Saving Babe Ruth

When Civil War buff and burned-out lawyer David Thompson fights to save a kids' baseball league, he's launched on a thrill ride that threatens his family, his team, and his life. Captivating characters lead double lives and keep secrets in this award-winning page-turner based on a true story. A cast of shady adults and the high school baseball coaches hate David for trying to save it. They'll do anything to wreck the league so that their elite travel teams can take over its beautiful ball field, even if it means going after David and his family. The harder David battles to save the league, the worse things get. He's in way over his head and he's also stuck in a family catch-22. If he surrenders, he might lose his son's love along with his own self-respect to say nothing of losing baseball for the sandlot kids in town. Yet if he doesn't back down, he'll lose his marriage and his son will lose any chance to play on the high school team. To make things right, underdog David Thompson needs to know when to fold and when to fight. He's being pushed and shoved to his breaking point and only one thing is for sure: If he snaps, he's not planning on taking prisoners. David is on an emotional roller coaster and he can't get off. He's fighting his own civil war as he struggles to make a difference in the town he cherishes without bringing harm to the family he loves. New York Times bestselling author Margot Livesey says Swyers "has created a man for all seasons" in David Thompson and calls Saving Babe Ruth "an absorbing and compulsively readable novel." · ·An Amazon multiple category bestseller. · ·Gold Winner, Benjamin Franklin Award, 2015 "Best First Book: Fiction." · ·Silver Winner, Benjamin Franklin Award, 2015 "Best Popular Fiction." · ·Readers Views, "Best Regional Fiction 2014/2015: Northeast." · ·Finalist, "Best New Fiction," 2014 USA Best Book Awards.

When Civil War buff and burned-out lawyer David Thompson fights to save a kids' baseball league, he's launched on a thrill ride that threatens his family, his team, and his life. Captivating characters lead double lives and keep secrets in this award-winning page-turner based on a true story. A cast of shady adults and the high school baseball coaches hate David for trying to save it. They'll do anything to wreck the league so that their elite travel teams can take over its beautiful ball field, even if it means going after David and his family. The harder David battles to save the league, the worse things get. He's in way over his head and he's also stuck in a family catch-22. If he surrenders, he might lose his son's love along with his own self-respect to say nothing of losing baseball for the sandlot kids in town. Yet if he doesn't back down, he'll lose his marriage and his son will lose any chance to play on the high school team. To make things right, underdog David Thompson needs to know when to fold and when to fight. He's being pushed and shoved to his breaking point and only one thing is for sure: If he snaps, he's not planning on taking prisoners. David is on an emotional roller coaster and he can't get off. He's fighting his own civil war as he struggles to make a difference in the town he cherishes without bringing harm to the family he loves. New York Times bestselling author Margot Livesey says Swyers "has created a man for all seasons" in David Thompson and calls Saving Babe Ruth "an absorbing and compulsively readable novel." · ·An Amazon multiple category bestseller. · ·Gold Winner, Benjamin Franklin Award, 2015 "Best First Book: Fiction." · ·Silver Winner, Benjamin Franklin Award, 2015 "Best Popular Fiction." · ·Readers Views, "Best Regional Fiction 2014/2015: Northeast." · ·Finalist, "Best New Fiction," 2014 USA Best Book Awards.

Tom Swyers grew up in a town (some say it's small) outside Albany, (in real Upstate) New York. He worked his way through college (from sewage treatment plant assistant to jewelry store salesman) and attended four institutions (University of Richmond, University of Virginia, Empire State College and Franklin & Marshall College) of higher (so they said) learning (learned more from working) over a period of five years (seemed like forever) before finally (says his parents) graduating from the last school (that would have him) with a degree (meaning debt) in political science and English. He worked (really was enslaved) on Wall Street (choice was either that or working at Kmarts as a manager trainee) and solved the world’s insurance problems (claims adjuster). He then was retained (sent out hundreds of resumes) by one of the most prestigious law firms (since folded) in New York City located near the World Trade Center (he escaped the city before 9/11). Assisted with complex (for him, anyway) litigation while enrolled at New York Law School (evening division) where he also became research editor of the New York Law School Journal of Comparative Law (his first best-seller, not). Tom graduated with a JD (a higher level of debt) and moved back to his hometown (round trip). Passed the bar (on the first try) and practiced (practice makes perfect) at one of the most prestigious law firms (since folded) in Albany. Left there (pink slipped) and opened Swyers and Associates (Associates, a/k/a the cats) and entered into general practice (anything that came his way). He proposed to (almost took a decade) and married his high school sweetheart (questionable move on her part) and became a father to a son (who seems smarter than his old man). Then came baseball, but that's another story ("Saving Babe Ruth"). In 2010, he attended the New York State Summer Writers Institute at Skidmore College. He is a member of both the Authors Guild and the Hudson Valley Writers Guild. "Saving Babe Ruth" is his first novel. You can reach him at tomswyers.com.