The Love of the Game

by Elizabeth Pitts-Hibbard

The crack of the bat and the smell of freshly-mown outfield grass are not the only signs that baseball season is upon us; a new book about America’s Pastime was recently published and the author has strong roots in the area.

Bruce Crawford graduated from Bray High School in 1973 and lived in the area until 1988. He says that his father taught him “the love of the game,” inspiring him not only to play baseball, coach teams, and umpire at games, but also write “An Okie’s Outside Look Inside Baseball,” his first published book.

Publicity information for the book says that Crawford “has been a baseball player, coach, umpire, and fan since a young child. Taught by his father the love of the game. A collector of baseball memorabilia. He has a love for the inside of the game as well as the playing of the game. He has been on the field as a player, not a superstar, more like Charlie Brown. His dream as a boy was to walk out on a major league field one day and feel the excitement of being there.”

In the book, Crawford, writing under the name L. Chadwick Bowen, has compiled a history of baseball as well as little-known facts, figures, and statistics.

“[I have] a love for the inside of the game as well as the playing,” Crawford said. “I love stats and little facts and [I] want to share it with you.”

The book is described as “serious, yet funny,” and Crawford is looking forward to meeting with other baseball fans as well as old friends at a book signing event at Garland Smith Public Library on Saturday from 10am – 1pm.

Crawford said that he has another book ready to publish and is working on three more.