Jonathan Fink contends bookstores should display his new nonfiction book in the sports section under “Baseball.” The Jewish author isn’t necessarily right.
Fink’s debut book, “The Baseball Gods are Real: A True Story about Baseball and Spirituality,” definitely comes from his perspective as a baseball fan deluxe. But Fink’s story is just as much about overcoming personal setbacks and experiencing unexpected incidents of spiritual “synchronicity” that, while framed in the context of baseball, give indication a divine source has a hand in the mix.
“My goal was to write a baseball book that had hidden themes and messages that would help people improve their lives,” Fink said.
Fink with his wife of 19 years, formerly Regina “Reggie” Devinki of Kansas City, and their daughter, Kayla, and son, Nate, live in Leawood, Kansas. Fink is founder and president of Satya Investment Management LLC.
It was ultimately because of Reggie’s family the Finks are in Kansas but, as detailed in “The Baseball Gods are Real,” the road between Fink’s native New York and a comfortable suburban Kansas City neighborhood was something of an adventure. The opening chapters of the book give an overview of Fink’s upbringing, his fraternity days at Tulane University where he met Reggie, his travels throughout Europe, a foray into the music industry and his years on Wall Street as an investment adviser, including being at work on Sept. 11, 2001, when the Twin Towers came down.
Spirituality is central in Fink’s book even as he begins his story with the admission he grew up in a Jewish household as a “self-proclaimed atheist.” He considers himself Jewish and has no reservation expressing pride in his Jewish heritage. Fink’s appreciation of his Jewish roots is evident in the book’s account of Fink being part of a family pilgrimage to Poland and Israel in 2016 as led by his father-in-law, Kansas City attorney Sam Devinki, whose parents were Holocaust survivors.
But Fink is not religious even considering his affinity to family and the Kansas City Jewish community. He attends synagogue when requested or for obligatory observance of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
“I consider myself a Jew, a proud Jew, I’m just not a big believer in organized religion,” Fink said. “But I don’t talk bad about religion anymore. I now have a deep respect for religion. I’m no longer cynical or angry.”
Fink ultimately gained his current spiritual direction in the wake of a professional meltdown not of his own making but by a recession-related drop in the value of precious metals. Fink dedicated himself to a regime of yoga and meditation that brought focus to his personal and professional life.
The resulting enlightenment also gave Fink a new perspective to what otherwise might be considered coincidental incidents and events as experienced in his following of Major League Baseball in general and the Kansas City Royals in particular. The baseball gods became real.
“When I use the term ‘Baseball Gods’ it’s a nickname,” said Fink. “It is a euphemism for that intelligent energy that permeates all things.”
Fink writes of seemingly happenstance “miracle moments” from his experiences as a devout baseball fan and as father of a talented young ballplayer with a shared passion for the sport. Fortuitous situations and prophetic messaging are not so much coincident but, as Fink believes, are divine karma. He has no doubt the baseball gods were directly involved in his introductions to and close connections with several Royals players and team officials — including Royals General Manager Dayton Moore.
“Many times, when people experience these synchronicities, they just think of them as coincidence,” said Fink. “But when you take a step back and you see the divinity in them, it’s very powerful, very inspiring. When it happens in makes you more and more of a believer.”
Fink’s book is rich with references to Kansas City locations and local sports fans will certainly relate to first-hand descriptions of Kauffman Stadium and familiar stories of Royals lore, most certainly the team’s assent to World Series champions in 2015. Fink also believes the Jewish community will have an interest in the book whether or not they’re fans of baseball.
“If it was just a book about spirituality, I thought no one would read it,” Fink admitted. “The idea is baseball is the vehicle to carry the story and bring in the message of opening up your heart to the holy spirit. That’s really what I’m most proud about. I hope the book is going to help people become better persons themselves. I’ve had to do it. Maybe they can do it with less pain and suffering than I had to go through.”
Fink has more writing in his future. “The Baseball Gods are Real” is intended to be the first of four books he has already titled and mapped out: “The Road to the Show,” “The Religion of Baseball,” and “The Game of Baseball,” the latter with chapters giving insight to such baseball roles as “The General Manager,” “The Umpire,” “The Announcer,” “The Groundskeeper, “etc.
Most certainly Fink will have an advantage in putting his books together. Not every author has the benefit of the baseball gods looking over his shoulder.
