Today, I bring you an interview with author Jim Gorant of Fanatic: The 10 Things All Sports Fans Should Do Before They Die. I had an opportunity to interview Jim after reading this book, which I can honestly say was an enjoyable read. The book, which is pretty much what the title says it is, opened a window for me into what it’s really like to go and experience a famed event. It was enjoyable and has made me want to explore some of these events, even though I’m pretty much just a baseball fan and follow the Celtics and Patriots enough to be called a fan.
I e-mailed Jim, who works at Sports Illustrated (as he jokes, the two things ones who work at SI are always asked are if they know Reilly and if they work on the Swimsuit Issue) and he was gracious enough to answer the questions. Some have to do with the book, some with sports as a whole. (Is it possible for a Yankees fan to be gracious?) In unedited form:
The last chapter of the book in which you detailed your trip to Fenway Park was conspicuously absent in terms of the interactions with fans, the visual imagery that you painted as to the setting and the mood. Was this done on purpose? It feels like you used the chapter to tie the story up, not to report on the actual event.
Boy, I
