Teams Books

After researching Connie Mack for more than 20 years, author Norman Macht definitely knows his subject. Macht masterfully weaves the story of Mack and the early years of baseball in this 675-page biography, which covers the time from Mack's birth in 1862 through 1914.

Mack is the ideal subject to use to tell about baseball's early years because he was involved, in one way or another, in virtually every development. Macht chronicles Mack's childhood, his family, his days as a player and manager.

Macht spends much of the first part of the book dispelling myths about baseball's early years and Mack.

As a catcher, Mack was underrated. Writer Hugh Fullerton described him as a "better hitter than credited and dangerous in the pinch. He was a perfect backstop; cool, unhurried, deadly in throwing."

Wilbert Robinson called him "a little tin god behind the plate."

Macht writes that "It's difficult to reconcile the later image of Mack the public remembers--dignified, kind and soft-spoken--with the sharp-tongued, hot-headed manager of the 1890s, which he was."

Macht does an excellent job of capturing what the times were like, both on and off the field. A reader will learn a lot about the issues of the times and how the rules changed during baseball's early years.

Macht is extremely knowledgeable about the personalities of the players associated with Mack. He has a habit of adding little details, insight and color that bring the players to life. He does the same with Mack's family life. You truly feel you are in Mack's shoes.

While Macht is a noted baseball historian, he is also an excellent writer. He avoids the pitfall of getting bogged down in too many details, and he tells the story in an easy-to-read manner.

Although Macht explains why his book doesn't have a bibliography or footnotes, their absence is disappointing, particularly since Macht is a baseball historian.

Macht plans a second volume which will cover 1915 through Mack's death.

Mr. Macht has done a scholarly job. This biography is thoroughly researched and presented in a style that is organized and interesting. Mr. Macht probes not only the business and baseball facets of Connie Mack, but includes the portions of Mack's personal and private life that contribute to a greater understanding of the man and the time. For those who enjoy baseball within a cultural and historical context, this is a delight.

This reviewer gives Mr. Macht's book on Connie Mack five stars. . .not for
the author but to honor the subject of this book. In all the years that
this legend of baseball was part of my family's life, I never heard him
utter an unkind word or anything approaching profanity. The A's had
their ups and downs and, in the down times, Uncle Con had no choice but
to trade some of his stars so that the club itself might survive. Uncle
Con was a loving and generous gentleman, adored by his children, grand-
children, great-grandchildren, and now another Connie Mack, the FIFTH, has joined the family. The Philadelphia A's are memorable for their
nine pennants and five world series championships. Readers: Kindly note
that the five stars are for Connie Mack, not for Norman L. Macht.

This book brings to light of the early struggles of Baseball and maybe the basis for the future establishment of the current players union. In the early days the owners had all the control. Billy Beane of the Oakland A's is not the original trader of A's players, Connie Mack long ago started that tradition. The problem with this exhaustive book on the early years of this Baseball legend is that it begs for more. What interesting stories are there for those bad teams in his final years when he had very little talent and no superstars. This is a great book but remember it doesn't tell the whole story of the legend Connie Mack.

This trove of valuable information and entertaining stories is must-read material for those who want to know about the old Philadelphia Athletics and Connie Mack's pre-eminent role in baseball history. A salient and exhaustive examination of the teams he built and the dynasty he started, this book was written with an authority only Norman Macht could have brought to the task.

A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

I felt this book was a valuable source of information. I needed a brief account on the necessary components on being a successful and effective team leader. This book led me from step to step on how to go about learning how to be a successful team manager. It included the basic know-how of team leadership, like being prepared and posing crucial questions to the team. However, it also went in-depth into the necessary skills needed in order to manage a goal-oriented group. I felt that this book not only acknowledged how to plan for a discussion, but it also looked at the real truth that can come up in group discussion. It analyzed the ins and outs of a group dynamic and even suggested ways of combating difficulties that arise in the process. The authors, Donald Hackett and Charles L. Martin, have a style of writing that is efficient, easy to grasp, and sensible. They were able to provide a step by step analysis on what it takes to be a valuable facilitator, but also the things that come up that leaders need to deal with carefully. Their topic ranges from the basic start of what a facilitator is to what skills a team leader needs. Then they consistently maintain this vision of how an effective leader can lead the group to a successful completion of the task. I enjoyed reading this book, because it not only opened my eyes to how I see leaders perform in groups I have been involved in, but I also know now how to be a successful facilitator in groups that I may choose to lead in the future. I can know use these suggestions and techniques to really drive a team into successful task completion. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has thought about leading a team in group discussion. The authors' simple, to the point style of writing, including examples and suggestions, made for a delightful read. I enjoyed reading this book as much I enjoyed learning from it as well.

A wonderful book for a person whose new to facilitating teams. The writing is in language that's very easy to understand, and the concepts are presented clearly. The book takes the reader on a step by step progression of the processes and tools required to help meetings be productive and efficient. Cudos to the authors, who created a wonderful and effective tool.

This excellent book provides a simple overview of the skills and tools needed when getting a group to work on a problem. Nothing is covered in depth, however I did not think that was the purpose. This books starts a learning process which people can take further if needed. The sytle is light and it has been written to maintain the readers interest. It adequately covers concepts, communication (questioning, body language, etc) and some simple tools with easy to understand examples. Most impressive was the straight forward treatment of writing a process map to identify and deal with problems.

There are a plethora of books in the broad space of interpersonal learning and development. I am always wondering which ones I can recommend to friends and clients. But now Diana McLain Smith's is clearly top of my list. It pulls together in a new way all the best recent thinking in the fields of interpersonal behaviour, organisational learning, productive communications, and individual leadership. And it does so by providing it all with a distinctive and original focus - that of the importance of relationships. Ms Smith demonstrates convincingly that all the other approaches to improving our interactions with each other are incomplete (at best!) without the focus on what builds and sustains healthy relationships. This is also a fun and practical book. Highly recommended!

I dropped this book into my carry-on last week, and proceeded to read the entire thing over a day and a half. Smith has done a masterful job of making complex relationship dynamics and the impact they have on business decisions and management clear. In each chapter you get absorbed in the story of the working relationships at the center of the (real life) vignette, yet can track the points she is making and where you are in her framework via box diagrams along the way. Oh, and found myself laughing out loud periodically, prompting quizzical looks from other passengers in business class.

Immediately useful - a must for anyone's shelf.

This smart, perceptive and original book is truly a "must read". Diana McLain Smith has written a book that explains how to make -- and remake -- relationships that thrive. This book redefines relationships as the key leverage point in organizations. Most books that offer this level of business sophistication are best appreciated by the traditional business audience. Divide or Conquer has crossover written all over it. Read it and see.

For anyone who has ever wondered with an element of despair, "will my relationship with my boss/colleague/team member ever change, improve, become less fraught?!" - this is the book for you! This book is a fantastic resource for anyone who wants to figure out how to make their most critical relationships at work actually work. What I love about it is that it shows very clearly what can get in the way, and demonstrates how to shift typical ways of interacting. It is both practical and provides a framework for thinking.

What a valuable book! With some fascinating vignettes (Apple's Scully and Jobs is one example), one understands how key relationships can make or break a company. Then you learn how to actually affect those relationships to ensure a company's success. This book will teach you how to improve all your important relationships. You'll learn to get curious about why someone might react a certain way, slow down the interactions, and find out why by having a productive conversation. The relationship transforms--people learn to care about and trust each other. They learn to find out what's going on instead of acting upon their own assumptions, which are usually wrong and often unconscious. I've already seen this start to happen in some of my own relationships with colleagues and family members, thanks to Smith's amazing insight, research and wisdom.

The End of Baseball is a wonderful baseball novel, one that combines a rich history of the game with an intriguing look at one of the more controversial periods in our nation's favorite past-time. The author does a great job of bringing to life these characters and their very intriguing circumstances.

I am not a baseball fan or what you would call a sports fan by any stretch of the imagination, but Peter Schilling's "The End of Baseball" is one of the most enjoyable pieces of fiction I have read in many years.

Mr. Schilling knows how to engage his reader with detailed characterizations that enable his characters to escape their paper home and emerge from the pages as human beings that make you both laugh and cry -- and that's just what I found myself doing.

Mr. Schilling does not talk down to his audience and his plot advances with subtlety and suspense. The story unfolds with many surprises, heartbreaks, and hurrahs.

There are no gimmicks or mechanical gods to save the day in "The End of Baseball". Only genuine people trying to live through extraordinary circumstances.

I give it my highest recommendation.

Peter Schilling brings back the game of baseball complete with the personalities, the idiosyncrasies, the after hours stories and all of the fun that this sport once had. This is an amazing novel that just sucks you in and doesn't let go. I couldn't wait to find time every day to continue my reading. It is somewhat unique in its use of historic information and mixing of baseball story fiction. In it, Schilling has captured an era in the sport just as African Americans are beginning to be "allowed" into the game. But in this story, not just one Black ballplayer is in the Majors, an entire team is being moved up.

Schilling has written an enjoyable and moving story that shows many of the great Negro League players coming together and playing in the Major Leagues on the same team: Josh Gibson and Satchel Paige among them. The antics of Bill Veech Jr. contribute to the main storyline and how the difficulties from the all White league and their overbearing Commissioner continually throw up barriers to the entry of this special team on the hallowed Fields.

In addition to the game of baseball, the societal ills of the general population and the mind games of J Edgar Hoover, himself, are all part of the plot. This is a slice of Americana; America going through the pain of WWII with their boys of summer as their only distraction. Only this summer has the potential of bringing out real change for the sport. Bill Veech, Jr., is the man trying against all odds, fictitious and historic, to keep the team together against the powers of baseball and others desperately trying to keep the status quo. This is a baseball story for the ages. A terrifically different novel for anyone tired of the same old stuff.

I was amazed at how perfectly interwoven truth and fiction were done by Schilling. The character studies are on target and made a part of the story blurring the lines of fact and fiction like nothing I'd ever read in the world of baseball writing. The ending is beautiful and fulfilling. I am giving it my hearty recommendation of 5 stars. There just isn't much not to like.

This book has it all: the high drama of a "what if?" season of baseball, historical cameos, and real social commentary. If you're looking for an always-entertaining page turner, look no further. The End of Baseball simulates what it's like to be swept up in a particularly thrilling baseball season in 1943, and reading it is like having a spot in the bleachers to watch the team that almost was. It has subtle character studies, and closely observed details that summon up that time and place: America as a country in the midst of WWII, the African American baseball community prior to Civil Rights. It will keep you up nights reading!

Peter Schilling, Jr.'s inventive novel "The End of Baseball" describes a mesmerizing 1944 baseball season that might have been - if Bill Veeck had been able to purchase a major league team and recruit an entire team of Negro Leaguer stars.

Veeck loses a leg at Guadalcanal. Before enlisting in the Marines, he had been a successful minor league baseball team owner whose innovative promotions lured fans to the ballpark and whose competitive teams kept them coming back for more.

In "The End of Baseball," Veeck returns to civilian life and purchases the Philadelphia Athletics. He turns the ball club into an instant contender by secretly signing Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Oscar Charleston, Buck Leonard, Cool Papa Bell, Willie Wells, Roy Campanella, and other Negro League stars.

The book contains many poignant moments on and off the field. To his credit - and to our good fortune! -- Schilling provides the historical and social perspective the story demands. He captures the essence of the men and the game they play for life and, perhaps, death.

In real life, Veeck owned the Cleveland Indians and signed the American League's first black player, Larry Doby, and also Satchel Paige. He had less talent to work with on his St. Louis Browns ball club, so he grabbed the spotlight by sending a midget to the plate. When he owned the Chicago White Sox, Veeck put player names on the backs of uniforms and introduced the exploding scoreboard. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1989.

If you enjoyed The First Team, you will surely also enjoy Taylor Caldwell's The Devil's Advocate. It's another good story about an American underground/resistance movement, in America, after a take-over by a hostile government.

When you read about the underground during the wars in Europe, it is hard to believe that any country could of won without it. The USA is not so big that it can not be taken down due to a lacked government. I would hope that the USA has something and someone intelligent enough to think ahead and prepare for the weak and inadaquate times to come. I thought that this book had a scary feeling of realism intertwined with fiction.

John Ball, best known for In The Heat Of The Night, creates a gripping political tale which opens with Russia having taken over the political machinery of the USA. The story tells of the struggle of a group of American heroes who plot to take back the control from the Russians and restore the political structure as it was.

In the tradition of In The Heat Of The Night, Mr. Ball creates heroic, believable characters which made this reader wish he could meet them.

A stirring but believable pre-Reagan cold war thriller. A lame duck President is soon to be replaced by a liberal who campaigned on the promise to unilaterally disarm and achieve peace with the USSR by whatever means necessary. The outgoing President establishes a super-secret "First Team" to form the framework of resistance. Our story begins as the Soviet occupation troops land on American shores...

I had read The First Team when I was a kid in Jr. High School - my dad bought these books, and I wondered what kept him up at night. When I read this paranoid Soviets-Invade-America thriller, I was completely enthralled by the detail, the character of Hewlitt, and the theme. This was indeed pre-Reagan times, America looked like it very well could die, and we were looking for heroes. We got one in Hewlitt, and as much as I like Tom Clancy's early books, this book is every bit as good as "The Hunt for Red October" (did Clancy "borrow" the idea from Ball?) and "Cardinal of the Kremlin." It is sadly out of print, but it deserves re-release as a historical political thriller (along with "The Jesus Factor" by Edwin Corley and the books of Fletcher Knebal). I recently ordered this out-of-print book from Amazon, and received, oddly enough, a British version of the book, complete with spelling changes to British-English! Nonetheless, I found myself once again engaged in this book, and I literally stayed up all night to finish it. The quaint sexism and Ball's restrained sex scenes are charming to 1999 sensibilities, and the theme of the USSR invading America without a shot seems incredibly anachronistic and unlikely - but the main idea that constant vigilance is the price of liberty remains as cogent today as then. I thank Amazon Books for finding this book for me in great condition, and will treasure it! And no, I don't get paid to say that - no one can buy me.

I wonder if John Ball is alive today. I'd love to option the book to make this into a film. I'd cast Donna Murphy as Barbara Stoneham, Val Kilmer as Percival, Danny Glover as Frank Jordan, Will Smith as Davy, and perhaps Alec Baldwin or Tim Matheson as Raleigh Hewlitt, the heroic Russian Language translator of the White House staff. Adm. Barney Haymarket could be played by James Earl Jones or even John Vernon (against type), and Zalinsky - ah, someone with a REAL Russian accent, cold as steel. Col. Rostovich needs an evil, vicious character actor, perhaps Rutger Hauer.

Does anyone know if John Dudley Ball, author of "In the Heat of the Night" and "The First Team", is still alive?

Jim Paluch has written a part novel, part self-help book that even the most stubborn of readers would have trouble putting it down. It tells the story of Eric Carlton and what happens when he is forced through sheer exhaustion to stop working and is faced with the most important project in his life that he had long ago forgot to complete: a book examine the "5 Important Things". The transformation that he and his family goes through is amazing, and should inspire all who read this book to evaluate just how well they are doing to follow the principals thought :Continuing to Learn, Appreciating People, Attitude, Setting Goals, and Not Quitting

I have no doubt that any author of self help books, including Jim, will agree with me that regardless of the limitless amount of self help books out there, they are all useless unless APPLIED - including this one.

You can get caught up with the character in this story-Eric Carlton- and learn how he progresses through learning the 5 important things: Continuing to Learn, Appreciating People, Attitude, Setting Goals, and Not Quitting (i.e. following through till completion). However, the story is not about Eric, it's about YOU. It's not about how he changes; it's about how YOU change.

We at LifeApps! at Yahoogroups are constantly looking to how to apply the concepts that are brought up in these wonderful books. Are you ready to transform and APPLY the concepts that are in this book? If you are then welcome on the journey that millions have taken and have enjoyed, you will not regret it. Don't apply it and all you would have done is to have read another book. This can be either a ho-hum experience, or a major positive life changing experience. How do you want to use it? YOu have the tools with this book, use it wisely, but USE IT! DO IT NOW!

Five Important Things is more than five important things. It is the most important five things that anyone needs to know to be a more effective and loved person. It's energizing to read and difficult to read slow. I found myself going back and re-reading just to absorb and bask in the thoughts several times as I raced through. I bought several copies to have on hand for gifts throughout the year.

A fantastic novel that pulls the reader along with suspense and a unique storyline. A must-read for any young (or old) person preparing for a successful career!

This is a well written book. It is a short novel but is PACKED with so much information. It speaks of the "5 Important Things" but intertwined throughout are themes of perseverance, family, commitment, and most important FOCUS!! This is a GREAT book for anyone who wants to make a DREAM reality!

The concept of raising my own support is very scary; this book really gave me some practical advice and encouragement to get started.

the book gives great advice in all aspects of support raising. i find it very helpful.

If you are raising support or are getting ready to. This book is a must have. My wife and I have recently got this book and it is revolutionaling the way we view support raising. It not only goes into the biblical and theological purposes for raising support but also gives practical how to dos on raising support. This book has changed how me and my wife do it and I know it will change yours. Spend the 8 bucks and make a very worth while investment that will benifit you the rest of your life! God Bless and go reach the world!

I was recommended to read this, (borrowed it from a friend) to assist in my support-raising ... not even halfway through, i have already seen the truths of what she talks about, many of the points she makes are ones that I have had to learn already. Very much recommended for anyone starting out who needs some good advice or encouragement.
I have bought my own copy of the book and plan to take it with me on the mission field for its reminders of God's promises, support-raising tips, and uplifting stories that confirm my own experiences.
Get a copy for your church, yourself or any friends who rely on God's use of other people to supply for ministry expenses.

www.missionarygirl.org

Thanks to Betty Barnett for her excellent book on personal support raising. Her emphasis on trusting God and building relationships with donors is right on. When raising support, it is all about sharing your vision and life, and Betty helps us understand how to do both. Thanks Betty!

This is a truly moving, inspirational and heartrendering book. It reads like a Greek Tragedy, but is so real because the Authors were there. Written by Mickey's wife Merlyn, and his 3 surviving sons, it is by far the most honest work regarding Mickey. This book is so much more important that that trashy, tabloid like "Mickey Mantle: America's Prodigal Son" by Tony Castro, that I would suggest you never bother with that thing. Besides, Castro took most of his book directly from this one.

This story is also one of the finest studies of the dysfunction in an alcoholic family, with all the roles being lived out and understood by the participants. These are real, caring and heroic people, not because of baseball, but because they became winners in life by facing their problems together. A great, great book!

Mickey Mantle's wife, Merlyn, and their sons tell the unique and inspirational story of their very separate, often harrowing private lives with the husband and father that was there for them through their lives before cancer took him away. Merlyn and the boys discuss how the effects of alcohol and the spotlight of fame play a role on him and how they all came to be. Merlyn talks about Mickey Mantle the most because they were the closest, and she discusses what she went through as a wife and as a mother. The boys tell their vivid stories of what they can remember while the father was emotionally and physically absent. The dexterous Mickey, played ball everyday and is still a very well-known name in the histroy of baseball. This story explains his lief and career while alcohol impacted himself physically, hi gamily, and his life mentally. It also touches base on his career achievements and how he became the amazing Mickey Mantle.

I have read several books on Mickey Mantle and this one is one of the best. Mickey's story is one of the best in baseball and he remains one of the most popular players in history. This book is an excellent look at the effects of fame and alcohol on the family and how the family members came to grips with things. The stories presented here are told by his wife Merlyn and his sons. Through his family, Mickey's story lives on and he continues to inspire us.

I'm only 13, and Mickey Mantle is my favorite baseball player to live. I have read about 6 books on the "Commerce Comet" and this book is exceptional. In the first chapter the Mick talks about his alchohol abuse. Then Marilyn talks about her highschool sweetheart. This is a great book.

I have read most of the books written by Mickey and when I picked this one up I was not quite ready for it's contents. The first chapter, written by Mickey himself address his views on his alcoholism and subsequent recovery.

The following chapters by Merlyn and one by each of his surviving sons was indeed an eye openner into his private life. A lot of information I had not known before was given first hand by his family members.

It took a great deal of courage on their parts to put this book into print and although their lives were not what we might have imagined, it still showed Mick's heart felt side and the love he held for his family and the respect and love they hold for an American Icon.

A must reading for Mantle fans and a true story of courage.

I was already a huge fan of Rebecca Lobo before reading this book. 'The Home Team' gives you a look into the lives of Rebecca and Ruthann Lobo. It's such a real look at how their lives truly are and how much they love each other. After reading this book I was blown away by the courage both of these amazing women have shown in thier lives.

I had the opportunity to meet the Lobos at a seminar, and they are as congenial in person as they appear in this fantastic book. Each personal chapter of this narrative made me feel like I was almost a part of the Lobo family. I liked reading about how Rebecca and her brother and sister grew up, what it was like to be part of a team as tight as the Huskies, and how the family dealt with RuthAnn's cancer. I have read this book over and over, and my mother and grandmother both love it as well. It is definitely worth sharing!

Very well written and inspiring. Surviving with strength and heart to carry her family, Mrs. Lobo is amazing! Rebecca's tales of life and the heart ache of her moms struggle with breast cancer. They stuck together and beat it out! WAY TO GO MRS. & MS. LOBO!!!

I really love this book! I did not want to put it down. A couple of reasons I love the book is because now I know she was a normal child once and she did'nt always play basketball. I also liked it because her mom talked about her life. Now I know they had problems just like any other family does.

This book is a must read for all WNBA fans. Rebecca Lobo's life is revealed in many aspects, that of her point of view and her mother. It talks about many issues such as Ruthanne's struggle with breast cancer and how the family dealt with it. As a 15 year old girl, reading is not one of my favorite pastimes. When I heard of a book about my idol Rebecca Lobo, I decided maybe I should give reading a try. I finished the story in a total of two days and found myself waking up in the middle of the night wanting to know what was going to happen next. It is an extremely moving book in which I fould that it was very easy to relate to. As a basketball player, some of Rebecca Lobo's theories such as playing basketball to relive stress and cope with problems I use also. It gave a new perspective to why I am two different people a hustler and leader on the court and a shy and proscinator off of it. Athlete or not, this book will get you moving. It will leave the message in your heard that anything is possible and it will help you to get out and reach that goal that you have been striving for.

This is a great book all fans of UNC basketball will enjoy. Jimmy does a great job of sharing an "inside" look of that championship team!

super insider information gives a real life perspective to players and team--great book for UNC and basketball enthusiasts

This is a great book for Tar Heel fans everywhere who are old enough to remember that magical year 1982 when the Tar Heels captured Dean Smith's first National Championship. Great stories and memories from a great player who many of us think was the driving force behind that Championship. If you are a Tar Heel fan and 1982 was one of those great years for you and you have not read this book, then buy it and read it right now!!

If you graduated from UNC in 1982, this is second only to the Bible as the best book you'll ever read. If you're a Tarheel, this is a MUST HAVE!
Scott Fowler's (of Charlotte Observer fame) writing is the best. Jimmy "Bossman" Black proves he can write as well as he can lead a championship team.

How 'bout dem Heels, they are the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

A pleasure to read. As a Tar Heel who knew Jimmy, I am not surprised by the candidness and honesty of his writings. The '81-'82 Tar Heels were an amazing team. Jimmy's book provides a personal perspective that brought back many memories. Any fan of college basketball should read this.