▁Kentucky ▁ran cher , ▁and ▁an ▁author . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁Pet erman ▁was ▁the ▁third ▁of ▁four ▁children ▁born ▁to ▁Charles ▁and ▁S ally ▁Pet erman . ▁He ▁had ▁two ▁brothers ▁and ▁a ▁sister . ▁Charles ▁Pet erman ▁became ▁a ▁loan ▁officer ▁and , ▁later , ▁the ▁assistant ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁Ir ving ▁Trust ▁Co . ▁after ▁working ▁his ▁way ▁up ▁from ▁the ▁mail room . ▁John ▁Pet erman ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Van ▁H out en ▁Field s , ▁an ▁agr arian ▁commune ▁in ▁West ▁Ny ack , ▁New ▁York . ▁Those ▁who ▁were ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁community ▁built ▁their ▁own ▁houses ▁and ▁grew ▁a ▁portion ▁of ▁their ▁own ▁food . ▁Pet erman ▁learned ▁to ▁garden , ▁tend ▁ch ick ens , ▁and ▁particip ate ▁in ▁other ▁physical ▁labor . ▁His ▁mother ▁worked ▁as ▁an ▁administrative ▁assistant ▁after ▁her ▁children ▁started ▁school . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁high ▁school er , ▁Pet erman ▁attended ▁Clark st own ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁basketball , ▁baseball , ▁and ▁football . ▁He ▁was ▁recognized ▁in ▁the ▁local ▁newspaper ▁for ▁his ▁performance ▁in ▁all ▁three ▁sports . ▁In ▁baseball , ▁he ▁played ▁second ▁base ▁and ▁was ▁voted ▁All - P . S . A . L ▁Baseball ▁first ▁team ▁selection ▁as ▁a ▁second ▁bas emen . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁Clark st own ▁High ▁School ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 0 . ▁ ▁Education ▁and ▁baseball ▁career ▁Pet erman ▁graduated ▁from ▁the ▁College ▁of ▁the ▁Holy ▁Cross , ▁in ▁Wor c ester , ▁Massachusetts ▁in