Baseball Books

Perhaps the best thing about the book is not the writing itself, but how the writing freezes teams, players, and moments in time to allow the reader to sense and experience the emotion of the past. Obviously, in a collection of works that spans 50+ years and is entitled "Great Baseball Writing," the reader is treated to some of the best work ever penned about America's Pastime.

Whether the focal point is Ted Williams' post-baseball fishing prowess, Billy Martin, Stan Musial in decline, Vin Scully on the rise, the Philadelphia A's of the 20s or the Oakland A's of the 70s, each of the dozens of stories are tough to set aside and, if age allows, recall some wonderful memories about the game.

The book is divided into sections covering individual players, teams, other figures and events, and all-time greats. No matter your rooting interests, favorite players or most hated rivals, each story from beginning to end succeeds in getting that internal clock started -- the one that counts down each winter to pitchers and catchers.

The book contains just over 50 essays collected from the 50+ years of Sports Illustrated. I own several hundred baseball books and this one slides safely (without a throw)into the top ten.

The writing is generally top notch - truly an honor role of the best: Roger Kahn, Frank DeFord, Peter Gammons, Robert Creamer, George Plimpton - and so many others.

What I loved about this book is that it makes history come alive. Roy Blount's essay isn't about how great Reggie Jackson was, Blount writes about how great he IS. Kahn's essay on Stan the Man Musial captures the essence of a Hall of Famer who somehow is an underrated superstar. Red Sox diehard Johnathan Schwartz crafts a vivid, yet heartbreaking account of the 1978 playoff game.

My favorites? Creamer's essay on Vin Scully which includes a brilliant account of Scully broadcasting from a stadium roof during a freezing winter. Dan Okrent's gem revealing the statistical genius of Bill James years before he hit the mainstream.

Oddly, a couple of the more famous pieces, Rick Rilley's "Heaven Help Marge Schott" really does come off as a hatchet-job on a old lady. Bouton's "Son of Ball Four" is a whiney diatribe. However, those are just two clunkers compared with the 50 that are really good.

A great book, up there with "Veeck as Wreck", "Babe", and "Glory of Their Times". A great gift for baseball fans of all ages and at $17 for 500+ pages - a true bargain.

As a fan of the game and of Sports Illustrated I was pleasantly suprised by the content and the writing style of the book. Some of the stories brought back memories and others were new to me. I would recommend this book to anyone even, non-lovers of the game.

It's not easy to track minor league baseball cards.

If you are a serious collector, you may recall several years ago the good people at "Beckett" published a monthly called "Future Stars" where cards for minor league baseball players, and various other college athletes, from all sports, were being tracked.

Then, the cardmaker "Classic" (producing massive amounts of ONLY cards featuring minor leaguers, and college athletes) went out of business, and so accordingly "Future Stars" went away.

But there was still a demand to know what the various Classic cards/sets were doing in the market, so Beckett made something called "Vintage" -- a monthly publication that combined listings for cards from the 50s/60s/70s with newer baseball cards from baseball's minor leagues.

So, you had a 1960 Johnny Unitas card tracked in the same magazine with a 1995 Andruw Jones (Macon Braves) card. Strange -- but it worked for me.

Anyway, this guide represents the best overall checklist I've ever seen regarding minor league cards, which is all I collect now. There's just too much product out there once the guys hit the majors.

In any case, the book came out priot to the 2000 season, so values are mostly obsolete. But that doesn't mean you don't still get an accurate checklist for every significant minor league set ever made.

Hope these guys make a new one soon. I'm there.

I collect all of the Red Sox minor league teams, and this book helped me identify all of those team sets, plus provided a name-by-name breakdown of players on all of the prospects and all-star sets. If you are a team collector, you will love this book!

Sports Collectors Digest follows up their 1,664-page "Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards" with another informative price guide, this 480-page guide specifically covers minor league cards. SCD has done their homework with this guide as well, publishing more information on more sets than any other price guides available. I highly recommend this book!

This book shines on many levels. The backdrop for the story is a WWII internment camp for Japanese-Americans. But it's also about baseball, history, love, shame, and redemption. The narrative breathes life into all of these subjects, and the writer shows respect for every corner of the fictional world he's created. It's a page-turner, too. I started reading "Suitcase" yesterday and just hit the seventh inning stretch...Twenty pages to go!

Baseball, a beautiful girl, and a made-it-to-the-Show protagonist in search of meaning--what else is there? This book has it all. A plot which finds us driving the American south of 1942 scouting for star baseball players also offers a fascinating perspective on Japanese American life during the time of internment camps. Through Feldman's often lyrical prose, we face first-hand both racism run amok as well as the depth of human compassion and the intricate struggle for equality. But it is the personal story of loss and discovery that gives the book its greatest energy. Sefton, himself, is endearing, bumbling through what seems to be a first love, and always sincere. As rich are the characterizations of the Yamada family. It was spring, so I read Suitcase Sefton to celebrate the season. But I came away with a great deal more--enough to last through all the seasons of the human heart and wit.

I thought when I ordered this book that I would be treated to a
novel about baseball and I certainly was, but baseball is just the backdrop to its fascinating story. The book vividly brought to light the national disgrace of taking American citizens and their families, removing them from their homes and placing them in internment camps for the duration of WW2. Jay Feldman skill-
fully has woven a baseball scout's discovery of a young Japanese-
American pitcher in one of the camps and his involvement with the pitcher's family and created a story of pathos and humaniity.
Written by Jack Ziebel

this book ships in 1 to 2 days. it is a very great book about sports. many sports writers hve never played the games they cover or had poor college careers that they blow out of proportion in order to fill out their resume, but pat jordan is not one of those people. he knows his stuff. he can compete. i think all sports fans should read this great book.

This book is a collection of essays -- long magazine articles -- by a freelance writer who used to be a professional baseball player. His careers (baseball and writing) are documented in his memoirs, A False Spring and A Nice Tuesday. Having read those books first, I had a good insight into the author, which made this book more enjoyable but was not really necessary to appreciate the writing in it.

Jordan has a very good eye for detail and is not hesitant to give his opinion of why certain people succeed and others fail. Of course, it is an opinion, but his writing style is so persuasive that the explanations are as satisfying for the reader as if they were proven facts.

I believe that the pieces in Suitors of Spring appeared in Sports Illustrated in the '70s. I wish that SI would run this type of article now. However, they have succumbed to the ESPN Magazine syndrome and now favor the hip, smack-talking articles that fit neatly on a page or two.

If that is what you prefer, this book is not for you. Instead, Jordan explores a range of baseball players some of whom had tremendous success (Tom Seaver) and some nearly none (Steve Dalkowski) and takes the time necessary to do so. Some wof these players were good organization men (Woody Huyke) and some were so nonconformist as to make you wonder how they ever played professional baseball in the first place (Bo Belinsky). What this wide range of characters share, besides baseball, is being revealed to us by a writer of uncommon insight and skill.

One note for other Pat Jordan devotees: you may want to skip the smarmy 70s-style introduction. In that introduction, Jordan uses the "I'm OK, you're OK" style so prevalent at that time and describes how writing what would be "A False Spring" was excellent therapy for him and helped him to exorcise his demons. Those of us who have read his other work know better. All-in-all, that is a minor detour that does not detract from a very enjoyable read.

Those of us who are profesional sportswriters spend a lot of time in press boxes with other writers who criticize what they see on the field, but either never played the game or never played it well. "The Suitors of Spring" is brilliantly written by Pat Jordan, who did play the game. It also brings to mind some of the best sports books ever. "Ball Four's" Jim Bouton played the game. "North Dallas Forty's" Peter Gent played the game.
Having stood on the mound, facing down a hitter with the bases loaded, the crowd yelling, the opposition hurling insults, your future on the line and the hair standing up on the back of his neck, is an experience known by few. Jordan knows it.
Here he writes about pitchers, his specialty. He writes about superstars like Tom Seaver, playboys like Bo Belinsky, hardthrowing drunks like Steve Dalkowski, 6-6 lefties who never lived up their potential, like Sam McDowell, and prep phenoms from his home state of Connecticut who met the same fate as the author.
Jordan's talent is not one that can be learned in a literary class. He is of the school of hard knoocks, rough hewn, real, human. Bravo, Pat.

STEVEN TRAVERS
AUTHOR OF "BARRY BONDS: BASEBALL'S SUPERMAN"

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves baseball and wants to learn more. This book gives you a lot of different ways to improve your mental and physical aspects of hitting. It is a great nonfiction book; there is really nothing wrong with this book because everything is pretty important information.

your kid will ask you why you didn't hit 70 hr's when you were younger...but seriously ...learn GOOD form here...if you want your kid to hit like a pro...teach him right...or if you've been going 0for...this should help

Very thorough and detailed book on the art of hitting. I had never heard of Bernardo Leonard before purchasing this book, but it becomes apparent as you start reading that the guy knows his stuff. By the way, who better to teach hitting than someone who struggled themselves. Enjoy!

David Niall Wilson offers us an exquisite short story about that most pastoral and elegant summer sport, baseball. Don't be fooled, though, dear reader, because this tale about the Boys of Summer is firmly embedded in the cold bedrock of terror. While the long days of warmth play host to the crack of the bat and the umpire's gruff calls, a fast pitch can kill a batter if it catches him just wrong. Or...just right. When a fastball pitcher named Jeb "Rocket" Rabinowicz fired a ninety-five-mile-an-hour pitch at a batter named Smith in the summer of 1939, the ball went wonky and Smith was left dead at the plate. The ball that killed Smith becomes a favorite attraction in a baseball museum, made famous by its tragic trajectory. However, when an elderly man shows up at the museum one day and declares the ball a fake, this knowledge places everyone he tells in jeopardy. This is a finely crafted and very spooky story that illustrates how easily guilt can become a fertile a soil in which horror can grow.

Having (to my recollection) never read any works by David Niall Wilson, the short story "Take Me Back To That Ball Game..."--available through Amazon.com's Shorts program--was the perfect introduction.

While it's difficult to describe a short story without giving the whole she-bang away, Wilson has quite successfully mixed baseball, antiques, mystery, death, a curse, and a couple of curve-ball plot twists into this 16 page offering. And, even though I'm not a fan of baseball, Wilson's smooth and easy writing, intriguing plot, and believable characters sucked me into the tale.

"Take Me Back To That Ball Game..." is certainly worth the paltry $0.49 fee from Amazon. It is one of those perfect short stories that succeeds where so many fail: it setups you up well then pays off big in a short space. I look forward to delving into some of Wilson's longer works in the near future.

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You'll enjoy this story even if you're not a baseball fanatic. Wilson throws enough curves to make it an exciting time at the plate.

I have searched for over 20 years for a book like this; it has great quotes from former baseball players and umpires. It made me laugh, gave me great insights into the game. It is also very easy to carry around due to its small size. Small but powerful. I highly recommend it.

Silber provides an excellent overview on the game. The book is written in a compact, yet thorough manner. The great thing about it is that anyone can carry it to a game and use it as a guide to the more detailed aspects of baseball. Absolutely wonderful!

Take Me Out to the Ball Park is a great little book for the baseball novice who wants an easy way to learn about the game. Twenty minutes with this book, and you never again will feel left out of those baseball conversations around the office or at the dinner table at home. Silber has boiled down America's favorite pasttime to a few clear, easy-to-grasp concepts, illustrations, and anecdotes. The booklet is easy to read and fun to use. The spiral-bound format is great to take to the ballpark and simple to refer to when you have a question about a position, a play or anything else that those baseball fanatics sitting all around you are getting excited about.

Henry Fetter does a great job in dissecting what has enabled the loved & hated Yankees to establish and maintain their unparalleled dominance of a professional sport; in so doing, he has produced a CASEY Finalist that is battling nine other nominees for the coveted Award representing the Best Baseball Book of the Year.

I really enjoyed this book. I head about it reading a review in the Wall Street Journal. When I first saw the phrase "the business of baseball" in the title I was fearful. But this was no review of accounting ledgers. It was instead a lively tour though the history of baseball with a focus on its most successful, and colorful team. It debunked many myths that I always carried around in my head (e.g. that my beloved Red Sox sold the Bambino to finance a play), and constantly got me thinking about the role of baseball in society and society in baseball. I thought it just as good in discussing free agency and the labor agreements of the last few years as it was covering the early history of the game. The author had a point of view, but it didn't get in the way of a clear and objective telling of the story. Best of all, it was just fun to read.

This book offers a lively and original take on baseball history--the mighty Yankees from the viewpoint of their three great historical rivals, the Giants, the Cards and the Dodgers. Easy to read, full of interesting anecdotes, yet offering real insight into the development of baseball as a business.

This is a great book for Pirate fans. A must have for any real Pirate fan!

I even learned how the Pirates got their name!

I agree with the Midwest Book Review. I attended a book signing and met John McCollister. It's obvious he really knows baseball and loves our Pirates.

Compiled by native Pittsburgher and long-time Pirates fan John McCollister, Tales From The Pirates Dugout: A Collection Of The Greatest Pirates Stories Ever Told offers the reader a wealth of heartwarming and memorable stories on and about the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team. Looking at the team's dynamic evolution over the past century, Tales From The Pirates Dugout embraces the spirit of the sport of baseball and showcases many of the determined and adventurous athletes who give their all to the team and the game!

What a great achievement! This book is perfect for anyone, any age. Avid fans or casual readers will enjoy this first-person joy ride with Steve. Chocked full of insights from every walk of baseball life-players, fans, managers and coaches, media-he covers it all. You gotta read this book!

This is a great book. I am not particularly interested in baseball. I read the book because my nephew wrote it; and I love it. It is a well writen colection of human interest stories about baseball. But it is also about American society and shared values. It could be used in a sociological study of common values in American culture. It is also a great book for a psychologist to give to patients to read and discuss. I would use it in a group therapy session to discus the topics of team work, in-group- out-group dynamics helping people realize how they fit into the dominant culture.
It is a good choice for a book club.
This is a book has appeal to most people. I think it will catch on and become a best seller.

Talking Baseball Amongst Friends is a fascinating book - part inspiration, part dedication, part good old-fashioned fun. Steve Sullivan has taken an amazing amount of stories from some of the biggest names in baseball today and compiled them for his audiences' reading pleasure. However, this book goes beyond the big names in baseball to some of the names that each of us should get to know; players who never got a chance to step foot on MLB soil, players like Hank Presswood and Charles Johnson. Talking Baseball Amongst Friends takes us to a place where the dreams and memories of the baseball fan in each of us have a voice. It doesn't matter that 99.9% of us will never step foot on a MLB field; this book reminds us that the athletes we watch, the athletes we cheer and chide, are human beings who have dreams, memories, and a desire to hit the ball, catch the ball, and throw the ball. As a high school teacher, I hope to introduce this book to my students as they discover the beauty of non-fiction writing. Often kids and adults believe that non-fiction is dull and hard to read. Steve Sullivan has written a book which reads to each of us, we need only turn the pages.