Thanks most of all to Cal Ripken Jr. for the opportunity to help convey his life lessons. And thanks to agents David Larabell/CAA and David Black/David Black Agency; our editor, Luke Dempsey, and his combined baseball-literary expertise; Luke’s editorial assistant, Haley Swanson; Glenn Valis, Cal’s scheduling maestro; and to my wife, Ellen, for everything else in life.
—James Dale