The Chicken Runs at Midnight: A Daughter's Message from Heaven That Changed a Father's Heart and Won a World Series

by Tom Friend, Tim Kurkjian Narrated by Ben Holland

Overview

Discover the nearly unbelievable true story of how a goofy catchphrase spoken by a coach's dying daughter inspired the 1992 Pittsburgh Pirates in game seven of the National League Championship Series and later became a sign from heaven to a grieving family at the end of game seven of the 1997 World Series.

As a Major League Baseball coach, Rich Donnelly was dedicated, hardworking, and successful. But as a husband and father, he was distant, absent, and a failure. He'd let baseball take over his life, and as a result, his family suffered--that is, until the day he received some harrowing news.

"Dad, I have a brain tumor, and I'm sorry." These words from his seventeen-year-old daughter, Amy, turned his world upside down. Now, more than ever, he was determined to put his family first.

The time they spent together in the months before Amy's death were moments that Rich and his family will treasure forever, but they'll especially remember the inside joke that became a catchphrase for not only the Donnelly family but also the Pittsburgh Pirates as they played in the National League Championship Series that year: "The chicken runs at midnight."

This book shares the heartwarming story behind the odd catchphrase--and how it still lives on as a symbol for never giving up--and proves that God can work in any person's life, even despite their mistakes and failures. As you learn more about Amy's incredible story, you'll discover:

• The life-changing power of forgiveness
• How to find peace and joy in the midst of loss
• The gift of God's grace

Weaving baseball history with personal memoir, this book is one that will make you thrill to victory, believe in hope, and stand up to cheer for what is good in people's lives. It reminds us that God can work in our lives even when we think it's too late to change--and sometimes he sends us signs from heaven, if we only have eyes to see.

Praise for*The Chicken Runs at Midnight:

"The Chicken Runs at Midnight*is a beautiful story of baseball, family, and faith. Tom Friend does a wonderful job of weaving these three themes together and telling you a story that will give you the chills. You will cry; you will laugh; and you will tell the story over and over again--just as I have."

--Craig Counsell, manager of the Milwaukee Brewers

"The Chicken Runs at Midnight*is the kind of heartwarming story all of us need, not just baseball fans. In our loud, busy world, it's a poignant reminder of what is truly important."

--Tom Verducci, bestselling author of*The Yankee Years*and*The Cubs Way

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

08/27/2018
In his debut, Friend, a sports journalist who writes for ESPN, explores the faith journey of Pittsburgh Pirates third base coach Rich Donnelly. Donnelly had a tumultuous childhood in Steubenville, Ohio, living with an abusive, overbearing father who instilled both religion and fear into him as boy—he would whip Donnelly whenever he struck out in Little League. Donnelly eventually became a standout catcher, got married, and rose through the ranks of collegiate and minor-league baseball. Taken in by the temptations of partying that surround the locker room, Donnelly became an absentee father and his marriage ended in a messy divorce. Although his teenage daughter, Amy, confronted him about his troubles after the divorce, it was only when she developed a life-threatening brain tumor that Donnelly began to reconsider his life choices. Amy’s death, and a miraculous occurrence (she cryptically told her father “the chicken runs at midnight,” predicting a game-winning run in the World Series four years later), pushed Donnelly to regain his faith in God and find peace within. Told through letters, interviews with family members, and Donnelly’s own words, Friend’s captivating book reads like a novel. Christian fans of baseball will enjoy Friend’s evocative telling of Donnelly’s journey back to God. (Oct.)

Spitball Magazine

This may be the most beautifully told, inspiring account of finding God in a baseball setting ever recorded.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171762131
Publisher:	Zondervan
Publication date:	10/02/2018
Edition description:	Unabridged

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