PITTSFIELD –  Mayor James M. Ruberto presented writer Dan Valenti with the recognition and honor of the city of Pittsfield Saturday at the start of a talk and book signing at Chapters Bookstore on North Street.

Valenti was there in connection with the release of his new book, “Baseball Comes Home.” Ruberto read the proclamation before a crowd gathered in Chapters’ reading room, noting that Valenti, “a long-time resident of our area, has become renowned far beyond the confines of this community” through his writing and broadcasting.

Valenti is a nationally known baseball writer whose work has been honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which presented him with its President’s Award for lifetime contributions to baseball history and literature.

Valenti grew up in Pittsfield, attended Pittsfield schools, and has a B.A. from Union College and a master’s degree in journalism from the Newhouse School of Public Communication at Syracuse University.

He has been a member of the English Department at Berkshire Community College since 1992. Since that time, he has also been a frequent commentator on local, state, and national politics. He has written for the Berkshire Eagle and Pittsfield Gazette, and for 14 years, hosted “The Dan Valenti Show” daily for WBRK.

He has written 13 books and edited three. He has published many newspaper and magazine articles, as well as fiction and poetry. Valenti lives in Stockbridge with his wife, Paula.