The Perfect Pitch: The Biography of Roger Owens, the Famous Peanut Man at Dodger Stadium

Rating:
Summary: a delightful story of an underdog coming out on top
Review: The Perfect Pitch is a biographical portrait of Roger
Owens, the famous Peanut Man at Los Angeles' Dodger
stadium. Owens has been expertly trick-tossing bags of
salted peanuts to enthusiastic baseball fans for over
40 years. He began working as a peanut vendor at the
age of 15. In 1962 he moved right along with the LA
Dodgers into Dodger Stadium. His arsenal of throwing
tricks (behind the back, overhand, underhand,
between-the-legs) and general friendliness had made
Owens into something of a celebrity, which was
cemented in 1976 by an invitation to appear as a guest
on The Tonight Show hosted by Johnny Carson.

The eldest of nine children, Owens struggled in his
youth with issues that many readers will be able to
relate to. His mother's battle with a mental illness
sent him and his siblings into foster care for some
time. In his twenties, Owens was involved in a Jeep
accident that nearly cost him his life. But even in
the face of poverty and distress, Roger Owens never
let it crush his optimistic and warm spirit.

This is a delightful story of an underdog coming out
on top, and you don't have to be a baseball fan to
enjoy it. (Although baseball fans will love the
detailed descriptions of the games). It is a story
about real people persevering throughout the struggles
of life. You can put yourself in Roger Owens' shoes
and feel his excitement radiating from the pages. A
moving tale with plenty of photographs, it is a fast
paced and engaging story for all readers.

Review by Gretchen Olson of BookReview.com.



Rating:
Summary: An All-American Story: Baseball, Mom and...Peanuts!
Review: This is the kind of story we don't get enough of in America today. On the surface, it's about a poor California boy who grows up battling adversity and, through determination and showmanship, makes a name for himself as a Dodger Stadium peanut vendor. But it's also about the healing power of family and friendship, and the importance of faith and a positive attitude. This kind of life story is getting harder to find, as society gets more hectic and we get more and more insulated from one another. How refreshing it is to read about a man who dedicated his life to connecting with people -- by tossing them a bag of peanuts -- in the classic setting of the old ballpark. It may sound corny, but we'll miss it when it's gone. Books like this can inspire us to maintain values and traditions that are sadly slipping away.

Rating:
Summary: The Amazing Peanut Vendor Tells his story
Review: You might be thinking to yourself...why would you want to read a book about a peanut vendor...but this isn't any ordinary peanut vendor, this is the famous Roger Owens who has thrown peanuts at Dodger games for the last 46 years and is still going strong.Roger's story is heartbreaking and uplifting. It is inspirational and engaging. He came from a very large family and spent a very tough childhood trying to find himself and help support his family who were very poor.His mother suffered from mental problems and Roger and his siblings were placed in different foster homes.Baseball and the LA Dodgers turned out to be Roger's saving grace. He began his long career at the Coliseum and moved with the Dodgers to Dodger Stadium in 1962 and he has been there ever since.Roger developed quite a following in the sports and entertainment world with his humor and special ability to throw peanuts behind his back and between his legs and hit his mark every time.Roger also experienced a life threatening jeep accident early in his career. Roger's nephew Daniel wrote this book about his uncle and it is indeed a labor of love.If you read one book about a peanut vendor make it this one.