Sports night at Behind the Scenes at the Atlanta Public Library

[January 24, 2014]  ATLANTA — The Atlanta Public Library's popular Behind the Scenes program shifts gears from arts to sports on Jan. 31 with a visit from Miami Marlins minor leaguer Ryan Aper and sports writer Dave Kindred, who will interview Aper about his first-year experiences in the Marlins organization. The program begins at 6:30 p.m. with free refreshments at the North Greens Golf Course, followed by the program at 7 p.m.

Tickets are available at the door and are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Ryan Aper graduated from Lincoln High School in 2011 with the single-season hits record and single-season pitching wins record in the school's history. In 2011-13, he attended Lincoln Land Community College, where he held the single-season highest batting average at .462 and was a two-time National Junior College All-American, Conference Player of the Year (2013), Regional Player of the Year (2013) and National Junior College Player of the Year (2013). Ryan was drafted by the Marlins in the sixth round of the MLB draft in June 2013. He played in Batavia, N.Y., and the Jupiter, Fla., Gulf Coast League.

Dave Kindred is a Hall of Fame sports columnist who says he learned everything he needed to know about sports and writing at Atlanta High School. A member of the Atlanta Class of 1959, he played baseball and basketball for the celebrated coach Doc Kinsey and learned to appreciate the English language under the stern gaze of Clarice Swinford. After graduating from Illinois Wesleyan University, Kindred worked at The Pantagraph, the Louisville (Ky.) Courier-Journal, the Washington Post and the Atlanta (Ga.) Journal-Constitution. Now a senior writer for Golf Digest, he is the author of nine books, including "Sound and Fury," a dual biography of Muhammad Ali and Howard Cosell.

Behind the Scenes is sponsored by Atlanta National Bank and the North Greens Atlanta City Golf Course. The reception is sponsored by Heartland Seed Productions.

[Text from file received from Cathy Maciariello, Atlanta Public Library]