These days, the word “inspirational” is tossed around a lot for things that really aren’t. But in the case of Ed Lucas, it somehow doesn’t seem adequate.

Like many kids of his generation, Lucas loved baseball. It was ironic then that this passion would be the cause of the blindness that has afflicted him since he was 12 years old. He was hit in the face by a line drive that exacerbated an already deficient vision. The fact that this occurred on the same day that Bobby Thomson was hitting his historic “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” --- October 3, 1951 --- just adds to the improbable story.

But Lucas, a man of great faith, believes this was all part of a bigger plan. Would he have been able to achieve his goals as a sportswriter, meet and befriend hundreds of athletes and celebrities otherwise? Perhaps. Would he have fathered two sons with whom he still shares a marvelous relationship? Who knows? Would he have been able to serve as an example for untold numbers of blind people? Doubtful.

"These days, the word 'inspirational' is tossed around a lot for things that really aren’t. But in the case of Ed Lucas, it somehow doesn’t seem adequate."

In SEEING HOME, written with his son, Christopher, Lucas recounts the difficulties of adjusting to his new realities, always with the support of his loving family, teachers and mentors. If there were any doubts in his mind, he pushed them aside, displaying a can-do attitude. He never let the ignorance of others stand in his way as he worked in the insurance industry while still hanging on to his original dreams of writing about baseball.

Lucas expresses a great deal of gratitude for the kindnesses he received along the way, including from New York Yankees Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto, who became a lifelong friend and even introduced him to his current wife. Lucas gives special thanks to Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, who went out of his way to make sure that the Lucas family was part of the Yankee family.

(Lucas’ experience with his first wife and the mother of his sons is heartbreaking as she abandoned them because she felt stifled and unfulfilled. She returned years later, demanding and winning full custody in a contentious legal battle predicated on Lucas’ inability to care for them adequately because of his handicap. The decision was overturned on appeal in a landmark decision.)

In a way, Lucas’ blindness made him a better person. While he was the target of discrimination from members of the sports media who didn’t understand how a blind person could possibly do their job, Lucas was unable to prejudge a person. In fact, he notes that while many players were reluctant to accommodate his requests for interviews, it was such African-American stars as Willie Mays --- the subject of Lucas’ first big interview in 1957 --- and Bob Gibson who reached out to this earnest soul and gave his work the credibility it needed.

Nothing is sacred in the locker room, and Lucas was proud to be in on the good-natured teasing from Yankees legends like Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Billy Martin, Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Goose Gossage and Don Mattingly, who he counts among his friends.

SEEING HOME is one of the first books to be released under Jeter Publishing, an imprint of Simon & Schuster run by the former Yankee shortstop. If this is an example of the projects Jeter will produce, baseball fans can look forward to some outstanding reading.