Paul Fiarkoski

Romancing The Blatt Paul Fiarkoski

Romancing The Blatt is a collection of real, heartwarming and humorous stories that any fan of Rosenblatt Stadium or the College World Series will enjoy. There's plenty of historical accounts, too. When Paul Fiarkoski returned to his South Omaha stomping grounds in 2007, he couldn't believe his eyes. "Save Rosenblatt" signs were displayed in the yards of homes in the neighborhood surrounding Rosenblatt Stadium as if it were an election year. He did a little research and came to grips with the likelihood that the home of NCAA College World Series since 1950 would be demolished and replaced with a new stadium in downtown Omaha. Accepting the reality that the stadium he fell in love with as a kid would soon be demolished, Fiarkoski convinced his wife to spend their family vacation at Rosenblatt Stadium for the 2009 College World Series. Then he used social media to raise awareness about the potential fate of the stadium and encourage as many people to get to "The Blatt" as possible while the stadium was still there. Despite never having taken a single journalism class, Fiarkoski was granted a press credential giving him unlimited access to Rosenblatt Stadium for the final College World Series at The Blatt. His love affair with the stadium culminated with an in-depth, behind-the-scenes adventure few have experienced. In Romancing The Blatt, you'll get a taste of what it was like living in the Rosenblatt Stadium neighborhood and how the stadium was literally woven into the fabric of South Omaha. It was so much more than a baseball stadium to the people of this community. Fiarkoski shares his personal experiences at concerts, baseball games and even the sledding hill on the north side of the stadium. In vivid detail, he takes you with him on a journey that resulted in a deep love for Omaha's field of dreams.