Paul Haven
Two Hot Dogs With Everything has been rattling around inside my head for many years. I've always been superstitious when it comes to baseball, and as a child I would dream that I could influence the outcome of games. (I still do sometimes, in the bottom of the ninth, or when the World Series roles around).
Like Danny, I would sit in contorted positions when watching my team play, hold my breath, turn the volume down on the television, or just plain cover my eyes. I've retraced my steps backward all the way out the door to try to undo some act of negligence that may have led to a wild pitch, held a pencil under my nose to get a rally going.
Basically, anything to help the team.
Unlike Danny, I've pretty much continued to do those things as an adult! Luckily, I don't have to be embarrassed about it since every true baseball fan I know is exactly the same when it comes to superstition. I've seen an op-ed piece by a physicist trying to explain why he was sure he caused the Red Sox to lose, and heads of fortune 500 companies that won't utter the name Bobby Thomson, the Giant whose home run ended the Brooklyn Dodgers 1951 season. Completely rational, educated people, are totally nuts when it comes to baseball - and I'm proud to be one of them.
Why hot dogs?
I grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. One of my favorite places in the world has always been Gray's Papaya - the hot dog "stand" on the corner of 72nd and Broadway. Even today, I always rush back there when I'm in town and order their special - two hot dogs with everything and a fruit drink. I guess that's where I got Danny's love of hot dogs.
Writing Two Hot Dogs With Everything over the past couple of years has provided me a baseball fix while living in a part of the world - Pakistan and Afghanistan - where it was extremely difficult to catch a game on television, and where America and Americana feel very distant indeed. As bureau chief for the Associated Press, I spent my days writing about important but depressing issues like terrorism, war and poverty. Writing about Danny Gurkin in my free time helped preserve my sanity, and keep me connected to my own culture.
For a list of other books about America's favorite pastime, visit this month's baseball feature and read a review of Paul's book as well as those of others.
Provided by the Publisher Random House
Added 04/01/06
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