Most people remember me for two events, both of which tested my faith in different ways. I controlled one; the other, I did not. I was in control of the home run I hit in the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves, which turned the Series around for the New York Yankees and eventually led them to their first world championship in eighteen years. I was not in control of the 2007 car accident in which I was involved that resulted in the tragic loss of a woman's life . . . I decided that I would not let my life be defined by either of these moments. This is my story.

 So begins Jim Leyritz's dramatic tale Catching Heat, a thrilling spectacle of professional and personal highs and lows that take fans behind the scenes of life on the road, in the locker room, and ultimately to the defendant's seat in a courtroom.

From a struggling player fumbling through the Minors and finding resilience during disappointing trades to speaking his truth when others wouldn't, Leyritz evolved into the epitome of a 'clutch' player when it came to leading teams to victories when it really counted. Well beyond a successful sporting career saga, Jim's story is an inspiring example for anyone who wants to pursue a dream or learn life's lessons--both hard and hallowed--from a man who knows what it is like to live his.

Introduction

Imagine you're just moments away from reaching your childhood dream. All that stands between you and your life-defining goal is ticking seconds on a clock. Suddenly, your entire life is about to change ­forever.

For some, the moment that leads them to their destiny happens because they make an instinctive decision, or meet the right person at the right time, or strategically plan for it day in and day out. For me, all of my dreams came true with one swing of a bat.

My defining moment came on October 23, 1996, in front of 52,000 fans at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium while millions more watched on TV around the world. That swing, which ultimately resulted in a World Series turnaround and win for the New York Yankees against the Atlanta Braves, was the culmination of twenty-five years of sacrifice, hardship, injury, betrayal, failure, success, decisions right and wrong, hard work, and a lot of sweat.

My life-long dream of being part of an historic baseball moment had finally been fulfilled. But at what cost? Sometimes I had to sacrifice my relationships and my beliefs to reach my ticker-tape moment. When you achieve lofty goals at such a young age, something scary happens after the storm of media and excitement passes. After the word 'hero' is tacked onto your name, the calm settles in, and the phone calls quiet down. You sit and find yourself asking, Now what? What you have worked for all your life has defined you, and now you've hit the big time, so you ask yourself, What's next? What defines me now? What do I work toward next? What is to come, and how will I get there?

With that swing, I'd achieved every personal goal I'd set for myself as a young man. Now, every Yankee fan would remember that homerun and the name that went with it. I had lived my dream. But I'd become tricked into thinking that somehow, because so many wonderful things happened to me in such a short amount of time, my fortune would continue. Little did I know that my life and struggles were just beginning. The results would not always garner ticker tape. Different paths would have to be taken. Some bumpy, some straight.

It's said that once at the top, there's only one way to go—down. I learned the hard way what that means and that the direction was downward. Some of the mistakes which led to my descent were of my own doing, and some, I believe, were the doings of others. All were brought to me from a higher power, as humbling reminders that I'm not so special or perfect and that I need to pay better attention to the values and morals my parents instilled in me. Otherwise, it can all be taken away.

Every time I started to believe I was in control, that I created my plan or destiny, God found a way to remind me: stay grounded. Your plans have already been made. And the 1996 home run was not a destination, just part of the journey that I'm still on to this day.

Through this book, I invite you on this journey of dreams that came true, tragedies which tested my faith, and triumphs that would once again give me the spirit of hope. I want to share with you how I learned the hard way that life is a succession of mountainous climbs: each mountain is put in our path to teach us how to climb better and more efficiently the next, with hope, faith, and happiness revealed along the way.

Most people remember me for two events, both of which tested my faith in different ways. I controlled one. The other, I did not. I was in control of the home run I hit in the 1996 World Series against the Atlanta Braves, which turned the Series around for the New York ­Yankees and eventually led them to the World Championship.

I was not in control of the 2007 car accident in which I was involved and resulted in the tragic loss of a woman's life.

Through God's love, I decided that I would not let my life be defined by either of these moments.

This is my story.