In Baseball Hits and Bible Bits, pastor and former Minor League pitcher Frank D. Minton shares unforgettable stories and anecdotes about two of his great loves in lifebaseball and the Bible. When Minton was eleven years old, God called him to preach; that call to serve the Lord would never leave his heart. His north high school exploits on the ball fields of Wichita, Kansas, earned him a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma and eventually a contract with the Dodgers organization. After three years in the minors, he realized that following Gods call was more important than making it to the big leagues. He turned down the Dodgers contract offer for a fourth year, leaving baseball behind to become a Baptist minister. It was one of the most difficult decisions of his life, but according to Minton, he traded a diamond for a crown. Baseball poems and songs are sprinkled throughout, and sketches by artist Berth-el Young add dimension and feeling. With stories about baseball greats both past and presentsuch as Sandy Koufax, Josh Hamilton, and Albert Pujolsand rich autobiographical details of a life lived in the service of the Lord, Baseball Hits and Bible Bits has something for just about everybody: from little leaguers to bush leaguers to big leaguers.

The pages that precede this New Testament Bible have been submitted by current professional baseball players, former professional and college baseball players as well as coaches and many other leaders who just love the game of America's favorite pastime, BASEBALL.The Hitting Zone Baseball Bible's mission is to raise donations from organizations and individuals who believe in providing "FREE" copies of the bible in both English and Spanish to baseball players to help foster the development of their character and lead players to accepting Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and savior.

This book attempts to capture how scripture and our Lord's word can be seen in everyday life. It shows us the relationship between the Bible and baseball, between religion and our national pastime, between scripture and our play.

This book manages to be entertaining and educational, as well as fanciful and inspirational. It draws from the lives of Jesus Christ and Yogi Berra, Joseph of Nazareth and Joe DiMaggio, Moses and Hank Aaron, Saint Peter and Jackie Robinson. "And God Said, "Play Ball "" makes the Bible more approachable by relating it to a game loved by both children and adults. It shows that baseball is not only a game, but a never-ending series of lessons about life, as well. "And God Said, "Play Ball "" will appeal to Christian Athletes of any denomination. The author has been a baseball fan for more than forty years and a Catholic a lot longer than that. He has played, coached, watched, or taught baseball since he was seven years old. He is very active in lay ministry and catechetics at his Catholic parish in Seattle, and has found both the Bible and baseball to be among the greatest teachers in his life. This book includes 8 pages of timeless photographs. You won't find a more inspiring gift for that baseball player in your life--of whatever age--or that fan in front of your TV "Paperback" PDF Samples Selected Excerpts Listen to an interview with Gary Graf.

LA TIMES BESTSELLER • From the award-winning screenwriter and director of cult classic Bull Durham, the extremely entertaining behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film, and an insightful primer on the art and business of moviemaking. "This book tells you how to make a movie—the whole nine innings of it—out of nothing but sheer will.” —Tony Gilroy, writer/director of Michael Clayton and The Bourne Legacy "The only church that truly feeds the soul, day in, day out, is the church of baseball."—Annie in Bull Durham Bull Durham, the breakthrough 1988 film about a minor league baseball team, is widely revered as the best sports movie of all time. But back in 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director and no one was willing to finance a movie about baseball—especially a story set in the minors. The jury was still out on Kevin Costner’s leading-man potential, while Susan Sarandon was already a has-been. There were doubts. But something miraculous happened, and The Church of Baseball attempts to capture why. From organizing a baseball camp for the actors and rewriting key scenes while on set, to dealing with a short production schedule and overcoming the challenge of filming the sport, Shelton brings to life the making of this beloved American movie. Shelton explains the rarely revealed ins and outs of moviemaking, from a film’s inception and financing, screenwriting, casting, the nuts and bolts of directing, the postproduction process, and even through its release. But this is also a book about baseball and its singular romance in the world of sports. Shelton spent six years in the minor leagues before making this film, and his experiences resonate throughout this book. Full of wry humor and insight, The Church of Baseball tells the remarkable story behind an iconic film.

This book is about finding God in the most unexpected places and sharing those discoveries of Faith. It's written to challenge and inspire children rather than talk down to them. Parents and adults will also enjoy the book, who due to the distractions of modern life, don't take the time to stop and smell the roses of God's creation... Philippians 4: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

If you enjoy America’s pastime, you’ll love Playing with Purpose: Baseball Devotions—180 Spiritual Truths Drawn from the Great Game of Baseball. This brand-new devotional provides a reading a day for an entire season—or off-season!—highlighting intriguing players, both famous and less well known; important games through major league history; teams both current and forgotten, and more, drawing a spiritual point from each. Thought-provoking but never preachy, Playing with Purpose: Baseball Devotions is a perfect follow-up to the Playing with Purpose biographies of Major League Baseball, National Football League, and National Basketball Association stars from Barbour.