Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, The
What if the woods were full of them? And of course they were, the woods were full of everything you didn't like, everything you were afraid of and instinctively loathed, everything that tried to overwhelm you with nasty, no-brain panic.
The brochure promised a "moderate-to-difficult" six-mile hike on the Maine-New Hampshire branch of the Appalachian Trail, where nine-year-old Trisha McFarland was to spend Saturday with her older brother, Pete, and her recently divorced mother. When she wanders off to escape their constant bickering, then tries to catch up by attempting to shortcut through the woods, Trisha strays deeper into a wilderness full of peril and terror. Especially when night falls.
Trisha has only her wits for navigation, only her ingenuity as a defense against the elements, only her courage and faith to withstand her mounting fear. For solace she tunes her Walkman to broadcasts of Boston Red Sox games and the gritty performances of her hero, number 36, relief pitcher Tom Gordon. And when her radio's reception begins to fade, Trisha imagines that Tom Gordon is with her--her key to surviving an enemy known only by the slaughtered animals and mangled trees in its wake.
Characters
| Mona | Doll of Trisha McFarland |
| ?, Adam | Singer in a band called "Boyz To Da Maxx" |
| ?, Frank | Allergic to stings. |
| ?, Walt | A man from Framingham on the WEEI radio that was talking from his car phone. |
| Adkins, Trace | "Whiney cowboy singer" heard on WCAS radio station |
| Andersen, Gramma | Mother of Quilla, and grandmother of Trisha |
| Andersen, Quilla | Maiden name of Quilla McFarland. Ex-wife of Larry and mother of Pete and Trisha |
| Andrews, V.C. | Author mentioned in passing |
| Barnett, Larry | Game umpire between Red Sox and Yankees |
| Bear, The | The bear followed Trisha |
| Bork, Mr. | Science teacher at Sanford Elementary School |
| Bragg, Darren | Red Sox player. |
| Castiglione, Joe | Announcer that called the Red Sox games that Trisha Listened to on the radio |
| Chestnutt, Mark | "Whiney cowboy singer" heard on WCAS radio station |
| Chetwynd, Mrs. | A lady that got whiplash in a car accident. |
| Corsi, Jim | Red Sox player. |
| Eckersley, Dennis | Red Sox player. |
| Garces, Rich | Red Sox player. |
| Garciaparra, Nomar | Red Sox shortstop. |
| Garmond, Mrs. | Trisha McFarland's kindergarten teacher |
| Gilhooly, Debra | Went to school with Trisha McFarland |
| Gordon, Tom | Red Sox pitcher who is the idol of Trisha McFarland and she imagines him helping her find her way when lost. |
| Hall, Mr. | Teacher at Sanford Elementary School |
| Hatteberg, ? | Red Sox player. |
| Herrick, Travis | Man that was out poaching deer and shot the bear that was going to attack Trisha McFarland |
| Jeter, Derek | Yankees Player |
| Johnson, Randy | Red Sox player |
| Kerrigan, Joe | Red Sox pitching coach |
| Knoblauch, Chuck | Yankees Player |
| Lemke, Mark | Red Sox player. |
| Lewis, Darren | Red Sox player. |
| Leyrtz, Jim | Red Sox player. |
| Lowe, Derek | Red Sox player. |
| Martinez, Tino | Yankees player. |
| Mazzerola, Francis | Raymond |
| McCorkle, Elias | The farmer that put the fence posts in that Trisha followed back to the road. |
| McFarland, Gramma | Mother of Larry, and grandmother of Trisha |
| McFarland, Larry | Ex-husband of Quilla McFarland, and father of Pete and Trisha |
| McFarland, Patricia (Trisha) | The 9 year old girl that gets lost after taking a shortcut in the woods. Daughter of Quilla and Larry. Sister of Pete. |
| McFarland, Pete | 13 year old brother of Trisha McFarland. |
| McFarland, Quilla | Married name of Quilla Andersen. |
| O'Leary, Troy | Red Sox player. |
| O'Neill, Paul | Yankees player |
| Pettitte, Andy | Yankees player |
| Posada, Jorge | Yankees player |
| Rayburn, Eddie | Best friend of Pete McFarland. |
| Rhodes, Arthur | Boy that had green teeth and lived up from Pepsi Robichaud |
| Rivera, Mariana | Yankees player |
| Robichaud, Mrs. | Mother of Pepsi |
| Robichaud, Penelope (Pepsi) | Best friend of Trisha McFarland |
| Strawberry, Darryl | Yankees player. |
| Thomas, Mrs. | Spoke to Quilla Andersen about Frank who was allergic to stings |
| Trupiano, Jerry | Announcer that called the Red Sox games that Trisha Listened to on the radio |
| Valentin, John | Red Sox player. 3rd Base |
| Vaughn, Mo | Red Sox player. Favorite player of Pete McFarland |
| Veritek, Jason | Red Sox catcher |
| Wakefield, Tim | Red Sox player. |
| Williams, Bernie | Yankees Player. |
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