Leagues Books

Book gets 5 stars from where it starts (end of WW 2) through the AFL-NFL merger, then loses steam from 1970-present.

That said, it is worth reading simply for the first part. The section on the LA Rams itself makes the book worthwhile as is the section on the early Cleveland Browns.

Yet it pretty much ignores the 50s Detroit Lions who were a power as well.

The AFL is treated quite fairly, which is unusual. And you get a very nuanced picture of Lamar Hunt, nice going.

Wellington Mara gets panned a bit, he is not seen as the generous man whose altruism gets praised time after time. Rather, his backing of the National TV contract is seen as something he was talked into. His signing of Pete Gogolak is roundly panned in this book.

Great great information on Bert Bell, the commissioner before Rozelle.

Very little on George Halas.

But it seemed to me that the author could not find many topics he liked in the post-merger NFL.

BTW, this book is almost totally concerned with the owners and managers of the team. Relatively little on the players.

An excellent book on the history of the NFL. From the early years to the present, the author gives details of the people and teams that have made the NFL what it is today. The 70's were of great interest to me since I grew up during the 70's. Another book on the NFL that covers the 70's is "The Super 70's" by Tom Danyluk. Well done.

I bought this book when it first came out and absolutely loved it. I just looked it up right now to see what other books are "linked" to it because it was so good. I have even given it as a Christmas present. Enjoy!

This is a tour de force of sports writing. The author has written a tremendous piece of work detailing the history of the NFL up until the modern day.

The book is really indepth but readable. I am saddened that I have finished the book, it was that well-written and interesting to me.

Stories of the influential figures of the NFL abound throughout the book and really there seems to be no stone unturned by the writer.

Highly recommended.

MacCambridge has written an outstanding history of modern professional football known as the National Football League. The primary theme of the book is how football has eclipsed other sports, specifically baseball, to become America's game.

The book starts out with the Baltimore Colts defeat in overtime of the New York Giants on December 28, 1958 in the National Football League championship game. The game was televised and is called the Greatest Game Ever Played, partially because it catapulted the NFL into the national spotlight and sent the league on its way to be the dominant sport in American culture.

For the most part this is a very linear history of the Nation Football League, and a very well done one. While it is about the game itself, it's more about the business of professional football and the importance of decisions made by those who ran it leading to a thriving game and a thriving business enterprise. Much is discussed about the first commissioner Bert Bell who held a motley collection of owners together and strived for parity in the league, and Pete Rozelle who help reap millions in television revenue, fostered the revenue sharing agreement between big market and small market teams keeping competitive balance, and maintaining relative labor peace compared to other sports.

Another very interesting and pivotal part of NFL history was its competition with the American Football League in the 1960's and how a group of maverick owners created a rival, viable league of its own and how the eventual merger of the NFL and AFL came about. Interestingly, Lamar Hunt, late owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, was the pivotal figure in both the creation of the AFL and the eventual merger. The merger, in fact, made the NFL even stronger.

There are a few key themes in this book about why professional football became the dominant sport it is today. First, and foremost, is television. The game of football, more so than baseball, is a sport made for television. Television thrust the game into the national spotlight and keeps it there. Second is parity. While there have been some dominant teams in the league and a few dynasties, the revenue sharing, scheduling, and now salary caps which keep the teams on a somewhat even playing field has helped maintain interest in the game. Third, labor peace, relative to other sports, has also helped the game thrive. And finally, the owners and commissioners who have lead the league have been visionary. In these pages you meet the legendary coaches and owners like George Halas, Paul Brown, Vince Lombardi, Wellington Mara, Art Modell, Art Rooney, and others who made the NFL what it is today.

Overall, this is an outstanding history of the modern NFL and I highly recommend it.

I could not believe how all the intensity, courage, gracious, spirit and strength of the NFL can be displayed in those great photos. Simply marvelous!

The best book about football I have seen in over ten years. If you are a serious football fan than you can't afford to be without 'Best Shots'.

I bought this book as a Christmas present for my 13 yr old son. So when it came in I decided to flip through it. The photographs are very vivid with captions and descriptions for each. I showed my husband who then wanted show his brother and I practically had to drag the book from them so my son wouldn't see. It's the kind of book you could linger over and enjoy with someone else.

Every NFL fan should be lucky enough to have this book. It is clearly a classic and deserves many more than five stars.

This book contains over 100 photographs from the NFL, mostly since 1958. They are very well reproduced, and the captions are excellent for putting the images in context. The book is improved by a foreword by Joe Namath in which he discusses his favorite photographs in the book and an introduction by Tom Barnidge, the editor, in which he explains the special opportunities and challenges of photographing the NFL.

Almost all of the teams are represented in the book. Some are obviously more represented than others because of their greater past success and longer franchise histories. Part of the book's appeal is seeing some of your favorite players from your team during heroic moments. Packers, Cowboys, Dolphins, Giants, Bears, Rams, Bronco and 49er fans will be the most pleased.

At another level, the book is about remembering many of the highlights of the NFL . . . ones that you may have seen on television, or (if you are lucky) in person.

The images are concentrated in the last ten years so that younger fans will not feel left out. But fans who are over 50 will think that this volume was made just for them.

Fans of all ages will be fascinated by the photographs from the 1930s and 1940s with the old-style helmets, fans huddled under straw bales, and less active play.

The variety of photographs is superb. Every aspect of the game is covered, from training camp to accepting congratulations at the end of the Super Bowl. You have offense, defense, special teams, and even referees finding themselves in the middle of the action (during plays and breaking up fights). You also have celebrations in the end zone, complaints to officials, and impending disaster (such as the photograph of half the Cowboy team about to land on one player)

If you are like me, the most special part of the book comes in the fine detail that you cannot see as a spectator at the stadium or on television. I was totally arrested by the expressions on the players' faces, as they were sacked, smashed, grabbed by the face mask, and annihilated. Even more remarkable was to see the amazing athletic feats (a jump pass by Jack Kemp, Lynn Swann catching a pass fully stretched out, and Barry Sanders making an incredible cut) at the players' eye level.

Some of the famous shots that I remember are in the book, like Namath after winning Super Bowl III, a bloodied Y.A. Title on his knees in defeat in 1964, Bart Starr scoring behind Jerry Kramer, and John Elway in victory after the Super Bowl win. But most of the photographs were new to me. That made reading the book a process of discovery as well as a reminiscence.

Many of the color photographs extend over two pages, and were carefully selected so that the key aspects of the action are not lost in the crease.

Only three things could have made this book even better -- more photographs, larger pages, and commentaries by the players about the images they appear in. Perhaps if we buy enough books, there will be another edition to add those attractive elements.

Until then, this book is the perfect antidote to football-less days and evenings.

After you have finished enjoying the book, I suggest that you consider starting a collection of your own favorite sports photographs. I began doing this a number of years ago. Most prints are not overly expensive, and the pleasure they bring is amazing.

Give 'em a good shot!

I bought this book for my Dad's birthday. My father is an enthusiastic football fan (my brother knew the complete multiplication table of 7 before he knew 1+1!) and a phtographer. He can't put this book down! I took a peek at the book myself, and without knowing a thing in football (other than Walter Payton) I have to say that the pictures are truly fantastic. Each one of them is one in a million: Pictures of players with the football inches away from their hands: some painfully missed, some seconds away from a triumph; unbelievable tackles in mid-air ; exhausted expressions; exhilarated faces; games in the snow, mud and rain.

Absolutely exciting! A fascinating collection of pictures that will take your breath away.

What a great cookbook! The pasta florentine was a big hit. And the photos of the Washington area are beautiful.

Beautifully enhanced with color photography, Capital Celebrations is a very highly recommended compendium of easy to prepare recipes nicely organized into chapters on Appetizers, Brunch & Breads, Salads and Soups, Seafood, Poultry and Meats, Pasta and Pizza, Vegetables, and Desserts. There is even a wonderful section dedicated to "Cooking with Children". From Meatballs in Cranberry Sauce; Roasted Corn and Wild Mushroom Salad; and Shrimp in Cajun Red Gravy; to Chicken and Artichoke Casserole; Green Beans and Cashews; and Coconut Pound Cake, Capital Celebrations has dishes suitable for all occasions and dining events.

This cookbook hasn't collected dust like the others sitting on my shelves! The recipes are simple to prepare and elegant. My family and friends have enjoyed many of the recipes during the past year!

The sourdough bread pudding with bourbon sauce is fabulous!

What a beautiful and interesting cookbook! The recipes are creative and delicious and yet many of them are simple to prepare. The photographs are beautiful and the variety of foods is excellent. This is a great Jr. League cookbook!

In the great tradition of Junior League cookbooks, this is a wonderful cookbook for the cook who likes casual entertaining. Recipes are easy to follow and the book is illustrated with beautiful pictures of the food. Capital Celebrations even has a section for cooking with children. This is a great cookbook for beginners with recipes using easy to prepare ingredients. The perfect gift for a new bride or college graduate just starting out or the seasoned cooking pro.

I come from a long line of fantastic cooks. I read and reread cookbooks all the time. This is my favorite cookbook. I have tried many recipes from here and even though I am usually a try-something-new-cook some of these have become staples. Also the recipes lend well to improvisation. Really I can't say enough about this cookbook, my family covets it.

I couldn't wait to dive into the Junior League of Pasadena's Dining by Design cookbook. In addition to delicious and easy sounding recipes, it is full of all kinds of interesting nuggets of information. Things that you've always wanted to know but could never put your finger on in other cookbooks. It is also a lovely looking book, almost too pretty to be a cookbook. Try it, I think you'll really, really like it!

I couldn't wait to dive into the Junior League of Pasadena's Dining by Design cookbook. In addition to delicious and easy sounding recipes, it is full of all kinds of interesting nuggets of information. Things that you've always wanted to know but could never put your finger on in other cookbooks. It is also a lovely looking book, almost too pretty to be a cookbook. Try it, I think you'll really, really like it!

i recommend this book to absolutely everyone. i have yet to have a bad experience with any one of the recipes found in this beautiful book. Not only does the book contain tasty recipes but it contains valuable tips for cooking, decorating, entertaining and the like. this is a must buy for family and friends as well as for yourself. i sure hope the junior league of Pasadena, inc. will publish another:)

As expected, I was not disappointed by the Junior League of Pasadena's newest edition in their series of cookbooks. I didn't think anything could top their last, "California Sizzles", but "Dining by Design" is even better! I have dozens of cookbooks that remain dusty on the shelves, but both my Junior League of Pasadena cookbooks are very well worn from all of the recipes I use. Way to go! I recommend these delicious, easy to understand, easy to prepare recipes to everyone!

Every recipe that I have tried from this cookbook is great! All the appetizers are delicious, try That Jr. League Pesto Mold in the appetizers and you can make this into 2 small molds out of one recipe. The Lemonade Cake in the Children's section is the perfect take anywhere cake! The Black Bean Salsa incredible! Or if you need a fast and easy appetizer, try the Crab & Caper Dip you actually bake it IN the bread! Great history of Gainesville, FL, too! Fantastic Cookbook!

Every recipe in this book is very good. Most (almost all) recipes are very easy to make and looks like you worked a long time on them. The Pesto Mold on page 20 is easy to make and everyone will ask for the recipe. The sausage snacks on page 30 are a nice change to meatballs. Pesto tortilla snacks are very easy and great tasting also. The pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and fruity muffins make great gifts around the holidays. The Parmesan Caesar salad is a salad a I make all the time. All the potato dishes are great tasting; the squash casserole is the best I have every had. The sweet potatoes are great (even if you don't like sweet potatoes. I could go on. This cookbook has a nice feature with the children's section. I have used this book so much and bought so many as gifts.

This is a wonderful book. It is full of great recipes that are not only good, but easy to prepare. I highly recommend it!

I have tried many of the recipes in this book and like 99% of them, so do my family and my friends. My favorites include; Frogmore Pickled Shrimp, Swamp Chili, Okra and Tomatoes, Pasta with Shrimp, Lemon and tomoatoes and many more than I should probably list. The book is well laid out (easy to follow), ingredients are easy to find and the serving suggestion are on target. Try this book. You'll like it.

This book is great. Everything I cook from it is a hit with family and friends. Try the Frogmore Pickled Shrimp in the appetizer section if you cook for the pleasure of receiving compliments. It is simply best shrimp appetizer you'll ever make.

From Basic Fundamentals to building useable skills, this book outlines in a simple constructive fashion "how to make youngsters better ballplayers". The drill sections provide practice methods to teach budding little leaguers the foundations for future success.

There have been many books that have attempted to simplify teaching this wonderful game, but this book is the first one that actually accomplishes the task, and puts it in a repeatable, useable format.

Thank you for making my job as a coach and instructor easier!

This is a great book for a complete step by step approach to coaching baseball! Very useful for coaches and parents!!

I bought this book after the youth baseball season started as a way to help my son improve his skills. I wish I would've bought it sooner. However, I will continue using these drills to help him improve his game before next season starts. The drills are formatted in a way that anyone can understand and follow. It is obviously that the authors know the sport and know children well. I highly recommend this book.

This book is very detailed and organized yet easy to follow. You could have never coached baseball before and be prepared by the time you finish this book.

There certainly is a need for GOOD how-to youth coaching books, and this is one of them. The book is well written and organized with an easy-to-follow format and lots of photos and diagrams. A new coach can't go wrong in following the user-friendly book to cover all the basics of baseball.

But perhaps more important is the emphasis on YOUTH and dealing with kids, a skill that does not come automatically to everyone involved with youth sports. In other words, the book helps to shape a coach's attitude as much as how to improve skills in young players. Ideally, the coach learns and grows throughout the season as well as the kids.

It seems to me that this book is equally valuable to experienced coaches, in helping them to get the most out of all their players, not just the most talented. Many coaches come to youth sports as successful athletes themselves, and sometimes do not recognize what it takes to bring along kids who may be having difficulties. If the point is to keep more players playing, improving, and having a good time, here's a way to strengthen a team as well as individual players.

A great investment toward a good season.

Jim and Dave combine for a great book that is both entertaining and informative. Jim's commentary is hilarious and Dave is so gifted! This is a must for all NFL fans! It also makes an excellent gift for a Super Bowl Party host.

Brown and McMahon team up to deliver one heck of an entertaining read!

McMahon is as sarcastic and entertaining as ever! He still has that macho football player swagger that makes his insight and commentary hilarious. This book is a must read for any "real" football fan.

Bought this book for my husband as a birthday present and I haven't been able to get him to put it down. He now laughs and talks to himself as he's reading. I'll definitely have to read it next. He says he's never read anything as good about inside football before!!

I liked it so much I married one of the authors, guess which one? The entertaining, wild, and fun side of football. Ladies, this is a great gift for the football fan in your life.

Kelly pulls it off as usual. I was riveted from the start. The setup was actually in the last graphic novel but I just read that one a couple weeks ago. I don't really know that much about Green Lantern or J'ohn's origins so this gave some cool glimpses into what they're all about. Loved the conflicted heroes (especially Superman) who didn't want to kill their long time friend and ally and of course it was cool to see Plastic Man back, he's always loads of fun.

Probably one of my favorite story arcs in any JLA run. In the story the Martian Manhunter tries to deal with his psychlogical fear of fire. The art is pretty good and the story is told beautifully. No really bad point in it either.

"JLA: Trial By Fire", reprinting #s 84-89 of the JLA ongoing, is a true epic, rich in action, high stakes, emotion, concept, delivery and grandeur, all brought together so perfectly that a single flaw near the end - that would have sapped the impact of many tales - seems no more than a slight glitch. It's a story that both Justice League mainstays like Superman and Batman, and characters who haven't logged nearly as much time to date on the team's roster (such as Faith and Manitou Raven), get to shine in.

In the beginning, something strange is happening across the planet. The most ruthless of dictators, the most dangerous of super-villains, the most remorseless of killers....are changing. Suddenly overcome with guilt and intent on never again returning to their former ways. All this sounds good at first, but as things progress it's getting deeper as various characters are not only 'seeing the light' but are falling into catatonic states, being paralyzed, or being tormented in increasingly physical and vicious ways. The League senses that this is all a lead-up to something even bigger and darker. One of the successes of "Trial By Fire" is that, right from the get-go, it Feels like there's really major, really out-of-the-ordinary threat emerging, something that even the League may not be able to handle. Sometimes when a new storyline instantly introduces a brand new, 'different-than-anything-they've-faced-before' threat to a group like the Justice League, there's a bit of a lack of authenticity to it. You're watching as the new threat nearly makes mincemeat out of everythin in its path, but you don't really believe that this new menace could come out of the blue and just hammer away a team as powerful as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Firestorm, et al. "Trial By Fire" is the exact opposite of that. It feels plausible, frightening, and deadly.

Indeed, the initial wave of incidents is just the tip of the iceberg, and things go from bad to worse for the team. It's not wall-to-wall action from Page 1 onwards though. One of the things I love best about the writing of Joe Kelly is that when he's doing a series, all members of both the main and supporting cast have their own interesting things going on, and weaving very cohesively through the 'big' plots. With as big a cast as "JLA" has, not every character can play a lead role in every story arc. Here, characters like Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Batman are among those taking center stage in the action, but some of the best points in the book focus on characters like Manitou Raven, Wonder Woman, and Major Disaster, who don't overall get as much page time here as they have in other JLA arcs but are essential nonetheless. The ongoing developments between Batman and Wonder Woman - which played an ongoing part in Kelly's run on the series - are done to perfection, and though I'd like to make observations on this aspect, I think it's best that I don't lest I give something away. There's an interesting dynamic between Faith and the Batman as well; although Faith is, at this point, a very new character in the DCU (although she obviously has more backstory than has been revealed) she's one of the least hesitant of the group to produce counter-arguements against the Dark Knight's position, and the often stubborn Bat is more open to her viewpoints than he is with most newcomers. There's good humor tucked away that one might miss if they're not careful, and there's an interesting angle about two characters who seem (and this isn't entirely clear but it sticks out as a possibility) to be developing a mutual attraction that neither one is in the least aware of.

As for the one flaw I mentioned earlier - it happens in the last issue, and while I'm not going to say what it is, it kind of reminded me of the finale to the 1978 Superman movie (uh, I guess I can't say what that is either, just in case anyone hasn't seen it). It's one of those moments where a seemingly imposible catastrophe is averted at the last moment and you just kind of feel like saying 'Oh come on! Even_________ isn't THAT powerful!' A lot of stories would have been crippled by it; this one isn't. (I'll admit I kind of adjusted the timeframe in my own head to make it at least a little bit more believable) It was the kind of moment where just because there's no conceivable way out, that doesn't stop anybody. It was quite out of sync with the rest of the story, and it's testament to how awesome "Trial By Fire" is as a whole that it recovered within mere pages, helped along by emotional impacts so powerful it makes one more than willing to forgive a lone inconsistency. Most of the time I'd bump a book down at least one star for that gaffe, but "JLA: Trial By Fire" was just so good that I can't. Judged as a whole, it's outstanding and gets an extremely high recommendation. 9.7/10

have I enjoyed a story this much about a superhero team fighting to take down a single globe threatening villain. I enjoyed it very much and I will seek out more stories by Joe Kelly. All the characters are tangibly pushed to the edge.

With the whole world going mad, the Justice League of America must move fast to find out what is going on. A rogue telepath is tinkering with the Earth, taking away people's freedom of thought, but who is it? This ordeal will drive the JLA into a battle with one of their own members, a battle they cannot win. But, Batman has an ace up his sleeve; there is one person who can do it...if he can just remember how.

Overall, I found this to be a very good graphic novel. The illustration work is very good (except for they way The Atom was drawn), and the story is absolutely gripping. I'm not sure I would have thought of the bad guy as quite as invincible as he is painted herein, but setting that aside, you do get to see very good graphic novel, fighting for their very existence. So, if you like a good, solid superhero story, then this is the book for you. My eleven-year-old son and I both enjoyed this book, and highly recommend it to you.

It's the great chicken/egg debate, was Josh Gibson the black Babe Ruth or was Babe Ruth the white Josh Gibson. Thanks to narrow minded thinking we'll never really know.
Josh Gibson was a man driven by deamons, the tragic death of his wife made him incapable of letting his emotions go. So he gave his children over into the care of other family members and threw himself into baseball, drugs, and alcohol. Records were kept sloppily back then and are scarce today, but it is believed that he hit approximately 800 home runs during his career. In the end his family couldn't afford a grave marker and for years his body was in an unmarked grave until Major League Baseball paid for one.
A sad chapter in our history. We can only guess what might have been.

I HIGHLY RECOMMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WHO ENJOYS BASEBALL AND THE HISTORY OF THE GREAT PLAYERS IN THE NEGRO LEAGUES. TOO BAD STATS WEREN'T CLOSELY KEPT FROM THAT TIME PERIOD, FOR THE NUMBERS THAT JOSH PUT UP ARE PROBABLY TRULY BREATH TAKING. HE WAS THE BABE RUTH, JIMMIE FOXX, AND MARK MCGWIRE OF 1930'S AND 40'S. THE BOOK DOES A GOOD JOB OF SHOWING US JOSH'S TRIUMPHS AND HIS DARK SIDE. HE WAS WITH FAULTS, BUT THAT MADE HIM EVEN MORE INTERESTING. THIS BOOK ALSO TREATS US TO SOME INTERVIEWS WITH MANY OTHER GREAT PLAYERS OF THAT ERA AND AN IN DEPTH HISTORY OF THE NEGRO LEAGUES. WELL WORTH READING ABOUT A GREAT PIECE OF BASEBALL HISTORY.

Josh Gibson was a great baseball player in the 30s and 40s in the Negro Leagues. This book chronicles his baseball career, as well as the life in the Negro Leagues and playing in Latin America during the winter months and some summers as well. William Brashler does a fine job writing about Gibson's passion for the game, to the point that I feel like I know him as well as any current major leaguers. In addition, Brashler explains in detail what life was like for Negro League players; the horrible way they were treated in many places in the south; the winter months that they played in places like Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and other Latin/South American countries. There are also separate short chapters on Cool Papa Bell, Jimmie Crutchfield and Sammy Bankhead, as well as plenty of interesting information on Satchel Paige. I'm glad I had a chance to read about the great Josh Gibson and the Negro Leagues. I believe anyone interested in baseball history would appreciate this book.

This is among the very best books I have ever read. Easily the best biography and the best book on baseball (of which I have read a lot). Brashler's account of Gibson's life and the Negro Leagues engrosses you like a great novel. I could not recommend it more highly.

Beginning in 1930 with his debut with the Homestead Grays and extending through a career which featured several years with the Pittsburgh Crawfords and stints with various winter league teams in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico, Josh Gibson was quite simply the greatest hitter of his era. While he is often referred to as the black Babe Ruth, the black press and fans of the Negro Leagues during the 1930's called Ruth the white Josh Gibson. Though records are sketchy, Gibson is reported to have hit as many as 70 homeruns in a single season and it can safely be assumed that he hit more than 800 round trippers in his career. There are stories indicating that Gibson actually hit a homerun completely out of Yankee Stadium, a feat no major leaguer has accomplished, and although Brashler's research disputes this claim, there are countless other tales of tape-measure blasts. There was a 525-foot homerun that landed in a Puerto Rico prison, a one-handed homerun in Indianapolis, and a doubtful claim of a 700-foot blast out of Chicago's Wrigley Field. Whether or not the stories are believed, the overall perception cannot be ignored. As the most imposing hitter of the 1930's and 40's, Josh Gibson was larger than life. He was posthumously inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1972.

Most baseball fans are familiar with the legend of Josh Gibson, but Brashler brings readers behind the stories of one of the greatest hitters of all-time. Along with the glory accorded a player of such talent, there were disappointments as well. The death of his first wife and the subsequent abandonment of his children haunted Gibson throughout his playing career, and he often felt overshadowed by the showmanship of Satchel Paige. These concerns, combined with the disappointment of not being able to play in the major leagues, likely led him to alcohol when his body began to break down late in his career. When he died in 1947 at the age of thirty-five, months after Jackie Robinson broke in with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Gibson was buried in an unmarked grave. His family couldn't afford a gravestone.

Brashler's biography of Gibson is complete and honest in its approach to Gibson's character and accomplishments. In addition to Gibson, he briefly profiles his peers, men like Satchel Paige, Oscar Peterson, Judy Johnson, Jimmy Crutchfield, Cool Papa Bell, and others. There can be no discussion of the Negro Leagues without comment on the discrimination which made them necessary, but Brashler avoids the trap of becoming overly sentimental, focusing instead on the facts. For a more complete picture of the players and teams mentioned by Brashler, try Only the Ball Was White, Robert Peterson's comprehensive history of the Negro Leagues.

Brett Mandel does an excellent job of portraying a year with the Ogden Raptors of the short-season Pioneer League. This is a well written, easy-to-read account of the ups and downs of life in the low minors. At times it is funny, at other times touching. I found myself pulling for him to get into a few more games than he did, but at least he's had an experience not many of us get. Good work on this book!

Mandel's account of low level minor league baseball is right on target! The dream of making it to the major leagues is seen through many perspectives: a high draft pick who sustained an injury, two players who were released as twenty year olds, and college players who did not get drafted. The author shows how these players are trying to use independent baseball as a means to get into an affiliated organization. The author relates well with the average ball player who had their major dreams taken away after high school or college. This book is a must read for fans and players who want to know the truth about minor league baseball.

What can I say? I read this book in three days. Couldn't put it down. Before I found out about this book, I actually had a similar idea. Except mine would have been more photography than writing. Anyway.....Mandel was able to bring the prospective from the player's standpoint. For a guy who never wrote a book before, he did a fantastic job of making you feel part of the team. I am very jealous of his experience. Anyone who's a baseball fan....this is a must read. Especially after you been to a couple of minor league games to know some of the quaint features he talks about. I've read no greater baseball book.

Brett Mandel, the self-proclaimed worst player in professional baseball, paints a telling portrait of life in the lowest of the minor leagues, with a brand-new independent team, the Ogden Raptors. The horrible hotel rooms and the endless bus rides, complete with entertainment, the encouraging foster family and discouraged teammates are presented in a way sure to open the eyes of anyone who wants to or wishes they had played professional baseball. He profiles the people he meets during his sabbatical year, warts and all, while demonstrating uncommon restraint. As grinding as the trip may have been at times, it's clear that Brett enjoyed his turn as a Raptor, would probably do it again in a Philadelpha minute.

What a wonderful book! I picked this one up, and it stayed in my stack of books to read for about 6 months. That was a mistake - I should have read it first. This is a great book if you're a fan of baseball, particularly if you're a fan of minor league baseball. This tells the story of Brett's year with the Ogden Raptors in 1994 from the start to the end of the season. Brett's writing style is very easy to read. I tend to do most of my reading before going to bed at night, which usually means I can take several sessions to actually finish a book, as I did with this one. Most books suffer from when you pick them up again, it's not that easy to jump right in where you left off. This one does not have that. For me, it lent itself great to reading it in chunks. Brett was on the Raptors for a whole year, and this book is his recollection of the travels, details, and behind the scenes things most people will never hear about. Check this out - this book has nothing to do with the Texas Rangers (my favourite team), but it's a great GREAT baseball book!

As an added bonus, I met the author last year when my wife & I went to Baltimore to see the Rangers play there. Brett and some friends were coming back from Cooperstown for the HOF induction ceremony, and were in Baltimore to see the Orioles play. He himself told me about the book, and we had a few moments talking about the Phillies, as we're both from there. I wish I would have already read the book at this point, but Brett was a great guy to meet in person, too!