My paternal grandfather, the late great Richard Roby, was a huge influence in my life. As an athlete, he taught me competitiveness and never underestimating my opponent. In life, he taught me to find moderation in how I approached good times and bad times. My grandfather worked at Yale University in New Haven, CT near his Berlin, CT home. And embracing his life motto of “everything in moderation,” my grandfather would go for walks in the woods, play tennis, and was a scratch golfer. One of his golf opponents, according to my grandfather, was none other than former Yale student and baseball player turned professional baseball player turned professional baseball media analyst Ron Darling.

Ron Darling was just one of many famous/former Yale students, faculty, and boosters that my grandfather played golf with. Although I caddied for him often at the Yale University Golf Course, I don’t personally recall any of his foursome members, so all I have is the memories of him telling me that he played against the likes of the Bushes, A Bartlett Giamatti, and other US Senators and Congressmen who claimed Yale as their alma mater. But I was a baseball teen and a NY Mets fan because of Dwight Gooden, so the one that stuck out for me the most was Ron Darling.

So, when I was in my local bookstore (2nd & Charles, VA Beach) and saw a book by Ron Darling, I enthusiastically snagged it. “The Complete Game, Reflections on Baseball, Pitching, and Life on the Mound,” per the author, is not an autobiography. Rather it is shared experiential journal of what a pitcher goes through on the mound, in the dugout in between innings, pre and post game, and when the final outs are recorded. It is about the mental approach to performing the primary role of a pitcher – getting an out. It discusses situational pitching and why you hit a corner with one pitch and when to delay your windup to affect the opponent’s running game. If you think baseball is boring or uneventful, you need to read this book asap.

For me as a former pitcher and pitching coach in the all important Little Leagues of America, I loved the extensive knowledge on how to get Strike 1 to become a reality. So many youth baseball players and scholastic baseball players are worried about velocity nowadays. One of the most famous players to ever come out of Rhode Island High School baseball was my North Kingstown High School teammate, Sean Maloney. Maloney, upon me asking him how to coach pitches under 12, told me unequivocally that the most important pitch is Strike 1. Sean said that curveballs and junkballs and screwballs can come later on in development, and that getting the ball over the plate as a youth player was Job #1. Darling’s book, Darling’s advice, Darling’s journey as a pitcher is all about Job #1 and I loved every inning of his book (once you read the book you will know what I mean.)

I am a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan. But for a time in my early teens, I was also a huge New York Mets fan. Those 1980s Mets teams was so incredible – Darling, Strawberry, Gooden, Elster, Santana, Carter, Hernandez, Kevin Mitchell – the list goes on and on. I was so bummed when the Mets played (and beat) my Sox in 1986. Still, I followed the Mets into the 1990s, when most of the 1980s group disbanded and went to other clubs or retired. Case in point for the author, Ron Darling would be traded to Montreal before heading west to the American League’s Oakland A’s. I kept tabs on his career as it wound into the mid 1990s before his retirement around the 1995 season. 13 amazing seasons for my grandfather’s former golf opponent, not too shabby!!! And a cool piece of information I learned from the book – not one stint on the disabled list for his entire MLB career. Wow, that is incredible.

By the way, there are tons of references in the book about Ron Darling’s time at Yale. Plus a special bonus chapter/inning on his epic battle with former St. John’s Redmen and teammate Frank “Sweet Music” Viola. And the incredible record Darling set in that college game and the famous folks that were in attendance for the game. Heck, my grandfather may have been at that game back on May 21, 1981. That chapter/inning alone was worth snagging this book. Honestly, just one of over a dozen great chapters/innings on how to pitch at a very high level. I loved the book, it was such a great read.

My grandfather, who passed away in 1998, would have loved reading about his former golf opponent and Yale alum, Ron Darling. I’m sure if I asked him, meaning my grandfather, who would win in their golf outings he would braggingly say he got the better of Darling. My grandfather hated to lose but respected his opponents nonetheless. Another lesson I learned from him – look to win with dignity and lose the same way. My grandfather was one of a kind and I cherish so many memories of him. As for the book – I highly recommend baseball fans, baseball coaches, and pitchers of all ages read “The Complete Game” by Ron Darling.