. | ||||||||
Date:
October 21, 2019 7:00pm - 9:00pm |
Venue: Evanston Public Library |
Address:
1703 Orrington Avenue Evanston, IL 60201 |
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Notes: Eric Gray will be talking about his book, Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond, and reading selected stories. | ||||||||
Date:
October 19, 2019 4:00pm - 6:00pm |
Venue: Private home in Whitefish Bay, WI |
Address:
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Notes: Eric will read selected stories from Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond. The book will be available for sale and for signing. If you are interested in attending and for more information contact Eric on Messenger or email him at eric.baseballstories@gmail.com. | ||||||||
Date:
October 17, 2019 6:00pm - 8:00pm |
Venue: Butter Bakery Cafe |
Address:
37th Street and Nicollet Ave Minneapolis, Minnesota |
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Notes: Eric will read selected stories from his book, Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond. Books will be available for sale and signing. | ||||||||
Date:
September 22, 2019 12:00pm - 2:00pm |
Venue: Fairfax District |
Address:
Fairfax District Los Angeles, CA |
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Notes: Eric Gray will read selected Stories from his book, Bases to Bleachers | ||||||||
Date:
September 21, 2019 4:00pm - 5:30pm |
Venue: Mission Valley Library |
Address:
2123 Fenton Pkwy San Diego, CA |
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Notes: Eric Gray will read selected stories from his book, Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond | ||||||||
Date:
September 16, 2019 7:00pm - 8:30pm |
Venue: Angel's Boosters Club |
Address:
Home Plate Club Angel Stadium Anaheim, CA |
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Notes: Eric Gray will read selected stories from his book, Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond | ||||||||
Date:
August 31, 2019 12:00pm - 3:30pm |
Venue: SABR- Lefty O'Doul Chapter San Francisco |
Address:
Lefty’s Ballpark Buffet + Cafe 145 Jefferson St. San Francisco, CA |
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Notes: Eric Gray reading stories from his book Bases to Bleachers | ||||||||
Date:
August 22, 2019 6:00pm - |
Venue: Driving 'Em In Podcast with Jim Campanis Jr |
Address:
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Notes: Eric Gray on Driving 'Em In podcast with Jim Campanis Jr and Eric Lenaburg. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/author-eric-gray-talks-about-his-new-book-bases-to/id1451985834?i=1000447589652 | ||||||||
Date:
August 15, 2019 6:00pm - |
Venue: Book Passage Ferry Building |
Address:
1 Ferry Building San Francisco, CA |
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Notes: Eric Gray will discuss his book and read stories from Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Stories from the Stands and Beyonds | ||||||||
Date:
August 11, 2019 1:30pm - |
Venue: KNBR Marty Lurie Talkin Bseball |
Address:
KNBR 680 San Francisco, CA |
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Notes: http://www.loveofthegameproductions.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Gray_Eric081119.mp3 | ||||||||
Date:
July 27, 2019 1:00pm - 3:00pm |
Venue: Cleveland Baseball Heritage Museum |
Address:
6601 Lexington Avenue Cleveland, OH 44103 |
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Notes: Eric Gray reading from Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond | ||||||||
Date:
July 24, 2019 10:30am - 12:00pm |
Venue: Nemo's Bar and Grill |
Address:
1384 Michigan Avenue Detroit, MI |
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Notes: Eric will read from his book Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond. | ||||||||