Community Corner

A Brother's Love Of Baseball Forever Lives On In Bridgewater Native's Book

Cindy Williams Newsome of Bridgewater dedicated her newest book "Chasing Baseball for Life" to her late brother Nearo Williams Jr.

Author Cindy Williams Newsome and a U.S. Airforce photo of her brother Nearo Williams Jr.
Author Cindy Williams Newsome and a U.S. Airforce photo of her brother Nearo Williams Jr. (Courtesy of Cindy Williams Newsome)

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Cindy Williams Newsome's beloved late brother will forever live on in her newest book "Chasing Baseball for Life," which she dedicated to Nearo Williams Jr.

"It's a story of my brother's love of baseball growing up in Bridgewater. The story takes place from the 1950s through the early 2000s, and includes some of Nearo's baseball mentors with interviews by the late Sergeant George Jones, son of 1960s Bridgewater Little Leagues Baseball manager and Coach, Edmond Jones," said Newsome, who grew up in the Hobbstown section of Bridgewater.

The book was inspired after Williams Jr. reached out to Newsome in 2005 for help with writing a story about how he used baseball metaphors to set goals in his life.

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Unfortunately, Williams Jr. died in 2008.

"He was passionate about it. He wanted his book to be finished and I was trying to help him. It just didn't come to fruition while he was living. So I wanted to pick it up," said Newsome.

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It took a very long time for Newsome to track down the right people and conduct the interviews for the book.

Some of the interviews are with Ann Torpey, widow of Ethicon Baseball Coach and Manager Frank Torpey of Somerville; a baseball player the late Fred Wenz, and others.

"It felt good to hear their enthusiasm for baseball," said Newsome of the interviews. "They told me things they did or someone did in their family. How they knew my brother and his desire to be an MLB player even from a young kid. And his love of the Dodgers."

Now that the book is finished, Newsome said she is "thrilled."

"I know he wanted it for prosperity for younger generations to look back at and see how to reach their goals through striving," said Newsome. "Continuing with your goals and not giving up."

To learn more about the book or to buy it visit Newsome's website here or on Amazon or email cinspiration9@gmail.com.

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