Baseball Books

I loved this book because I didn't really know about Joe DiMaggio and I really love baseball. This book was fun to read because it had interesting fact about his life. It started out when he was ten and went through his life until he died. My favorite part was when he got a triple when he was a rookie. I was really surprised that there were nine children in his family. I read this book because I had read the Lou Gehrig book in this series and I had really enjoyed that one as well.

This book was great! It tells the story of the immortal Joe Dimaggio,the Yankee Clipper. It begins with Joe's childhood, growing up in San Francisco, California. Joe's family was very poor so he did not have a lot of the things other kids had. he became interested in baseball because it didn't cost anything to play. Joe and the other kids in the the neighborhood would have pick up games and Joe soon found he was a very good baseball player. he decided that if he was going to be great he needed to practice more. In school all Joe could think about was baseball. Then in October,1929 the stock market crashed and Joe quit school to help support his family. It was during this time that Joe joined a neighborhhod baseball team called Rossi Olive Oil Company. Soon he was being noticed by major league scouts who were impressed with the 15 year old. By the time Joe was 18 years old he was playing with the minor league Seals and had a hitting streak of 48 games to tie the minor league record. The New York Yankees took notice of the talented young player and decided to sign him to major league contract in 1936.Joe played for the Yankees for 15 years and had the memorable and historical 56 game hitting streak that still stands today. Joe was a 3 time MVP and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. In 1969 Joe was voted the greatest living ball player. Joe was also honored in 1976 with the Medal of Freedom by President Ford. Joe died in 1999 at age 84 in Hollywood, Florida.

This book was great!Joe went threw alot of hard times when he was a kid.Joe always wanted to be a great ball player when he grew up.He would always play pick up games with the neighbor hood.He was very poor,all he could afford was fish for dinner.Joe was very good at baseball.When he grew up he was one of the greatest Yankees.I found this book helpful because it has all the information you probally could get on Joe Dimaggio.Also at the end there was a timeline you could use it for a report.Also there was a stat chart of all of the stats that Joe Dimaggio had like how many home runs and hits and all stuff like that.Thats how i found it helpful and why you should read this book! By Griffin

This book was great!Joe went threw alot of hard times when he was a kid.Joe always wanted to be a great ball player when he grew up.He would always play pick up games with the neighbor hood.He was very poor,all he could afford was fish for dinner.Joe was very good at baseball.When he grew up he was one of the greatest Yankees.I found this book helpful because it has all the information you probally could get on Joe Dimaggio.Also at the end there was a timeline you could use it for a report.Also there was a stat chart of all of the stats that Joe Dimaggio had like how many home runs and hits and all stuff like that.Thats how i found it helpful and why you should read this book! By Griffin

This was just one of the facts my son spontaneously shared. This was the first book in the series that my almost 8-year old read. He was enthused about sharing what he learned about young JD and his family. He is asking for more titles from this series for his upcoming birthday.

After traveling to most of the ballparks in this country for our own ballpark website my only regret looking back is that this book wasn't available from the start! This is perfect for anyone who wants to see the ballparks of the Major Leagues (and actually it's perfect for anyone who just loves ballparks). The book is chock full of beautiful glossy photographs and details about the ballpark and it's surroundings. It will let you know before purchasing your tickets where the best seats for the money are, so you can get the best bang for your buck. With the price of tickets these days, this information alone is worth it's weight in gold. Interesting facts and a list of likes and dislikes makes great reading for anyone who simply just loves baseball. An absolute must have for the ballpark pro or for someone who just loves the game...

This book is so imformational about all of MLB stadiums(when this book was made) I love this book it is good for any baseball fan or sports fan. It is a good book to read while your bored.

I know very little about baseball parks, but very much enjoy the sport. My job has me traveling all over the country and I needed a source for information on where to go, what to see and what to avoid. Mr. Mock's book gives me all three is a concise and easy to read format. It fits in my briefcase pocket and tells me all I need to know when I need it. Well done and intersting!

As a ballpark nut myself, I can honestly say that this is one of the best introductions to the intricacies, idiosyncracies, and personalities of the 30 big league parks. Mock -- webmaster of the excellent ballpark resource baseballparks.com -- writes with both enthusiasm and a critical eye, explaining the best and worst aspects of these stadiums. While incorporating terrific photographs from his travels, Mock also includes tips on finding the best seats, what to eat, and information on spring training, websites, and ballpark history. For the money, I don't think a fan can find a more useful and valuable source of information and opinion to keep alongside the road atlas when hitting the road for a baseball roadtrip.

After traveling to most of the ballparks in this country for our own ballpark website digitalballparks.com, my only regret looking back is that this book wasn't available from the start! This is perfect for anyone who wants to see the ballparks of the Major Leagues (and actually it's perfect for anyone who just loves ballparks). The book is chock full of beautiful glossy photographs and details about the ballpark and it's surroundings. It will let you know before purchasing your tickets where the best seats for the money are, so you can get the best bang for your buck. With the price of tickets these days, this information alone is worth it's weight in gold. Interesting facts and a list of likes and dislikes makes great reading for anyone who simply just loves baseball. An absolute must have for the ballpark pro or for someone who just loves the game. (and it's cheap too!)

My 2/3 year olds can count now thanks to this book. They ALSO love the baseball song that is at the end of the book.

As a media specialist who has worked with K-5th graders for years, I have a really good sense of which books are keepers and which books are crap. I've used this book for years as a read-aloud during baseball season, tied in with "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and "Casey at the Bat." My younger students love the humor in this book. They really "get" it. I don't like to re-read books over year after year because there are so many good books kids ought to hear, but I do give in to repeated requests for this one because my kids look forward to it so much.

We're always trying to buy another decent copy to add to the shelves for our students, but it's getting tougher to find. I'm mystified by why publishers and booksellers discontinue good, fun books like this--while continuing to give prime shelf space to inane books like "Walter the Farting Dog."

If you are lucky enough to find a nice copy of this book, buy it! Added bonus: the music and the lyrics are in the book for the original song. You'd really hit jackpot if you could find both the book and the Tom Paxton recording of the song.

I fell in love with this book when I stumbled across it in a bookstore, and had to buy it "for my daughter." Luckily, she LOVES it (she's almost 3), too!

The other reviews give a good summary of the plot, so I'll just add that I've found this book to be a good conversation-starter about all kinds of topics, ranging from winning and losing, giving your best effort, not giving up, baseball rules, different kinds of monkeys...all kinds of things, and it changes over time.

All in all, it's been a very rewarding and refreshing book that I don't mind reading over and over, and my daughter loves coming back to.

A delightful baseball book about trying hard and overcoming obstacles. The slow, fat hippos put their patience and weight behind a baseball game and beat the monkeys in this jungle game. Enjoyed by my 10 month old son, who comes running whenever I read a passage from the book...whacka, whacka hoo boys - monkey, monkey, monkey,

This second of the Paxton--Schmidt combo (Going to the Zoo was the first) was a real winner in our family! The lush illustrations hilariosly depict the underdog hippos in a valiant fight to the finish. With a pathos that made my kids as well as myself cheer out loud at the ending, Jungle Baseball hits a home run--we loved this book!!

This autobiography reads like it was actually written by Kent Hrbek; it's fun, enjoyable, and not an in-depth introspective look back at his life. It hits the highlights of his career, briefly touches upon his upbringing, and has no tales told out of school from the dugout. If you're looking for depth, don't bother.

Hrbek comes across as a rare athlete who realizes that the important things in life are not being bowed down to and worshiped because he could hit a baseball. He's honest about his love of beer, his family, and not caring that much about conditioning.

Long-time Twins fans like me will relish this, but wish it had just a little more.

I really enjoyed this book for a couple of reasons. First, Kent Hrbek is a really likable guy who isn't out to impress anyone. He is a truly genuine individual, which is admirable and refreshing. He is also very interesting. No, this book isn't written on a graduate level, but who cares? It's about baseball, a team full of good guys, and one fun loving guy in particular. I read this book right before I read the book written by John Schuerholz. Wow, talk about opposites. The "genius" Schuerholz has no clue about things like the Hrbek charm.

After reading 'Tales', I felt like I had actually been in the dugout with the Twins. The book keeps moving, doesn't well on any point too long and provides just the right amount of detail. Hrbek and Brackin have delivered a baseball classic.

Hrbek's antics and honesty come through as genuine. He seems like a guy were he your neighbor you could just walk up to and have a nice, casual conversation. His views on baseball provide insight for the fan from the other side of the stadium fence. I remember watching him as a kid whenever the Twins came to Seattle, and he was always an impressive player. We ran into Hrbek on the street in downtown Seattle one day and he lived-up to his friendly guy image in person too.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for anyone with an interest in baseball or the Minnesota Twins in particular.

As a Minnesota Twins fan for some forty years, this may be perceived as a somewhat biased view...but I truly don't believe it is. Most of those who follow the game closely, and appreciate its significance on the national psyche for more than a century, will respect this straight-arrow summary--of Kent Hrbek's team, in particular; but, even more importantly, for the significance and integrity of the game in general. Though an unsung hero in terms of individual awards, he was, in the eyes of many objective baseball observers, as good as any--and better than most--first basemen to play the game. And he was an excellent clutch hitter (e.g., his grand slam homerun in the sixth game of the 1987 World Series) who knew the strike zone, and rarely swung at a bad pitch. But, as he emphasizes in his book, his two World Series rings, and the undying support of true baseball fans in the upper Midwest, and throughout the country, totally overshadow the fact that he was, inexplicably, overlooked for the individual honors which, in the view of many, he so richly deserved. He and others refer to his approach to the game as that of a throwback...the type of player from the game's glory days. This is arguably as high a tribute as can be given a player. And, because these qualities are, sadly, in short supply in today's go-for-the-money atmosphere, Kent Hrbek--nearly thirteen years after his early retirement--is still missed by those who love the game... for the game. And for all of those, "Kent Hrbek's Tales from the Minnesota Twins Dugout" is highly recommended. --Ron Howe / Erskine, Minnesota

This book was a great, quick read of antecdotes from Hrbek's career as a Twin. He reveals a lot of suprising off-the-field information that baseball players rarely reveal in career retrospectives. If you were a Twins fan in the glory year runs of 1987 and 1991, you have to check this out.

10 years ago when I bought this book at my local Target and had it signed by both authors, my first grandson was mere days old and I bought it for the future. The future is NOW. My grandsons are playing baseball in the same park that the '92 and '93 winning teams came from so the book has a very special meaning. Jeff Burroughs and Tom Hennessy's description of the actions of Little Leaguers, Coaches, Managers and officials is dead on, even now 10 years later. When I was reading this book, I was either laughing hysterically, trying to read bits and pieces aloud to "Grandpa" or nodding in total agreement and understanding. This is a must read for every Little League Parent/Grandparent, but for pete's sake, don't let the kids read it!

This book is a classic. I lived through these stories and they are all true. It was the greatest year of my life being a Long Beach Little League World Champ, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. This book allows me to remember everything that happened in the summer of '93. I get goosebumps thinking about it. I loved it! I recommend for everyone to give this book a read.

After reading this book I think everyone should! This book is a great book about the adventure in winning the Little Leauge World Series two years in a row. This book gives a great description on all the players and other coaches. This book helped me believ e you can do anything if you really work hard towards your goals!!!! I learned many pointers off this book and enjoyed reading it!!!!!! I suggest everybody should read this book!

For those involved in the national organization of Little League, especially at the all-star level, this is a very entertaining book. Lots of interesting details about the protocol and the accomodations at the regional level and also at Williamsport. Burroughs is very funny describing his escapades as a coach, dealing with all of the classic issues from managing disgruntled parents to dealing with kids who are slightly left-of-center. If you are a Little League addict, I recommend this book!

The Little Team That Could was pure enjoyment. Jeff Burroughs gives an honest, balanced account of the 1992-1993 Long Beach Little League All-Star teams that reached the pinnacle of success. He describes the thrill of victory and the joy of working with young people. At the same time, he tells about the aggravation of dealing with some Little League parents, officials, and umpires. As a manager in the Little League program for 17 years, I could relate to both the good and the bad. I am so glad I found this book on amazon.com. I wholeheartedly recommend it to any Little League coach, parent, or player.

I'm still in the middle of enjoying this detailed and interesting account of my beloved Mets...what can I say, but if you are into numbers or want to bone up on your Mets history, buy this book. As the title infers, the chapter layouts of the book follow the Mets number by number. Sure, you'll know you Mookies and Carters, Hernandezs and Strawberrys, but it is the lesser known players and their stories that make this a great resource.

This book is a must-have for all Met fans! It's a great read to brush up on your Mets history or to use as a reference guide. You'll feel like a more-informed met-nerd once you buy & read this book. It was written by fanatics, for fanatics.

People give me METS related gifts all the time, but this is the best thing I have ever received! I had so much fun reading this book and learning the history behind who wore what number and all the juicy details that came leaping off the page once you get past the numbers themselves.

If you like the METS, if you love the METS and certainly if you know anyone else who does, you have just found what to buy for mother's day, father's day, graduation or birthdays. There's no way that any METS fan would be less than enthralled with this spectacular book!

This is a must for any Mets fan, what makes this book so great is that it tells the story of the story behind the uniform number from Mookie #1 to Turk #99, a very fun and informative read.

Yes. I dare. It's the best Mets book ever, and I've read them all (or at least most of them). I was drawn to it by the premise (history of the team by uniform numbers) and I was not disappointed.

If you are a true fan of the blue and orange, you owe it to yourself to pick up and read this gem. Written with great wit and insight and from a different perspective than all of the previously published team histories out there, this book is an absolute joy to read.

GO METS!

This book was for a friend. I wish I had ordered one for myself as it's a precious piece of history. My friend had a hard time getting it from her father and she loves the book. So does her dad.

This is a beautiful book with over 150 photos of Negro League Baseball players, each with a concise, informative, interesting synopsis of the picture and player. For any baseball fan, photography fan, and student of African American life, this is a wonderful book.

Reviwer: Bob Kellemen is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction , Spiritual Friends, and Soul Physicians.

Facinating insight into this era of Baseball . The marvellous photographs effectively communicate many aspects of the time . Accompanying essay very informative and has wet my appetite to learn more about the history of the Negro League.

I was one of the lucky ones that got to view this book before it went to print. I'm a professional sports writer and was impressed with not only the text that goes with this book, but some of the pictures that are within its covers. Baseball is my passion and there are certainly plenty of great images in baseball history ("The Catch", Maz's home run, Fisk's HR, etc.), but this provides a different light to both professional baseball and the Negro Leagues. Withers provides a perspective and view on the lifestyle, mannerisms and actions of the Negro Leagues that I've never seen before. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who's interested in baseball history.

The foreward in this book is particularly touching, as it comes straight from the source, Willie Mays, a Negro League and MLB legend. It is a perfect complement to the wonderful photos of this great era from Mr. Withers.

Without question, this is a great book highlighting the work of a great photographer.

Small personal nitpick only: Why was the book published by a German publisher? And not an American publisher, such as Time-Life? After all, didn't Time-Life [including Sports Illustrated, Neil's home] own the rights to publish his work? Time-Life Books did such a wonderful job with their Life Library of Photography series of books in the early seventies. Perhaps the demise of Time-Life since then, and the ascent of international publishers like Taschen, is part of the reason. [By the way, this is not a complaint. It's just a curiosity.] The reproduction values and the art direction of this large volume are excellent. Nevertheless, it feels a bit strange to have the captions to photographs of a distinctly American sport presented in English, German AND French.

Second small personal nitpick only: I appreciate that the Introduction to the book was written by Ron Shelton, but I wished to hear the voice of the master photographer himself. Yes, the photographs speak for themselves. But still...

Jon T.

It's mind-boggling to think that Neil Leifer was basically a kid when he took most of these pictures. Born in '42, Leifer had shot a great many of these images before he was even 21. (There's a great shot of him sitting with Stan Musial in which he doesn't even look old enough to be the bat boy, much less a professional pohotographer.) Clearly, however, he was a prodigy and a natural, because this book is full of incredible shots. The narrative that goes along with the images isn't always illuminating; if you're a big enough fan of baseball history to be buying a book like this, then you will already know most of what it has to say. But the text is beside the point; it's the pictures that matter, and on that score Leifer is hard to touch in the history of sports photography. Most of the great players of the 50's, 60's, and 70's are represented, in a wealth of B&W images along with amazingly vibrant color shots that capture the sometimes balletic, sometimes violent beauty of this 'pastoral' game (to borrow the popular misnomer, undoubtedly coined by someone who's never seen a collision at the plate up close).

For fans of baseball or photojournalism, this is worth every penny.

I don't normally goe for books this size,but after looking through the book and the many pictures in it I had to add this to my sports library.Alot of these players pictures I'd never seen before, ballplayers such as Early Wynn,Willie Tasby,Johnny Podres and Jackie Brandt to name a few.All of these pictures were taken by Neil Leifer between 1960-1977 with a couple from the late 50's.Magnificent pictures of Roberto Clemente,Koufax on the mound,and a sequence of photos from a 1976 bench clearing brawl between the Yankees and Red Sox.As an APBA computer sim player these historic photos add more enjoyment to my game.

The images in this book capture an era in baseball history. From the vibrant cover photo to the pictures inside, this is a wonderful book, well worth your time and money. The quality of the book itself is top shelf, the paper is rich and well printed. Thumbs up to Neil Leifer for this great book and to Taschen for doing such a great job publishing it.

The book is fascinating, with many pictures never seen before, more interesting the explanations behind the pictures, a collectors item

I loved this book a little more than Tall Tales which I also liked. Do you suspect that Karen Day pitched on a boys little league team?
Daddy Day

What a joy to read a book that is so interesting and fun. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages, including baseball players.

In the summer of 1980, Madison becomes the first girl in Southern Michigan to join a boys' baseball team. Though some of the other players are more friendly than others, they don't exactly welcome her with open arms. Once they see her play, she earns both their respect and their jealousy. Townspeople start writing letters to the editor of the local paper, expressing their positive or negative thoughts about having a girl on the team, and Madison doesn't know what to say when reporters interview her. After Madison's old friends pull away from her, she finds new friends on the team - one of whom is her first crush, while another might have a crush on her.

No Cream Puffs is a sweet treat. Even with all of the media coverage, Madison never develops an ego and never thinks she's the bee's knees. She doesn't want to make waves; she just wants to play ball and be treated fairly. I highly recommend this book to middle school athletes of both genders and to parents and coaches.

What exactly is so compelling about No Cram Puffs? I have many answers. Primarily, it the immensely likable main character, Madison. We relish in rooting for Madison as she tries to sort out a mess of conflicting loyalties - baseball vs. popularity; fitting in vs. being true to your own ideas and desires; hardworking, present Mom vs. absent, idealized Dad; friendship vs. romance; and those are just a few. It is also that, a mere seven lines into the first chapter, Day reminds us so uncannily about the confusion of adolescence. She has certainly confirmed, for fans of her earlier offering, Tall Tales, that her unerring ability to convincingly write adolescent narration was no fluke. The story is also compelling in its supporting characters, from her loving but imperfect family, to her relationships with her fellow baseball team members, to the poignantly absent best friend, to a couple of surprising characters who skirt the periphery of her life (I won't spoil their impact by revealing here!) In the end, though, buy the book for the reason I can state in five simple words - it's a walloping good read!

I sat down to read this book and had to finish it in one night because it was so much fun. An engaging, upbeat plot with subtle humor and meanings underneath. As a child psychologist, I appreciate the multidimensional relationship that Madison has with her mom, and her understated, but intense longing for a dad. Madison's relationships are very realistic and psychologically accurate, and they capture your attention in a thought-provoking way. Speaking of attention, this is what Madison is trying to teach herself to do. And this is what I love most about her. She's trying to pay attention to what's really important and not fall for superficiality, whether it is revealed in fame, self-seeking attention, or pseudo-romance. It's very compelling to watch Madison as she tries to make sense of what love is about in all it's ambiguous forms (best friend, a crush, and as a loving daughter). Over the course of the novel, it is also a privilege to observe as Madison changes and grows up. The over-arching theme of being true to yourself and finding out what that really entails is portrayed in a compassionate and enticing way. It is also interesting to witness the dilemmas inherent in what it was like for a girl to become involved in the world of boys' sports in the 70's. You will laugh and cheer for Madison as she tentatively, and then, proudly steps into a new phase of her life.

I found this book in the middle of nowhere at Barnes & Noble and I am SO glad that I found it. This might be the best book I have ever read.

This is a wonderful book; staring with the beginning and going all they way through till the present day. The forward is written by Nolan Ryan; my favorite Player of all time; I have such vivid memories of Ryan on the Angels, from His 4th No Hitter against the Baltimore Orioles on June 1st 1975 angels 1 Baltimore 0), which I listened to on a bright and sunny Saturday on KMPC 710 AM in cali with Dick Enburg and Don Drysdale announcing; to his near no hitters, to all the strikeouts, to the 79 Playoff game; what great excitement. I was so sorry to see the Angels make a big mistake and let him go to Houston. I also enjoyed the introduction; where Goldman talks to Leroy Stanton. What memories this all brings back. I have been an Angels fan for a long long time and the first game that I got to go to was early in the 1975 season, It was against the White Sox and Leroy Stanton Hit a Walk off game Winning Home run in the 10th and the (California) Angel's won 4-3. I can still remember the starting line up that day some of whom were; Dave Chalk, Joe Lahoud, Jerry Remy (Rem-dog), John Balaz, Rudy Maeoli, Elli Rodriguez, Mickey Rivers, Morris Nettles, Dick Lange and Tommy Harper. What Winsome and Wonderful memories. The Book is centered around 10 interviews with 10 great Angles players; Rod Carew, Jim Fregosi, Don Baylor, Nolan Ryan, Dean Chance, Albie Pearson, Alex Johnson, Reggie Jackson, and Jim Abbott; and about there individual Angels teams the personality's on those teams on and off the filed. Goodman covers there whole History from the beginnings to today and he does it though the players, coaches, and fans eyes. He really centers on there character and what Characters some of them were and are. Some of this history I know, but I am leaning so much I did not know and am grateful for the education. Goodman, who was a bat boy for the Angels in the mid 70's, has done a great job hear, he covers the good, bad and the ugly and the championship (2002) and this is a MUST READ for every angels fan.

This book covers the history of the Angels from the earliest days at Wrigley Field in West Los Angeles to the world championship team of 2002 and beyond. Lots of memories, not just from the main interviews with Angel greats like Carew, Abbott and Fregosi, but with the lesser known players that make the history really come alive. If you like the Angels, this book is a definite must. Reading this brought back a lot of memories of sitting in the cheap seats ($2.00 general admission!) for the '79 division championship. Jimmie Reese will never die!!

This is like no other baseball book I've ever read in my life. Whether you're an Angels fans or just a baseball junky like me, you'll love reading this book. It's written from the point of view of some of the greatest players of the game and will give you unique insights about what it was really like to be a member of the Angels - from the club's expansion year until they became world champions in 2002. I read this book over a weekend and was really impressed by Mr. Goldman's excellent writing and the specific, never before told details about each player's special contributions to the game and to life. If you're a fan of baseball, how can you NOT be interested in knowing more than the usual 15 second soundbites on Sportscenter about Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson or Nolan Ryan? If you're looking at buying a baseball book stop your search right now and pick up a copy of Once They Were Angels. It's a must read for true fans of America's pastime. You'll love it, just like I did!

I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Goldman at the annual PCL Reunion show last month and purchased this book for a friend who is a lifelong Angels fan. As I looked over the book that weekend, my only regret was not buying a signed copy for myself.

This is one outstanding book and a must-have if you're an Angels fan. The anecdotes and interviews from former Angels past and present are all here and include names such as Bo Belinsky, Dean Chance, Jim Fregosi, Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson, etc. All in all, this is one helluva great read.