Players Books

NOBODY'S FOOL is a terrific sports novel that shows the changing heart in a relationship that grows in depth as the story unfolds. It's football better than FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS told in honest down-to-earth writing.

Paul Hemphill, likely the South's finest writer, has in the past written about country music, NASCAR racing and minor -league baseball. Now he brings his considerable powers to high-school football. "Nobody's Hero" is as exciting and drama-packed as the end-of-the-season championship game between two arch rivals. But what truly sets Hemphill's work apart and above other sports-centered novels are the complex and very human relationships that form the backdrop for the big game.

Paul Hemphill's works are marked by carefully drawn characters of complexity and sublety as befits a great writer who has delt so effectively in stories with a Southern context. His Birmingham upbringing, his Auburn U. 'education" and his Atlanta experience provide the football background and the racial context for a story of recovery and redemption in the modern South.

You don't have to be a football fan to appreciate this beautifully-written story of a man who finds out he's a lot better than he -- or anybody else -- thinks he is. It's a novel of redemption, and it's full of flesh-and-blood characters who grow and change -- people you find yourself caring about.
If you are a football fan, you'll appreciate "Nobody's Hero" all the more. It captures the grit and the glory of high school athletics, the kids who play and the adults who guide them. And it's a great read.

Hemphill's hilarious Long Gone was made into a movie, but Nobody's Hero is better. A former award-winning sports writer and a southerner, Hemphill's description of the relationship that develops between a down-and-out ex-jock from AL and a young African American athlete is beyond believable. You KNOW these guys and pull for them. And, their story is seasoned by the insertion of two salty female characters who are completely captivating. The reader can't help wondering what happens to these characters next so, Paul, how 'bout a sequel?

Excellent "bringing back the memories" of some familiar faces in Tar Heel history.Nice to be able to hear from them in past and present tense. A wonderful edition to my library.

As a fan of North Carolina basketball, Scott Fowler's new book is a must for all of us who follow UNC. The information provided on former players is very infomative and well written. It was great to see what these former players had done with their lives and their close ties to the UNC basketball program. This book is a trip down memory lane with additional information that is added to my memories of these players.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book being a lifelong tarheel fan. It was interesting learning more about past heroes and also more recent players. I also thought it was good how Scott Fowler put in the personal tidbits about meeting up with these guys and what Dean and Gut (and Woody) had to say about them.

Being a Tarheel fan I could not put this book down until I finished in a very short period of time.

This is a great book. I can't imagine any true Tar Heel fan who would not want to own this book. Great, easy reading. Very informative. What a pleasure to know what some of these guys, especially the older ones have done with their lives. The only thing wrong with this book is it does not include more of the former players. Here's hoping for a sequel!! Bravo to the author!! If you don't yet own this book what are you waiting for!

I have worked relatively closely with North Carolina basketball for more than a quarter-century and, have gained a great knowledge of the history of the program dating back to the beginning of the Atlantic Coast Conference. As a result, I had a blast reading Scott's book.

It brought back a lot of memories, and got me caught-up with a lot of the biggest names in Tarheel basketball history, as well as with some who may have been forgotten.

It's an easy read, and divided up nicely so that you can read little bits at a time if that's all time permits.

I am a huge fan of Derek Jeter's. That's why I chose this book. I gave it five stars because Matt Christopher described every part of Derek's life accurately. I had already read Derek's autobiography and in that book I learned that his Dad made him sign contracts. In these contracts with his father, Derek had to promise to get good grades -- or else he didn't get to play in any All Star games or anything. Later, dude!

This series in general, and the Jeter book in particular, are great for a 5-10 year old sports nut. I read this with our 6 year old, a chapter a night for a couple weeks.

It's well written and moves quickly.

It makes reading fun by being about something a sports fan kid will really enjoy.

And Jeter in particular is a good story because he's such an great role model for kids -- he crosses racial divides, espouses the virtue of hard work, respect and not taking anything for granted.

Highly recommended

It's a grand slam! Baby. If you like nod slam Yeah baseball you are going to love this book. It's called on the Field with Derek Jeter. It's about a boy who has a fantasy to become the greatest short stop for the New York Yankees. His dreams come true. This book is cool and it is for all Ages. You will like this book but baseball Fans will love this book at One point in he book I all most cried I
recommend this book to you because I am a big baseball fan.

On the Field with Derek Jeter

On the Field with Derek Jeter is my favorite book because it is about my favorite player dreaming to be the player he is today! The setting is mostly on the baseball field. This biography is written by Matt Christopher and he has lots of good biographies. Derek Jeter is the main character and there are lots of people that helped him make his dream come true, like his dad! My favorite part is when he is assigned to the Minor Leagues! The book starts when his mom and dad meet. The theme of the book would be Derek Jeter's comes true. The book starts very exciting even thow it is very serious.
And I think anyone who is a baseball fan or a Yankees fan will love this book!
- Natatlie,9

The book I'm reviewing is At the Plate with Derek Jeter by Matt Christopher. I think this book deserves five stars. This book is a Derek Jeter biography. A problem that occurs in this story is when he's in high school. He almost gets cut from the team. This tells you how Derek Jeter became a pro baseball player. I would recommend this book to anybody.

Emerson N.J. fifth grade student

AN EXCELLENT STORY ABOUT AN INCREDIBLE MAN. PETE IS A HERO IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD. THIS BOOK MAKES HIM HUMAN WITH FLAWS. I REALLY ADMIRE THIS AMAZING MAN. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS SOME MOTIVATION TO ACCOMPLISH THINGS IN THEIR LIFE. I AM GLAD TO SEE THIS MAN GET THE ATTENTION HE RICHLY DESERVES FOR AN INCREDIBLE FEAT. HE PLAYED BETTER THAN MEN WITH 2 ARMS. IN ANY LEAGUE HE PLAYED, PETE IS A HALL OF FAMER.

As a boy growing up in the West German State of Hess, I came to admire the great national soccor league players of my time. Since coming to the States, I have learned something of The Great American Past time. While initially dubious of the tradition in this country of professional athletisism I, none the less felt proud to meet Mr. Pete Gray while ravelling on extended vacation through the Pennsylvania Anthracite region, (my family owned and operated mines along the Ruhr prior to the war).

Having overcome the obstacles inherent to anyone, of working with the deficiency of one limb, (most particuarly an athlete), Mr. Grays grim determation served as an inspiration to his generation.

While sad that he is little remembered outside his own home town, Kashatus' book brings to us quite vividly his life and times.

As a boy growing up in the West German State of Hess, I came to admire the great national soccor league players of my time. Since coming to the States, I have learned something of The Great American Past time. While initially dubious of the tradition in this country of professional athletisism I, none the less felt proud to meet Mr. Pete Gray while ravelling on extended vacation through the Pennsylvania Anthracite region, (my family owned and operated mines along the Ruhr prior to the war).

Having overcome the obstacles inherent to anyone, of working with the deficiency of one limb, (most particuarly an athlete), Mr. Grays grim determation served as an inspiration to his generation.

While sad that he is little remembered outside his own home town, Kashatus' book brings to us quite vividly his life and times.

As a boy growing up in the West German State of Hess, I came to admire the great national soccor league players of my time. Since coming to the States, I have learned something of The Great American Past time. While initially dubious of the tradition in this country of professional athletisism I, none the less felt proud to meet Mr. Pete Gray while travelling on extended vacation through the Pennsylvania Anthracite region, (my family owned and operated mines along the Ruhr prior to the war).

Having overcome the obstacles inherent to anyone, of working with the deficiency of one limb, (most particuarly an athlete), Mr. Grays grim determation served as an inspiration to his generation.

While sad that he is little remembered outside his own home town, Kashatus' book brings to us quite vividly his life and times.

When Pete Gray reached the St. Louis Browns in 1945, the team was coming off the only pennant-winning season in its history. This fine biography by veteran baseball historian William C. Kashatus relates the story of Gray before, during, and after his stint with the Browns. Sportswriters dubbed Gray the "one-armed wonder." Born Peter J. Wyshner in the grimy coal-mining town of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, Gray at age six lost his right arm in a farming accident. He showed remarkable perseverance, however, and pursued sports with a zeal born of adversity. He overcame his handicap to play semi-pro and later professional ball. In 1943 and 1944 he stared for the Class A Southern Association's Memphis Chicks. In 1944 he hit .333, drove in sixty runs, stole sixty-three bases, led the league in fielding percentage, and was voted the Southern Association's most valuable player. While his handicap certainly raised questions about his ability to play in the major league, his 1944 performance earned him a serious look and the Browns acquired his contract for $20,000. Manager Luke Sewell viewed Gray as a sparkplug whose bat and speed would stimulate the Browns' pitiful offense. His strong fielding could only help in the outfield. The Browns' owner believed the one-armed outfielder would also be a gate attraction, especially for thousands of soldiers returning from World War II with handicaps just as significant as Gray's.

For his part, Gray understood that he was something of a token acquisition for the team, but he believed he could help the perennial American League doormat. And Gray had some spectacular moments, as Kashatus relates. He beat the Tigers all by himself during their first meeting of the season. A reporter with the "Detroit News" opined in June 1945 that no one could any longer be suspicious of the Browns' owner for "hiring the outfielder for box office purposes. That he helps the gate receipts is inevitable, but that he helped the Browns win games now is evident to all who have watched him play." And he did help at the gate. By July 1945 the Browns had won over many die-hard Cardinals fans because of the sympathy and excitement generated by Gray's presence in a Browns uniform.

Unfortunately for Gray and the Browns, the "one-armed wonder" could not sustain his early season success. Once opposing pitchers found his weakness they were merciless. Since he had only one arm he had to start the bat earlier than most other hitters and had less control over it once he began his swing. He had become a star in the Southern Association by murdering fast balls, and he could hit big league ones as well, but he had trouble with curves and change-ups because of his difficulty in altering the bat during his swing. Appearing in seventy-seven games for the Browns, Gray batted only .218 with fifty-one hits in 234 plate appearances. Sewell finally benched him when his hitting tapered off.

In an irony of the first magnitude, the noble experiment of giving a one-armed ballplayer a major league opportunity may have actually cost the Browns the pennant. While his teammates admired Gray's courage and resolution in overcoming a handicap, several blamed their third-place finish on him. According to third baseman Mark Christman: "Pete did a great job with what he had. But he cost us the pennant in 1945. We finished third, only six games out. There were an awful lot of ground balls hit to center field. When the kids who hit those balls were pretty good runners, they could keep on going and wind up at second base [because Gray could not throw the ball in as fast as a two-armed player]. I know that lost us eight or ten ball games because it took away the double play or somebody would single and the runner on second would score, where if he had been on first it would take two hits to get him to score."

When the Browns' 1945 season ended, so did the major league career of Pete Gray. Thereafter he played with several minor league clubs all over the country but retired to his hometown of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, in 1949. He finally died in 2002, but was still alive when Kashatus wrote this short biography and oral histories provided much of the information contained in this work.

This was really like a videocam on somebody's private life. Just that it gets turned on and off randomly. It makes sense, if you just keep in mind that this guy is never up to any good, whatever he's doing.

Someone had left this on the seat in the Red Line when we got stuck the better part of an hour on the bridge. There is a limit to how long you can sit and look at MIT so I began reading it.
It seemed to be a pretty quick book, the kind you would hide behind on the subway to avoid any kind of contact with the other passengers. But I ended up reading the whole thing, finishing late that night while my upstairs neighbor was dancing to a Bruce Springsteen CD.
I cannot describe the sense of grief I had after finishing this book. Taking Merlin Black's (i.e. Miles Davis) final affair as its starting point, the author picks up various points in the trumpeter's life, using psychological rather than plot connections to explain who this man really was. Talk about an anti-hero! And yet you accept Merlin's sleaziness as his natural condition, rather like dealing with a life-long disease. It becomes impossible to judge him.
I would highly recommend this book.

This book is an interesting life story. I felt that the author had valid points to make about the character, who as I understood it, is a disguised version of a now deceased jazz musician. This was a man who was not really in control of himself, however talented he may have been. It was gripping enough to read as the author managed to endear the character to me even though few would consider him admirable.
I don't know why so many intelligent authors today feel they must stick explicit descriptions of sex acts in every twenty pages or so. This book was recommended to me by a fellow church member as an example of how a very intelligent individual can go through life, getting no better and no worse, if they pay no attention to religion. I suppose the sex was there just to show, Merlin did not have his own best interests for eternity at heart.

One thing I do, on the road, is track this man Miles. I have been everywhere, this man has been. Every nasty dive that's now a parking lot, every apt. bldg., if he was there, I've been there. And sometimes I stop in a library, NYPublic by Grand Central usually, and look up the newest book on Miles. Until this book, which is kind of rare, I never got further than twenty pages.
Now this book fit with the pattern that I can see, going the places he went, and thinking of his music, which I memorized, all of it. I've talked to some people who actually knew him, but not big light people, and the picture you get is like the one drawn by this man Walter Ellis. He wasn't a nice guy, but mad all the time and even kind of violent when he wasn't too messed up to kick. This is the real picture. And Ellis starts the story when Miles was flopped, a sorry rich man who hadn't played trumpet in five years. By flashbacking to all the separate times he got somewhere and then got down with the dogs again, he gets you into this man's mindset, which was failure and all kinds of ways to fail in dealing with failure. And when you understand that, you'll understand the music.

We had to read "fiction" about an African American artist for the Black History Month assignment, but they would not let us do Rap. I got this from the assignment sheet and I did not want to but had to because I had been out sick the day of the first picks. The teacher said it was about Miles Davis, even though the wrighter calls the dude Merlin Black. I had never heard of either one, but a friend of mines stepfather says he knows who he was sure. He playde jazz, which is slow, I thought.

And man this is a real surprise. This is the kind of dude I want to be, because he is a bad mother in many ways but really good. He held off some pretty bad racists and always did his own jobs. He was not nice to his women but there were a lot of them and he always felt sorry. I got my friend to get some cds of this Miles from his stepfather and I really liked some of his music eventhough some of it really is slow.
Also the book is short. I didn't want to read a long one.

If you love basketball at it's purest form you want to read this book.A must read for anyone who call themselves basketball junkies.

Terrific book...I read it cover to cover, I highly recommend to any serious basketball fan, both young and old.

As a high school hoops fanatic over the past twenty years, I was excited to find out more information about some of the best prep players I remember watching growing up. Greg Moore provides outstanding insight to the careers of some of the best. A great book that I recommend to any basketball fan.

I could not wait to get my hands on SFMJ and I was not disapointed. It stays within my reach for those who thinks they know more about PREP basketball than I do.

Hope to see a next addition. Sports Fan Hampton, VA

If you spent even a part of your childhood pouring over Street & Smith's high school All-American list, this is the perfect book for you. It answers the "whatever happened to" question for dozens of former can't miss prospects. Of course, as this book reveals, many of them did miss. The book is full of stats, insights and stories. For every Michael Jordan and Jason Kidd, there was an equally touted Tom Lewis and Jamie Brandon. I hope all of the players profiled in the book had as much fun playing basketball as I did reading about them. If there is a hoops fanatic on your shopping list, I promise they will be thrilled with this gem of a book.

Take a college with under 200 students, a young coach who has as much skill in self-promotion as basketball knowledge and a star player who is a scoring machine, but doesn't have a high-school diploma.

Add in the monolith that is the NCAA and top programs who are getting pushed to the brink of defeat - or are taking big "L's" - to the upstart college, and you have an absolutely wonderful book on a lost history by Kyle Keiderling.

The story centers around Bevo Francis, who scored 116 points in a game, and Rio Grande College & the journey the basketball team took from its band-box of a gym to some of the biggest arenas in the country. It also shows how the NCAA stood in judgment of the small school and ultimately did a masterful job in erasing the records set by Francis and the team from the collegiate books.

As much a history on how an underdog won under the bright lights, it also is a tale how the special interests of the major programs were served by the NCAA.

It is a must read for fans of college basketball or for those who enjoy stories on how - within an even playing field - dreams can come true.

I loved the book and found it very flattering of Bevo! I think that anyone interested in college basketball would find this book highly entertaining and informative! Unfortunately, when I asked Bevo to sign my copy, he refused and said it was unauthorized? Is this another case of someone taking advantage of Bevo?

For fans of traditional basketball -- where the tradition means tiny uniforms, lousy floors, crowded gyms, transport by station wagon, and honing skills in a barn -- this is literally one for the record books. The college with 100 students took on the establishment and won the hearts of America's basketball fans and the general public through the person of one of the sports' most tragic figures. From scoring 116 points in fron of fewer than 200 people to playing to packed arenas from Boston to Kansas City, the ride was short, not always sweet, but memorable.

'Bevo' Francis earned his nickname from his father's taste for a regional soft drink -- Bevo -- and the name passed on to his son, once Little Bevo and, in time, just Bevo. Raised in the Appalachian hills of southern Ohio, Francis was so frail as a child he missed a lot of school time. By the time he arrived at this tiny college (although most people tghink Rio Grande College is along the river in Texas, it is in southeaster Ohio), Bevo would be a married, 21-year old freshman who still hadn't finished high school. A crafty, P.T. Barnum-like coach saw fame and fortune in building a team and a makeshift schedule around a true phenom, and Bevo rewarded his faith with a 116-point performance that season that earned national attention but also caused the NCAA to disown his performances against teams not from four-year colleges.

There is some clear element of the country rube in Francis, but he comes across in this kind treatment as a bright but uneducated, malleable youth. The promotional coach turns out to be interested in showcasing Bevo's talent, at whatever the cost, running a barnstorming-like schedule against all comers. The good news is that the team generated a quarter of the school's operating budget from their appearences; the bad news is that the school turned on the team when it was clear that basketball brought a harsh media spotlight on a woefully underfunded school.

You can't help but like and feel sorry for Bevo; it is almost easier to despise or at least think little of coach Newt Oliver. After a second successful but stormy season, Oliver urges Bevo to sign a terrible contract to play the oafish role to the Harlem Globetrotters, and a life of basketball and career are finsihed before Bevo would have normally finished college.

Bevo Francis caught the nation's attention at a time when college basketball and Madison Square Garden were reeling from the point-shaving and betting scandals of the late 40's and early 50's. Like a shooting star, Francis shone brightly, but only for a very short time. He may have saved the sport and earned some kudos (and built Oliver's ego), but the NCAA, the Globetrotters, Newt Oliver, and Rio Grande treated Bevo poorly.

Times may change, but some things stay the same -- sports have strong grip on the public.

I had never heard of Bevo Francis before, and reading this story makes me wonder why. Truely a remarkable tale of a "superstar" who, along with talented teamates, took the country by storm. His story was covered nationwide, and record crowds gathered to see him.

Bevo Francis was an extremely talented, unassuming, and honest person. His coach, New Oliver, was a promoting promoter who "sold" Francis. Although the team Oliver had assembled was good, they played for a tiny, unknown school - Rio Grande College. Oliver felt that fame would come to the team if ONE player scored a lot of points.

Bevo had his "breakthru" game in Jan 1953. The national scoring mark was 87 points. Bevo had 61 points after 3 periods, when Oliver had the team pass up shots and feed Bevo, as well as foul the opponent as soon as they touched the ball to stop the clock. By the end of the game, Bevo had scored 116 points, and Rio Grande won the game 150-85. Suddenly, all Oliver's efforts to promote the team went from no response to nation-wide acclaim. In a similiar game a year later, he scored 113 points.

Despite these two "contrived" scores, Bevo was a legitimate scorer and all-around skilled player. He averaged almost 50 points a game over two seasons. The second season was entirely road games against top flight competition that Oliver arranged to maximize the exposure of his team and to generate the most income.

Bevo Francis, playing for tiny Rio Grande College in Southern Ohio, was indeed a shooting star. He averaged just under 50 points a game for two seasons and still holds the NCAA record for the most points scored in a college game (116).

As would be expected, the team was built around Francis, and he made all the headlines, as well as the covers of the major sports magazines of the day. Unfortuately, his team did not receive the credit they deserved. In 1954, Rio Grande, with an enrollment of less than 200 students, played some of the nation's best teams: Villanova, Providence, Miami (Fla.), Arizona State, Wake Forest, and North Carolina State. In January of that year, I watched the Redmen beat Butler University in Indianapolis. Bevo, coming off several weeks of appendicitis attacks, scored 48 points. At the end of the game, the Indiana fans, who know their basketball, gave the entire Rio Grande team a standing ovation; something rarely seen in college play.

Two years later, While in the Army, I had the privilge of playing on the same team as Roy Moses, a former Redmen. After listening to some of Roy's stories about touring the country with Bevo and the Redmen, I was hoping that someday somebody would write the definitive history of Rio Grande's two legendary seasons. Kyle Keiderling has done it, and it is an excellent book.

As national sports publications go, The Sporting News tends towards the low-brow; this can be charted both with the increase in recent years of NASCAR-coverage and by the quality of the copy itself--certainly not in the same class as Sports Illustrated, which, for all its faults, boasts the cream of the crop in terms of sheer sports journalism.
Thankfully, the book is not marred too noticeably by the usual TSN writing style; namely terse, fumbling little capsules that adhere strictly to certain familiar narrative arcs. The same cannot be said for the opinions therein, which are often almost painfully wrong-minded or dependent on faulty logic. It becomes clear that this volume was meant more as a stately coffee table book than a Bill James-style journey into the jungle of stats and lore to determine the pecking order of the great game.
I am a maniacal fan, to put it kindly, and one that must analyze history for its own sake. This book is intended for a fan of a slightly lesser level of obsession, which is not to say that it cannot be recommended heartily for most.

Baseball is my favorite sport, and I love debating the greatest players of all time just like everyone else. And The Sporting News does a solid job of ranking the players, and offering why. The pictures are a wonderful addition to the text. And while they overvalue players like Rogers Hornsby and Pete Rose and undervalue players like Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, and Stan Musial, the idea of the book like this is to provoke arguments. Foolishy, they did not separate pitchers and position players, and I wish they would have written a little bit more about each player, but overall this is a great book. One final note: For the most part I believe that baseball's greatest players came from the bygone days, but Cal Ripken's 78 ranking in this book is an absolute travesty. He is a top 30 player. Overall, a great book.

GREAT BOOK, GIVEN AS A GIFT AND HE LOVED IT. READS IT AVIDLY EVERYDAY. WIFE TOLD ME HE ABSOLUTELY LOVES IT. I AM SURE IT WILL BE LOVED BY THE AVID BASEBALLL FAN. MAKES A GREAT GIFT OR IF YOU ARE JUST BUYING IT FOR YOURSELF ENJOY EVERY PICTURE AND LINE YOU READ.

Like their pro football book, this book selects what The Sporting News' editors felt who were the greatest 100 baseball players of all time. And it's very difficult to argue too hard with their choices. Babe Ruth at #1 is in my opinion a no-brainer. Ruth really saved the game at a time when it desperately needed a hero and he forever changed the way the game was played with his towering home runs on the field and his "carousing" off it. The book also features a nicely written foreword by the #2 all-time best player, Willie Mays. How honored I am that I got to see him play in his prime some 30 plus years ago as a boy.

I like that the choices in this book are unaffected by race, scandal or personality. Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Buck Leonard, Cool Papa Bell, and Oscar Charleston of the Negro League made this list. It's truly sad that so many talented ballplayers were kept out of the majors because of their race. Joe Jackson, is another "Top 100 member" who of course was banned after the Black Sox scandal. Others like Ty Cobb, who was a notorious hothead in his day are also here.

Reading through the book brought many smiles to my face as I recalled watching so many players, like Harmon Killebrew, Kirby Puckett, Willie McCovey (my all-time favorite), Ernie Banks, and Hank Aaaron just to name a few.

So many excellent choices, this book is well-done and a great momento to all the athletes who have made baseball the game it is today.

My favorite sports is baseball, so reviewing this book was an easy choice. As with all books that rank the best of all time, the listing are subjective, although this list is very close to my personal choices. Sporting News is a respected name and that adds credibility to the book.

Starting with Babe Ruth, as most baseball ranking do, right to number 100 Early Wynn, there are stories, photos and quotes that make this book one the best. I was impressed by the vast collection of pictures throughout the book.

The book has a top 100 timeline of players, the All Time top 10 selections lists, all decade teams, top100 breakdowns and a top 100 quiz included in the book as well. For every baseball fan and purest, this would make the prefect gift or collectors item.

A great addition to my library, a book that I will share with my children for years to come, Baseball's 100 Greatest Players needs only to add a video to make the set complete!

Now featuring a new afterword by author Charles C. Alexander (Professor Emeritus Of History at Ohio University), Ty Cobb is the classic biography of one of baseball's most brilliant, volatile, and intimidating presences. An inset section of black-and-white photographic plates illustrate this chronicle of not only Ty Cobb's robust life, but also the startling transformations taking place during twentieth-century baseball. A fascinating, deftly researched and highly readable "must-have" for fans of baseball legends.

TY COBB BY CHARLES C. ALEXANDER (1984)

Audio book review

Charles C. Alexander's Ty Cobb is an illuminating review of the legendary early Twentieth Century baseball superstar. This audio book, read by Walter Zimmerman, is written more like historical biography than a baseball book
Alexander dispels many long-held Cobb myths. Cobb was mean and nasty, but not nearly the ogre of legend. In fact, Cobb was a devout Christian (Baptist), very well spoken, a man who cared about his public image, and engaged himself in many acts of on and off-field kindness. Caricatured as a savage racist by revisionist history, Cobb actually was kindly in his relations with the many black people he grew up with in Georgia, some of whom worked for his family. He had no patience for blacks he considered uppity. He was not Branch Rickey, but he was not the Grand Dragon of the K.K.K., either. Miserly? Sometimes, but without fanfare he took care of players who had hit the skids. A spikes-sharpened demon? You bet, but Ty also shook hands with his combatants after the dust settled, and performed various acts of dovish peacemaking for the benefit of hostile fans.
Alexander is not a psychiatrist, but it is obvious that the fact that Cobb's mother killed his father in what may not have been an accident, during an incident that occurred because Mr. Cobb suspected Mrs. Cobb of having an affair, shaped Ty's combative nature. What has been lost over the years is that Cobb became friendly with Babe Ruth (common legend holding that he always hated him). Cobb was a shrewd millionaire investor who never needed to work after baseball, therefore separating himself from regular contact with people while living in huge mansions that were too big for him, after his wife left. Most telling is the relationship Cobb had with his two male children. He raised them strictly, and because of baseball travel left much of the child rearing to his wife. When he retired, they were grown up and on their own, and Cobb had genuine regrets for "missing" their childhood's. He wished he had been a doctor, so he could have been home for his kids, and when one of his sons went into medicine, Cobb lamented that if he, too, were a doctor they would have something in common. With all that baggage in tow, Cobb had to endure the premature deaths of both of the boys from untimely illnesses, living the last 20-odd bitter years of his life blaming himself.
Cobb may have been hard to live with, but this book empathetically explains some of the demons that drove the man into becoming a brilliant stock manipulator, a taskmaster father, an unfeeling husband, a reviled teammate, a hated opponent, and in the opinion of those who saw him, perhaps the greatest baseball player who ever lived!

Perfect companion to Al Stump's bio of Cobb. Alexander is more factual; Stump gives the reader a more thorough understanding of Cobb and his peculiarly ferocious personality. (The Alexander and Stump biographies portray a man who is one part Bedford Forest, one part Patton, one part Perot and one part Michael Jordan). For instance, Alexander devotes little more than one paragraph to Cobb's nervous breakdown in August, 1906. On the other hand, Stump details the inhumane hazing Cobb received from his yankee teammates in 1906 due to southern upbringing which led to Cobb's breakdown and fed his massive paranoia. Stump does a much better job on detailing Cobb's rivalry with Babe Ruth. Alexander briefly mentions the rivalry; Stump details the intense hatred Cobb felt for Ruth. For example, as player-manager of the Tigers, Cobb would often scream at the thick-lipped Ruth from the dugout, "You Nigga', Nigga' etc., etc.." However, where Stump takes many of Cobb's stories and yarns at face value, Alexander sifts through the clouds and tells the reader what is definitely true and leaves out what might be lies. Ty Cobb is the most interesting baseball player of all time though not the most important (Jackie Robinson, Babe Ruth, Roberto Clemente and, because of his role in free agency, Catfish Hunter were more important than Cobb). To get a real good feel of Ty Cobb, you need to read two books. Mr. Alexander's book is one of the two.

Alexander approaches baseball history as a historian; not a mere storyteller. This book reflects that approach. Alexander reports the feats and faults of Cobb, but doesn't try to pass judgement. Cobb's career speaks for itself (men are still chasing some of his records). However, in our age of political correctness Cobb's misbehavior speaks louder.

Alexander details a complete Cobb. For all his faults Cobb was mannered and gracious in public (most of the time), a perfect host (if he liked you) and a generous philanthropist. This is the side most other Cobb bio's whitewash.

This book proves useful as a resource about Cobb. It details the facts about his life season by season. The only way to improve the book would be to add more detail and color to some of Cobb's exploits-- but then the book would have to be about 500 pages.

I consider this to be the primere biography of Ty Cobb. However, those looking mostly for anidotes, stories and that harsh personality brought to life might want to check out Al Stumps' "Cobb". I suggest reading both to develop the full image of the Greatest innovator baseball has ever seen.

Ty cobb was the most ideal hitter in baseball before "the Babe" opened its new era.

The author described well enough for me to understand 1900-1910's players, ballparks, other circumstances around baseball.

I sincerely recommend this book to all the baseball fans.

IT WILL ROCK YA! FROM HIS SEXUALITY TO HIS CARREER YOU GET TO KNOW WHY DENNIS DOES WHAT HE DOES! ALL I CAN SAY IS READ IT!!!!!!

I opened the cover of the book in hope of a good read. Now, I am not really your general type of book reading person. But I could not put the book down. Some of Rodmans quotes throughout the book are excellent. The book is mind blowing read that does not stop until you reach the back cover. I can't wait until I can get hold of the next title "As Bad As I Wanna Be"

Walk on the Wild Side is just as awesome as the first book. When you finish it, you feel as if you'd been inside Dennis Rodman's soul. I love it because it's cool and it's much sexier than Bad As I Wanna Be!!!!

I am a Rodman fan but I found that his first book was very brash and not too informative. His second book is far more interesting and provides an insight into why Rodman does what he does. He explains why he hangs out in "off beat" locales and gives an insight into his life in the NBA. I think the most intesting point in his book is his relationship with his young daughter which seems to be very strong. Is Rodman really a softie at heart?

Dennis Rodman's Walk on the Wild Side is such a good book to read. While his first book was the all about him growing up and making it to the NBA, Walk On the Wild Side is his life after making it to the NBA and all the crazy things he's done and been through. A DEFINITE must read.