In Romancing The Blatt, author Paul Fiarkoski shares a collection of real, heartwarming and humorous stories that any fan of Rosenblatt Stadium or college baseball will enjoy. There’s plenty of historical accounts and moments of baseball glory, too.
Where to get Romancing The Blatt:
In Person
The Bookworm, Omaha
Online
Summary:
When Paul Fiarkoski returned to his South Omaha stomping grounds in 2007, he couldn’t believe his eyes. “Save Rosenblatt” signs had cropped up in the yards of homes near the stadium as if it were an election year. He did a little research and came to grips with the reality that the home of NCAA College World Series since 1950 would be demolished and replaced with a new stadium in downtown Omaha.
“If my bedroom window was a picture frame, Rosenblatt’s iconic stadium light towers were a constant element in the upper left corner,” Fiarkoski wrote.
“Following most baseball games, the light towers would glow for an hour or so after the final out as people left the stadium. On fireworks nights, the stadium crew would dim the lights quickly before lighting up the sky with a kaleidoscope of explosions. Fireworks happened often throughout the summers, but the show around Independence Day each year was Omaha’s biggest event of the year by far.
Faced with the fact that the stadium he fell in love with as a kid would soon disappear, Fiarkoski convinced his wife to spend their family vacation at Rosenblatt Stadium for the 2009 College World Series. Then, he used social media to raise awareness about the inevitable fate of the stadium and urged people to get to The Blatt while they still could.
In 2010, the dream of any college baseball fan came true for Fiarkoski. Despite never having taken a single journalism class, he was granted a press pass that gave him unlimited access to Rosenblatt Stadium for her final College World Series. His love affair with The Blatt culminated with a 10-day, behind-the-scenes adventure few people have experienced.
Rosenblatt Stadium was much more than a baseball stadium to the people of the community. In Romancing The Blatt, Fiarkoski shares his personal experiences at concerts, baseball games and even the sledding hill on the north side of the stadium. In vivid detail, he takes you on a journey that resulted in a deep love for Omaha’s field of dreams.
Media mentions
- Sportsbeat on WSBT radio in South Bend, IN
- Lenox on Baseball video podcast
- Cal State Omaha podcast: 1544 Miles to Omaha
Praise for Romancing The Blatt
Romancing the Blatt captures the essence of a neighborhood, a stadium and a city within a City – South Omaha. But most of all it catches the essence of the College World Series which meant everything to the stadium, the neighborhood, and South Omaha. Having given away 65,000 beers from my perch across the street, I can attest Paul describes the characters of the College World Series perfectly – from the Texas fan scalping tickets to his friend to the neighbors depending on the event for their livelihood. But most of all he paints a vivid picture of Rosenblatt Stadium which hosted every major event in Omaha for 60 years. The old girl died a premature death and an event changed forever.
Greg “Piv” Pivovar, Owner of Omaha’s fabled Stadium View Sports Memorabilia Shop
Having grown up less than a mile from Rosenblatt Stadium where he soaked up the baseball atmosphere and immersed himself in her history, there’s nobody better to write a memoir about the beloved baseball cathedral than Paul Fiarkoski.
Lee Warren, a journalist who covered the Omaha Royals and College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium
A book that will literally place you in the blue box seats at the Blatt. A must read for anyone who’s ever experienced the breeze flowing down the grandstand tunnel behind home plate.
Eugene “Chopper” Rosales, Rosenblatt’s notorious dancing ball boy
- Letter to Johnny Rosenblatt praises late Omaha Mayor for his vision of real-life field of dreams
- Who was Johnny Rosenblatt?
- Romancing The Blatt: Memoir of a Love Affair with Omaha’s Field of Dreams
- Rosenblatt Stadium held 8 of 10 largest College World Series crowds in history
- A comparison of Rosenblatt Stadium and TD Ameritrade Park by the numbers
ROMANCING THE BLATT 
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