Golf newspaper founder Leslie writes first novel

My family moved around a lot when I was a kid.

One on my favorite places during those times was Brewer. I came to know many fine people during our stay in Brewer, none finer than Harry and Mary Leslie and their kids.

Mark Leslie, who is two years my senior, and I spent a lot of time driving our mothers to tears with some of our antics.

A recent perusal of the University of Maine alumni magazine caught this old coach’s attention for it mentions Mark, a 1971 graduate of UMaine, and the publication of his first novel, “Midnight Rider for the Morningstar.”

Best known, perhaps, for his post as founder and editor for Golf Course News, a position he held for 12 years, Mark has also held editorial positions with the Maine Campus, the Portland Press Herald, The Maine Sunday Telegram, and the Lewiston Sun.

To me, however, Mark will always be the guy who introduced me to electric football.

I have many fond memories of snowy nights in Brewer, learning how to play the game from a real expert.

Tudor was the manufacturing company, and when summer rolled around, we played the electric baseball version of those popular games. We especially had fun recreating the 1961 Major League Baseball season and the exciting homerun chase between New York Yankee sluggers Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle, as they raced to beat the seemingly unbeatable record of 60 round trippers of legendary Babe Ruth.

And what a time we had.

Mark was a bit of a prankster. The Leslies had a dart board in their cellar – that’s what we called the basement area back then – and one night he thought it might be funny to unscrew one of the metal darts and stick it in my ear.

Well, you can imagine the hoopla when two grade school boys emerged from the basement and their dart game, one of them – yours truly – with a dart stuck in his ear with ketchup running down the side of his face.

Mark’s mother, Mary, a longtime high school English teacher at Brewer, was the first to greet the swooning “victim” at the stairwell – yes, it was something right out of Tom Sawyer – but when she caught wind of the tomato odor, she scurried us off to separate rooms while the other three parents plotted our punishment.

Mark’s father, Harry, was known locally as an insurance man, but he also had quite an amateur baseball coaching history, especially in the southern part of the state.

Our families became close, and I have many fond memories of our fathers having at it in intense cribbage matches while the rest of the house slept.

Today, Mark works with his own company, Leslie-Media Consultants, a group devoted to the architecture of golf courses, among other issues. He lives with his wife Loy in Monmouth.

Those wishing a glimpse of Mark’s novel, “Midnight Rider for the Morningstar,” may find Chapter 1 on-line at francisasburysociety.com/midnightrider.htm. Ordering information is also found at this website.

30-Second Time Out

Add another baseball book to your summer reading list.

2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell has penned his autobiography with author Rob Bradford. “Deep Drive: A Long Journey to Finding the Champion Within” is a decent read and tells the story of one of the best third basemen to ever play the game.

The likeable Lowell is everything we’ve seen on the field in his everyday life, but this one tells the engaging story of the struggles he and his family went through to become citizens of the land where those like Mike can truly prosper.

bdnsports@bangordailynews.net