The Legend of Mickey Tussler: A Novel

by Frank Nappi

Overview

In the late 1940s, the minor league Milwaukee Brewers are foundering yet again and manager Arthur Murphy is desperate. When he sees seventeen-year old Mickey Tussler throwing apples into a barrel, he knows he has found the next pitching phenom. But not everyone is so hopeful. Mickey’s autism—a disorder still not truly understood even today—has alienated the boy from the world, and he is berated by other players and fans. Mickey faces immense trials in the harsh and competitive world of baseball while coping with the challenges inherent to his disorder. An honest and knowledgeable book about overcoming adversity, and the basis for the television movie A Mile in His Shoes, Mickey’s powerful story shows that with support and determination anyone can be triumphant, even when the odds are stacked against him.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616086589
Publisher:	Sky Pony Press
Publication date:	04/01/2012
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	12 - 16 Years

About the Author

FRANK NAPPI has taught high school English and creative writing for over twenty years. Frank lives in Massapequa, New York, with his wife
Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.

Editorial Reviews

Walter Murphy was out scouting for a baseball player that the war did not take. Unfortunately, he got stuck driving long hours because no one else wants to do it. Walter Dennison, the owner of the minor-league-affiliate the Brewers, put this responsibility on him. His days of being a top player had long since passed. During a drive on a lonely dirt road Walter crashes his car. When he stumbles across a farm he witnesses a perfect throw. The young man throwing apples into a basket is Mickey Tussler. He had been diagnosed as autistic and was a disappointment to his father. Walter opens up the opportunity for Mickey to become a member of a baseball team. However, Mickey is not a favored player on the tema because of his autism. In time, a few team members accept him and he makes a few friends. But like any good player there will always be an enemy. Mickey's nemesis is Lefty, the team pitcher. It is up to Mickey to keep himself on the team and Lefty off of his back. It is also up to Mickey to get past all of the hatred and prejudice that has disrupted his once somewhat peaceful life. This is an excellent heartwarming story of a young man's coming-of-age after the war and also dealing with a disability. For young readers who are baseball fans this story will provide encouragement and inspiration. Reviewer: Kristi Bernard

Children's Literature - Kristi Bernard