Local author Eric C. Gray hosted a promotion for his book, “Bases to Bleachers: A Collection of Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond,” on Monday at the Atherton Library. At the event, he read some of his favorites from the collection of anecdotes and discussed his upcoming book plans.
As attendees trickled in, Gray handed out signed copies before beginning his talk. He got the idea for the book when he reminisced about attending a San Francisco Giants game with his friends and wondering, as a lifelong fan of the game, what his favorite moment was. “The game of baseball is played at such a pace that it allows you to look around and think,” he said.
Gray explained that he asked his friends and family for their favorite memories, and the project quickly grew into something bigger than he could have ever imagined. “I had 1,250 stories from 15 different countries,” he said.
With over 250 stories, the book contains many heartwarming moments, including a memory of getting Willie Mays’ autograph. Mays, a Giants legend and former Atherton resident, was often seen at games before his passing in 2024.
“It’s so amazing that people all over the world trusted me with their stories,” Gray mused.
Gray ended by advertising his second book, “Backyards to Ballparks: More Personal Baseball Stories from the Stands and Beyond.”
To learn more about upcoming events with the Atherton Library, check out this page.
