Next Up Fenway: A New Book by Swampscott's Steve Marantz

Next Up Fenway is book three for Swampscott author, ESPN consultant and former Boston Globe reporter Steve Marantz.

Steve's first two books delved into the worlds of racial politics and high school basketball, The Rhythm Boys, and into the world of boxing, Sorcery at Caesars: Sugar Ray's Marvelous Fight, about the epic fight between Sugar Ray Leonard and New England's Marvin Hagler.

In Next Up Fenway, the author explores public education, Latino aspiration and baseball.

Here is an interview with Steve:

1.) What was the impetus for the book?
 
I wanted to write something contemporary about public education, Latino aspiration and baseball.  Fenway High, next to Fenway Park, combined all three. It's an unsung high school in the Boston system -- noted for its success with low-income Latino students.  The ballpark across the street is inspirational to some of the students.  Such was the case with Marcos Baez, who became my central character. Marcos loved baseball, and played for the Fenway High team.  Early on he fantasized a career as a baseball player.  But as he matured he came to realize that his future was dependent on his classroom performance.

2.) What can readers hope to learn and experience by reading it?

The story takes you inside the classrooms of Fenway High, and inside the life of Marcos Baez.   It tries to show how an excellent public high school goes about its business, and how a Latino boy who grew up in a public housing project experiences high school next to Fenway Park.

3.) How did the research and writing differ from your two other books?

My first two books -- "Sorcery at Caesars: Sugar Ray's Marvelous Fight", and "The Rhythm Boys of Omaha Central: High School Basketball at the '68 Racial Divide" were histories. When I wrote those I had the benefit of historical hindsight.  This book is contemporary.  The story is fluid.  As I researched the book in the 2010-2011 school year I had to decide what was meaningful without the benefit of 20 or 40 years of hindsight.

4.) Readers will likely start to root for Marcos, what was most compelling about his story and are you still in touch?

Marcos first drew my attention with his written work.  After I got to know him it was his temperament, curiosity, and warmth.  He's now a junior at Holy Cross.  We're still in touch -- go out for dinner occasionally and compare notes on the Boston sports scene.

5.) How can readers get your book?

It's at Spirit of '76 Books in Marblehead.  Also on Amazon.