Intentional Walk: An
Inside Look at the Faith that Drives the St. Louis Cardinals is a 2013 book
by Rob Rains. Here, Rains collects the Christian testimonies of Cardinals
players, prospects, and staff.
These mini-biographies and vignettes from a relatively large
number of players paint the picture of a surprisingly and impressively deep and
extensive camaraderie and Christian fellowship. Many of these players don’t
speak publicly about their faith, and in that respect, the accounts in this
book are a rare insight into the spirit and mentality of the team.
The vast majority of the testimony in this book concerns
Christian faith as it relates to overcoming adversity – toiling in the minors,
dealing with injuries, getting traded, and so forth (although Skip Schumaker’s
chapter is a notable exception). As such, the book can feel pretty repetitive,
and it may be better consumed in small doses.
The back cover states this book takes “an in-depth look at
the role the Christian faith plays” in these people’s lives, but this isn’t
always the case. It certainly is in some places – the Matheny and Wainwright
sections are particular highlights in this regard – but not in others. The Rip
Rowan chapter never explicitly mentions Christianity at all. And in the David
Freese chapter, Rains refers to Freese’s 2009 DWI only as an “off-field
incident.” To anyone who was following the Cardinals at the time and remembers
Freese’s “incidents,” this feels like a dishonest cover-up, one that distracts
and detracts from Freese’s testimony.
More impressive than the testimonies themselves is the fact that
so many Cardinals are committed Christians that make up such a solid support
group. In all, then, Intentional Walk is
a worthwhile read that may appeal to Christian Cardinals fans, Christian
baseball fans in general, and Christian residents of the St. Louis area.
RECOMMENDED
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Disclosure of Material Connection:
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com
book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review.
The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance
with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255:
“Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
