by Adam Lazarus
The untold story of the unique fifty-year friendship between two American icons: John Glenn, the unassailable pioneer of space exploration and Ted Williams, indisputably the greatest hitter in baseball history.
The friendship how, throughout various stages in their remarkable lives, a most unusual friendship formed, flourished, withered, then reinvigorated.
In 1952, celebrity outfielder Ted Williams was called up to active duty in the Korean War. Baseball's biggest name was already an ace pilot, as skilled in the cockpit as he was on the field. John Glenn, already an experienced fighter pilot during World War II, was commissioned with The Marine Corps and had gone through months of training when he petitioned for active duty in Korea. He was a superstar among the officers and pilots who knew him as a superior instructor and great guy.
While stationed in Korea for combat, Glenn requested Williams to fly on his wing. The reluctant, fatalistic, pugnacious Reservist and the eager, optimistic, unflappable active-duty regular Marine would go on to serve together, forging a friendship in battle that would last a lifetime and take them up into the stratosphere, literally and figuratively - from Earth orbit and a long political career for Glenn to world records and global fame as one of baseball's greatest hitters for Williams.
Author Adam Lazarus, who has written narrative nonfiction books on great American icons and the very essence of team successes on the field and off, has written a sweeping epic that pulls from an encyclopedic array of sources, from interviews, papers, military diaries, letters, archives, videos, and papers released through FOIA.
The connection forged between the great hitter and the great aviator would radiate out from their mutual respect. They also shared a keen understanding of their respective gifts, a fierce dedication to the success of the team (whether The Red Sox, the Mercury program, or a military unit), and their rabid pursuit of excellence. They wanted to contribute without any special treatment or fanfare. They also understood their gifts and drive came with a price - fame - and each would handle it differently. Each of them would earn a permanent place in the pantheon of American heroes and become titans in their own right.
They stayed friends right to the end, decades after they had flown together in Korea.
Adam Lazarus is the author of nonfiction books featuring iconic and compelling figures in American history. His previous titles include Chasing Greatness: Johnny Miller, Arnold Palmer, and the Miracle at Oakmont; Super Bowl Monday: The New York Giants, The Buffalo Bills, and Super Bowl XXV; Best of Rivals: Joe Montana, Steve Young, and the Inside Story Behind The NFL's Greatest Quarterback Controversy; and Hail to the Redskins: Gibbs, the Diesel, the Hogs, and the Glory Days of D.C.'s Football Dynasty. He received a bachelor's degree in English from Kenyon College in 2004 and a master's degree in Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University in 2006, specializing in journalism.
Kensington Publishing
ISBN: 978-0-8065-4250-8
1 comment:
Looks good!
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