We love highlighting the successes of rural Manitobans, especially those considered firsts for the person, and today we have another first to share with you.

Roger Groening has released his first book called Knuckleball which follows lead character Leonard in the 1950s as he comes of age in the small fictional town of Shannon Creek.

What if you could throw the perfect knuckleball? Would you be happy? This is one of Leonard’s goals as he grows up. Leonard dreams of the big leagues. He ponders salvation. He worries about failure. He tries to follow the complex rules of both baseball and life.

This is Roger's first collection of stories. Roger grew up on a farm in between Kane and Lowe Farm southwest of Winnipeg, and bought the farmyard about 6 years ago. Roger lives and works in Winnipeg, but uses the family farm in the RM of Morris as a cottage, and that's where he wrote the book.

Reporter Cory Knutt spoke with Roger about the book Knuckleball.

We also asked Roger what role baseball played in Roger's younger years, and how oral stories he used to tell his kids morphed into what's on the pages of Knuckleball.

We should also mention Roger credits his soon to be 103 year old father Ed as his inspiration to begin telling stories, and ultimately putting them to paper.