Baseball Books

During much of the World War II era the best teams in Major League Baseball (MLB) could be found in St. Louis, the Cardinals of the National League and the unlikely Browns who dominated in 1944 and came close to doing so in 1945. The Cardinals, a team built through the extensive farm system engineered by Branch Rickey, dominated the National League and won three World Series--1942, 1944, and 1946--and won the pennant but not the overall championship in 1943. It was a dynasty every bit as dominating as that of the New York Yankees during that time.

The Cards won a franchise record 106 games in 1942, and bested the Yankees in the World Series. The next year they won 105 games, but lost to the Yankees in the fall classic. In 1944 the Cards also won 105 games and defeated the cross-town Browns in the World Series, the only "streetcar series" in St. Louis history. In 1946, just as the troops were mustering out of the military after the war, the Cardinals had to beat the emerging dynasty of the Brooklyn Dodgers in a three game playoff to claim the National League Pennant, but then they went on to defeat the Boston Red Sox in a dramatic seven game World Series.

Wiliam B. Mead's "Baseball Goes to War" is an outstanding journalistic account of this era in MLB. It is built around the story of the Cardinals and Browns in St. Louis, but goes beyond that to take in and comment on the milieu of the 1940s. This is the third edition of this wonderful book. It was originally published in 1978 as "Even the Browns," emphasizing the fact that although the Cardinals were one of the most successful franchises of the National League the Browns were one of the American League's weakest.

Indeed the joke, "first in booze, first in shoes, and last in the American League," characterized the plight of the Browns better than perhaps any other statement about them. A revision in 1982, "The Ten Worst Years of Baseball," followed with Mead emphasizing the loss of MLB talent to the military during the war years. Mead notes that the Browns, while becoming respectable in the early 1940s after years of mediocrity, did not so much rise to take the American League pennant in 1944 as the rest of the league declined from the loss of talent to the war effort. In reality, the Browns rebuilt into a decent team during this period, posting winning seasons in the war years 1942-1945. They finished a distant third in the American League in 1942, but finally won the big one in 1944, capturing their only St. Louis pennant. As the "streetcar series" ended in 1944, however, it took with it the last opportunity for the Browns to produce a winner in St. Louis. After a good season in 1945, they slid back into their normal place at the bottom of the league until their departure from St. Louis for Baltimore in 1953, where they became the Orioles.

This is a wonderful, pleasurable history of baseball during the war years, focusing on the Browns and Cardinals, but going much beyond. Enjoy!

This book was originally published as "Even the Browns" and it is both a lovingly detailed valentine and a eulogy to baseball's worst franchise, the St. Louis Browns.

Author William B. Mead, who spent his boyhood watching these mediocrities play their home games from the cheap seats at Sportsman's Park, has compiled a remarkable history of a last place team that seemed cursed to play its games before a few hundred disinterested fans year in and year out. Mead chronicles how the Browns seemed poised to achieve great success before the rival Cardinals stole the hearts and minds of St. Louis baseball fans during the Twenties.

The management of the slumping Browns even rented their ballpark to the Cardinals and ended up subsidizing the successful National League club by agreeing to divide the cost of janitorial service at Sportsman's Park equally. The Browns played before empty seats while the Cardinals had capacity crowds filling the concourses with discarded paper cups, hot dog wrappers, peanut shells and litter.

The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor had several unintended consequences: the Browns were denied a lucrative opportunity to relocate from St. Louis to Los Angeles and military conscription meant that all of the teams lost key players to the armed forces. Suddenly, the collection of untested rookies, minor league journeymen, grizzled veterans and pathetic alcoholics on the Browns roster seemed to be competitive! Could this motley crew cope with success long enough to win?

This book is an entertaining and enjoyable read. Nostalgia at its best. Welcome back to the era of rationing cards and railroad travel when baseball's sixteen major league teams were based in eleven cities and St. Louis was the far Western frontier of the big leagues.

THIS BOOK IS AN EXCELLENT LOOK AT THE WWII ERA. ALOT OF GREAT INTERVIEWS AND STORY TELLING DESCRIBE THIS HISTORIC ERA IN GREAT DETAIL. IT LIKE BEING THERE. MR. MEAD DOES A FINE JOB AND THIS IS TRULY AN EXCELLENT BOOK FOR HISTORIANS AND FANS OF THE GREAT AMERICAN SPORT. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

William Mead's wonderful book about a baseball in the 1940's has appeared under several titles (EVEN THE BROWNS, BASEBALL'S WORST DECADE). In each guise it is a sprightly written and judicious account of the personalities (Judge Landis, Pete Gray) and events of baseball in a time of national crisis.

This book is a must read for anyone who enjoys watching or playing the game. Ken and Marilyn are living the American Dream by doing something they both love and sharing it with the world. Not only are Ken's stories entertaining, they bring you to the games and practices with them. Each time I pick up the book to look at the great pictures or read one of the great stories, I smile and imagine where they are visiting. Ken has hit a grand slam with this one.

This is a beautiful book on baseball. Ken Proctor's experiences with the game as a player, coach, fan and overall baseball guru are truly amazing. I know no one who knows more about the game. This book takes us places, introduces us to people, and gives us a 'feel good' journey thru the great eras of the game; it's players, parks, towns and great people that support it. His anecdotes about high school ball, coaching and characters that he's met throughout are remarkable. Anyone that has a love for this game should consider this a MUST read as you not only enjoy Ken's stories, but you will surely LEARN a whole lot along the way. Baseball fans will be instant Ken Proctor fans!!
Harry Reinhart (Wheeling, Illinois)

Ken Proctor really outdid himself with this highly personalized walk down baseball's memory lane.

It is a beautiful creation, and was clearly and absolutely a labor of love.

His observations on all facets of the game, from playing to coaching to simply being a consummate fan of the game, will certainly appeal to baseball afficionados, whether or not they have ever played the game seriously.

Those who do know baseball intimately and appreciate that it is a thinking man's game, and that there is always "a game within the game," will find Ken's comments and insights particularly gratifying.

The day my copy of "Baseball Memoirs of a Lifetime" arrived I literally could not put it down until after midnight, but by then I had looked at every page.

It is that compelling.

Thanks, Ken. You did a huge favor for all of us who truly love the game of baseball.

With over 200 individual stories, this is more than just a baseball book. It is also about long lasting friendships, coaching, the importance of teamwork, and a great love of the national pastime.
The author had the good fortune to meet some of the greats in the sporting world- Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, John Wooden. Included are stories about his great high school coaching career, throwing out the first pitch at a Major League game, tours of the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Hillerich & Bradsby factory, reviews of the many ballparks he and his wife have visited, comments on his favorite baseball radio and tv announcers, and stories about his favorite ballplayers.
Most of the sories are short (1-2 pages). A great "pick up" and read. Full of wonderful photos.
77 years- Ken, thanks for sharing your memories!

Not only is Ron Polk the best college baseball manager that ever walked the face of the earth, he recently made the best decision of his life. That decision being to retire from MSU and the come back and coach at a real school, UGA. God bless Coach Polk and GO DAWGS!!!!!!!!! HUGH4HEISMAN DON'T WANT NONE!!!

Ron Polk breaks the game of baseball down not only position by position, but all aspects of the game off the field. A veteran college coach and one of the most respected men in the game, Polk gives excellent tips for coaches of all levels, from the first day of practice to the final game of the postseason tournament. The former Mississippi State coach is still a popular speaker on the clinic tour and after reading the book, one will understand why. Not only does Polk discuss teaching fundamentals and game strategies, but also gives excellent ideas and points on the "behind-the-scenes" aspects of the game - everything from organizing tournaments and field maintainence to dealing with the local officiating associations, fans, and bringing in support staff to help run a smooth program. Polk even includes ready-to-copy charts and forms for player information, public address announcers, game schedules, equipment managing, and setting up and enforcing team policies. If you're looking for big-names and shiny pictures, forget it - this book is for serious coaches....and Polk doesn't leave any aspect of coaching in an organized baseball league uncovered.

This book has helped me so much. With me currently being a baseball player, I need a little more help to push me over the edge to make my high school team. This book has helped me in batting and outfield. Of course, those are the things I do. This book has anything and everything for all postions. It even has a section where it tells you where all fielders are supposed to move in every kind of situation. You name it and it has it. This book however, is not only for players. This is for coaches and believe it or not, it is also for people in charge of the fields! This book has a detailed picture of a field and how you're supposed to water it and stuff like that. So if you would like to get a few pointers, I guarantee this book will help you for however you are involved in the wonderful game of baseball.

This work is all a coach needs to organize and run a successful program. It includes all the charts and referances you'll ever need. Included are diagrams for all defense situations and a drill series that covers every necesaary defense skill.

Be The Ball presents the author's experiences as a weekend golfer who tries to improve his own game and bring the practice rang swing to the golf course. Relaxation, visualization and auditory cues are used in this audio to help guide listeners to pre-shot skills which will lead to improved scores. An intriguing application for meditation and learning.

BE THE BALL is worth keeping!

This 40-minute cassette recording is the perfect gift for all interested golfers.

The author Sean Ryan is an avid golfer and often can be found at the practice range near his New Jersey home.

Improve your skills by learning how to visualize the ball by listening to Mr. Ryan's auditory cues. This cassette is full of helpful techniques, which he cleverly transmits in a to the point and easy to understand manner.

Whether you are a weekend golfer, or an every day on your lunchtime break golfer--I'm positive that you will find this audio recording helpful, fun and just the right thing to help you relax, swing and get your first "hole in one!"

My husband, who is an avid golfer, and I, as a weekend golfer, found Mr. Ryan's cassette recording extremely rewarding. Clear your mind, learn to relax before each shot, develop a routine to get you in the "groove" so you can easily determine the speed of each putt, swing freely, and learn pre-shot skills resulting in an improvement of your game score.

I highly recommend this clever audio recorording..........

Be The Ball is a superbly produced, forty minute, audiobook presentation on how to play a better game of golf. Listeners will learn to relax and focus before each shot; develop a routine to get into the "zone"; free their mind from last second adjustments; teach themselves to swing freely and confidently; discover an easy way to determine the speed of a putt; practice their mental game while relaxing; and incorporate positive talk into their golf game. Be The Ball is highly recommended for anyone seeking to improve their game, their ability to relax while playing, and to hone their pre-shot skills resulting in significant game score improvement.

I listened to it and knocked 5 strokes off my score the next day. The tape suggests subliminal keys to trigger positive thoughts or should I say eliminate negative thoughts. As a 9 handicap, I think it it's well worth trying.

At the 2006 Cape Cod Baseball League All-Star Game at Red Wilson Field (South Yarmouth, MA), I finally picked up the book Beach Chairs and Baseball Bats by Steve Weissman. Steve was parked behind home plate, as usual, in a tent selling and autographing copies. He is a very down-to-earth friendly guy, and graciously personalized my copy of the book.

The day after the All-Star Game was nice and sunny, so I headed to Covell's Beach (Centerville, MA) to start reading the book.

Beach Chairs and Baseball Bats begins with Steve's first encounter with the Cape League and explains the history behind the league. Then, the book looks at each team, their field, and other facts (e.g. Does the field have lights or not?). Steve then goes into details behind the off-season and the beginning of the season. Sprinkled throughout are player profiles with interesting facts about individual members from various teams. The latter half of the book is filled with tidbits about the league (e.g. The 50/50 raffle), and goes into detail about the season and playoffs.

Because I know a lot about the league, I was initially concerned that Beach Chairs and Baseball Bats would not tell me anything new. But, I was pleasantly surprised to learn quite a bit. The author has a great knack for unveiling interesting facts. For example, I had always wondered about the history behind the Orleans Cardinal's mascot, Mr. Cardinal. I don't think the other Cape League books I read even mention the team mascots ("Homer" in Falmouth and "Mr. Cardinal" in Orleans).

The story of the 2004 Cape League playoffs is told in great detail in the chapter "The 'Second Season'." The playoffs last less than a week, but consist of the most exciting games to watch, and I am glad that Steve decided to narrate them.

The book finishes with personal notes from players in the Cape League, a list of former Cape players in Major League Baseball, a list of Cape players drafted in 2004, and a plethora of fascinating black & white photos.

Overall, I think this book is the best option for anyone who has been, or plans to go to a Cape game and wants to learn more about the league. After reading this book, I would then recommend watching the Cape League documentary Touching the Game. For those looking for more of a story that follows an entire Cape season, look toward The Last Best League by Jim Collins, or the novel Slider by Patrick Robinson. And for those looking more for historical information check out Baseball by the Beach by Christopher Price. The only book I have not yet had a chance to read is Cape Crusaders by Mike Thomas, which apparently is filled with interviews and accounts from players, coaches and volunteers.

As a frequent visitor to Cape Cod for over 30 years and a baseball fan, how could it be that I've only recently attended my first Cape Cod Baseball League game? But it took just one visit and I'm hooked. Why? Maybe it's the friendly atmosphere or the colorful townies cheering on their teams along side the vacationers or the sense of community that enhances the opportunity to watch the best college players in the country playing their hearts out and showing everyone what they've got. It is a great take for the whole family or for the single fan. And it's priced right ... admission is free. Where can you get that in America these days?

Steve Weissman's book "Beach Chairs and Baseball Bats" is not a history of the CCBL (although there is enough to give you the basics), but the book goes beyond the baseball and captures the Cape League experience. It looks at the players, the teams, the host families, the fans, the volunteers and everything that makes the league tick. And best of all, it answered all of the questions I had about the CCBL. Did you know that there is a Cape Cod Baseball League Hall of Fame in Sandwich? Did you know that many of today's major league players once played in the Cape Cod League? Did you know that many of the players are being studied by major league scouts right before your eyes? "Beach Chairs and Baseball Bats" explains it all from many different angles and makes this book a compelling, feel-good read.

I read this book twice this summer while at the beach in my beach chair. Then I'd head out to a few games afterward armed with a little more knowledge of what I was witnessing. And you know what? I may end up reading it again this winter when I want to recapture a little of that summer magic.

Light easy read. Bought it for my Dad, who is a huge lover of baseball and an ex-college baseball coach. The whole family read it while on vacation in Cape Cod this summer. We found the writer's review of the history and the "business" of running this league fascinating. The personal anecdotes of past players also helped the author convince you of the special place that this league holds in the history and the future of our favorite national sport.
My advice...read the book and plan your summer vacation in Cape Cod. Then, using this book as your reference, see how many Cape Cod baseball games you can attend at as many fields in as many towns as you can. Life doesn't get much better than this!!

I am a huge fan of the Cape Cod Baseball League and the more I learn, the more I love it! If you know nothing about the league or even baseball itself now, you will become a fan as you read. This book really captures the great human stories and the inner workings of the league. It is so wonderful to experience the game at this level...to read about so many great players on the cusp of making it to the major leagues. When I meet people who don't know why baseball is still America's pasttime, I show them this book...it is great that such a pure baseball experience still exists and we can all enjoy it! A great slice of Americana!

My "newbie" Tee Ball player laughed hard at one character's silly interpretation of "going home". When teaching children to play a new sport, it's important for all -- including these young players -- to keep a sense of humor.

My twin 5 year olds played t-ball for the first time this spring. We bought this book recently and it made them laugh out loud. The story reminded them of the many funny things that happened when they were first learning the rules of the game. Wish we had read it before the season began. It's a fun read.

This is such a cute book. Brother and Sister bear are trying to coach a T-ball team but neglect to teach the cubs how to play. So, when they're told to "run home" after making a hit, the little cub literally runs home to her house. This book is full of such little quips and makes learning about a sport very entertaining. It's also great for that little one just starting T-ball and learning about the game. Even sportsmanship is discussed as Brother bear learns that nothing is ever accomplished by stomping up and down on your hat! This book helped explain a lot in our house. Recommend!

I loved this book because of its humor. Great for teaching a young one about T-Ball and there is also the valuable lesson about teaching kids about teaching/coaching a sport. Also, fun stickers included!

They're all here -- the ones you can name (Hank Greenberg, Sandy Koufax, Shawn Green) and the ones you can't (just about everyone else). This is the perfect Father's Day gift for Jewish, baseball-loving Dads everywhere and a great resource to have on your baseball bookshelf. At least, I'm sending a copy to my father-in-law and I love having a copy on my own shelf!

This is a great book to thumb through and read all of the interesting stories. It's well-written, entertaining, and extremely interesting. The stories rang from the compelling to the hilarious. You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy it. It's a great book for any sports fan!

I recieved this as a gift and found it very interesting. I also was able to use it in a research project for school. I recomend this book for anyone intrested in sports.

I absolutely loved this book. It's both fun and easy to read and fully thorough. It's definitly the standard book on Jewish baseball players.

Dan Price has done a wonderful Job it is hard to believe this was his 1st book. For Billy you seem to grasp him under your wings and follow each and every move along his path to regain happiness. Dan really grasped your attention in his play by play of the games. Children of all ages and even adults would love this book. I bought one for my daughter In-Law a 2nd grade teacher for her classroom.

I received this book as a gift some months ago and thoroughly enjoyed the experience of this read. "Billy's Victory" is a story about a hero. The protagonist isn't the typical cape sporting crime fighter. Rather, he is a regular 11 year old boy dealing with tragedy and finding courage face to his fears for the wellbeing of others.

Sewn into the plot of Billy's heroic actions is a baseball yarn that parallels the reality of Billy's real-life issues. You will find yourself cheering Billy on in the grandstands hoping he will taste the thrill of victory.

This is a fantastic read for the everyday hero. Here's hoping for more from Dan Price.

I ordered this book for the kids in my life. When it arrived it looked interesting and I decided to read it myself. What I found is that it is good for all ages. I was charmed by Billy and his family. Kids who like sports will love it and adults will enjoy the historical references.

I bought Billy's Victory for my grandkids and I was amazed how they stuck with the book and read it from cover to cover. They both love baseball and the play by play action of the games seem to grab their attention. The author, I understand, is a first-time author. I hope he does more!

There is a great book called The Boys in Control, and the author is Pyllis Reynolds Naylor. This story is sort of about baseball. A girl named Eddie joins a boys base ball team as the pitcher. There is a boy named Jake and he plays pitcher as well. He wants to be the only picther so he want Eddie to do a bad job so he can be the only picther. I just think that it will be a good book for boys and girls to read.

Out of the whole series, this one is the best by far. Maybe not the best of Naylor's, but very close. It certianly is better than most of the children books where it's all, meet boy/girl-boy/girl has problem-boy/girl struggles- boy/girl finds solution. They really are boring books.

Now let me give you the storyline of what's happening.
- The girls find an old album that used to belong to the Bensons. It contained very funny, and embarassing pictures of the Hartford and Benson boys.
- The boys find out and are VERY embarassed, and plan on getting it back, one way or another.


- Jake and Eddie are on the baseball team.
- On the day of the championship, Mrs.Hartford by mistake volunteered to run a charity sale of some sort.
- Since Mr. and Mrs.Hartford are Jake's parents, they have to go to the championship.
- Since Josh is Jake's twin, he has to go to the championship.
- Since Peter is too young to help with the sale, he's going to the championship.
- Who's left?

THIS IS IT THE 9TH BOOK IN THE SERIES OF THE HATFORDS AGAINST THE MALLOYS.I JUST KNOW YOU'LL ENJOY IT BECAUSE AS YOU KNOW JAKE AND EDDIE ARE NOW ON THE SAME BASEBALL TEAM THE BUCKMAN BADGERS.WITH ALL OF THE TRICKS THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PLAYED THE ONLY, THE MOST HUMILIATING ONE IS BEING PLAYED NOW BY THE MALLOY SISTERS.WHILE THE BAKE SALE THAT MRS.HATFORD SIGNED UP FOR IS ON THE SAME DAY THE PLAYOFFS OF THE BUCKMAN BADGERS THE HATFORD FAMILY CHOOSES ONE PERSON IN THE FAMILY WHO DOESN'T VERY MUCH ENJOY BASEBALL,TO DO THE CHORES FOR MRS.HATFORD.CAROLINE DECIDES TO STAY WITH WALLY WHEN THEY GO .BUT WHAT HAPPENS.WHO IS IN CONTROL.THE BOYS OR THE GIRLS READ BOYS IN CONTROL TO FIND OUT.THE TITLE MAY NOT MEAN ANYTHING.

Fans of Phyllis Naylor's "Boys Against The Girls" series will delight in the new Boys In Control, which continues the saga of the Hatford boys and the Malloy girls at war. Here a thwarted baseball game turns into another competition between boys in girls in this story of war and underlying friendships, with more than a dash of humor.

Great book that brought back a lot of memories of faded Brooklyn Glory. Osborne captures the details of a summer in the minors leagues from the fresh cut grass of a new season to the hope of Major League stardom.

Warning: This book has a tendency to make the reader into a die hard Cyclones fan.

Great book. Loved the historical aspects, and the personal stories of the player and local kid. A great gift for father's day, espcially for anyone with Brooklyn roots or a love of baseball.

With Ben Osborne's newest book, The Brooklyn Cyclones, Hardball Dreams and the New Coney Island, baseball is displayed, honored, and celebrated in such a way that my "jones" for a bleacher seat, a dog and a draft has spiraled out of control. This tale of baseball's return to Brooklyn is much more than just an account of the 2001 season of the Mets' Single-A Brooklyn Cyclones. It is a socially in-depth look into baseballs' influence on not only a community (in this place, the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn), and the city of New York at large, but also on two specific individuals. The two featured in this beautifully crafted piece of work are contrasts in background and involvement with the club. The first featured character is catching prospect, Brett Kay. A native Californian, who had never stepped foot in the Big Apple prior, Kay brings a natural energy to the club, as well as a strong bat and solid defensive play behind the plate. As a single-A prospect, Kay like many others in his position, the Cyclones are the first step in his pursuit of his dream of one day playing in the bigs.
The second individual featured is 13-year old Coney Island resident, Anthony Otero Jr. A big fan of the game of baseball, Otero is the leader of a group of Coney teenagers, who in stark contrast to the borough's basketball history, enjoy using the blacktops for hardball instead of roundball. Living just 15 blocks from the site of KeySpan Park (the cyclone's beautiful boardwalk-side stadium), Osborne chronicles Otero's interest in the team, alongside his own aspirations of one day playing pro ball. Possibly the most intriguing portions of the book, are the historical sections which detail Brooklyn's rich baseball tradition with the Dodgers, the economic rise and fall of Coney Island, and finally ex-mayor, Rudy Guilani's attempt to use the genesis of the team as a cornerstone of his "legacy" as mayor.

In the end, this slice of Americana is truly an enjoyable read. A tale which intertwines many different faces of the American sports fan, from the prospect, to the fierce political leader, to the local kid from the projects. How these individuals affect and are ultimately affected by the team is the true story line. A couple years later, Kay puts it perfectly in the book's final thought, "that season in Brooklyn was something that I'll never experience again."

Ben Osborne's second book is a solid journalistic foray that delves into the political, regional, and economic contexts surrounding the return of professional baseball to the borough of Brooklyn 44 years after the Dodgers took off for California. The first season of the minor league Cyclones, an afiliate of the New York Mets, who play in the New York-Penn League, is recounted in detail through the eyes of Anthony Otero, a kid from the projects and Coney Island native who dreams of playing for the Yankees but had never been to a professional game before the Cyclones came to town and Brett Kay, a Californian catching prospect drafted by the Mets and farmed out to the Class A Cyclones to begin his big league career.

From the potitical manuevering of Rudy Giuliani to the construction of the incredible Keyspan Park at Coney Island to the season long sellout crowds Ben Osborne crafts a riviting story and fascinating read that encompasses both historical and cultural perspectives while exploring the media circus that followed the Cyclones in their inaugual season. The book is about more then just baseball. It's about the inner city struggle, big city politics, and hardball dreams. An accurate portrayal and intriguing analysis of the realities facing Brooklyn and Coney Island today.