Baseball Books

As a child of the forties and fifties, I have rich memories of sitting by the radio listening to the exploits of my baseball heroes, collecting baseball cards (my mother, unawares, later threw them out), and reading and rereading baseball magazines. I loved the game and its icons.

Mr. Heyde obviously loves the game as well. This is not a book written by an author who decides to write about baseball. It is a book written by a man pursuing his quest of meeting and talking with his own childhood baseball heroes. We are allowed to accompany him as he makes contact with these men, one by one, over an eleven year period and asks the questions he's always wanted to ask them. We are given intimate glimpses into how they live, what their favorite baseball memories are, and how the intervening years have treated them.

Pop Flies and Line Drives is both a great nostalgic read and a personal account reference of the lives of more than 75 former major league baseball players.

I enjoyed the stories about these players very much even though I am not a baseball fan. The reports of the in-home visits are well written and so very personal. I recognized many more names than I expected. POP FLIES brought back so many memories of past decades. And there was lots of baseball "gossip" about the big-name stars. It's like a friendly "60 Minutes" interview with each player.

The players tell about their careers, home lives, and family situations. They have funny stories about themselves, other players, the managers, and the big games they won or lost.

Today I mailed my copy to a former co-worker who played in a seniors' baseball camp in Florida one year. He will be thrilled to read POP FLIES.

If you want to get "That Special Feeling" of baseball and the `50's again you've got to read Pop Flies by Jack Heyde. It brings back the kinds of memories set forth below, and each of you must have similar ones if you are born around the Second World War.

But mine are pretty much what Heyde's are because I'm the same age.

I have a black and white picture of the opening pitch of the 1954 Cincinnati Reds season taken from down the left field stands.

I took it with my Dad's Kodak 35mm camera.
It's at old Crosley Field; (from Dayton you took Route 48 to Lebanon, jogged right onto Route 42, glided down Reading Road to Crosley Field - about a two-hour trip I believe).

Men wore Stetsons back then. Photographers wearing them were on the field, at least for the opening pitch. You can see four of them almost obstructing the basepaths.

This photo has my handwritten printing in India Ink on the back, printing learned from Mr. Ferguson's Mechanical Drawing class.

Let's look again at the black and white photo. Opening Day! Milwaukee 8 Cincinnati 9. I can't remember the details of that game, but Jack Heyde would know that it is Billy Bruton leading off. I can still remember the feeling of relief that the Reds safely won the Opening Day game, which, back then, for one day, was the focal point of the nation - Opening Day in Cincinnati and nowhere else. Even today I feel relief that the Reds won that game. Each game won, after all, shows us that the world works in our favor.

Looking back in the broader scheme of things it wasn't a local team that endures as the mind-grabbing story of baseball in the 1950's. Nor, as far too many story-tellers of baseball in the 1950's seem to believe, was it the drama that began and ended with the subway ride between Brooklyn and the Bronx.

It was Milwaukee.

Now let's go back to that curled up picture. Is there anything else about it that's important?

I'll give you some hints in the revered voice of Paul Sommerkamp. "Wearing Number 5 on the Back of his Grey Traveling Uniform" was a rookie who had no place on the team when the Braves started spring training. But Bobby Thompson slid into second base in Spring Training and broke his leg in three places so this player and Joe Pendleton had their shots in the outfield.

This player eventually won the job for Opening Day.

On Opening Day, 1954, this rookie struck out twice, grounded out, hit into a double play, and fouled out.

Unknown to me at the time, this picture is of the very first pitch, of the very first game, that Henry Aaron ever played in the Major Leagues.

Do the math: 250 pitches
both sides
152 games per year
20 years

It's the very first of at least 760,000 or so pitches made in games over Aaron's career.

Jack's book will bring back memories like this.

I have not received the book yet. I would like to think I came across this book by the hand of God. My father passed away this past May. He was a Red Sox fan his whole life, even though he had never seen them win a World Series. I have bought this book for my sons who are Yankee fans. I am going to write them a letter signing it Love Grandpa. So many of my father's friends and families could not believe that a man waits his whole life for his team to win and dies on the year it happens. My youngest son said that pop was in heaven asking God to take the curse off Boston and God seemed to have listened to him. Hoping pop did not ask God to put the curse on his Yankees. In memory of my dad, I hope this book will be a 5 star book to my sons.

George Higgins has done a great job of opening up the world of baseball, as well as tradition, life, and the passion the game holds. I thoroughly enjoyed this book

Not only the best book I've ever read about the Red Sox and what they mean to their fans, but the best book I've read about baseball and the significant place it has in our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. His referral to The Boss as 'King Steinbrenner the Odious' is as fitting a moniker of that man as I've ever heard. Simpy a shame so many of Higgins' books are out of print.

This is a wonderful book written by a daughter about her father. The father happens to be Jackie Robinson, an important man in baseball and in African-American history. She remains down to Earth and describes the life the family led and how her father affected the family and history. Jackie Robinson was a giant among men and knew what he was doing. It is a credit to Robinson that he was able to make himself above reproach and acceptable to the white public. It had to be very stressful to him and his family to try to be perfect but somehow he was able to make it. A very moving story, simply told by a loving daughter.

I can't say enough good things about this book. I have the soft-cover edition, over-sized - abt 9" x 10", double-spaced, with scads of pictures. Sharon did a wonderful job of writing and selecting the pictures to include. I learned things about her dad that I hadn't known before, and found my love and respect for him as an outstanding ball player and dignified man, a true gentleman, greatly increased. I stand in awe of him. What an example he has set for human beings of any and all races & colors! If I had sons, I'd want them to use Jackie Robinson as their model to follow in this life. His daughter Sharon deserves much credit for writing about his life, his sorrows, trials, & accomplishments in the face of ridicule and worse from ignorant people, for sharing all this with his now-adoring public. He proved that if you do what is right in spite of great opposition and threats, you'll come out ok in the end. I'm sure that his faith had a lot to do with his demeanor and positive attitude towards his trials.

I strongly recommend this book to all who enjoy reading true stories about those who have successfully overcome almost unsurmountable obstacles. Thrilling!

from Susan, an 87-year-old white life-long baseball "nut".

Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America

In this wonderful biography,Sharon Robinson shares her father with us as a daughter who held her father in high regard not only for his achievements in breaking the color barrier in baseball, but also for his hard won victories in politics, busines, civil rights and as a family man. Through love letters to his wife Rachel, photos from the family's archive and Sharon's deft writing hand, readers get to spend time with Jackie Robinson and come to understand how he navigated his way through the treachery of racism to become an integral part of creating another important chapter in the social contract with America.

As the Vice President of Educational Programming for Major League Baseball and an author, Sharon Robinson continues to preserve her father's legacy--well.

As a manager, I am telling you that there are hundreds of quotes in this edition that will be helpful to you! You will be able to use these in your management meetings, in pep talks, and for motivation in your own life. Have fun with these, and go make yourself some more money!

Do you sometimes struggle to make a point during a presentation or during a conversation with your team? Often you have the thought clear in your head, but it is difficult to get it across to others. This book gives me quotes by some of the world's greatest leaders, which I can use to support my points. I found this to be a great resource. Now, I find it easier and more effective to get my point across to an audience.

This book is essential for all leaders and public speakers. Whether I am coaching, managing at work, or just need to inspire friends, being able to tap into quotes by these remarkable people has been very helpful for me. It makes you sound smarter and drives the point home to others! If you're a leader, you need this book!

Brian Cooper's book, Red Faber, is more than just a biography of a great baseball pitcher. It is filled with insights into the baseball world of Faber's era -- the era of the spitball, Babe Ruth and the infamous "Black Sox" scandal of 1919, among other things. Cooper tells a story that begins in the little town of Cascade, Iowa, weaves its way through a baseball career that saw Faber win 254 games, and peaks when Faber was elected to the Hall of Fame. It is a thoroughly enjoyable book that makes the reader realize that Red Faber was one of those "what if" ballplayers. What if he had not been sidelined for the 1919 World Series? Would the White Sox have won, despite the fix? What if he had not played for such bad ballclubs in the 1920s -- would he have won 300 games? One thing is for certain. This book belongs on every baseball history buff's bookshelf.

This is an excellent book if a person is interested in baseball and how the game was played years ago. The author did a fantastic job of describing a real baseball talent, Red Faber and his life story.
It was a walk down memory lane for me as I grew up in the same neighborhood as his family on the Southwest side of Chicago. I loved going over to his house and seeing the signed baseballs, the trophies and the numerous signed letters he received over the years.
This is a fun read and the book contains some great snapshots!
Mary Jane Cole

I was born in Dubuue where my father was a sports reporter for the Times Journal. In later years he would relate stories, some of which are brought to life again by this story about RED. I also was in Chi town in August 1933 when the Sox and Yankes went 18. I sat through all 18 and often have wished that I could rememder more. I thought it was still light enough for more, but it was called anyway. I am sure that it was a get away day for the yankees and they had to rush to make the train. I also was a batboy for the Guttenberg Gaints in the late 30'3 when they played in Cascade. What great memories from this great story

This book is a young authors journey through those memorable years of his life following the Red Sox through the trials they endured to become champions. It reflects the "never give up!" attitude of die hard sports fans everywhere. A Must have for anyone who has supported there team thorugh good times and bad! This book is the heart of what a "True Fan" really is! I Highly recommend this to anyone who loves Baseball!

This book is amazing, it was funny, informative and touching all in one as it takes you through the rollercoaster ride of being a Boston Red Sox fan. If your a new lover of the Boston Red Sox or a diehard fan I highly recomend it. The author really hit this one out of the park!!!!!!!!

If your in love with the Boston Red Sox and are a part of Sox Nation then this book is ABSOLUTELY for you....Author does a great job describing how your life is changed FOREVER when you Really embrace the Red Sox...You will go on journeys of Sox Past all the way up to the Best Comeback in Sports History, the 2004 World Series.....Great Reading and brings back a lot of memories.....highly recommended......

I, too, know Ron Modra, and I always look for his credits in any issue of Sports Illustrated. His photos can be counted on to be the best in that issue. It is wonderful to have a book full of Mr. Modra's baseball pictures. The pictures are extraordinary, i.e. excellent photographs which are not the ordinary, garden-variety sports photos. The photos capture wonderful moments with the subject. The commentary is also extraordinary, describing the sport in ways we, as fans, may not have considered. I'll be buying at least two more copies of this book as Chrismas gifts this year.

I've worked on occasion as Ron Modra's assistant (including on one occasion pictured in the book) so I am a bit predjudiced. However, even I was pleasantly surprised by what an interesting and original book this is, which is not easy to do with a subject covered as often as baseball. The photos, as always with Ron's work, are great but it is the text which makes the book so original. Ron's insights and those of Pat Jordan and the players are what holds one's interest and make this book a great "read" as well as a great "see". I particularly recommend Ron's comments on Barry Bonds, Pete Rose and Wade Boggs. Well done.

I've been a subscriber to Sports Illustrated for years, and often tear out great photos from the magazine to hang on my bulletin board. I first noticed Ronald C. Modra's photos when he was covering track and field at the Olympics. I still have a picture he took of Jackie Joyner-Kersee from the L.A. or Seoul Games (I don't recall which...) After that, I started looking for his credit line, and while he always took amazing portraits of men and women in a variety of sports, I soon realized his true love was baseball. I started watching the game with a fresh eye, through his photographs, and now that they've been collected in a single volume, I'm really thrilled to re-experience the pleasure his photos always gave me! This is a great gift for anyone in your life who loves the game of baseball. The text is straight from the hip, but it's the pictures that take your breath away.

Uma Parameswaran's latest book is a compendium of three stories. The first two are set in Winnipeg, Manitoba and depict the strains of transplantation of peoples, particularly of women. The third is timeless and universal and an achingly beautiful depiction of family dynamics and the unique worth of each individual. The story of Mooga is so simple, yet it touches the heart and transcends the particulars of nationality and place. It has a timeless beauty and will be a source of hope and strength to those who peer in on this depiction of everyfamily.

This book is a good read!

In a beautifully performed ragam in Carnatic music each phrase leads into the next, yet seems to go back to the beginning; the patterns developed are intricate, but done with such skill that they appear transparently simple. "Mooga" is indeed a ragam which is so rendered. It should be included in every anthology of Indian short stories of the present time.

Those familiar with Uma Parameswaran's writings will be happy to see that at least one of her books is at last available on Amazon. This book has three stories - two of which are new. One of the new stories, "Mooga" is a moving story about a man who had an ailment, "a fever" when he was a child, and so divides his memories into BEFORE and AFTER. Rushdie says in one of his novels that the women characters took over his story. Here too the cook, Rukkamma, almost takes over the story with her philosophical tales about her way of seeing life. Even the minor characters who make cameo appearances come alive.

This is a really good story about how Sammy Sosa grew up in the Dominican Republic. There are lots of pictures from his home in the Dominican Republic, and it tells a lot about how he learned to play baseball and went to the United States to play professional baseball.

I read Latinos in Baseball (Sammy Sosa) by Carrie Muskat. This book was full of information and excitement. It tells everything anyone would like to know such as his batting averages, homeruns, teamscores, childhood, and problems in his life. I liked this book because it reminded me of all the obstacles that go on in other people's lives. People who are baseball fans would like this book. I really admire Sammy Sosa because of the way he plays the game; he plays for fun, not for money or fame. I'd recommend this book to baseball player's and fans of Sammy because it tells how he expected more out of himself and didn't expect his teammates to make up for him.

This was, without a doubt, the best Sammy Sosa book I have read. The author did an great job telling every aspect of Sosa's life from his childhood in the Dominican Republic to his success as a baseball player. Reading this, I felt as if I were talking to Sammy himself. Excellent writing and a must-read for any Sosa fan!

Officially licensed by NASCAR, The Sands Of Time: Celebrating 100 Years Of Racing At Daytona by journalist and sports writer Bill Lazarus is the rip-roaring multimedia combination of a splendidly photographed, coffee-table book with an informed and informative text recounting the history of the Daytona 500 automobile race from 1903 to 2003, and enhanced with an exclusive, 60-minute companion DVD of rare Daytona footage. The informative history is brought to life with pictures ranging from rare and vintage black-and-white photographs to dazzling color pictures of exciting races in progress. An excellent gift book especially for anyone who enjoys Daytona racing.

Being a huge fan of racing I have read many books that deal primarily with NASCAR. Most of them can't even get close to this book. Not only is it interesting to me as a racing fan it is also full of historical information that I have never seen compiled in one place before. The side bars are both interesting and informative, if you have the slightest interest in the "birth of speed" I suggest you read this!

I bought The Sands of Time at a book signing with Geoffrey Bodine in Daytona. I really just wanted to meet Geoff and didn't know anything about the book. But it turned out to be great! I really enjoyed all the photos from the early 1900s. (There is sand flying everywhere and the grooves around the corners are so deep. And some guys complain about track conditions today!)

But this is not a book that you'll merely flip through to look at its pictures. I started reading and did not want to stop. I've been a NASCAR fan for a few years now but have never really thought about its history..and didn't even know I cared till I read this book. I have a greater appreciation now of why Daytona and racing are so popular. Coincidently I read most of the book while sitting in 500 traffic on Sunday!

I recommend Sands of Time to any race fan. Not only because it covers a subject you love, but because I think it will make you love it even more.