Players Books

I bought this book because I love baseball and the Lord and because I have much respect for those seemingly few players who are successful both on the field and in their spiritual lives. The book is filled with great stories about Paul's baseball experiences, but what touched me most was how Paul recognizes how his relationship with his earthly father has shaped his view of his Heavenly Father. This is so true in my own life and it is comforting to know that someone as successful as Paul carries some of the same burdens as the rest of us. In this book, Paul writes, "I had spent most of my life imitating my living legacy, Larry the Legend (his father), by being a good, honest, and just person apart from Christ, which is impossible." I couldn't agree more! I too want to live "from Christ." Thank you Paul for sharing your stories, your insights and your life experiences so that we all learn from them. Your Father is proud!

Paul Byrd is living proof that Professional Baseball Players can and do have talent in areas off the field. Christians are not perfect.
They recognized they are sinners deserving hell, they have repented of their sin to God, asked forgiveness, placed their faith in the blood of Jesus as payment of their sin-debt which guarantees their eternal salvation, then asked that God begin to make them into the person He always wanted them to be.
We are real people, in a life-long struggle, fighting real temptations. We are just doing it with the awesome help of The Holy Spirit. Paul doesn't rely on religious systems to guide his Christian walk. He goes right to the source of all knowledge and all the wisdom we need for life in this world and for eternity to come, God's perfect and Holy Word.
Paul, you nailed it. I just hope and pray you keep writing.
Thanks for your testimony.
Tim Billheimer
Alliance, Ohio (Tribe Country)

I attend (and work for) the church where "Counselor Frank" is pastor. As Paul releases the LIFE that we learn more about every Sunday, we are watching him in the Grace lab class. As Frank says, sometimes grace is messy, and Paul doesn't try to put it in a pretty package. His candor is so refreshing, and I'm excited for people to read that loving and being loved by God doesn't mean never screwing up. Instead, it means we know who and whose we are even when we do screw up! Bravo, Paul!

Forget the whole HGH thing! If the publishing world had drug-testing, they'd be checking Byrd for manuscript-enhancing substances. He's that good. Where does this guy get off scribbling out a masterpiece like this between starts for the Indians? In the process of addressing the most relevant issues shared by men today, Byrd combines the candor of J.D. Salinger with the wit of Donald Miller (makes you wonder if Miller has hidden baseball talents?). Most refreshing of all, Byrd's not out to preach or "fix" the reader. He's just sharing (amazing) stories from his life - along with the lessons he's learned from life on the mound. Prediction: Byrd will become the writer for the "Christian everyman" in the new millennium. Baseball was just his warm-up act.

My husband was reading this book and kept saying, "Come here, you have to read this." or "Listen to this paragraph" and he would proceed to read excerpts. So interesting and inspirational were the stories I began to read the book as well, and I am happy I did. Paul Byrd's book is honest, emotional, raw, intelligent, and funny. It's a great read and I can only imagine how much a father and son would get out of this together. Dads get this book for your sons and sons share this book with your father - you won't be disappointed. Thanks Paul for sharing your life with us and helping us learn, grow and laugh with you.

Michelle Akers is the example of what persitence can do for you in any area of your life. We are taken into her world and shown what the career of an athlete entails. I was presently surprise to not be hit over the head with a sermon of why I should be Christian. In this book metaphors can be drawn and you can take her inspiriation to apply it to your daily life. An easy read and you don't have to believe in Jesus to love this book!!
I reccommend this book!!!

I play select and I alway enjoy reading books on awsome soccer players. When my friend told me about this book I jumped at the oppertunity to read yet another soccer book. I read it and couldnt put it down. As a Catholic I diffently could relate and found it pretty cool we share the same faith.
It was a very good and inspiring book! IM GONNA BE THE NEXT MICHELLE AKERS SO WATCH OUT AMERICA CUZ HERE I COME!!!

Michelle Akers writes a truly inspirational story. As you read The Game and the Glory you feel as if you know Michelle personally. The book is easy to relate to because she tells her story on such a personal level. We see Michelle grow through her relationships, her spirituality, her CFIDS (Chronic Fatigue Immune Deficiency Syndrome), and of course soccer.
Michelle is honest about the carefree wonders of childhood. She tells about two of her childhood dreams: One of being the next Mean Joe Green of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the other dream of being an Olympian. Although, for Michelle, childhood is not always carefree dreams. When she is only in the sixth grade, she struggles to understand the reason behind her parents' divorce. Ironically, even Michelle herself cannot believe when she goes through her own divorce. Michelle, with the guidance of a few friends and through her struggles, finds a relationship that will help her cope with all of her problems.
As a child Michelle always found mass to be boring and going to church on Sunday was never something to look forward to. It is not until Michelle is in high school, with the guidance of a teacher, that she truly finds a relationship with God. However, she gets distracted from this newfound relationship quite soon. After her divorce, Michelle realizes that there is something missing from her life: God. She turns to God at this point in her life, and this time she holds on to what she has found. Michelle promotes her Christianity in a way that no one else has ever done. She founds an organization called the Soccer Outreach International. An organization to promote Christianity in sports especially soccer. Michelle did not only turn to God for answers about relationships and soccer, but also about her CFIDS.
Not long after her World Cup experience in 1991, Michelle begins to suffer from CFIDS. However, Michelle is not diagnosed with CFIDS until 1994. From 1991 to 1994 she did not know exactly what was causing her to feel always fatigued and never well. Michelle has done what no other athlete that competes at the level she competes at has done. She played while suffering with CFIDS. This truly shows her unstoppable compassion for the game.
Michelle played many sports as a child, but soccer was her first true love. When she was only nine years old she attended a soccer camp. During the soccer camp she competed in a juggling contest to see who could juggle for the longest. Michelle stayed out at the field juggling for hours without once loosing control of her ball. The camp director stayed and counted her 5,392 touches, which shattered the previous record set by boy who went on to play collegiate soccer at Duke. This is only one of the amazing stories about Michelle and soccer. Through soccer Michelle has traveled to many countries around the world and established lifelong friendships. She is an original member of the first United States Women's National Soccer Team of 1985. With the National Team she has won many individual awards and is a 1991 World Cup Champion, a 1996 Olympic Gold Medallist, and 1999 World Cup Champion. Michelle admits that God has carried her through it all and without Him she would have never accomplished everything that she has.
It is amazing to think of how great a person she is and how truly human she is. Michelle has accomplished so much for women's soccer. She opened up a new door for girls around the U.S. by using her position as the best women's soccer player to promote the sport. She is one of the reasons that women's soccer become an official Olympic sport. Michelle is a role model to many not only as a world class soccer player but also through her display of Christianity in her every action. In reading her story I have learned that sometimes you just have to "show up" and let God take care of the rest.

I know I would love this book even if the writing sucked, which it doesn't...it's beatiful. Still, I'm bias. Michelle has been my role model as a soccer player for years, and I've always her respected her deep faith in Jesus Christ. I'm Catholic. I think Michelle's faith is wonderful, after all she has been through. And the fact that she is grateful for her suffering makes her, in my eyes, a true follower of Jesus.

You will enjoy the thoughts of this excellent (tough as nails) soccer player, and Christian who inspires many others who share her faith. Go USA!

PS. Since this book was written, Michelle has retired.

This is a great book for a young girl because it feels like Michelle is talking to you. I felt like I was her best friend, because I could relate to her family situation, and like her, I'm a tomboy. I don't care for soccer, but now I have a giant Michelle Akers poster hanging in my room, and I feel like I know her well even though I've never seen her play. I recommend this to any girl, ages 8-15.

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.

Goaltenders seem to be loners on a team, however the position is very simple...One needs to build a strong foundation of skills that are developed in a structured and logical manner. Francois addresses these areas, and provides an A-1 training and development guide to be applied on a season long and year long basis. He also addresses the mental aspects that are so critical to a person playing goal. The one area he does not address adequately is females, ie., different physological builds and some the protective equipment is different. He tends to cater the text to the rep and travel level of team and does not cover the parent/coach/goalie relationship to any degree, however it is a very good book !!. I have read about 10 other books on goaltending, I am writing one for adult beginners as I teach adults 18 to 55 how to play goal...it is a treat!!!

I bought this book for my son who has been a goaltender for 8 years. He has absorbed everything he could on goaltending and found this book to teach a vast amount of information that he had never heard of, techniques that were immensly helpful and positive for goaltending.

After reading the book he attended the goalie camp which was awesome. Francoise and hs staff were very personable and charismatic, taught the attendees with alot of patience and with a system where they could understand and retain the information easily.

This family is highly behind Allaire on his books, videos and teachings!

Thanks Francoise for sharing your knowledge and giving so much of yourself to the goalie minded youth of today!

This is an excellent book for goalie coaches & coaches at the rep or house league level who require assistance in establishing a training and development program for young player and can be applied to adults as well. I have written a guide for adults as we are built differently. email if u r interested and is for both men & women

I've been a hockey goalie during 18 years. Now it's time for me to get involved in a different way... as a coach. The young goaler has a lot to learn and a coach can do a lot of damage if he doesn't communicate properly the techniques. The book is a very good tool for the coach. It describes clearly the basic techniques and there are a lot of pictures that illustrate them. I coach 9 yo kids, and I've been able to use many of the drills described in the book.

This is a very good book for non goalies (parents, coaches & kids starting out to play goal. It provides a good plan for developing skills over a three to four year plan. It is geared for the serious coach (rep) & young goalie, but not for adult beginners. After teaching goaltending for 15 years , I developed a guide for adult beginners men &n women and you can contact me at the email below for other info. The Allaire book is an excellent technical starting point and have used it myself, HOWEVER ADULT BEGINNERS ARE DIFFERENT

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 one of the best books one can find about John Elway. Sure, it misses much of the autobiographical details, but it gets down to business quite well, distilling John's football life into its essential components. Its strength arises from diversity of perspective. Not only do you hear Mike Shannahan's memories and opinions, but also Dan Reeve's and the words have a healing effect for us long term fans. Likewise, hearing not only from key Bronco team mates but also from his rivals gives one the complete story.

This book (Biography of John Elway) shows not only History of John Elway, but also of his Teamates and other Players around the NFL . This book is loaded with Players, Coaches, and the Owner of the Denver Broncos.

I got this book from my wife as a birthday present, and immediately sat down and read it cover to cover. I knew a lot of the info in the book already, having been a Bronco fan since 1972, but it did refresh a lot of old (and somewhat painful) memories. I feel this book is a "must have" for any Bronco/Elway fan.

This book offers commentary and descriptins of John Elway by other NFL teammates, players, and coaches. Included are chapters by Mike Shanahan, Terrell Davis, Brett Favre, Dan Reeves, and Clay Matthews (who played for the Cleveland Browns, against the Broncos in 3 AFC Championship games). Each individual's comments are very interesting, as they all offer a different perspective.

The only drawback is that the book appears to have been completed before Super Bowl 33; so Dan Reeves does not offer his views on coaching *against* Elway in a Super Bowl. A minor critique, though, as he still provides an interesting read.

The book is also filled with many excellent photos from Elway's NFL and college days.

Interesting comments from other players, but not a lot of new information for fans who have followed John's career. Nice book to have for a sports collection.

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.

This is a great picture book for big and little baseball fans and for all our daughters. This book is based on the true story of Jackie Mitchell, who at seventeen years of age struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, in the same inning no less!

My husband is a huge baseball fan and he'd never heard this story before.
We both love it and so do our kids.

Mighty Jackie is great book for young readers to be introduced to short biographies. This David and Goliath account of Jackie Mitchell is almost unheard of to avid sports enthusiasts. This is a great way to show young children that no matter what gender you are, hard work will pay off for those who try to reach their goals. Illustrator C.F. Payne had very good depictions of the baseball greats from the past that Mighty Jackie made history with in 1931.

April 2, 1931 was an important day in baseball history. On this day the Chattanooga Lookouts played the New York Yankees in an exhibition game. Thousands packed the stadium to see Lookouts' pitcher, seventeen-year-old Jackie Mitchell, pitch against the Yankees using her "lefty pitch with a low dip." Jackie made baseball history because she was the first professional female pitcher. This slice-of-life biography explains how Jackie grew up playing ball with her father and how at age eight she learned to pitch from Dazzy Vance, a star pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

The mixed media colored illustrations show movement and emotion. The full-page close-ups captures the intensity of players when the umpire yells "strike three." Jackie, surrounded by male players, looks undaunted and determined.

Just the cover of the book alone excited eight to twelve year olds. Children listened intently to the story and talked about the book with excitement. They thought it was great to have a female pitcher and yelled "strike three!"

Covering the amazing achievements of one of the finest pitchers - woman or man - of all times, Jackie Mitchell, this picture-book biography is sure to fly off the shelves and engage even emerging readers, with it's intense, bright illustrations and cliff-hanging text. The story centers around Jackie's determination and hard work to become a great pitcher, fighting sexist discrimination and bad press. It's a tale of what someone can do with their dream, and would be an inspiration to all young people, ballplayers or not. The illustrations perfectly complement the text, and serve to make the story more intense and easy to relate to. This would be a great read-aloud for any classroom or library story time, and might be used to inspire older children to write stories of times they persevered with their dreams. Book has an author's note that lets kids know what happened to Jackie later on and a brief bibliography in the end papers.

Jackie Mitchell set high goals and dreams to become a professional major-league baseball player. Even though there were the stereotypes about girls not playing baseball, she didn't let that hinder her determination in becoming her very best. Through hard-work and lots of training, she became a major league pitcher. On April 2, 1932 she carved her name into history by becoming known as the "Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth." This book depicts that the support of family and the determination of a girl, dreams are possible. This book does a fantastic job to portray the history of Jackie Mitchell in her major-league debut, but also gives information pertaining to her minor-league career and also baseball's formal ban of women from major and minor league. The illustrations make the reader feel that they are sitting in all different areas of a baseball field from right behind home plate to the outfield. I would definitely recommend this book when studying about influential females in history.

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!

We first found this book at a library. Now we have to read it all the time, and at least 3 times in a row. I don't know exactly what it is about the book, but my son loves it.

my son loves this book, and its a perfect size for in the car and to throw into diaper bags. It has cute examples of opposites and great pictures of a lot of familiar football heros.

Using various NFL players in a variety of action and non-action poses, this book introduces young children to opposites. Big & small; narrow & wide; over & under; off & on; and various other opposites are shown. Adults may enjoy this book more, trying to identify the different football stars (some who have left the game) who are pictured in the book (some include Terrell Davis, Will Shields, and Randall Cunningham). However, youngsters who enjoy football will probably learn a thing or two from this book, too.

My son loves anything having to do with a ball. He brightens at the sight of any ball. So, when we read this book together, he pays very close attention and loves to try to find the football in every picture. But beyond the fun, my son has learned the words: hello and goodbye, empty, on and off and others. We have other opposites books, but because this one has bright colors and of course footballs scattered throughout, I really think he learns faster from this one. He definitely has more fun reading it. I highly recommend it as a learning tool as well as a fun book.

This book stands as the first book my two year old son read on his own from cover to cover. Each spread has opposite adjectives (ie., wide and narrow)...Wow! Great photos and big bold words. Young toddlers will love this book!