One shot at forever : a small town, an unlikely coach, and a magical baseball season

Ballard, Chris. 1973-

First pbk edition

Book

New York : Hyperion, ©2012.

viii, 255 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, map, portraits ; 21 cm.

In 1971, a small-town high school baseball team from rural Illinois playing with hand-me-down uniforms and peace signs on their hats defied convention and the odds. Led by an English teacher with no coaching experience, the Macon Ironmen emerged from a field of 370 teams to become the smallest school in Illinois history to make the state final, a distinction that still stands. There, sporting long hair, and warming up to Jesus Christ Superstar, the Ironmen would play a dramatic game against a Chicago powerhouse (Lane Tech) that would change their lives forever.

Baseball -- Illinois -- Macon -- History.

High school athletes -- Illinois -- Macon -- History.

Macon (Ill.) -- Social life and customs.

pt. 1. Welcome to Macon. Beginnings -- Shark -- Write your own obituary -- "Practice is optional" -- Lost in the corn -- He ain't got shit -- It only takes one -- The announcement -- Long summer nights -- Un-American, or unpatriotic -- pt. 2. The forever season. Another shot -- Hippies, tape decks, and a silent infield -- The first step -- We've only just begun -- Big coop -- Riding into Peoria -- The baseball factory -- The drums -- One shot -- June 1971 -- pt. 3. Ghosts. Never the same -- The return.

9781401312664