City Leagues Books

Intriguing, enlightening, excruciatingly detailed...if you have a passion for mlb history you will not be able to quit this exhaustive analysis.
It exposes how, nothing less than corruption was overlooked for the benefit of the continued success of the Bronx Bombers. Jeff Katz is a baseball scholar that has written an exposé that captures all the details while keeping you captive for more!

I grew up as a Yankee fan in the 1950s and it was obvious that this was going on. Kansas City never had a good ball club but whenever they got talent they traded the player to the Yankees for very little in return. Sometimes it was just cash. The biggest gain was when KC got Roger Maris from Cleveland and after one strong year with KC he was tradedf to the Yankees where he hit 39 home runs in 1960 and 61 in 1961. The As were essentially a farm system of the Yankees but instead of being sent down to the minors a Yankee who needed seasoning was traded to KC where he could face major leaguers including the Yankees. When the Yankees thought the player was ready they brought him back. Here are some of the Yankees that went back and forth: Norm Siebern, Bob Cerv, Irv Noren Marv Throneberry, Hector Lopez. The Yankees got Bud Daley and Bobby Shantz in addition to Maris from the KC As. Billy Martin was traded to KC but only because the Yankees thought he was a bad influence on Mantle. They didn't plan to ever bring Martin back.

Of course the Commissioner ignored the obvious as he let the iwners do whatever they wanted. I never could understand why Kansas City wuld do this. This book explains it all as the KC owner seemed to share outside business interests with Topping and Webb, the Yankee owners.

If even half this well-researched, well-written, and well-argued volume is true, then-Commissioner Ford ("It's a league matter") Frick, who seemed to spend more time jerryrigging the obstruction of any attempts to break Babe Ruth's records than he did shepherding baseball, was derelict in his duties as the steward of the game. And, an awful lot of baseball fans---in New York, Philadelphia, and Kansas City alike---were had.

The incestuous relationship between Arnold Johnson and Del Webb should have been one of baseball's most grotesque scandals, enough to make the dubious manner in which the eventual Yankee sale to CBS went down (reference Bill Veeck, "The Hustler's Handbook") resemble a gentleman's agreement. Baseball government's apparent silence/inaction during the height of that relationship (although, to his rare credit, then-Cleveland Indians general manager Frank Lane did harrumph to anyone who'd listen---unlikely, considering Lane's own dubious ways of running the Tribe in those years---that, if he'd known his prime young right fielder Roger Maris would end up a Yankee, he wouldn't have swapped Maris to the A's himself) should be considered at least as much a stain on the great and glorious game as were such affairs as the gambling scandals of the 1910s-1920s, the Pete Rose contretemps, and today's contretemps over actual or alleged performance-enhancing drugs.

Yankee haters won't like this, but the shameful story of the 1950s Yankee administration viz the Kansas City Athletics makes the worst excercises of the Steinbrenner era seem tame aberrations. I'd thought for a long time that a good book needed to be written about that story, and here it is.

Kansas City is certainly not up to date. The city's citizens are constantly being made the patsies in any deal, whether it involves the organized crime of the Pendergast era, the attempt to stop light rail in the city or the building of its baseball/football complex out in Independence. Author Jeff Katz shines a bright light on baseball's cold-war era, focussing on the horrific collusion scandal of the 1950s, whereby the hated New York Yankees swiped all of KC's good baseball players under a secrecy that rivals today's steroid cover-up.

Of course, the citizens of KC always knew what was going on but couldn't stop it. Organized crime flourished and KC was appalled. Did they do anything about it? No, not for years.

The citizens knew a ball park belonged in KC's downtown, but they couldn't stop the building of two stadiums in Independence. Now, KC is in deep doo-doo trying to revive its downtown, after once again refusing the chance to move the stadiums there and with the "great" Sprint Center for basketball and hockey way behind schedule.

Katz, in his poorly-titled book, uses mostly contemporary 1950s newspaper articles to build his case against the Yankees during a time when they were using the Kansas City A's as a "minor-league" outlet for fire-sale bargains. Maris, Lopez, Maas, Trucks, Dickson and many more good KC players became Yankees because the Yankees controlled the KC team and Commissioner Ford Frick and even the United States Congress allowed it to go on illegally for years. And the KC fans? They let it happen too, just as they might let a great light rail plan be emasculated by the city's so-called power brokers here in 2007.

I feel very sad for Kansas City fans. They get dumped on so easily, but they always seem to smile and forget. Maybe that's what makes this city so easy to fool. Maybe being the perfect patsy makes KC great in some, warped, crazy-little-woman way.

by Larry Rochelle, author of TEN MILE CREEK, DEATH AND DEVOTION, CRACKED CRYSTALS and BLUE ICE

"The Wrong Half of the Yankees" is about the bizarre relationship between the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics in the years 1955-1960. The principal characters are A's owner Arnold Johnson and Yankees co-owners Del Webb and Dan Topping. The 3 had deep interests in the Automatic Canteen Company and Topping/Webb sold Yankee Stadium to Johnson. The Yanks main farm team was in KC. Del and Dan just happened to include in the Stadium deal the sale of the Kansas City ballpark to Johnson as well! Moreover, Del and Dan then strong-armed the American League to rubber stamp Johnson's purchase of the moribund Philadelphia A's and to approve the franchise shift from Philly to KC. This, despite the fact that higher offers were on the table, with at least one from interests that might have kept the A's in Philly. Once Johnson was safely ensconced in KC, the teams engaged in some 20 trades, nearly all favoring the Yankees. The fodder for a fine baseball story is all here but author Katz takes far too pages to tell it. Included in the text are a history of the Philly franchise and infighting twixt various members of the Mack family, who had controlled the A's for decades. The result is an almost deadening load of information which might have been fascinating had it only been served in smaller portions. WHY is one of those works which cry out for that proverbial stern editor with a sharp blue pencil to trim down the text. Not until Chapter 11 does Katz cover the good stuff: those trades. These encompass the period when this reviewer was just a kid- and a Yankee fan. Even a boy could smell a rat at some of these transactions. Most may cavil at the lopsided deal for Roger Maris but this observer recalls the round trip trades for pitcher Ralph Terry. A young RT plainly needed seasoning and wasn't going to get it in the Bronx bull pen, so he was farmed to the A's in 1957 (the Billy Martin trade). In 1959, the by then seasoned Terry was back in pinstripes! Even a 12 year old Yankees fan smelled something fishy. A nice inclusion is the images of 78 trading cards for many players. Included are 4 of Harry "Suitcase" Simpson and the '57 card of pitcher Art Ditmar listed as a Yankee -but plainly in an A's uniform! The back of that card actually acknowledged the misprint The bottom line: Insufficient space is given to the trades, far too much to kvetching about franchise shifts, stadium deals and Mack family squabbling. One suspects that some of the text qualifies as mere filler. A scaled down WHY would be excellent as a feature article in a magazine. As a full length, 200 page book it falls short.

A beautiful cookbook with menus to suit every pallette! Recipes run the gamut from easy-to-prepare picnic food to New York gourmet. I would highly recommend as a gift.

Easy and elegant entertaining; recipes from some of the Big Apple's most notable restaurants and star chefs. A beautifully produced and styled book that takes readers on a culinary tour of Manhattan's diverse neighborhoods and cuisine.

Pair this with Baseball America's Baseball Directory and you have a winning combination for planning your baseball vacation. This one even tells you what NOT to eat at the ballparks! This book needs to be expanded.

This handy guide combines the best of the Fodor's approach to travel advice with some useful and fun information about major and minor league ballparks throughout the U.S.A. and Canada. The authors have supplied the usual data on motels and other accomodations, as well as restaurants, side trips, and other interesting family-oriented attractions. There are detailed maps and driving directions to help you on your way. The ballpark information is detailed and includes what you need to know about ticket prices, seating availability, food, and other "buyer beware" items to avoid. There is even a brief and informative history of each ballpark.

Although it is noted in the co-author's review, I would stress that not every major league ballpark is covered in this volume.

All in all, a great read. A nice reference work even if you're not hitting the road.

This book is a callow attempt at stealing your valuable money. This book does not, in any way, provide scintillating information for the reader, nor does its information prove informative. If you want to lose your money, go right ahead and buy this book for your long hours sitting on the toilet. Otherwise, get a real baseball book; a vibrant one, one replete with color and information, thus fostering a sense of awe, completeness and congeniality.

The book is an absolute lifesaver. I have always planned to travel around America after I graduate from high school, and this book makes it possible. It has everything from directions to favorite foods at both the stadium and the surrounding area. Also, it provides reasonable and realistic ways to save money. A little money here and a little money there can really add up after a month of so on the road. Even if the book does not feature a place where you want to go, it will provide you with an address and phone number. Not only does this book have virtually every phone number you might ever need but it also has faxes, web sites, etc. Adams and Engel read my mind with this book. I don't have to plan hardly anything because they have accounted for everything.

We bought our copy of Ballpark Vacations less than a year ago, and it is already dog-eared and worn. We've used it for trips to Fenway Park and Camden Yards and are planning a trip to Wrigley this year. It has been invaluable in trip planning, and the tips and hints have made our trips more interesting than if we had simply booked a hotel room and bought game tickets. This has got to be the best reference you can get for major and minor league baseball travel!

This is a great book from the "FIFTY MINUTE" Series of books. A lot of info, but not overwhelming. Quizzes, examples, samples,and tips add to the enjoyment, and educational component of this book. I ordered 20 books to give to attendees at a Media and Public Relations seminar that our association presented recently. I used a couple of the quizzes in the book as handouts prior to giving them the books. I highly recommend it!

I found this book to be too out of date to be of any help. Like laws that have not kept up with the technology, this book is also incapable of dealing with the modern media. I'd suggest reading Guerrilla PR Wired by Michael Levine for a more up to date and relevant techniques.

This book is simply too limited in scope and too outdated to satisfy the needs of most people who will be dealing with the media. In my job as a Media Relations officer with NATO, and with first-hand experience in working as a spokesman in a high-profile environment, I am responsible for helping senior leaders work effectively with the media. I am therefore constantly reading new material and books to learn from the experiences of others. If I were to tell the people I work with to read one book on the subject, this one would not be very high on the list. It's relatively narrow focus on predominantly one type of interview -- live television -- doesn't fit into what most people will face when dealing with media today. Seldom will people face live television when giving an interview, although many of the techniques he recommends remain useful and valid in many environments. Having said that, he emphasizes the right areas and I found many useful points that I will integrate into my own training program. The interview-guidelines list is very good, as is the Prioritized List Concept to prepare for an interview. If you're looking for just one book, this probably doesn't present the comprehensive view you need of today's media and how to give effective interviews. But if you're looking for a few pearls to add to your knowledge, or if you just can't make it through a book on the subject that is more than 75 pages long, this is worth the money.

First of all, let me preface this review by saying that this is not a three-star review for content. This book is rich with information and heart, and has been thoroughly dog-eared by this reader. I give it three stars because it might not be as helpful to a baseball fan reading the book for the first time in 2006. Much of the information is now terribly out of date (who but the grizzled Marylandians among us would know that the Baltimore Memorial Stadium facade is no longer with us?) just because of the escalating pace of baseball stadium development. I also find it curiously selective in places: why a Dodger Stadium piece but no Angels Stadium? Why no Shea Stadium (aesthetics and the #7 Train ride aside) but an expansive piece on every other stadium in the NYC area?

These are small complaints, and I still recommend highly - but until there is a new edition (and I will be the first in line), trust but verify.

This is a a great book for those who love to travel to baseball games with the family. My only complaint would be that it doesn't cover every MLB stadium. On the plus side, it includes independent and minor league stadiums.

I picked up this book because, like many baseball fans, I've thought of one day seeing all the major league ballparks (or at least those worth seeing). Baseball Vacations doesn't disappoint, offering information on baseball parks clustered into chapters by region or theme. It's mainly addressed to families, but a couple like us can get a lot out of it too.
My only beef with their reviews came when they labeled Dodger Dogs mediocre, quite a slight to the Dodger fan. Hmm, maybe they didn't try the grilled ones.
Anyway, they offer seating tips (like which seats have obstructed views), parking, lodging, sightseeing and entertainment options, although the latter two would be better served if you accompany your trip with a local guide.

I really like the pleasure they take in describing the historic parks. You can identify with their love for the game.
I would recommend it to the true baseball fan in search of the past.

If you are planning a trip or even if you just want a little insight into the wonderful world of minor league baseball then this is the book for you. Packed with information on minor league ballparks and the teams that occupy them. Tips on where to stay, what to eat, and what to do. Don't miss this great book.

I found this book to be extremely limited for someone interested in visiting major league ballparks. Many of them have been left out (Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Montreal to name a few). Areas in which there are more than one team, only one team is mentioned (the book mentions that Chicago is one of the cities that has two teams, but neglects to mention the White Sox at all; and Shea stadium in New York is listed in the "Other New York Baseball" section, but it is listed after Ebbett's Field and the Polo Grounds which don't exist anymore). The book does seem to have a great deal of information on minor league baseball teams, however. I found Fields of Dreams, (the new, revised edition) to be more helpful in planning my trips.

I love Pilcher's books but this one is not as good as SEPTEMBER, UNDER GENINI, THE SHELL SEAKERS or COMING HOME. Yes, the vividness is there, the story is well written and the characters difficult to forget, but she can do a lot better, she has proven it to us, her fans!!!

I just finished this book, and when I had read the last line, I wondered what had happened to Rosamunde Pilcher. Further--where is the meat? I checked the copyright date--1982. Her stride with the Shell Seekers hit in 1987, followed by September in 1990, Coming Home in 1995, and Winter Solstice in 2000. Sadly, I think I was reading before she became that marvelous storyteller. Everyone has to start, and this book foreshadows the descriptions and storylines she grows to entertwine so wonderfully. But not in this book. The characters are but briefly drawn, but never drew me in like the others above. I never got a picture of Cornwall or Penmarron as the other books had. I finished it as a task that needed finishing, not with the "I have to see what happens" and then, "oh, no, it's over" that her masterpieces gave me.

As a lover of Ms. Pilcher's work, I cannot recommend this one. If I had read this one first, I would never have picked up those other wonderful stories of hers. The reviews written are dismal as well...it is not "satisfying," "captivating," nor "an unforgettable journey." I actually want to forget this one. Sorry, Rosamunde. I do love your other work. I think this is a story that happened on the way to becoming a wonderful writer. Note the copyright dates is my word of advice to Pilcher readers. And if this was your first with her--go to one of the above mentioned!

I don~t know if this is Rosamund Pilcher~s first book or what, but I have to say that I was disappointed by it.

I picked it up at the library and when I opened the first page sitting in my favorite chair in my living room I was filled with anticipation...thinking I would have the same experience with this particular Pilcher book that I have had with all the others that I~ve read. Ahh, not to be. I found all of the characters lacking in development, whiny, and just not likable at all, with the exception of Charlotte. The description of the Cornish countryside wasn~t up to par with The Empty House and Coming Home, though nothing can ever compare to Coming Home. I had a hard time visualizing Phoebes house and her garden. I didn~t even get a full picture of Lily Tonkins. To be honest, I didn~t even like the characters names.

If you have never read a Pilcher book before, do not start with this one. If you do, I think you may never want to read another.

Rosamunde Pilcher is one of the most reliable authors that I read. She always delivers an entertaining story. THE CAROUSEL takes place in Cornwall, a spot that this author writes about with a great deal of enthusiasm and comfort.

Prue Shackleton at the age of twenty-three, is an attractive and responsible young woman. Her mother feels that its time for her to settle down. Prue isn't sure about that even though there is a kind and wholesome Scotsman who is hoping to marry her. In her heart she knows that he's not the man she wants to spend her life with. On the eve of a visit to meet his parents in Scotland, Pure hears that her favorite aunt has just broken her arm and she rushes to Cornwall to help her.

On the train to Cornwall, Prue becomes acquainted with a sad little girl who is going to visit her grandmother. In Cornwall, she also meets Daniel Cassens, a well-known artist who she finds quite attractive. What follows is a story that involves everyone that I've mentioned and it all takes place in beautiful Cornwall.

For complete enjoyment and relaxation all that's needed is a Pilcher book and a cup of Earl Grey. I believe that I've now read all of Pilcher's stories, hopefully she'll write a few more!

I read this with an open mind. The reason I picked it up is because I was quite taken in by her son's first two books. In some of the reviews for his novels, I saw that others were saying that his books did not compare favorably to his mothers. Well, after finnally plodding through this 'Carousel' book, I have to disagree on the outset. Pilcher is a pretty good author. Sort of like a modern EM Forrester. This is not what I would call a romance. Or if you were to classify it as such, I would say that this is more of a literary romance. I was constantly reminded of the author Stegner. Both Stegner and Pilcher weave around similar topics and subject matters. But where I would consider Stegner one of the 20th centuries great authors, Pilcher is sort of stale in comparison. Her story unfolds like Pilcher is on a train ride, passing one town after another and unloading the plot like it were baggage that she had to drop off at each next town. This is a very linear book. From start to finish it heads in a straight line towards its destination and seldom pauses to contemplate or add nuance to the narrative.

Ah, I am being a little hard on Pilcher, I will read her again. This was a very readable book and was not off-putting in any overt manner.

If it was possible to give this book zero stars, I would. What Caillault did is cobble together a bunch of 1889 newspaper articles about baseball from four different cities: New York, Boston, Brooklyn, and St. Louis. Other than the two page preface and the one page postscript, there is nothing that Caillault wrote himself in this book. Caillault, a professor at the University of Georgia, should know better. Also, this book, like most McFarland books, is extraordinarily overpriced ($30 list price for a 330 page paperback). With a list price like that for a book of so little substance, it is little wonder why Caillault felt the need to throw together a bunch of newspaper articles and call it a book.