Baseball Books

I can't wait to read this book. Amazon makes ordering new and used items so easy. I am a customer for life.

Former Yankee Jerry Coleman recalls his playing days: second baseman played his entire nine-year career in New York and appeared in six World Series.(Turn ... An article from: Baseball Digest


Great Read! Jerry is true example of what real heros are made of. How many players would unselfishly leave the game not once, but two times to serve their country in combat? This is the stuff Pat Tillman was made of. Jerry is a great guy! You never hear him speak of any of this unless asked. He is a San Diego treasure.

I bought this book for my father as he has been an avid Padre fan since 1969. He just loves it. Jerry Coleman is the San Diego Padres.

Scott
El CAJON, CA

I don't know how many "with." books I have read not 100 but more than fifty. Even wrote two of them. YOGI IT AIN'T OVER WITH YOGI and THE OCTOBER TWELVE with PHIL RIZZUTO.Jerry Coleman's "WITH" RICHARD GOLDSTEIN did an outstanding job. I envy him but not for writing the book. Writing is hard work. Spending time in the company of Jerry Coleman is a joy. A tonic for the soul.

Jerry Coleman has honorably served America both as a military man, as a baseball player during the 1950's for the New York Yankees, and as an announcer for the Yankees, CBS, and as an announcer/manager for the San Diego Padres. He considers his greatest achievement in life to be the five years he spent as a marine during both World War II and the Korean War. He grew up in a home with a physically abusive father, and a very devoted mother. His best friends with the Yankees were Allie Reynolds, Vic Raschi, Ed Lopat, Bobby Brown, and Charlie Silvera. Coleman believes Mickey Mantle's alcohol problems became full blown after he retired from the game and the cheering stopped. Coleman vividly recalls the incident in May of 1957 when Yankees' infielder Gil McDougald lined Cleveland Indians' pitcher Herb Score in the eye. This had a great emotional effect on McDougald who considered quitting the game. Coleman's one year at the helm of the Padres did not go well. His players viewed him as the team's announcer, and a relic from the past. Coleman gives his views on various things regarding the game such as the size of players compared to when he played, and the effect large contracts can have on some players. He blames the players' union for fighting against a strong drug program which has ultimately harmed players who play by the rules. Coleman considers Aaron to be the all-time home run leader with Maris to be the home run leader for a single season. This book is light easy reading, and I enjoyed reading about one of the bubble gum cards of my youth.

This was a GREAT book. It does not sugar-coat Bonds instead it challenges the beliefs/charges. It gives very clear and obvious flaws to the "evidence" and "belief" that Bonds cheated. We will not know if he cheated until he admits it. The trial will not bear out whether he actually cheated. Read this book and open your eyes to the possibility that we witnessed one of the most amazing athletes that every played the hardest game every invented. Under no circumstances should any man, woman or child be "convicted" just because they are the biggest jerks on the planet. Ted fell into that category and he was not nearly as revered as he should have been. Unfortunately, once the bell has been rung...it cannot be UNrung.

I am not a baseball fan, or follow the stories about athletes using steroids. I was very surprised, and found myself turning the pages and inhaling the information. I enjoyed this book because its entertaining, and informative.

I've read almost all of the books out there that deal with steroids in baseball, and this one really is the most interesting of them all. Ezra is able to mount a very convincing defense of Bonds, without resorting to typical 'lawyer' techniques like taking incriminating evidence and trying to come up with some reason it shouldn't be included. What amazed me was how much of the 'evidence' against Bonds has been grossly exaggerated, or even fabricated.

The author looks at reports that Bonds gained 40 pounds of muscle in one year and that his bones have increased in size (among other purported evidence), and those reports are almost categorically shot down. The author also points out that no one has ever claimed to have given Bonds steroids, injected him, or even seen him taking anything suspicious.

Whether you like Bonds or not, this is a great book to read. I've always figured it to be very likely that Bonds did take steroids or HGH. This book seriously makes me wonder whether I'd jumped the gun and declared him guilty like all too many other fans.

I joined most Americans by forming the opinion that Barry Bonds was a cheat and a steroid user. All of the evidence was there, wasn't it? Well, actually no! Attorney David Ezra finally takes a look at the actual evidence and in doing so has convinced me that Barry isn't a cheater and there should be no "asterisk" next to his name and records. I was amazed to learn about Barry's intelligence, athleticism, and work ethic. This book should be read by the media, the U.S. Attorney's office, and MLB. We are to quick to rush to judgment when the person we're judging seems to be a jerk.
Well, I have changed my mind and so will you. This is must reading for all baseball fans.
Thanks, David Ezra for a great read!!!

Here I was in the midst of a deadline for work when I was sent an advance copy of this book. I told myself I would only read the first few pages and then get back to work....well needless to say it was several hours before I could put the book down and only because my job was at stake. Very engaging book. I am a baseball fanatic and had already made up my mind about Bonds. After reading this book, there is certainly more doubt in my mind. The author provided many intriguing insights. The author like me doesn't like Bonds the person much but Bonds the player is still a once in a generation marvel and I am now willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise. This book is well written and worth your time.

It's not the "last" World Series championship anymore!!!!

I've always had the nagging suspicion that some Red Sox fans were afraid of anything linked to 1918. Well, there is no longer any reason to feel that way.

After beating the Yankees in the greatest comeback in baseball history (and watching New York commit the worst choke of all time) and then sweeping the Cardinals in the World Series, maybe now fans will be curious about the 1918 team and that war-torn season.

Find out what Babe Ruth was like before he went to New York and his career went downhill.

This is a well-written account of Babe's last championship season with Boston. If you are a Red Sox fan, it's a must read. If you know a Red Sox fan, this makes an excellent gift. 1918 is no longer a reminder of failure, but just another season when Boston won the world series.

In 1918, Wood's main focus is on the dramatic and historic 1918 season, in which the Red Sox took their sixth Junior Circuit flag, then continued on to beat the Chicago Cubs in the World Series four games to one, becoming the first team to win five World's Championships. As we know, 1918 is also the last world title for the BoSox. Also featured are the amazing exploits of the young pitching phenom George Herman Ruth. This was the year that Ruth burst on the baseball world not as the Cy Young-like lefthander he had been, but as the soon-to-be Sultan of Swat most of us think of when we hear the name "Babe". Wood also goes into great detail on the undisciplined Ruth's season-long feuding with his manager, Ed Barrow, as well as with the Sox' owner Harry Frazee. Ruth was desparate to play first base, the outfield, or even come in as a left-handed shortstop so he could play every day and hit more homers. Management wanted him on the mound, where he was still one of the most dominant pitchers of the dead-ball era. Wood tells of at least three times where Ruth 'quit' the Red Sox, only to show up at the park the next day. Another major part of the book is told through the backdrop of World War I. In early 1918, Major League Baseball inexplicably failed to request an exemption from the government's "work or fight" order (while other entertainment industries, such as theater and the nascent motion picture crafts, were granted exemptions). This meant that players were obligated to either join the active military or find war-related work until the cessation of hostilities. With a September 15 deadline, baseball's answer was to cut the regular season short, with the last games being played on Labor Day and the World Series starting on September 5. Ironically, the Armistace would be signed only eight weeks after the end of the "Late Summer" Classic. This book offers an interesting history of the early days of the game, the early days of the most famous baseball player of all time, and an insight into the background of the "Curse of Babe Ruth". This book is a must read for baseball historians and Red Sox fans. Yankee fans will also draw fiendish pleasure from the book, as a reminder of the eight decades of frustration suffered by fans of the Red Sox.

1918 is the year the Red Sox last won a World Series, and every opposing fan is pleased to remind them of that fact. Every baseball fan knows that Boston sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees and invoked the Curse of the Bambino. These facts have become part of the very fabric of the game.

Yet, amazingly, no-one has yet written an account of the momentous season, until now. The author, a Boston fan, has lovingly recreated that season, taking six years to research and write the book. The dedication to detail and historical truth shows in every line.

I feel it inevitable and ironic that, despite the wealth of detail and fact, this book will gain its reputation (or notoriety) because of the author's speculation that the 1918 Series may have been fixed, just like the 1919 White Sox series. Wood's impeccable research has brought to light some interesting facts (I won't spoil your reading of the book by going into them here) which, at the very least, draw a question mark over Boston's last World Series victory. It's certain to be the most controversial aspect of the book.

Aside from that, you'll find an affectionate portrait of the great Babe Ruth from his days as an ace pitcher, everything the most demanding fan could expect to know about the historic season, and a wealth of fascinating photographs, many of which haven't been published before. The photos themselves are worth the asking price for the book in my opinion.

Everyone with an interest in the history of the great game should have a copy of this book. Every Red Sox fan *needs* a copy. It might be the closest they ever come to savouring the taste of World Series victory :)

I can't resist ending this with a quote from the Boston Herald and Journal, September 13, 1918, which opens the book :

"Of course it is possible that some year will yet see a Boston team losing a world's championship."

Go Yankees :)

This book tells you the whole story of the last year the Red Sox won the World Series. The star of the show is none other than Babe Ruth. The book is also a biography of Ruth's life up to that year - and he was an amazing character!

"1918" also gives you a picture of baseball during those times. I was amazed to learn that gambling on baseball was rampant, and the owners and players argued about money just like they do now.

This book is packed with fascinating information, and also really fun to read. If you're a baseball fan, a Red Sox fan or a fan of the Babe, you'll love it.

I don't care what nobody says about Barry Bonds I'll always be cool with the Man,because he is a 5 tool player who can Hit,run,play field,Hit for Power&create a winning situation for his team. Barry Bonds is the Best Hitter.

Barry Bonds is one of the best hitters in the game. His records are a testament to that. A great book on a great man and player. There are more goals and records out there to break and he's the man to do it!

Baseball star Barry Bonds was one of the sport's greatest hitters, and John Bloom's biographical sketch BARRY BONDS joins others in the `Greatest Hitters' series presenting a review of his life and talents. Chapters detail his statistical performance, his controversial public image, and the accusations of steroid use which cloud his reputation today. An intriguing coverage.

The hitting prowess of Barry Bonds is probably the greatest in the history of baseball. He is steadily but surely becoming a legend in his own time. This is an interesting and absorbing book. It has fascinated me and pinnacled my interest in this sports super star.

This is an in-depth look at Barry Bonds who is one of the greatest hitters of the game of baseball. The statistics are there in the record book but what is behind those numbers? This book tries to be objective on this subject. Fame and Barry Bonds' place in the history of baseball is a timely issue and this book is worth reading.

If you're a die-hard baseball fan, then you'll love this auction catalogue featuring Barry Halper's unique collection of baseball memorabilia. If you can't make it to Cooperstown, this book is full of some of the most incredible pieces of baseball history short of the Hall of Fame. From the first baseball ever used, to Babe Ruth's last will and testament, each page brings you closer to baseball heaven. The ultimate guide to baseball lore and a must for the "can't wait till spring training" baseball fan.

This is filled with great photos of some of the most amazing baseball memorabilia that you'll ever seen. The book can be really, really expensive, so try to find it used.

Andy.

This collection is a history of the great game of baseball. The Babe Ruth collectables alone are stunning, add in the Joe DiMaggio and all of the photos! Wow! To spend a few hours browsing this set of books is magic! I can't say enough (can you tell).

Very nice indeed. Photographs of sale items, which have distinct value. What I loved most was the inclusion of lot numbers and their final sale prices. Millions of dollars spent on what, at that time, were just some trinkets and a hobby.

Very well presented and I really like what I continue to see.

This book is great. The pictures are beautiful, the descriptions informative--an all around great piece of work for sports lovers. It's well worth the money.

Baseball America 2006 Prospect Handbook breaks down the top 30 minor league players for each of the 30 Major League Baseball teams. The handbook takes testimony from scouts, front office personel as well as minor league coaches. Problems do seem to arise with biased opinions about players. Sometimes you will see players get unfairly compared to great players. For instance the book refers to Justin Upton as the next Ken Griffey Jr. At the time that this book was written upton was not yet 19, had not signed a contract, and had never played a single game above the high school level. The staff writers do try to temper expectations but even their eyes can be clouded with unrealistic espectations of certain players. Another issue that can't be ignored is the fact that Baseball America does ignore a lot of the statistical analysis that has been made over the last 20 or so years. A great example how underrated players like Travis Hafner have been in past handbooks. With all of its faults I must say that it is still the premeire source on baseball prospects that is available. The handbook gives insightful and indepth analysis on 900 players. There is usually useful information on injuries, work ethic, bat speed, pitch speed, pitch movement, glove skills, and athleticism. This information comes from watching many games and speaking with the people closest to these players. As well as giving a minor league depth chart, the handbook also tantilizes readers with a projected 2009 future lineup(excluding the possibilities of trades or free agency). Another strength of the handbook is that there are 13 writers and each cover different teams so each time you read a new team you are given an interesting and fresh perspective. Wether you are trying to get ahead in your fantasy league, looking to the future of your favorite team, or just love baseball; this book is for you.

I have been a fan of Baseball America for awhile now; I consider myself knowledgeable about baseball, more thanks to John Sickels and Bill James than Baseball America.

Baseball America takes you where you don't normally hear about, or follow as in depth, such as college, high school baseball and international baseball.

I truly enjoy their work in this "guide book". However, I wish they would explain how they rank their players in the Top 30 category more clearly.

For instance. The Brewers' minor league system number one prospect of 2006 was Prince Fielder (a firstbaseman, now major leaguer). By reading the stats, I can see why. RHP Mark Rogers was ranked number 2. I failed to see why. The stats don't reveal the truth behind his "skills" and "talent". [these are in quotes, because baseball skill and talent are two different things...]
In the preface, Baseball America explains the Scouts scales. Perhaps this could be used more in the book itself when explaining how prospects are rated. How is, for instance, Mark Rogers better than Yovani Gallardo? (a fellow Brewers' RHP ranked 4th despite having better stats.

Yes, I am well aware that baseball isn't all about stats. But, Baseball America could do a better job of explaining the ranks.

Other than that minor gripe, I am very pleased with their efforts.

If you have any interest in following baseball beyond each team's 25-man roster, then this is an essential publication. Covering 30 prospects for each major league team (for a total of 900), this is about as comprehensive a look you're going to find at prospects.

Baseball America has a well-earned reputation as the best place to find minor league, college, and high school baseball information, and that expertise is evident in the book. Each team has their prospects graded, and a look at each team's most recent amateur draft is included. The list of the top 100 prospects is also enjoyable - or not, depending on how many players from your team are included on that list.

Unless you're a team that can afford to sign several high-priced free agents each year, player development is critical to future success. And if you're a fan who has a serious interest in your team, then it's an area to which you likely pay a great deal of attention. But while other publications touch occasionally or briefly on team's top minor-league prospects, no other mainstream publication does as good a job of giving a serious and deep look at your organization's prospects.

I'd recommend buying this one every year, as it's one of the best general looks at an organization's prospects. Along with John Sickels' prospects book (available on his website), this is a necessary purchase for serious fans.

This marks the fifth year in a row that I've purchased this book. It has become my bible for evaluating minor league talent. Its scouting reports are clear, well-written, and for the most part, on target. Whether you're a fantasy baseball owner or just a fan of the game, you'll enjoy this book.

Baseball America is, without a doubt, the most comprehensive, intelligent, and insightful source on the minors leagues, MLB teams' farm systems, and prospects. It also provides a lot of great insight and coverage of the best of college and high school teams and players, as well as some coverage from international prospects which could some day be in the majors. Simply put, Baseball America is an invaluable source of the more-than-casual baseball fan.

So it's no surprise that Baseball America's Prospect Handbook is *the* source of information on prospects. It gives you the top 30 prospects of every MLB team, as well as scouting reports on all of them. This is invaluable for the hardcore baseball fan - anyone can spout off any team's top 10 prospects. Most fans know of the big names in 2005 - Jeremy Hermida, Delmon Young, Brandon Wood, Justin Verlander, Chad Billingsley, Carlos Quentin, Joel Guzman, etc. But when you want to go beyond the Top 10, when you want to do more than scratch the surface on the collection of talent (or lack thereof, in the case of teams like the Nationals and Reds) then this book is a necessity. I'd go so far as to say that if you're reading these reviews, this book is probably for you. Considering the information and well-designed format and attractive design, it isn't very expensive at all, and if you can find a used copy for those of you who are looking for information, not a museum copy, all the better, you can usually find one for around $15. Not bad.

So, do you want to know who's rated higher in the Indians organization, Bear Bay or Nick Pesco? Who has the higher ceiling in the Cubs' organization, Billy Petrick or Sean Gallagher? Do you have any question about any minor league player? This is the book to go to.

Recommended for hardcore fans and those who enjoy keeping up with the younger talent on the horizon.

In the mid-1970's author Donald Honig traveled the USA with his tape recorder and let 18 ex-ballplayers tell their stories. The result is a superbly readable oral history of baseball from the 1920's-1940's. Each ex-player does his part, coming through with moving memories that inspire and illuminate. We hear from Bob Feller, Charlie Gehringer, Billy Herman, Ted Lyons, Lefty Grove, John Mize, Spud Chandler, and many others. Each man is blessed with certain eloquence as he describes his upbringing, his start in baseball, and his years on the field. I particularly enjoyed Bob Feller describing his pitching technique, Cool Papa Bell's recall of barnstorming with Negro League squads, and Pete Reiser's initial years in the show. But many other tales are just as good, and the pages never drag. A few older readers may recall some of the events described here. The rest of us get a feel for baseball in the pre-television era when the parks were smaller, the crowds lighter, the nation poorer, and the grass real.

Sadly, at this writing only Bob Feller and Max Lanier remain, but the memory of each player survives in these eloquent pages. Readers might also enjoy THE GLORY OF THEIR TIMES, an earlier oral history from author Lawrence Ritter.

Donald Honig has created a gem for baseball fans who appreciate the players and the game of the 20's through the 40's. Even the not-so-avid fan will recognize many of the stars featured in Honig's book. This list includes Bob Feller, Lefty Grove, Charlie Gehringer, Johnny Mize, Wes Ferrell & Ted Lyons just to name a few.

As good as the stories are that the "stars" tell, it's the other players who relate the best tales. In particular, Billy Herman's tale about his night as Ernest Hemingway's dinner guest is almost worth the price of the book alone. Cool Papa Bell's stories of his experiences in the Negro Leagues and "barnstorming" against Major League players are priceless. Rip Sewell's explanation of how he began to throw his "Eephus pitch" is one of the few times that I've seen in print.

If you enjoyed Lawrence Ritter's, "The Glory of Their Times", a book about baseball's very early players, then you will love Honig's book. These two works are worth a place in every baseball fan's collection!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

If Lawrence Ritter's "The Glory Of Their Times" is number one in the list of oral histories of baseball, then Donald Honig's "Baseball When the Grass Was Real: Baseball from the Twenties to the Forties Told by the Men Who Played It" ranks a close second. True to Ritter's form in interviewing and editing the tapes for an oral history of baseball by those who played it, Honig does a great job of having the players tell of their time in baseball, the stories of what it was like in the majors and the history - the time that they played. Everyday life and the public perception of ball players had changed between the time Ritter's interviewees played in the majors and Honig's group had played, the difference being interesting in itself. Honig's subjects tell of a time that is still remarkably different from ours by a group that also is rapidly diminishing, victims of old age. The book is a remarkable slice of history, definitely worth the time and money to read for anyone who is interested in baseball and history.

THIS IS ANOTHER GOOD BOOK BY DONALD HONIG. THIS IS ABOUT THE MEN WHO PLAYED IN THE 20'S 30'S AND 40'S. SOME GREAT STORIES AND INTERVIEWS ARE WHAT YOU GET IN THIS MUST READ BOOK. WISH IT HAD MORE BUT WELL WORTH READING FOR ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED ABOUT BASEBALL WHEN THE GRAS REALLY WAS REAL. VERY RECOMMENDED.

If you loved Larry Ritter's "The Glory of Their Times," then you definitely should read this one. It follows the same format and lets some of baseball's greats (and not quite so greats) from the 20s and 40s tell it like it was. It'll make you yearn for the good ol' days of Ruth, Gehrig, and Foxx.

As we share Shiner's nostalgia, we rediscover Aaron, Mays, McCovey, Mantle, and Gibson, old heros, old memories. Baseballs Greatest Players, The Saga Continues is more than a Who's Who of baseball, it's a way of life, a catalog of events, a collection of memories. As Shiner reveals the greatest players, we, who are old enough to remember, bask in their glory and relive our own unachieved ambitions.

But Shiner does more than take us back, he bundles the past with the present and into the future, tyingthe memories together forever in our minds. McGuire's record-setting season rekindles other home run hitters: Roger Maris, Reggie Jackson, Mickey Mantle, even Babe Ruth. We connect to the present, even anticipate the future. McGuire's 70 home run season triggers a vision of people diving into San Francisco Bay to retrieve the balls Barry Bonds his in 2001, the year he surpassed McGuire's record.

Baseball fans will love this book, others will like it. It's clearly, simply, and accurately presented and guaranteed to stir a memory or two.

It's hard not to enjoy this well written, easily readable book on baseball's best players of the past 50 years. Lively anecdotes plus comprehensive (but not boring) analysis shows exactly why these are the best players of the game. I got a kick out of remembering a lot of things I had almost forgotten, like just how good Bob Gibson was. Some of the facts are amazing, like that in the last two years Sandy Koufax pitched, there were 8 games where the Dodgers only scored one run for him--but he won 4 of them. This book also avoids wallowing in sex and drug garbage. It's a baseball book, not National Enquirer. Balanced, interesting, a really solid piece of work.

With the writing of Baseball's Greatest Players, author David Shiner takes a serious risk. The only thing a sports fan loves more than making a "greatest list" is arguing voluably about why the other guy's list is WRONG! One read of this book will shut down most any other greatest list's chances, and it does so with style, wit, and a healthy dose of readable fact.

In its text, Shiner's book fulfils both the needs of casual fan's interest and the SABR-members desire for solid, quantifiable statistical evidence. But it goes beyond just fact and storytelling to get to the intangibles that separate the players truly great between the white lines from those whose personality and dedication supported not just their teams, but the game itself.

Baseball, more than any other sport (though Canadian hockey fans will rightly take exception to this) carries its past with it. This continuity, this love of the game that both transcends and unites generations is served well by Shiner's writing. Buy Baseball's Greatest Players, and take it to a sports bar near you. You won't go wrong.

Brief synopses of baseball's best players during the past 50 years. Fun and informative. Enjoyed reading this, think others would also.

What an enjoyable book! I loved it. Great short biographies of the greatest baseball players from the past 50 years. For the serious baseball fan or the novice (or anyone who wants to know the story behind legendary players like Mantle and Mays, or why Ricky Henderson really IS one of the greatest players ever). Whether you are ten or eighty, this book is fun, interesting, and helps explain why millions love baseball--and their heroes! Makes a great gift for kids or adults. Exciting stories, well written.

Very rarely do books come out that can be instantly realised as classic pieces of our culture. History of The Game is one such book, carrying you through over a hundred years of the most memorable, most mindboggling, most stunning baseball moments. When you read this book, when you gaze at the pictures, you will be taken back to a time when you sat up with your father to watch the late-night west coast game, when you waved with the crowd in Fenway, when your heart broke with the Sox in '86; when you leaped for joy for the miracle of '69; where you were for McGwire or Maris or Dimaggio. This book is not only full of simply baseball memories, but the memories of our life. It is a must-have for any true fan of the game.

A review of the book Baseball: 100 Classic Moments in the History of the Game

WOW! If one word could summarize this incredible book, this three letter word, Wow, would be it. You know someone who loves baseball? Go out and get this book for them and they will always be in debt to you. With over 400 photos, and over 300 pages this book, sponsored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is a beautiful tribute to America's sport.

Every one of these 100 mystical, classic moments leaps off the pages as the reader is seduced by subtle photographs and masterfully poetic writing by the editors. Of course we see Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Dizzy Dean, Satchell Paige, Ted Williams, Joe Dimaggio, Willie Mays, and more recent baseball greats Hank Aaron, Pete Rose, Cal Ripken, Mark Mc Gwire and Sammy Sosa. These are but a few of the baseball super stars in this book. But how about Johnny Vandermeer who pitched back to back no hitters for the Cincinnati Reds in 1938. Or how about Jim Bottomley of St. Louis who in 1924 set a record by getting six hits with six at bats. These six hits, three singles, a double, and two homers of which one was a grand slam home run resulted in 12 RBI's in one 9 inning game.

This book also touches on how technology such as radio and professional lighting changed the dynamics of baseball and vastly increased the total attendance in all ballparks. One is easily lost in time by quickly becoming absorbed with the easy style and the dramatic photos of this book. A great book for baseball lovers everywhere. `

America has been having a love affair with baseball for over 100 years. Reading this book is a way to relive the nation's collective memory of baseball through its best and worst moments.

Readers will be guided through the highlights of the game and will see over 400 stunning photographs from the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum photo archives. This hall of Fame is a not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to fostering an appreciation of the historical development of baseball. Over 350,000 people travel to Cooperstown, NY each year to enjoy the museums exhibits and special events.

Nolan Ryan played for 27 seasons in the Major leagues and he was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1999. He has written a foreword filled with his memories of the game.

"I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I've spent most of my adult life making a living doing something I love." -Nolan Ryan

The text tells of little-known details and legendary records.

All I have to say is..."Do men look good in baseball uniforms or what?" Now, if my grandmother sees this book, she will steal it from me. We enjoy going to Mariner games on occasion, but if there is a game you can bet she is listening to the radio while she is cooking in the kitchen, will be found sitting in front of the TV, or is at the game.

I can't think of a better gift for a friend or relative who wants to reminisce over the classic moment in baseball. You can learn more about "The Curse of the Bambino," World Series games from 1903-1999," "The youngest Major League ballplayer," and ""The House that Ruth Built."

This is the definitive story of baseball and is told in a way no other book has told the story before. This is a chronicle of baseball's greatest conquests and defeats, its triumphs, heartaches and joys.

~The Rebecca Review

for the baseball fan this is a must.great plays captured here in there full essence&texture.when you see or read the impact of these plays you think what was i doing? the images are forever timeless you feel like they were all yesterday.so much joy&emotion from seeing them.that's why this is AMerica's Greatest Game ever.it has it all&more.the game has forever changed but it's impact is History always in the making.a great book.

The strength of this book is found in the many detailed and interesting essays about the evolution of professional baseball over the last 100 years. The essays are emotionally highlighted by some of the best baseball photography you can hope to see. The book was done in cooperation with the Baseball Hall of Fame in conjunction with its 1997 photography show.

Clearly, many people will receive this book as a gift. I suggest it especially for youngsters who are developing their first interest in baseball. At that age, there is an insatiable thirst for knowledge that this wonderful volume can help to quench. Experienced fans will also enjoy receiving it, so keep it in mind for birthdays and occasions like Father's and Mother's Days.

The book is divided into five chapters:

1900-1919: A Sport . . . And A Scandal

1920-1941: The Home Run Saves the Game

1942-1960: The War and Post-War Period

1961-1974: Expansion

1975-1999: Today's Game

Each chapter begins with an essay about the entire period covered. Then the chapter highlights 20 events from that period. A brief summary begins each of the 100 events, followed by a detailed essay with numerous photographs. So you can quickly scan the book to find something that interests you (the index is good for finding your favorite players, teams, and events), and leave book marks on sections you want to return to.

The choice of subjects is varied and interesting. You get great moments in baseball (Babe Ruth "calling" his home run in the World Series, Bobbie Thompson's shot heard round the world, Roger Maris's 61st home run, and Nolan Ryan talking about his 7 no-hitters). In addition, you get historic moments like when Jackie Robinson first played for the Dodgers, the trading of Babe Ruth from the Red Sox to the Yankees, the first night game, and the first World Series. Beyond that you get the serious challenges to the game such as the Black Sox scandal, the evaporation of attendance after television coverage started, and teams moving onto new cities. You also get the oddball events like Bill Veeck's continuous promotional activities (including a midget coming to bat), the New York Giants refusing to play in the 1904 World Series because the American League was made up of "minor league teams," and games being lost because of "bonehead" plays (like a baserunner failing to touch second base on a winning hit).

I also considered the book from the perspective of someone who has been a Dodger fan for 47 years. Every moment that I most cherished from that period is highlighted somewhere in this book.

One thing that surprised me was that I had no other books about baseball as a whole before acquiring this one. I wonder how I happened to miss this way of enjoying baseball? If you are like me, you too will be glad you have a chance to enjoy your memories and acquire new and interesting information about baseball. In my case, I was fascinated to see the baseball parks in Boston that preceded Fenway Park, that were used by the Red Sox and the Braves.

The depth of this book is impressive in many ways, as well. For example, if someone did something remarkable . . . like pitch the first perfect game, that section will also list the others who have duplicated the feat, who they played for, and who won the game. Some of the great players are covered in several ways. Babe Ruth is fully displayed as a Red Sox pitcher, then as a Yankee slugger. Seeing him age and gain weight make this seem almost like a biography of him. Several Yankees get similar treatment, like Mickey Mantle.

After you have finished enjoying the book, I suggest that you find other fans who can expand your knowledge about the players and events that interest you. You can use your new-found familiarity here to probe for better information. For example, what happened to old so-and-so after he retired? What was the greatest radio sportscast of a baseball game? In that way, this book can be the beginning of more fun with baseball, not the end.

I also suggest that you take up any chance you get to play some baseball (or softball if that is more available). It's good to exercise your body as well as your eyes with baseball!

Lauenstein gives more facts than a schoolmarm.

This book compiles information from a wide variety of resources - including excellent experts in the field - and presents it all in one place in an easy to follow, common-sense approach. Key principles for all aspects of life are discussed - financial, emotional, educational, not just how to throw a better curve. For any student athlete, male or female, in any sport, this author provides insights and keys to laying a foundation in school which will be of great benefit no matter what career path is eventually taken. This is an excellent guide which should be available in every school in the nation for every student. I wish this book had been available when I was in high school.

Ray Lauenstein has put together the first comprehensive guide for high school athletes bound for college. Trying to get into the right college is a difficult process, but for the student-athlete there are additional challenges, and Mr. Lauenstein provides an excellent roadmap to navigate the process. If your goal, or your child's goal, is to play sports at the college level, this book is a must read.

This book is great! I gave it to my cousin who's on the high school baseball team, and he loved it. I would definitely recommend this book.

"Baseball, playing outside the lines" is the book every parent needs, to guide their student athlete through the maze of college recruiters. The author has been there, done that, and is able to focus on what is really important, "an education should be the primary focus". This book should be mandatory reading for every student who aspires to playing baseball, or for that matter any sport at the college level.