Josh Pahigian - 101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out

Josh Pahigian grew up in Central Massachusetts, where he spent his childhood dreaming of one day playing third base for the Boston Red Sox. He fell considerably short of that dream, but has made the game he loves a part of his professional life through his writing. Josh holds a BA in English from the College of the Holy Cross and an MFA in Creative Writing from Emerson College.

Joshs other Lyons titles include The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip and Why I Hate the Yankees, which he cowrote with his friend Kevin OConnell, The Ultimate Minor League Baseball Road Trip, and The Seventh Inning Stretch. He is also the author of a spring training travel guide entitled Spring Training Handbook, a Red Sox history book entitled The Red Sox in the Playoffs, and a mystery novel entitled Strangers on the Beach. In addition to writing books, Josh has written for ESPN.com, Mens Health, Writers Digest, Family Fun Magazine, the Portland Press Herald, the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, and other print and web-based periodicals.

In addition to writing, Josh serves as an adjunct faculty member at the University of New England, and as a writing mentor in the Western Connecticut State University low-residency MFA program in Creative and Professional Writing. When hes not teaching, writing, or sitting at a ballpark, Josh enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife, Heather, and children, Spencer and Lauren. Josh has two home parks these days, both a half hours drive from his house in Maine: Hadlock Field, home of the Eastern Leagues Portland Sea Dogs; and The Ball Park, home of the Futures Collegiate Baseball Leagues Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide.

As always, the completion of my latest book is an appropriate time to extend my love and thanks to all of my friends and family members who support my writing, especially my wife, Heather, and children, Spencer and Lauren. I thank too my parents and in-laws, who help Heather and me cover the bases around the house when Im working, and spread the word about my books: my thanks to Richard and Cathy Pahigian, Judy and Ed Gurrie, Butch Razoyk and Lynn Pastor, and to my brother, Jamie. I also wish to acknowledge my highly talented and dedicated literary agent at the Doe Coover Agency, Colleen Mohyde.

For believing in the first edition of this book, I thank Rob Kirkpatrick, who helped turn my idea into a reality. I also sincerely appreciate the contributions of my current editor at Lyons, Keith Wallman, and Im not just saying that because hes a Red Sox fan!

I would not have been able to complete this new edition of 101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out without the contributions of the following people who patiently fielded my questions about their baseball places, provided me with reams of information often on short notice, and generously took the time to lead me through their sites. I also couldnt have produced the book without the contributions of my friends across the country who tagged along so I wouldnt have to be a lone wanderer, snapped photos at my side or in my absence, and passed along their local knowledge of various sites so I could incorporate them into the book. These contributors include Lisa Alpert, Lisa Anderson, Vince Baldemor, Danny Barnts, Joe Bird, Jim Bottorff, David Brewer, Terry Cannon, Bill Chapman, Jim Chappell, Maureen Chappell, Tom Cioch, Nate Cloutier, Scott Crawford, Ray Crump, Brent Curry, Ray Doswell, Joe Doud, Joe Edwards, Jimmy Emerson, Patrick Feller, Laura Fontanills, Heather Freitag, Adam Gehrke, Michael Gibbons, George Gratto Jr., Mike Gustafson, Joe Harrington, Kelly Harrington, Rick Heath, Bruce Hellerstein, Sharri Hobbs, Annie Huidekoper, Joanne Hulbert, Janna Jahn, Anne Jewel, Lisa Johnson, Kevin Jenks, David Kaplan, Crissy Terawaki Kawamoto, Rachel Kuiken, Will Liu, Michael Locke, Meryl Loop, Marion Mann, Arlene Marcley, Mike McElwaine, B. J. McFadden, Jim McGonigle, Joe McKiernan, John Melangio, J. P. Meyers, Joe Mitchell, John Newkirk, Kevin OConnell, Erik Ofgang, Jennifer Pendergraft, Tarra Petras, Evan Petty, Mike Rengel, Julie Ridgway, Bill Rieter, Michael Rusignuolo, Erik Ruiz, Brandon Sawalich, Matthew Schmitz, John Shannahan, Tom Siedler, John Traub, Ken Silliman, Steve Silverman, Chris Siriano, Carol Jean Smetana, Chris Stagno, Mark Susina, Paul Taylor, Laura Verillo, Michael Wade, Hank Waddles, Jason Webber, Tom Whaley, and Brooke Zumas.