Warren Kent III is the author of “Turn and Burn: the story of a son, a father and the ‘84 Tigers.”
By Ron Rop
LocalSportsJournal.comIt’s no surprise that a “baseball junkie” like Warren Kent III would write a book about baseball.
But that’s just what he did recently with the publishing of “Turn and Burn: the story of a son, a father and the ‘84 Tigers.
The seed for the book was planted in 2017 with the death of Warren Kent, Jr., who helped his son, Warren III, coach for many years at North Muskegon High School.
“He was my first base coach, he was the guy who got me involved in baseball,” said Kent III. “This was my way to bring about his voice because neither my siblings or my mom have a recording of my dad’s voice.
“I can’t hear it anymore and it’s kind of weird because you grew up with this person and I can’t picture his voice at all,” said Kent III, who published the book independently. “I can see his mannerisms, I can picture him in the dugout, I can picture him at first base and I can picture him growing up, but I have no voice.”
The book was a way to give back his dad’s voice.
The nine-chapter book features a young boy named EJ, whose father is a coach and a Detroit Tigers’ fan. EJ tries his best to please his dad by loving the game, but there are bumps along the way. It wasn’t until Jack Morris tossed a no-hitter early in the 1984 season that EJ makes it his mission to take baseball seriously and to love the game as much as his father.
It’s no coincidence that the book is nine chapters (nine innings) long (173 pages).
The title comes from dad, who was the outfield coach.
“His big thing was, ‘turn and burn,’” said Kent III. “If the ball is hit over your head, you’d better turn and burn and run it down. That’s where the impetus came for the title.
“We grew up loving the Tigers,” said Kent III, who was born in 1968. “Dad was a big Tigers’ fan so I thought of this idea right after he passed away, but then when covid hit, I had a lot of down time.”
That’s when the idea of a book was put on paper.
“It’s historical fiction, I guess,” said Kent III, whose baseball involvement also includes a trivia crew that has been going on for more than 5 years. “I am the boy in the story and my dad is the father in the story. The dates have been changed, it’s not really my dad and it’s not really me, but it kind of is. Every chapter starts off the story about me and my dad and ends with what were the Tigers doing.
“I used a lot of reference,” he said. “Baseball Reference is a good resource. I tried to stay away from Wikipedia because that’s not as good as some of the other websites you can find. Lot of reading of books.”
Kent III’s new book has been receiving solid reviews online. Here are two reviews of the book:
If you’re a baseball fan, and a fan of family values, this is a great read. If you’re a fan of the Detroit Tigers and the 1984 season, this book will be like a walk down memory lane! The author either has the greatest memory in history or spent many hours researching the facts in this story.
I said “I remember that”, at least a dozen times. What a great combination of fact mixed with fiction. Must read.”
-- Jeff
“Turn and Burn takes baseball enthusiasts on a journey many of us share. In the midst of reading this page turner, I found myself reminiscing of my own Little League days and a time when watching the big leaguers on TV with my dad was the best part of life. If you’re a Michigander and love the Roar of 84, this book is a must. If your former Little Leaguer, no matter your team affiliate, this book will place a smile on your face.”
-- Scott
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