No matter how many times you (or the editor) proofread a manuscript, there is always a mistake or ten in a finished book. The first mistake has turned up in Boots Poffenberger: Hurler, Hero, Hell-Raiser. I misspelled the name of the man whom Boots stated was the best ballplayer ever to come out of Washington County. What appears as Jack Krebs with a b should be Jack Kreps with a p. I apologize to Connie Cole, Jack’s daughter, and all of Jack’s friends. I would much rather have written an incorrect date or strikeout total because I am very sensitive to misspelling someone’s name. When your own name is Gisriel you become sensitive like that because you’ve seen multiple and creative misspellings your whole life.

When Bob D’Angelo of the Tampa Bay Tribune reviewed an advance copy of Boots, he noted several misspellings which we were able to correct because Bob read an advance copy and not the final copy. The mistake that I found most amusing was that I referred to Yankees’ manager Joe McCarthy as “Charlie McCarthy.” Charlie McCarthy was the dummy in Edgar Bergen’s ventriloquist act. D’Angelo’s review led to one more edit just for names, but I simply missed Jack Kreps’ name.

Books often insert a page at the end entitled errata, a Latin term the translation of which is “oopsie page.” Of course, I’m translating somewhat loosely. On this page are listed the mistakes that are found after the book has gone to print. I’m hoping that there won’t be much to add after this one; however, if anyone finds another mistake, please place it in the comments section for this blog entry. If we can fix ’em in future editions, we will.

A note to my Winchester friends: I will be appearing at the Winchester Book Gallery, this Saturday, August 16th, from 11:00-1:00. Look for a write-up in the Winchester Star this week (probably Wednesday.) Hope to see you there!