Baseball Books

Without doubt the best baseball book I've read.
Every coach & parent should read this book.

I've read lots of books about coaching at all levels of baseball, but this is one book that I couldn't put down. It doesn't have any drills, but it does have great suggestions for selecting teams. More importantly, it tries to teach coaches and parents to be more mature and to think about the real lessons that we're teaching the kids on our teams (and that they can teach us).

If you coach a youth team in any sport you owe it to yourself and to your team to buy this book and read it.

Life Lessons From Little League Revisited: A Guide For Parents And Coaches is far more than a handbook for would-be Little League baseball coaches - it is also a parenting manual that draws directly from lessons learned in Little League to promote a balanced and nurturing parenting environment that helps a child live up to his or her potential. Chapters warn against harmful behaviors such as the "overachiever" parent, the "blame-it-all-know-it-all" parent, and the "unfulfilled" parent, discuss how to teach and promote harmony, and more. At the same time it embraces the dynamics of the responsibility of coaching a little league team, and prepares would-be coaches to avoid many possible pitfalls - as well as preparing parents to recognize a bad coach (bad defined as "a bad role model for the children") early on. Written in plain and simple terms, Life Lessons From Little League Revisited is enthusiastically recommended for anyone involved in the Little League scene, as it covers numerous common issues and pitfalls besetting anyone in charge of organizing and teaching young people to work as a team.

Baseball is a game. Too many parents and coaches forget this, but kids don't, unless someone - usually a grown-up - makes them think otherwise. I'm glad Mr. Fortanese shared his wisdom and his experience. There's not a single drill, no baseball playing tips, but this is easily the most important book I've read on coaching - and understanding - kids and baseball. I'm very disappointed it's not in print anymore, because I wanted to give it out as coaches' gifts. PLEASE reprint this, and thank you Mr. Fortanese!

I first purchased this book from the Al and Al Little League clinic. The author gives proceeds to help fund Little League clinics where money is in short supply. I figure, good cause, what the heck. It was like finding a a hidden treasure at a yard sale. Got half way through it and loaned it to our high school varsity football coach, who also coaches 7 and 8 year olds. He was equally impressed. He says it has even influenced how he relates to his high school football players. He gave a 5 minute commercial at our coaches meeting. Every coach left with a copy. I think it will turn out to be one of the best investments our league has ever made.

A John Irving-esque cast of colorful characters, ranging from drag queens to call girls to hard-drinking Irish reporters, with names like Buzz and Piper and Elvis, make this a fun Chicago mystery novel. This insistently Chicago story takes you on a crazed pub crawl from Ginger Man to Sheffield's to the Manhole, invoking, along the way, ghosts of Cubs past, like Kenny Hubbs, Tuffy Rhodes, and even ballgirl/Playmate Marla Collins. This goes down like your fifth after-the-game Honker's Ale.

Though based in a comfortable setting for Chicago familiar readers (bars, Cubs, Honker's Ale and a very, very large hole in the ground), Lost in the Ivy folds in intriguing characters and steamy romance to keep the reader on the edge as the mystery slowly unfolds. A great read further demonstrated by the amount of sleep I skipped to read it...

Genre: Mystery/ Fiction
Title: Lost in the Ivy
AUTHOR: Randy Richardson
Charley Hubbs arrives in Chicago carrying a lot of emotional baggage and without a job, a home or a friend. Fate directs him to the Ginger Man tavern where he meets Lizzy, the bartender and life gets instantly better for our dejected hero.

Soon he finds himself working for Buzz at the "Beat" as a court reporter and although Lizzy and Charley put their relationship on hold, things start to look better until he meets "Catwoman."

The next thing Charley knows "Catwoman" is found dead in a dumpster and Charley is arrested for the murder of his transvestite neighbor, Jimmy Dart. Things really begin to happen when Charley escapes from the courtroom in order to prove his innocence. While the present is pressing down on him like a vice, the past resurfaces to haunt him- Charley is in deep trouble.

Colorful, life like characters make this an enjoyable read that you do not want to put down. Set in Chicago's Wrigleyville, "baseball" references add just the right local flavor to set the stage. The plot moves along quickly but takes enough twists and turns to keep the reader on their toes.

First time author, Randy Richardson spent time as a newspaper reporter, lives in Illinois and is a die-hard Cubs fan. His life experiences added authenticity to his novel.

Recommended by Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.
Books may be purchased directly from the publisher and available on: www.amazon.com

Title: Lost in the Ivy
Author: Randy Richardson
Publisher: Publish America
ISBN: 1-4137-7750-3
Pages: 194
Price: $n/a

This book has it all, a love story, murder mystery and even sports trivia. I loved the way the story began with the judge in the chamber, and then flowed through to the big scene at the courthouse. The characters introduced in the beginning were very well developed as the book went on. The best part was that I had no inkling until the last chapter, who was actually doing what to whom. A true mystery and expertly written. I would reccomend this book to all of my friends, whether they are sports fans or not. A truly great read!

This is a great mystery. The story is suspenseful and it keeps you guessing. Like the other reviewers, I found it hard to put the book down. The writer does an excellent job of helping you visualize the settings and the characters. I love the Cub innuendos (i.e. reporter Grace Marks). Great book for the avid Cubs fan---I know there are a lot of you out there! When is the movie coming out? John Hughes can direct and I see John Cusack as Charley.

The New York Yankees are the most popular and successful franchise in major league baseball history. They have boasted such legendary performers as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Reggie Jackson. Those great players and teams can all be found in The New York Yankee Encyclopedia, the most complete record of Yankee baseball ever published.

An in-depth volume that include statistics on every Yankee player and manager, more than 250 classic photos, chapters on different Yankee eras, rivalries, ball parks, and much more

The New York Yankees are the most popular and successful franchise in major league baseball history. They have boasted such legendary performers as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Reggie Jackson. Those great players and teams can all be found in The New York Yankee Encyclopedia, the most complete record of Yankee baseball ever published. From their humble beginnings in 1903 as the Highlanders through nine decades of unforgettable players, teams, and classic games, noted baseball author and historian Harvey Frommer has compiled everything about the history and lore of this fabled club in the one book no true Yankee fan can afford to be without.

Here is the ultimate reference for baseball's most storied team.The "Bronx Bombers" have won 35 American League pennants and 24 World Series championships, and have boasted such legendary performers as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, and Reggie Jackson. 250 photos.

I bask in the loveliness of being the fan of the baseball team of the millenium! The Yankees have won for three consecutive years and there is no stopping them! I have Yankee fever. I like a book that describes the history of this amazing team and its past accomplishments. I marvel at the fact that so many great players have been part of this team. I also enjoyed reading the stats of past players and the rookies. This is a book that every Yankees' fan should own. Go Yankees!

I generally read only non-fiction, so I approached this book with some hesitation. But this is a fascinating story, quite moving and timely. The combination of history and baseball are so well integrated and the characters shine through all of it. Given the sorry state of baseball today, this story helps us remember what it was like in simpler days. At the same time, on the heels of an African American running for president, we are reminded of how far we have come and of the sacrifices and courage of those who came before. I recommend it highly and look forward to the sequel.

Richard Doster has a wonderful and accessible writing style. The dialogue is natural, intriguing, and compelling. You feel like you're at the warm sunny ball park. This book was just what I needed to satisfy my baseball craving in the Major League Baseball off-season. I can't wait for the sequel!

It's hard to believe this is Doster's first book. He has that rare ability to tell a story so well that it doesn't matter what its about. For example, instead of saying that a preacher is nervous and unsure of what to say, he writes: "...he ventured into the uncomfortable unknown, and had no idea of where he was leading. He cleared his throat, hesitated, looked down at the notes he didn't have..." WOW! There are countless other places throughout the book where Doster crafts the most enjoyable language to describe the events and characters. At one point I thought the only shortcoming of the book was that he had not fully developed the character of Percy Jackson, the black ballplayer. Then I realized that this was intentional as the story revolves around Percy, but is really about the other characters and how they react to an upheaval in the relationship between the races. The ending didn't let me down - no romanticized happily-ever-after or pandering tragedy. I'll buy the sequel the first day its out!

Safe at Home is by far my favorite fiction read of the year. I couldn't put it down!

Anyone who looks forward to the sports page and the baseball results each morning would enjoy this book. What is it about baseball that brings us together? Even something as vast as the racial divide can be breached by baseball. Great sports writers and great baseball broadcasters are vital parts of our childhood and the child in us that continues through sports into our adulthood. Safe at Home captures the truth and excitement that one can experience through baseball. It's well written; and you don't want to put it down.

Samurai Shortstop is a wonderful, but underappreciated tale about a boy and his love for baseball. Toyo, a 14 year-old boy is faced to grow up faster than he ever wanted to when his uncle committed seppuku, legal suicide in Japan. Everything has changed since the French Revolution, and now there are no more samurais, but now there is baseball, Toyo's favorite sport.
He has just now started the most prestigious school in Tokyo, which means new friends, bullies, and many more problems. He tries out for baseball and starts learning the way of samurai from his father. Toyo and his father never really understood each other, and now that his uncle has died, Toyo only has his friends to help him.

Toyo is a very smart person, and becomes a very good leader. Throughout the book everything that happens helps him, although it doesn't look like it all the time. Toyo starts to put his skill in the art of bushido, samurai fighting style, into baseball. My favorite part of the book is when he fights the older kid instead of letting them beat him up. I would recommend this book to students from 7th grade and up.
--Malik McKenzie

This is a story of a boy named Toyo Shimada. The time is set in Tokyo, 1890. Toyo is sent to a boarding school of a very high caliber, but after he arrives he sees how the upperclassmen treat the first years. To fit in, he joins the baseball team, a sport he loves. He wants to be shortstop, but until he becomes a "man" to the upperclassmen he is stuck in the outfield. He is enraged, but nevertheless he pushes through the tormenting and refuses to quit the baseball team. The only problem is his father, who is still using the ways of the samurai, or worrier. Toyo's father does not want him to play, unless Toyo can convince him otherwise. Other than that, his father has decided to teach him the ways of the warrior, or bushido. At first Toyo does not understand any of his bushido lessons, or why he has to do them, but over the course of the book he learns to use his bushido skills.
This book reminds me of a book called Dairy Queen. The story was about a girl, and football, not baseball, but in the end she overcomes many obstacles just like Toyo. In both books, the main focus is overcoming anything that comes your way. They are both also about standing up to important figures in there lives. It happens to be that in both books that person is their dad. Alan Gratz has written an enthralling tale.
I enjoyed the book, although it does have some pretty gruesome scenes. I liked reading it because you always want to see what Toyo will do next, what the other characters are going to say, or do. It also tells you a lot about what school was like back then, in Japan. It is a lot different from Americans school, and the year it takes place in really makes a difference. Overall, this is a great book and you should pick it up sometimes if you are looking for a great read.

Let me start off by saying this is the best book I have read. It is a very exciting book that keeps your attention throughout. It starts off by the Emperer allowing Toyo's Uncle to commit seppuku (suicide) instead of being killed by the government. Samurai Shortstop has a great mix of baseball and culture. You get to read a baseball story but at the sametime learn about their culture and beliefs. Toyo attends Ichiko which is a very big school that consists of only boys.

Ichiko's baseball team is run by the players themselves and when Toyo and a couple other first years want to join the team the have to prove that they are worthy. Toyo's friend Futoshi makes the team as the right fielder but Toyo has a little trouble making the team because Ichiko already has a shortstop. But when their shortstop gets thrown off the team Toyo found himself starting at shortstop. Toyo's father teaches trys to teach him bushido which is code by which Samurai lived but Toyo has trouble understanding it. Not until the end of the book when he has to help with his father's seppuku does he fully understand bushido. This is a wonderful book because it keeps you off balance and never knowing what is going to happen!

Kyle Walmer
Mrs. Bains 3rd block

It's 1890 and you're in Tokyo, Japan. Between classes in the most prestigious high school in town and baseball practice, you learn the old ways--the ways of the samurai. That's Toyo Shimada's life and we get the pleasure of going along for the ride thanks to Alan Gratz's brilliant story telling.


Toyo suffers from familiar teen angst: a parent who doesn't understand him and friends who try to understand him, but often fail. It's the core of most teen stories, but Toyo's world is changing. Old Japan is dying and a new Japan is rising.


His father represents the old Japan. When the emperor reforms their ancient military system and requires all samurai to hang up their swords, Toyo's family is caught in the middle. The opening scene, where Toyo and his father assist Toyo's uncle in seppuku, ritual suicide, is so intense that you'll wonder if Toyo's just having a bad dream.


Even though Toyo's father isn't samurai in the traditional sense, he too decides he can't live in the new Japan. He expects Toyo to assist him in seppuku, when the time comes. First, he must teach Toyo the ways of bushido, the warrior's code.


Between lessons and baseball practice, Toyo learns to meditate and use a sword--and worries about his father. When the time comes, will he have the courage to do what has to be done? Baseball is his passion, and as applies bushido to baseball, he comes to terms with the changing world around him and begins his journey into manhood.


Samurai Shortstop is the story of Toyo's search for his own path in a time of social change and family turmoil. Toyo's personal struggle is one all teens can appreciate. He struggles with peer pressure, studies, and parental control and expectations. Nineteenth century Japan comes alive and provides the color and unexpected tension that every good story needs.

Samurai Shortstop is about a 16-year old Japanese boy, Toyo. Right from the first sentence of the book it really grabs your attention. Toyo's uncle is preparing to commit sepukku. This is considered an honorable way to kill yourself in Japan. The story draws you into the life of Toyo and helps you to understand his relationship with his father and learning the art of bushido. He goes off to a private boarding school where he learns how to stand up for himself and fight off the seniors who are out to torture the first years. I liked this book because it combines the sport of baseball along with Toyo's high school experience in Japan. If you want to read a book that is hard to put down and will keep you intrigued until the very last page, then this is the book for you.

I grew up a Met fan in the 70's but his career in NY was a bit vague to me. I knew him better down the pike in Philly while unfortunately having to root against him. I learned so much about him while turning every page and he made me laugh and later brought me close to tears. The book was splended and showed many of his peaks and valleys, reminded me and informed me of his baseball career. Its often said that "this (one) is unique," but Tug truly was one-of-a-kind and apparently a joy to many. The adversity he experienced was wide-spread and unfortunately it may've trickled down to his children, specifically the now renown, Tim McGraw. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, especially those that knew him during his sports career; the final 100 pages were riveting as you get a front row seat at his final months riding a bad roller-coaster.

First off I will admit to no small amount of prejucice when it comes to this book. I have been a Phillies fan since the 1970's and was a huge fan of Tug Mc Graw's growing up. In saying this perhaps this book had a deeper effect on me than the average person as I was aware of a lot of the events that Tug relates in this narrative of his life. What I was not aware of was his incredible courage while he was fighting this illness and the amazing warmth and generosity of his son, C&W star Tim Mc Graw. I feel you have to have grown up as part of Tug's generation to understand his motivations and behaviors. I am not saying that excuses the mistakes he made but it did help me to understand the WHY of what he did. In addition it made me appreciate all the more the courage it took him to admit those mistakes and the effort he put forth trying to correct them. This is an extremely moving and emotional tale with tremendous highs and lows and should effect everyone who reads it. Also this is an incredibly honest insight into the psyche of professional athletes in the 70's and 80's. Highly recommended for its' passion and honesty.

Tug McGraw has had a shameful life story that not many people have known about. He had done some very bad things like neglecting his son, country singer Tim McGraw, because he refused to believe that he was his son. When he was dying he forgave everybody and was nice to all of his relatives, and admitted to all of the wrong things he did. He really showed that he was sorry for everything and he would have changed a lot if he could.

I was truly impressed by how he handled everything when he was dying. He is definitely an amazing man, in more than one way.

He had many family-related problems that he got through. He was a little crazy too, but a motivational speaker really got him to the World Series by telling him, "Ya Gotta Believe!"

Tug McGraw was a bonafide original. From his thigh slap to his screwball to his love of a good time, Tug did things his way. But as he says during the book, sometimes his way was the selfish way. The most compelling part of the book for me was him discussing his relationship with his son Tim. From refusing to acknowledge his fatherhood to completely ignoring him (other than one visit in Houston) to finally coming around and taking responsibilty for himself and his son.

That's a main theme in this book, taking responsibility. Unlike his ex-teammate Pete Rose who seemingly blamed everyone under the sun for his problems other than himself, Tug steps up and admits his mistakes. He says that he was not a good husband or father. He was determined not to make the same mistakes with his youngest son Matthew. His children all rallied around him as he battled brain cancer.

Sadly this story doesn't have a happy ending as Tug passes away in January of 2004, a month before this book was released. The final chapter of this book is very touching as Don Yaeger describes Tug's final days. This book shows that it's never too late to say you're sorry and it's never too late to make things right. An excellent book, highly recommended.

Wow! I'm not a baseball fan, or a Tug McGraw fan for that matter, but I read this book in a day. I love, love, love Tug's son Tim McGraw and it was amazing to read how Tug treated his children, Tim especially and they way Tim loved Tug so unconditionally-even paying for his medical bills, rent, furnishing a home for his father and spending hours on end just holding Tug's hand in Tug's final days. It makes me an even bigger fan of Tims. Tug's own childhood/family life was heartbreaking to read about, as well. The baseball parts were interesting, but not very exciting for me, as I am not a big fan of the sport, but baseball fans will definitely enjoy this book.
There are some great pictures in the book also.

In this age of video games and cartoons, its wonderful to see a room full of 80 second grade students fascinated for a full hour by Matt Travares reading his old fashioned tale about baseball and describing the writing process. No technology can replace the power of a good book!

The plot of ZACHARY'S BALL is basic enough: it tells the story of Zachary and his father attending a baseball game, Zachary's father catching a ball, and the dream that the young man has when he falls asleep. Tavaraes accomplishes three things in this book. First, he beautifully tells the story of a touching father/son memory. He also writes about his love of baseball. Perhaps the book's greatest accomplishment is the way in which he brings Fenway Park and the Red Sox to life. The Red Sox are one of the more magical and mythical teams in baseball and fit well into Tavares' tale.

Young readers will love the book, but it will definitely touch a chord with Red Sox fans young and old.

Like all good baseball stories, this one is a little corny. The somewhat smarmy illustrations tell a story better appreciated by adults than by kids, about nostalgia and Fenway Park. This book is sure to be most popular in the Boston area, but all baseball fans may enjoy its hopeful tone.

Matt has captured the magic of attending a game at Fenway Park in splendid fashion. It brought back warm memories of attending my first Red Sox game with my father almost 25 years ago. With a sweet story and the amazing drawings, this is a must-read book for any young kid. It will surely start a love affair with the game of baseball.

I often read these reviews, but I've never written one before... I got this for my 4 1/2 year old boy and he loves it. I'm not a big baseball fan, but I get choked up every time I read "Zachary' Ball." I've just ordered more copies to have on hand for gifts. The sense of innocence, magic and timelessness remind me of "The Polar Express." I look forward to more from Matt Tavares.

Gene Wojciechowski hits a home run with this novel. His humor and behind the scenes realism make this book a very entertaining and enjoyable read. A must for any baseball or sports fan.

The fastest read of my life. This book flowed so well I had to stop myself from sneaking ahead. Wojciechowski has a gift that he must share again and again. Like I said, gimme more.

Wojciechowski does a great job of capturing the flavor of the less glamorous aspects of sportswriting and that's the book's strong point.

Some of the humor involving the baseball players may be a bit crude for some, but that's not too far from the way players act.

I'm not from Chicago, but I can almost feel that city's presence in every page of the book, even when the action shifts to Mesa.

Gene has grabbed the world of baseball the way no one else has in a long time. This book is outstanding and should be a must for all baseball or for that matter sports junkies. Way to go Gene and keep it up

Being a lifelong Cubs fan, I've grown to hate sportswriters since all they do is tell me how bad my Cubs are. Well, I finally found a sportswriter I like and can relate to in Joe Riley. Riley's adventures are great and there are scenes that are just laugh out loud funny. I know Wojociechowski covered the Cubs for awhile and his knowledge and passion of the game comes through in the locker room and baseball scenes. This is a great read for any baseball fan, but a MUST read for Cubs fans.

Originally found this book lying around in a dusty drawer, but was thoroughly entertained by it from beginning to end. Very easy reading and it's fun going back to it over and over and over. Really makes me wish there was a Louise Gehrig out there somewhere.

This book was not only incredible but an inspriration to me, before I left for school and began playing college softball! This book isn't just for atheletes though, my best friend who is the polar opposite of an athelete love this book as well.I would suggest this book to anyone who loves sports,The Yankees, Billie Holiday, or even loves to read.

Where does he get it? Louise Gehrig is an amazing heroine, and the Manhattan Meteorites are my second favorite team, right after the Mets.

You can tell from "Balls" that Gorman Bechard is a New York Mets fanatic. But I'll forgive him, 'cause the guy writes one heckuva a novel. His lovably loopy story of the first female professional baseballer has a ring of truth, most notably in terms of his view of expansion; the league he concocted back in the early `90s bears a startling similarity to the overstuffed Major League of 1999. If only Mr. Bechard would accept the fact that the Cubs are infinitely superior to his beloved Metsies, I think he'll be just fine...

Not only did the author create an interesting set of characters, but he also created a fully realized vision of baseball in the year 2000 (this was written in 1995). Yogi Berra and Hank Aaron as league presidents; new teams added and others in different cities; standings for all of the teams; and best of all... Baseball Commissioner Dan Quayle.

The book mixes baseball with speculative fiction, a little romance, and some suspense.

A winner all around

Here's a little time travel for you. I first got my hands on this book when I was a little baseball-loving kid, back in 1974. This book scared the hell out of me back then.

Thirty years later it turned up again, and this time it blew my mind. It's one of the most creative, touching, thoughtful, mildly mean-spirited works of literature I've ever come across (And I read books for a living.)

Here's the backstory on the book. It's the early 1970's in Boston, and two witty, profound, slightly geeky local bookstore employees decide to rummage through their childhood baseball-card collections and write a book about their love of the game. Please note: this book **isn't** about baseball or even about baseball cards (here I'm citing the authors in their preface), it's a book about childhood as recalled through the prism of baseball cards.

This book isn't for everyone. It's for grown-up men who loved baseball as boys, weren't very good at it (as the authors admit about themselves), and were probably picked near the end in gym class when teams were being chosen.

This book is probably best (and most mind-blowing) for people who grew up during the late 1950's and early 1960's, as the authors did. But the generations of childhood baseball fans ever since will also find great pleasure in this entirely irreverent and clever book.

"GOOD NIGHT, SIBBI SISTI, WHEREVER YOU ARE." When I read this line in the book back in 1974, it gave me the willies. Now I just grin.

Beautiful, brilliant and witty. Once you have the book, you'll never forget it, and you'll probably keep wanting to show parts of it to fellow fans. However, in the name of humor, the book is a little cruel to some players -- for example, "Hal Griggs was to pitching as Wayne Causey was to hitting -- that is to say, nothing." Even as a kid I was made uncomfortable by things like that. But, some of those things, I just LOVED, like the teasing about how ugly Don Mossi was and about how lousy a hitter Hank Aguirre was ("...I mean to tell you, he couldn't even come close..."). So, where should they have drawn the line? Heck if I know. Also, the book seems to show a bias toward players from Boston and Philadelphia, giving them more space than they deserve, and a lot more kindness. But actually I enjoyed that, since, as a New Yorker, I've always been embarrassed about the disproportionate attention that is usually given to the Yanks and Mets. It's nice to see a couple of other towns getting their turn.

I received this as a Christmas gift one year and was initially disappointed. I had only heard of a few of the guys that were showed on the cards and I set it aside, figuring on sticking it up on my bookshelf with the other boring books that I had and never bothered with. Several days after Christmas we went on the annual family gift return, a day I truly hated. In desperation I grabbed this book off of my pile and took my accustomed place in the back of the station wagon. For the rest of that day and night the only time I put the book down was to eat, and then only briefly. This is a completely irreverent look at baseball as a whole, and the thing that really sealed the deal for me was the card of Whammy Douglas and the comments made by the author. I tried to get my dad to read it because I figured he would get more out of it than I did, (I'm 41 and consider myself to be on the trailing edge of those who might "get it",) but he wasn't interested. Maybe I'll try again. This book might have a limited range of interest, but if you have fond memories of baseball in the 50's and 60's, I think you'll fall right into that range.

This book is a treasure. I think if I had to pack one bag of books for a long stay on a desert island, this would be one of the first ones included. Like one of the other reviewers, I have worn out more than one copy and find myself puzzled why it's been allowed to go out of print.

"The Great American Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Card Book" has three principal sections. The first, "Where Have You Gone VINCE DiMaggio" is a warm and very witty recollection of the co-author's childhoods in the 1950s and the central role that baseball cards played in them. Part two, "This Kid Is Going To Make It," is a look at how the baseball card business operated circa 1973, the date of the book's original publication.

As entertaining as these openers are, the best (and largest) part of the book is the one simply called "Profiles." Reproduced in full color are hundreds of cards from the early 1950s to the late 1960s, accompanied by the author's observations about the players immortalized on them. You'll find greats on these pages, like Richie Ashburn, Stan Musial and Ted Williams...but the real joy is the rediscovery of the men on the fringes of the game's glory...."immortals" like Chris Cannizzaro, Frank Leja, Foster Castleman, Clyde Kluttz and Coot Veal. It's tempting to quote from the book at length, but that would spoil the fun. Just to give you a sense of the flavor though, I opened at random to the page featuring Hector Lopez, poor-fielding third baseman for the Yankees and Kansas City A's. After judging Lopez not to be just a bad fielding third baseman for a baseball player, but for a human being, they declare, he did not "simply field a ground ball, he attacked it. Like a farmer trying to kill a snake with a stick."

This is a wonderful book for any baseball fan, and should especially be treasured on those short, cold winter days when the crack of the bat and the warm blue skies and green grass of summer seem oh-so-far away.--William C. Hall

Each of us occasionally has experiences that are so vivid that they make immediate and permanent imprints upon the memory. For example, I can still remember my excited first day of kindergarten, as well as my first glimpse of Three Rivers stadium, as our family car approached it along the jumbled, congested streets of the North Side.

Believe it or not, I can similarly remember my first experiences reading this book, as though they were yesterday. I was in grad school in California, and a friend was visiting me with this book in tow. As he spread out a sleeping bag and nodded off to sleep, I curled up with his magnificent book. I can still picture that entire scene, my old apartment as it was then, and even one particular page on which I lingered in fascination (the Joe Fornieles profile.) The feeling of reading it was that electric, that hyper-engaging.

A book has got to be good if reading it is remembered as a formative experience.

Let me try another way to explain how much I loved this book. When I couldn't find this book anywhere (it being out of print), I directed a nationwide book search to try to find it for me. They did, a flawless hardback edition that I still treasure, and still maintain in carefully guarded, pristine condition. Mind you, I was a starving grad student when I did this, and could hardly afford such luxuries.

As you can see from the other reviews below, this book takes that type of hold on those who love it.

There are three major sections in this book; one covering the sensory atmosphere of a 1950s suburban childhood, one on the baseball card industry as it existed in 1973, and one a series of profiles of players as depicted on samples from the authors' baseball card collection. The first and third of these are the great ones.

I adore the opening chapter, which brought childhood back to me even though I didn't grow up in the same era as the authors. But some things are universal I guess, including the way that childhood memories exist as scraps and floating debris of the odd popular cultures through which we guide our children.

Boyd and Harris's childhood world will be recognizable to anyone who grew up in America -- a world of advertising jingles, cap guns, yo-yos, Pez, and of course, baseball cards. A time cycle in which the kids learn to break down the interminable flow of their school year according to the changing weather, the holidays and favorite activities of each mini-season. And even those of us whose childhoods weren't so innocent nevertheless cling to those small fragments of memory of a time when we had no responsibilities and the world was a fascinating and wondrous place. I once wrote a newspaper review of this book in which I referred to this opening chapter as Marcel Proust in Levittown, and I think it still fits.

But the real core of the book is the "Profiles" section. This is a procession of baseball cards, one after another, two per page, each of which triggers a particular set of memories from the authors. Many of these, if not most, are really funny. But others are poignant.

Not all of the little capsule profiles are about the players themselves. Sometimes the authors take the opportunity to laugh over the baseball card itself -- a goofy pose, a bad airbrushing job, an inexplicable caption, an ill-considered description on the back.

It's an exquisite feeling, thumbing through their card collection with them. You feel the pang of reverence for the Ted Williams card. You snicker over Choo-Choo Coleman and the lousy catchers collected by the New York Mets. You ponder how it could be that Charlie Smith was traded straight up for Roger Maris. You nod knowingly over the author's continual confusion of Mike de la Hoz and Bob del Greco.

The visual design of the book is central to its power, which is why I particularly treasure my hardback edition. One page of umpire cards has a colored backround on which is stamped,simply, "Boo, Boo, Boo, Boo. . ." A page with the cards of Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente contains no commentary, just a respectful black background (each had recently passed at the time of the book's original publication.)

Somehow it all seems to mean something, even without seeming to try to mean anything. And therein lies the book's genius.

I know of no other baseball book like this one. It defies categorization, and despite my poor effort above, it really defies description. Buy it, hide it, shut the door and turn out the world, savor it, ponder it, laugh at it, love it.

Have a good time. It's meant to be fun, you know. Let's play two.