Beyond the Ninth Inning: Tom Petroff's Story - Paperback

by Barbara a. Petroff (Author), Thomas a. Petroff (Author)

"Beyond the Ninth Inning: Tom Petroff's Story" is an autobiography of a baseball coach whose Macedonian heritage helped to shape the person he became. As the son of immigrants, his story is intertwined with theirs. He learns to balance two juxtaposed cultures and emerge stronger and more dedicated because of that experience. Tom strived to pass those qualities and lessons on to his players. Abundant with names and statistics, Tom's memoir is intended for family, friends and former players but also may appeal to those who enjoy history and baseball. His story begins with his family's Macedonian history, the hardships they endured and their ten-year immigration journey to the USA. Tom was born and raised in Lansing, Michigan where he worked in his father's bakery and immersed himself in sports. Drafted into the Army near the end of World War II, he was selected for his division's basketball, baseball and football teams, representing the US Army in the European Theater Operations. He played minor league baseball prior to enrolling at Michigan State University where he earned a master's degree and coached the freshman baseball team. He coached baseball at Rider University and the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) and was the first coach to take two different schools to the College World Series. At UNC, Tom and his players developed and implemented a baseball program for hearing impaired children. He also was involved in the movement to incorporate baseball in the Olympics and worked with several USA teams and conducted international clinics. Baseball was a demonstration sport in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea where Tom served as the head coach for the Netherlands team. He worked with the Netherlands again, preparing their squad for the 2000 Olympics. While Tom was an assistant baseball coach at the University of Iowa, he worked on several instructional projects. Prior to retiring, he served as the minor league coordinator for the Detroit Tigers. His latest project is an innovative instructional game called Zone Ball. While his curriculum vitae is extensive, Tom prefers to focus on the results and making a long-term positive impact on the lives of youth. His story gives multiple examples of players who embraced that same philosophy, discovered their potential and applied those lessons to their personal and professional lives. "Beyond the Ninth Inning" is a journey into searching for, finding and accepting one's personal best.