A Life's Calling

The riveting autobiography of iconic American sportscaster Tom Durkin Sports have become indelibly linked to the voices that describe the action, from Al Michaels at the Olympics to baseball's Vin Scully and basketball's Marv Albert. In horseracing, perhaps no single voice did as much to reshape, modernize, and improve the soundtrack of the sport as Tom Durkin. In A Life's Calling: The Voice Behind the World's Greatest Horse Races, Tom Durkin, alongside longtime turf writers Paul Volponi and Lenny Shulman, shares his fascinating story. Readers will revel in his tales of life in the backwater stops of the Midwest learning horse racing among rickety grandstands and local hustlers, and of the day when he called the first Breeders' Cup and ended up at an after-party surrounded by Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Cary Grant. Durkin also candidly recounts how the pressure to describe each race with flawless accuracy became too much, leading him to step away from the spotlight while still at his prime. Durkin's life is as colorful as his description of a come-from-behinder weaving his way through horses toward a photo finish. A Life's Calling is a must-read for anyone wanting to learn more about the voice behind many of horse racing's greatest calls.

Tom Durkin is a retired American sportscaster specializing in Thoroughbred horse racing and the iconic voice of the Breeders' Cup and Kentucky Derby. He was the race caller for NBC Sports from 1984 through 2010 and served as announcer for the New York Racing Association for over two decades. He lives in New York. Paul Volponi is the multi-award-winning, bestselling author of over 20 books, including Black and White, Rikers High, The Final Four, and Famous First Impressions. His recent work, The 32 Principles: Harnessing the Power of Jiu-Jitsu to Succeed in Business, Relationships, and Life (co-authored with Rener Gracie), made a trio of bestseller lists. He lives in New York. Lenny Shulman is an Emmy Award-winning television and film writer. He is the author of Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory; Ride of Their Lives; and Head to Head. He received the prestigious Walter Haight Award for lifetime achievement as a turf writer. He lives in Kentucky.

Introduction Chapter 1: Nature and Nurture Chapter 2: I Hear a Voice Calling Chapter 3: I Am Who I Am Chapter 4: The Lie That Took Wing Chapter 5: Nomadic Race Caller Chapter 6: I'm a Game-Show Contestant Chapter 7: Kicking Down the Doors Chapter 8: Changing the Face of Race Calling Chapter 9: Artistic Influences Chapter 10: The Breeders' Cup Gig Chapter 11: Remembering All Those Horses' Names Chapter 12: The Mayor Daley and Signature Lines Chapter 13: Big Apple Bound Chapter 14: New York by Night Chapter 15: Confronting My Battle with Stress and Anxiety Chapter 16: My Irish-Italian Soul Chapter 17: Oh, Shit! I Get the Kentucky Derby! Chapter 18: (Failed) Triple Crown Chances Chapter 19: Breeders' Cup Moments: From Epic to Tragic Chapter 20: Breeders' Cup Moments: Surprises, Cigar, and American Pride Chapter 21: My Breeders' Cup After-Parties Chapter 22: Saratoga is Saratoga Chapter 23: Arrrrr, Oddities, and Challenging Names Chapter 24: Splash-tastic (The Last Call) Chapter 25: Retirement Chapter 26: Horse Ownership Chapter 27: One More Belmont Stakes Conclusion