Baseball Books

I checked this book out from my school library back in the late 70's (the original edition) and it became my favorite book. I loved it because I was left-handed, and this book was something I could really relate to. I probably read it 50 times.

Sandy is a boy who plays baseball for the Spacemen and I think he is really good at short stop.Sandy gets nervous around Rex the dog. The Spacemen are a good team. I think it is a very good book and the ending is cool.

This is simply a wonderful book. These black and white photographs, mostly non action shots, taken over 3 or 4 years at the same little league park in working class east Baltimore have an emotional power and honesty that is both rare and quite moving. The book works on so many levels: children, baseball, families, cities, and art.

This is obviously a labor of love for Connolly. The beautiful black and white photographs, a mixture of portraiture and reportage, capture the essence of kids playing baseball. This is reinforced by Cal Ripken's moving foreword, in which he writes that "for this brief phase in my life, the playing field was level and everyone was equal." It reminds me of Butterworth's revelation in "The Bad News Bears" that these are just kids who love to play; they have yet to place winning above fun.

I know...I know...Ernie Harwell is a legend in Detroit and a Man of God. I would never take anything away from Mr.Harwell.

But, having listened to them both for years growing up, I can tell you that George Kell DEFINED baseball for many more Detroiters than you might think.

And this book helps resurrect the feeling he brought to the game for those who still miss him.

He had so many great lines. Every Tiger fan knows what kind of play he was describing when he said "...And it's a dandy."

And what about "...that helps." Maybe too obscure of a reference for some but Kell's voice uttering those words pop into my head almost everytime a fortuitious circumstance occurs in my life.

A little old fashioned, maybe even uptight by the standards of the 1990's when he hung it up, George would be PERFECT as the ultimate retro announcer in today's baseball climate where fans, so jaded by one disillusionment after another, would relish a rock-solid influence like the GREAT George Kell...

That George's book turned out to be a long, tall, cold drink of water on a hot summer day came as no surprise to me. We in Michigan, who watched George throughout his years as the premier Tiger TV announcer and as one of the great players of his time, have long known of his commitment to to all that is good and right about America's pastime. But he also served as a prophet concerning the aspects of the modern game which led to a slow decay not only in the quality of the game, but in the character of some of the game's players and management. Even so, how can a baseball aficionado not feel the warm sunshine of yesteryear as we read of a living Hall of Famer's account of playing under Manager Connie Mack, alongside and against Ted Williams...Joe DiMaggio...even Minnie Minoso! George's book is special. I can virtually guarantee you will not read the likes of "Hello everybody, I'm George Kell" ever again. It is an easy-reading account of baseball's glory days, when a nation came out of a war against the forces of evil, and after looking in the mirror, realized the color line must be obliterated in what was then the undisputed King of American sport. George's decency shines through the entire book, just as his light has shined his entire life. Bravo!

My daughter received this book as a gift for her second birthday. It's a wonderful book for all, and it's a great way to introduce my daughter to her hometime. It's an easy read, and the illustrations are wonderful. I have since purchased this book several times as baby shower gifts. I would recommend this book for any St. Louis fan.

I am a Cardinals fan and a preschool teacher, so this book is perfect for me. I teach 4 and 5 year olds, and they love to see their mascot and stadium in an easy to read and memorize book. I am planning on looking for more books from this publisher.

After reading this book on Mickey Mantle, it showed all of us what a true hero he really was. Yes there were the incidents of alcohol and unfaithfulness with his wife, but the ability to see his wrongs and his struggle to correct those earlier problems would make anyone root for this midwest small town icon.

If you are looking for a book on the baseball exploits of Mickey Mantle try another book. Mickey, his wife, and sons reveal the difficulties they endured as they each battled alcohol addiction which led to numerous other problems in their lives. It may seem like a depressing book, but the story is told in a way that other families might avoid the pitfalls the Mantle family suffered. They are to be commended for their candidness.

This is a great book for the baseball aficionado. Especially for those who appreciate the great players of years gone by.

Dozens of Hall-of-Famers are featured, with beautiful photographs of each individual. You'll find basic statistics and the accomplishments of each personality, as well as a commentary on their contributions to the game. A nice bonus is a small photograph of their hall-of-fame plaque.

As a collector of older baseball cards I found this book especially useful to my further appreciation of the players and the history of this greatest of past-times.

I highly recommend it!

If you know a baseball fan who you would be looking to purchase a gift for a birthday present or just as a pleasant surprise, you will not go wrong with this book. This is a book that would be appreciated by both youngsters 12 and up and adults. The book is illustrated with beautiful colored pictures of the Hall of Famers in addition to providing text that covers their career. The price is worth it. I have bought multiple copies as gifts, and they have been much appreciated. This is a book that will be treasured by the lucky recipient for a lifetime.

Bill Shane is a great poet with amazing understanding of poetry that appeals to children. I think this book goes far and beyond expectations of average children's poetry!

GOOD JOB MR. SHANE!

Bill Shane is a great poet with amazing understanding of poetry that appeals to children. I think this book goes far and beyond expectations of average children's poetry!

GOOD JOB MR. SHANE!

This is one of the greatest baseball books I have read in a long time. I played College Baseball with Chris up at Concordia (1995)the year we took first in the Conference and also 2nd in the Regional tournament. Chris is a great man that has a lot of talent. He is currently in AAA ball for the Cleveland Indians. Doing really well I may say. The books describes his life in great detail. from young to old the differet tribulations that he had to face. There were things in there that I never new about him before I read the book. There were several things that Chris and I shared while we played baseball; the most important one is the love of the game. Excellent book and everyone should have the chance to read it.

If you are a fan of the minor league level of baseball as well as a fan of the underdog, you will definitely enjoy this book. Chris talks about the trials and trivulations that go with trying to make it in a very tough business. The book talks mainly about the Northern League, a very impressive independent baseball league that possesses an amazingly exciting brand of fan friendly baseball. Chris talks about his uunique path through the Northern League and also many of the funny stories that occur behind the scenes of professional baseball. I think that the book targets the Northern League fan, but anyone who enjoys inside stories on the lives of professional ball players, is sure to like this book.

Cecil "Highpockets" McDade is a rookie center fielder from North Carolina who, though talented, has an inflated opinion of himself and is disliked by his Dodger teammates. An auto accident midway through the season changes everything, although not right away. Of the latter four Tunis book in the Brooklyn series, this one is perhaps the best. The opening description of Braves Field in Boston is exceptional, right down to the smoke rising above the Charles River beyond the outfield fence. The reader gets to watch Highpockets grow up chapter by chapter, although he has a tougher time of it than Roy Tucker did in the first two books in the series. A good story, and a good read. Tunis mainstains an amazing consistency throughout his Dodgers series, from the clack-clack-clackety-clack of the players' spikes to the dialogue between the players. Expect nothing less here.

This is a story of a selfish man altered by his love for an injured boy. Cecil (Highpockets) McCade is a rookie outfielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers whose primary thoughts are his batting average and other on-field accomplishments. He is not a bad person, he is a farm boy from North Carolina who wants to pay off the mortgage and help his younger siblings get an education. However, his constant thoughts only of himself turn off his teammates, coaches, fans and the sports writers.
However, while he is in a frustrated, self-absorbed mood, a boy runs into the side of his car. The boy is severely injured and although Highpockets was not responsible, he befriends the boy and helps him with his stamp collection. They become friends and this changes Highpockets into a team player. At the end, there is the predictable big game for the pennant where Highpockets makes the play that wins the game.
This book also features most of the same people that appear in the other Tunis books involving his mythical Brooklyn Dodgers. Spike and Bob Russell, Chiselbeak the clubhouse man, Roy Tucker, Razzle Nugent and Fat Stuff Foster are some of the characters that appear. Like the other Tunis books, this is a sports story filled with a deep lesson for life. No man is an island and the accolades of your teammates should matter more than personal achievement. I enjoyed it immensely.

What a great book. Wish that San Diego's new Petco Park was included in the pictures. Its such a beautiful park. Great tour is available. We loved the tour.

I bought this book to inspire us to go on trips to see other ballparks. My BF is such a sports freak, I knew he would love this book.

Just a few comments and initial impressions: Far from being an authority on baseball stadiums, I received this lovely volume as a gift this year (the giver knew I love the game), and I absolutely love it. A lifelong fan of the greatest game on earth, I have often marveled at the evolution of the sport and the venues where it is played. The variety of different interpretations in use today at all levels in the US and Canada, from pee wee to MLB, is astounding. Baseball fields are not like those of other team sports: in NBA basketball, every court is the same. All NHL hockey rinks are identical in all dimensions. NFL fields are measured the same in every state. But no two baseball fields are the same--anywhere. This massive book explains why and how this came to be. The history of the baseball field is detailed in print, numerous illustrations and a large number of beautiful pictures. Major and many significant minor league parks are covered. Be warned: this is a LARGE book--great for the coffee table.