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1419 products
by Don Zminda (Author)
Harry Caray is one of the most famous and beloved sports broadcasters of all time, with a career that lasted over 50 years. Always a baseball enthusiast, Caray once vowed to become a broadcaster who was the true voice of the fans. Caray's distinctive style soon resonated across St. Louis, then Chicago, and eventually across the nation.
In The Legendary Harry Caray: Baseball's Greatest Salesman, Don Zminda delivers the first full-length biography of Caray since his death in 1998. It includes details of Caray's orphaned childhood, his 25 years as the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals, his tempestuous 11 years broadcasting games for the Chicago White Sox, and the 16 years he broadcast for the Chicago Cubs while also becoming a nationally-known celebrity. Interviews with significant figures from Caray's life are woven throughout, from his widow Dutchie and grandson Chip to broadcasters Bob Costas, Thom Brennaman, Dewayne Staats, Pat Hughes, and more. Caray was known during his final years as a beloved, often-imitated grandfather figure with the Cubs, but the story of his entire career is much more nuanced and often controversial. Featuring new information on Caray's life--including little-known information about his firing by the Cardinals and his feuds with players, executives, and fellow broadcasters--this book provides an intimate and in-depth look at a broadcasting legend.Author Biography
Don Zminda spent more than two decades with STATS LLC, first as director of publications and then director of research for STATS-supported sports broadcasts. He has written or edited over a dozen sports books, including Double Plays and Double Crosses: The Black Sox and Baseball in 1920 (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021) and the SABR publication Go-Go to Glory: The 1959 Chicago White Sox. He has been a member of the Society for Baseball Research since 1979. A Chicago native, Zminda now resides in Los Angeles.
by Jamie Huskins (Author)
Collecting rookie cards is a major part of our hobby, and this guide offers the most up to date and complete source for rookie card information. It lists every rookie card for every player from the beginning of the modern baseball card era in 1933 to the final sets of 2019. This new edition has been expanded to include a list of players by year, along with the previous editions alphabetical player list.
by Renee Krotche (Author)
by Matt Christopher (Author)
The Kid Who Only Hit Homers has sold over one million copies and is now a film on Amazon Prime!
A baseball fan learns the true meaning of success in this beloved classic that will capture the imaginations of a new generation of young readers. Sylvester loves baseball, but he isn't exactly what you'd call a good hitter. Even though he wants nothing more than to join his neighborhood team, the Hooper Redbirds, he's sure he'll never do anything more than warm the bench. But then he meets the mysterious Mr. Baruth who promises to make Sylvester one of the best players ever. Suddenly, Sylvester goes from the worst player on the team to the kid who can only hit homers.With his overnight success, however, come tough questions. Will Sylvester ever learn the true meaning of teamwork? And what will happen when he has to learn to stand on his own?
This beloved story about baseball, confidence, perseverance, and being a good teammate is a modern classic and sure to win over a new generation of young sports fans.
Author Biography
Matt Christopher is the bestselling name behind more than 100 sports-themed books for young readers.
by Richard A. Johnson (Author)
The knuckleball--so difficult to hit but also difficult to control and catch--has been a part of major league baseball since the early 1900s and continues to be used to this day. This remarkable and unusual pitch is the instrument of a special breed of pitcher, a determined athlete possessing tremendous concentration, self confidence, and a willingness to weather all kinds of adversity.
In The Knuckleball Club: The Extraordinary Men Who Mastered Baseball's Most Difficult Pitch, Richard A. Johnson provides an informal history of the wildest, weirdest, most mesmerizing pitch of all time. Beginning with an examination of the invention of the knuckleball, Johnson then briefly touches upon the science and psychology of the pitch before profiling the game's great knuckleballers. Rich in anecdotes and interviews, this book shares the unique stories of Hoyt Wilhelm, Phil Niekro, Jim Bouton, Tom Candiotti, Tim Wakefield, R.A. Dickey, and many others. Also featured are the stories of the best knuckleball catchers, from Bob Uecker and Doug Mirabelli to Rick Ferrell and Paul Richards. While knuckleballers today are an anomaly, decades ago a surprisingly large number of major league pitchers used the knuckler. The Knuckleball Club is the first book to provide a comprehensive survey of the pitch and the players who used it, offering a deep understanding of how the knuckleball has fit into the fabric of the game over the past one hundred years. Anyone wanting to learn more about this unusual pitch, from baseball historians and fans to current and former players, will find this book an entertaining and enlightening read.Author Biography
Richard A. Johnson is Print Editor of Automotive News, the world's largest auto industry business publication. He has written feature articles for several magazines, including American Heritage, Golf Magazine, and Psychology Today, and is the author of two books, American Fads and Six Men Who Built the Modern Auto Industry.
by Jim Cutler (Author)
In his inspiring first book, The Life of Mr. Baseball, Coach Jim Cutler shares stories about a protective pet crow, the miracle of plastic surgery for a child's birth defect, his challenges beekeeping and making homemade wine, flying down the Snake River, escapades on the golf course, leading a Virginia baseball team to a state championship, coaching a future famous Navy SEAL, and having an inoperable 100 percent blocked artery then living to tell about it. He also has written these memories in the middle of stage 4 lung cancer, dictating many of the pieces to his daughter. Coach Cutler's stories will motivate you to live to the fullest. To face challenges with humor and courage. To not give up. To endure. He speaks to the heart throughout his moving writing in this wonderful collection. And he will definitely put a smile on your face as you find yourself saying along with this one-of-a-kind man, "Hey, we had fun, didn't we?" As Brian "Iron Ed" Hiner, Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander (Ret.) (Author of GUTS: Greatness Under Tremendous Stress; Los Angeles Times Bestselling Author of First, Fast, Fearless), says, "Coach Cutler gives us a peek behind the curtain of the character of one of the winningest baseball coaches in Virginia history. I've known Coach for almost 40 years, and in his book, I got to relive our relationship and hear the stories of one of our unsung heroes who always served others with his heart and soul. In his words and in his kindness he will make you want to be a better person."
by W. P. Kinsella (Author)
Bearing W.P. Kinsella's trademark combination of "sweet-natured prose and a richly imagined world" (Philadelphia Inquirer), The Iowa Baseball Confederacy tells the story of Gideon Clark, a man on a quest. He is out to prove to the world that the indomitable Chicago Cubs traveled to Iowa in the summer of 1908 for an exhibition game against an amateur league, the Iowa Baseball Confederacy. But a simple game somehow turned into a titanic battle of more than two thousand innings, and Gideon Clark struggles to set the record straight on this infamous game that no one else believes ever happened.
by Gerard S. Petrone (Author)
The Lost Art of Baseball Humor (1860-1900) is an off-beat, annotated collection of humorous 19th Century baseball writing, embellished with period baseball illustrations and cartoons, plus little-known tidbits of historical information. Marvel how baseball writing evolved to include elements of slang, sarcasm, wit, and faux erudition, all intended to interest the reader through humor. Within these pages are the writings of Charles Dryden, O.P. Caylor, Ren Mulford, Leonard Washburne, and many others who plied their craft anonymously. And though these writing styles have faded away like so much dust on the base paths, the pages herein contain numerous samples to ponder for baseball historians and casual fans alike. Nuf Ced!
Author Biography
A Washington State native by birth, Gerard S. Petrone is an 80-year-old retired physician who lives in San Diego with his wife Pam, two spoiled Welsh Corgis, and a cage full of very loud parakeets. His interest in baseball dates to his childhood when he enjoyed brief glory in the summer of 1952 as a terror on the mound in the Under-14 League in Tacoma. In recent years, Petrone has confined his baseball research exclusively to the 19th Century, irresistibly drawn to the period by its zany lawlessness, rough-and-tumble ways, and host of unforgettable characters.
by Libby Hughes (Author)
John Grisham is the home run king of legal thrillers. Fans devour his books and can't wait for each blockbuster book every February. Since 2001, he has written a second, lightweight novella in the fall. This is gourmet Grisham.
But who is John Grisham--the real John Grisham? He is an illusive, private, and mysterious person, who shuns publicity. The author of The John Grisham Story: from baseball to bestsellers peels away the layers of this fascinating Mississippi boy, who longed to be a professional baseball player. Grisham was a criminal lawyer, a Mississippi legislator, and is presently a novelist. Grisham came from a family of storytellers. His gypsy life as a child, moving from Arkansas to many small towns in Mississippi, was fodder for many of his ideas. Life experiences for Grisham left him full of disdain for lawyers, politicians, and government. Yet, he is a spiritual man, a family man, and an anonymous giver to charities. Buried behind his acres of land in the rolling hills of Virginia, Grisham coaches Little League and uses his novels to espouse his causes against homelessness, insurance scams, and crooked lawyers. Here is the inside story of John Grisham, written in a lively, informative, and colorful style.
by William E. Akin (Author)
The small and midsized cities of western Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia reached their peaks of population and prosperity in the second quarter of the 20th century. The baseball teams from these towns formed the Middle Atlantic League, the strongest circuit in the low minors and the one with the most alumni to advance to the majors.
This thorough history chronicles the MAL through three distinct phases from its 1925 inaugural season to its dissolution in 1952. During the first several seasons, most clubs hung one step from financial disaster despite support from local communities. Then the league flourished during the Great Depression as president Elmer Daily magically found investors and night baseball boosted working class attendance. Now enjoying a modicum of financial stability and an infusion of young talent, the clubs became talent farms for major league teams. Both the league and its cities went into decline as the country underwent seismic cultural and economic shifts following World War II.
Author Biography
William E. Akin is a professor emeritus of history from Ursinus College. His articles have appeared in The Historian, American Quarterly and American Historical Review. He lives in Collegeville, Pennsylvania.
by Kevin D. McCann (Author)
In 2011, the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx of the Southern League changed their team name to the Jackson Generals as a tribute to the teams that represented Jackson, Tennessee in the Kitty League from 1935 to 1954.But who were the original Generals? The Jackson Generals: Minor League Baseball in Jackson, Tennessee introduces today's fans to stars of the past like Jesse Webb, Dutch Welch, Ellis Kinder, Gashouse Parker, Mel Merkel, Gabby Stewart, Walt Mestan, and Hal Seawright. From the triumph of the team's 1941 Kitty League championship season to the abysmal 26-game losing streak in 1954 that ended minor league baseball in Jackson, author Kevin D. McCann recaps each of the Generals' 13 seasons with narrative and photographs. There's also a section listing the all-time and single-season Generals batting and pitching leaders. A must-have book for every Jackson Generals fan!
by John W. Miller (Author)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2025
WINNER OF THE CASEY AWARD FOR BEST BASEBALL BOOK OF THE YEAR "Baseball books don't get any better than this...Earl Weaver has at last been given his due." --George F. Will "Vivid...Most sports books are pop flies to the infield. Miller's is a screaming triple into the left field corner." --Dwight Garner, The New York Times The first major biography of legendary Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver--who has been described as "the Copernicus of baseball" and "the grandfather of the modern game"--The Last Manager is a wild, thrilling, and hilarious ride with baseball's most underappreciated genius, and one of its greatest characters. Long before the Moneyball Era, the Earl of Baltimore reigned over baseball. History's feistiest and most colorful manager, Earl Weaver transformed the sport by collecting and analyzing data in visionary ways, ultimately winning more games than anybody else during his time running the Orioles from 1968 to 1982. When Weaver was hired by the Orioles, managers were still seen as coaches and inspirational leaders, more teachers of the game than strategists. Weaver invented new ways of building baseball teams, prioritizing on-base average, elite defense, and strike throwing. Weaver was the first manager to use a modern radar gun, and he pioneered the use of analytical data. By moving six-foot four-inch Cal Ripken Jr. to shortstop, Weaver paved the way for a generation of plus-sized superstar shortstops, such as Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. He foreshadowed almost everything that Bill James, Billy Beane, Theo Epstein, and hundreds of other big-brain baseball types would later present as innovations. Beyond being a great baseball mind, Weaver was a rare baseball character. Major League Baseball is show business, and Weaver understood how much of his job was entertainment. Weaver's legendary outbursts offered players cathartic relief from their own frustration, signaled his concern for the team, and fired up fans. In his frequent arguments with umpires, he hammed it up for the crowds, faked heart attacks, ripped bases out of the ground, and pretended to toss umpires out of the game. Weaver also fought with his players, especially Jim Palmer, but that creative tension contributed to stunning success and a hilarious clubhouse. During his tenure as major-league manager, the Orioles won the American League pennant in 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1979, each time winning more than 100 games. The Last Manager uncovers the story of Weaver's St. Louis childhood with a mobster uncle, his years of minor-league heartbreak, and his unlikely road to becoming a big-league manager, while tracing the evolution of the game from the old-time baseball of cross-country trains and "desk contracts" to the modern era of free agency, video analysis, and powerful player agents. Weaver's career is a critical juncture in baseball history. He was the only manager to hold a job during the five years leading up to and the five years after free agency upended the sport in 1976. Weaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996. "No manager belongs there more," wrote Tom Boswell. "Weaver encapsulates the fire, the humor, the brains, the childishness, the wisdom and the goofy fun of baseball." The Last Manager tells the story of one man--belligerent, genius, infamous--who left his mark on the game for generations.Author Biography
John W. Miller is a writer, baseball coach, and contributing writer at America Magazine. He has reported from six continents and over forty countries for The Wall Street Journal and has also written for Time, NPR, and The Baltimore Sun. Miller is the codirector of the acclaimed 2020 PBS film Moundsville and the founder of Moundsville.org. He has coached two Brussels teams to Little League World Series tournaments and has scouted for the Baltimore Orioles. He lives in Pittsburgh with his wife and son and can be found on X at @JWMJournalist.
by Wayne Mazzoni (Author)
The High School Athlete's Guide to College Baseball is by far the best book of its kind for those looking to play baseball in college. The only book to focus solely on baseball, the book offers real life tips from the college coaches doing the recruiting. It covers camps, showcases, tournaments, video, and a variety of other tips to give you an edge over the competition. By Coach Wayne Mazzoni, Division 1 NCAA coach
by John Monteleone (Author), Mark Gola (Author)
The first guide to help you get to the next level of baseball play
To continue advancing up the ladder of competition, you need to master the game's advanced skills and techniques, those exciting plays that surface at crucial moments in competition and bring victory--the game-breaker plays and skills. The Louisville Slugger(R) Book of Game-Breaker Baseball moves beyond the basics. It features step-by-step instructions supplemented by major-league players explaining their styles in making the same plays.
This book:
- Teaches you 30 key skills illustrated with 150 high-quality photographs
- Offers you a complete blueprint if you want to play at the game's higher skill levels
- Provides approximate ages to master the skills and how long it should take to learn them
Back Jacket
Become the next MVP on your team with these game-breaker plays and skills
Feel you've mastered the rudiments of baseball? Ready to take your burning desire to play to the next level? Become a true "gamer" and get noticed by coaches and scouts on the lookout for their next MVP with the help of The Louisville Slugger" Book of Game-Breaker Baseball.
Whether you want to make the varsity team or starting lineup or dream of the major leagues, The Louisville Slugger" Book of Game-Breaker Baseball shows you how to take your game over the top. Moving beyond the basics of throwing, hitting, catching, and baserunning--skills you've already mastered--this hands-on guide identifies and explains how to nail baseball's most exciting and demanding game-breaking plays, skills, and techniques, including how to hit a change-up, throw a curve ball for strikes, steal third base, and more.
Ideal for players ages 13 and up, The Louisville Slugger" Book of Game-Breaker Baseball features
- Coverage and core explanations for essential advanced skills and plays
- Approximate age at which each skill should be mastered
- Benchmarks for how long it should take to become proficient at executing skills
- Commentary from more than 30 major league players explaining their unique styles in executing skills and plays
- 150 photographs that demystify winning techniques
- And much more!
Rise above the rudiments and master the nuances with The Louisville Slugger" Book of Game-Breaker Baseball.
Author Biography
John Monteleone and Mark Gola are the authors of The Louisville Slugger" Complete Book of Hitting Faults and Fixes and The Louisville Slugger" Ultimate Book of Hitting. Monteleone is a former professional and college player, college coach, and Legion Baseball coach. Gola is a hitting instructor and clinician, former college player, and coauthor of The Louisville Slugger" Complete Book of Pitching.
by James S. Currie (Author)
Jesus used parables to teach his disciples certain truths about the gospel. The parables employed word pictures, such as of planting seeds and other agricultural images, that were familiar to his listeners. What kind of imagery could be used today to talk about the gospel? Baseball, "America's pastime," might be one source of such familiar images. In this book Currie has attempted to find theological themes and to describe the gospel in the sport of baseball.
Author Biography
James S. Currie has been a Presbyterian minister since 1979 and currently serves as pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, Texas. He is the author of Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary: Completing a Century of Service (2002) and Planting Trees: A History of the Presbyterian Pan American School (forthcoming).
by Janet Bruce (Author)
Charter members of the Negro National League, stepping stone for Jackie Robinson, home base for Satchel Paige, and training ground for more than twenty blacks sent to the major leagues, the Kansas City Monarchs survived the entire thirty-five-year span of black baseball (from 1920 to mid 1950) and were widely regarded as the dominant black professional team, "the New York Yankees of the Negro leagues." Rich in anecdote and illustrated with more than ninety photographs of Monarchs players and scenes, this book is both a tribute to and a celebration of the top all-black team of all time.
by Jim Brosnan (Author)
"One of the best baseball books ever written. It is probably one of the best American diaries as well." --New York Times
A timeless classic from baseball's golden era, legendary pitcher Jim Brosnan's witty and candid chronicle of the 1959 Major League Baseball season, which set the standard for all sports memoirs to follow.
The Long Season was a revelation when it was first published in 1960. Here is an insider's perspective on America's national pastime that is funny, honest, and above all, real. The man behind this fascinating account of baseball and its players was not a sportswriter but a self-proclaimed "average ballplayer"--a relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Called "Professor" by his teammates and "Meat" by his wife, Jim Brosnan turned out to be the ideal guide to the behind-the-scenes world of professional baseball with his keen observations, sharp wit, and clear-eyed candor.
His player's diary takes readers on the mound and on the road; inside the clubhouse and most enjoyably inside his own head. While solving age-old questions like "Why can't pitchers hit?" and what makes for the best chewing tobacco, Brosnan captures the game-to-game daily experiences of an ordinary season, unapologetically, "the way I saw it"--from sweating it out in spring training to blowing the opening game to a mid-season trade to the Cincinnati Reds.
In The Long Season, Brosnan reveals, like no other sportswriter before him, the human side of professional ballplayers and has forever preserved not only a season, but a uniquely American experience.
Back Jacket
Arguably the greatest sports memoir ever penned, The Long Season was a revelation when it was first published in 1960. Here is an insider's perspective on America's national pastime that is funny, honest, and, above all, real. The man behind this fascinating account of baseball and its players was not a sportswriter but a self-proclaimed "average ballplayer"--a relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Called "Professor" by his teammates and "Meat" by his wife, Jim Brosnan turned out to be the ideal guide to the behind-the-scenes world of professional baseball with his keen observations, sharp wit, and clear-eyed candor.
His player's diary takes readers on the mound and on the road, inside the clubhouse and most enjoyably inside his own head. While solving age-old questions like "Why can't pitchers hit?" and "What makes for the best chewing tobacco?" Brosnan captures the game-to-game daily experiences of an ordinary season, unapologetically, "the way I saw it"--from sweating out spring training to blowing the opening game and then being traded midseason to the Cincinnati Reds.
In The Long Season, Brosnan reveals, like no other sportswriter before him, the human side of professional ballplayers and has forever preserved not only a season but also a uniquely American experience.
by Sharon Robinson (Author)
The bestselling novel based on the true story of a boy in Brooklyn who became neighbors and friends with his hero, Jackie Robinson.
Stephen Satlow is an eight-year-old boy living in Brooklyn, New York, which means he only cares about one thing-the Dodgers. Steve and his father spend hours reading the sports pages and listening to games on the radio. Aside from an occasional run-in with his teacher, life is pretty simple for Steve.
But then Steve hears a rumor that an African American family is moving to his all-Jewish neighborhood. It's 1948 and some of his neighbors are against it. Steve knows this is wrong. His hero, Jackie Robinson, broke the color barrier in baseball the year before.
Then it happens--Steve's new neighbor is none other than Jackie Robinson! Steve is beyond excited about living two doors down from the Robinson family. He can't wait to meet Jackie. This is going to be the best baseball season yet! How many kids ever get to become friends with their hero?
Author Biography
Sharon Robinson, daughter of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, is the author of many acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction. She has written several books about her father, including Promises to Keep, Testing the Ice, The Hero Two Doors Down, and Jackie's Nine: Jackie Robinson's Values to Live By. She is also the author of the memoir Child of the Dream and the picture book Under the Same Sun about her family in Tanzania, as well as the middle-grade novels Safe at Home and Slam Dunk!
by Wendell Lloyd Jones (Author)
The National League was in its second season of existence in 1877. In mid-season, the Louisville Grays suddenly took the league by storm and by mid-August were considered a lock to win the pennant. Then, disaster struck. The Grays fell out of first place, and the pennant was lost. Suspicions were high that the club had sold out to gamblers. Three players were tricked into confessing to the selling of exhibition games and were blacklisted from the sport along with a fourth player who refused to cooperate with the investigation.
Since then, historians have presented a simple narrative about how the Grays sold the pennant to gamblers, how that treachery was discovered, and the steps that followed. However, none of this is true. For nearly 150 years the story of the Louisville Grays has been told, and the story has been wrong. For the first time, the objective evidence that was there all along is examined in comparison to the narrative that has been told about the Grays. The evidence shows the Grays did not sell the pennant; they simply lost it. This is the story of how Major League Baseball's first great scandal never truly happened.
Author Biography
Wendell Lloyd Jones is a graduate of the Brandeis School of Law at the University of Louisville and has been a practicing attorney since 1994. He lives in Louisville, Kentucky.
by Paul Dickson (Author)
Baseball is set apart from other sports by many things, but few are more distinctive than the intricate systems of coded language that govern action on the field and give baseball its unique appeal. During a nine-inning game, more than one thousand silent instructions are given--from catcher to pitcher, coach to batter, fielder to fielder, umpire to umpire--and without this speechless communication the game would simply not be the same. Baseball historian Paul Dickson examines the rich legacy of baseball's hidden language, offering fans everywhere a smorgasbord of history and anecdote.
Baseball's tradition of signing grew out of the signal flags used by ships and hand signals used by soldiers during battle and were first used in games during the Civil War. The Hartford Dark Blues appear to be the first team to steal signs, introducing a larcenous obsession that, as Dickson delightfully chronicles, has given the game some of its most historic--and outlandish--moments. In this revised and expanded edition through the 2018 season, Dickson discusses recent developments and incidents, including the illegal use of new technology to swipe signs. A roster of baseball's greatest names and games, past and present, echoes throughout, making The Hidden Language of Baseball a unique window on the history of our national pastime.Author Biography
Paul Dickson is the author of more than sixty-five nonfiction books, including more than a dozen on baseball. Winner of the Harry Chadwick Award from the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), he is the author of the Dickson Baseball Dictionary, named by the Wall Street Journal as one of the five best baseball books ever written, and of Bill Veeck: Baseball's Greatest Maverick, winner of the Casey Award from SABR.
by Steve Fulton (Author)
If you love baseball, then you will love reading about the history of the New York Mets. Inside you will read about every season in Mets history. Since 1962 when they started at the Polo Grounds to the current day playing at Citi Field. The Mets have a rich history and have been part of American lore for baseball fans across America. Relive some of the great seasons, great games, and great moments in Mets history.
by Randall Clarkson (Author)
Sometimes what seems scary really isn't if you're brave and smart. This story is about a baseball park that isn't like the others...there might be a ghost in it. Help a brave girl unravel the mystery! Mr.C will ENGAGE, ENTERTAIN & EMPOWER your child with this fun story as they learn 37 American Sign Language words. This book is written with a 'Progressive Learning' approach for children ages 3-10. Progressively your child will enjoy and learn from this book for many years to come. Each time the story is read, they will remember more and more of the signs. Your child will become confident and be able to read the stories and sign the words at the same time. BENEFITS of learning SIGN LANGUAGE: Your child will have better... - Eye-hand coordination - Reading & spelling development - Communication options - Integrated brain development - Higher self-esteem by learning a new language - Parent-child bonding when done together Download free fun kid stuff at StoriesAndSigns.com/Kidzone
Author Biography
Randall Clarkson, known by thousands of children as Mr.C, knows how to tell a story that keeps kids of all ages hanging on every word. It's simple...Mr.C knows how kids thinks and he knows what they think is funny and how they can best learn. Mr.C knows how to engage their minds, their emotions and their hearts! Incorporating ASL Sign Language words into a story enhances the experience of the story. Signs are fun to do! It increases finger dexterity and learning capabilities. It's a jump start to learning a new language and gives children self-confidence and the ability to communicate in a new way. All their friends and family will be amazed by how quickly they learn, and remember the words. Randall lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest of the United States. He and his wife love to explore the area's trails and water ways in the Summer and snowshoe trails in the Winter. Running, swimming, biking, backpacking, kayaking, and even skydiving when he's not teaching or writing.
by Amy Essington (Author)
While Jackie Robinson's 1947 season with the Brooklyn Dodgers made him the first African American to play in the Major Leagues in the modern era, the rest of Major League Baseball was slow to integrate while its Minor League affiliates moved faster. The Pacific Coast League (PCL), a Minor League with its own social customs, practices, and racial history, and the only legitimate sports league on the West Coast, became one of the first leagues in any sport to completely desegregate all its teams. Although far from a model of racial equality, the Pacific Coast states created a racial reality that was more diverse and adaptable than in other parts of the country.
The Integration of the Pacific Coast League describes the evolution of the PCL beginning with the league's differing treatment of African Americans and other nonwhite players. Between the 1900s and the 1930s, team owners knowingly signed Hawaiian players, Asian players, and African American players who claimed that they were Native Americans, who were not officially banned. In the post-World War II era, with the pressures and challenges facing desegregation, the league gradually accepted African American players. In the 1940s individual players and the local press challenged the segregation of the league. Because these Minor League teams integrated so much earlier than the Major Leagues or the eastern Minor Leagues, West Coast baseball fans were the first to experience a more diverse baseball game.Author Biography
Amy Essington is an instructor in the history department at California State University, Fullerton.
by Keith Law (Author)
In this groundbreaking book, Keith Law, baseball writer for The Athletic and author of the acclaimed Smart Baseball, offers an era-spanning dissection of some of the best and worst decisions in modern baseball, explaining what motivated them, what can be learned from them, and how their legacy has shaped the game.
For years, Daniel Kahneman's iconic work of behavioral science Thinking Fast and Slow has been required reading in front offices across Major League Baseball. In this smart, incisive, and eye-opening book, Keith Law applies Kahneman's ideas about decision making to the game itself.
Baseball is a sport of decisions. Some are so small and routine they become the building blocks of the game itself--what pitch to throw or when to swing away. Others are so huge they dictate the future of franchises--when to make a strategic trade for a chance to win now, or when to offer a millions and a multi-year contract for a twenty-eight-year-old star. These decisions have long shaped the behavior of players, managers, and entire franchises. But as those choices have become more complex and data-driven, knowing what's behind them has become key to understanding the sport. This fascinating, revelatory work explores as never before the essential question: What were they thinking?
Combining behavioral science and interviews with executives, managers, and players, Keith Law analyzes baseball's biggest decision making successes and failures, looking at how gambles and calculated risks of all sizes and scales have shaped the sport, and how the game's ongoing data revolution is rewriting decades of accepted decision making. In the process, he explores questions that have long been debated, from whether throwing harder really increases a player's risk of serious injury to whether teams actually "overvalue" trade prospects.
Bringing his analytical and combative style to some of baseball's longest running debates, Law deepens our knowledge of the sport in this entertaining work that is both fun and deeply informative.
by Alywn Featherston (Author)
Flamboyant baseball owner Bill Veeck always claimed that he came very close to integrating baseball in 1943 -- four years before Jackie Robinson broke the color line in 1947. Veeck's scheme was to buy the Philadelphia Phillies and stock the worst team in baseball with stars from the Negro League. His plan failed, but what if it had succeeded? This alternate history novel proposes that Veeck's plan was allowed to play out. It creates a whole new dynamic for baseball's integration -- not just one lone hero, but a team of black stars. The story has firm historical foundation as real historical characters perform in a setting that is drawn from the real 1943 baseball season. Familiar figures such as Veeck, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis and Babe Ruth all play significant roles. The result is a dramatic pennant race -- and an equally dramatic human story.
Author Biography
Alwyn Featherston has been a professional sports writer for more than 40 years. While his primary focus has been college basketball, Featherston has also been an avid baseball fan who was lucky enough to cover the rebirth of the famous Durham Bulls in 1980. He has met and interviewed several of the old Negro League stars that populate his book. Featherston, a graduate of Duke University, is the author of three previous books - two focused on basketball in North Carolina and a third about the World War II Battle of Mortain. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.
by Roger Kahn (Author)
Beyond the techniques and training, baseball begins with one player facing another and the psychological battle that they wage-the head game. In his critically acclaimed and bestselling new book, Roger Kahn presents the story of this supreme war of wits and the people who changed the course of baseball by playing, what he calls, chess at 90 miles an hour. In The Head Game, Kahn investigates not only grips, tactics, and physics, but also the intelligence, maturity, and competitive fire that has inspired some of the greatest hurlers in history.
By covering renowned pitchers and pitching minds-from Christy Mathewson, Cy Young, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson, and Bruce Sutter to today's reigning pitching coach, Leo Mazzone-Roger Kahn sheds new light on baseball's most pivotal contest. A delightful and edifying tour of America's favorite pastime seen through the pitcher's eyes, The Head Game "is as lively and familiar and old-shoe as the game itself, even today" (Los Angeles Times).
by Matt Christopher (Author), Robert Henneberger (Illustrator)
This Matt Christopher classic story of a boy and his lucky baseball bat will capture readers' imaginations while teaching them vital lessons about the importance of friendship, teamwork, and believing in themselves.
When Marvin moves to a new neighborhood, he wants nothing more than to make a good impression on his new teammates. After all, Marvin loves baseball more than anything, and all he wants is to prove he's worth his spot on the team. And with his lucky baseball bat in hand, what could go wrong?
But when that same lucky baseball bat goes missing, Marvin completely loses his ability to play baseball. But even though he's lost his talent, Marvin might just find something else: the value of friendship, his own confidence, and maybe, just maybe, a place on the team.
Celebrating over six decades on bookshelves, this classic, timeless story of baseball, friendship, and confidence continues to captivate and delight new generations of readers.
Author Biography
Matt Christopher is the best selling name behind more than 100 sports-themed books for young readers.
by H. a. Dorfman (Author), Karl Kuehl (Author), Rick Wolff (Foreword by)
In this book, authors H.A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl present their practical and proven strategy for developing the mental skills needed to achieve peak performance at every level of the game.The theory and applications are illustrated by anecdotes and insights from major and minor league players, who at some point discovered the importance of mastering the inner game in order to play baseball as it should be played. Intended for players, managers, coaches, agents, and administrators as well as fans who want a more in-depth look at the makeup of the complete baseball player.
Author Biography
H.A. Dorfman was a noted sports psychologist as well as a sports psychology counselor with the Scott Boras Agency. Recognized as a leading sports psychologist across the world, Dorfman was also a columnist and freelance journalist with articles appearing in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Miami Herald. He has authored three other books: Coaching the Mental Game, The Mental ABC's of Pitching, and The Mental Keys to Hitting.
Karl Kuehl was a baseball scout, farm system official, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. Throughout his career, he worked with teams such as the Montreal Expos, the Minnesota Twins and the Oakland Athletics. He was the co-author of two books: The Mental Game of Baseball and A Champion's State of Mind.
by Andrew J. Richter (Author)
This book celebrates the Golden Age of baseball from 1900 to 1960 where baseball had no draft, no free agency, no arbitration, no expansion, no divisions, no designated hitter, and no closer. In these years, baseball was a family-owned business, not a folder in some rich guy's portfolio. General Managers were former scouts and players, not the nerd with a pocket protector and sinus problems you picked on in elementary school. Players lived in the neighborhood, not in a gated community. Baseball was played during the day, Sundays and holidays were double headers, and the players traveled by train. This version of baseball is frozen in time, never to return.
by Dan Helpingstine (Author)
Beginning with the premise that there is no other rivalry in team sports like that between the Cubs and the White Sox this work traces the history of the antagonism (and, at times, open hostility) between the fans of the two clubs. Of special interest is the baseball culture that is fostered in Chicago, as well as a recounting of the memorable on-field moments between the two teams. There are 50 photographs and two essays that deal with the question of bias at the Chicago Tribune.
Author Biography
Dan Helpingstine is a job placement counselor. He lives in Highland, Indiana.
by Barry Svrluga (Author)
Built on material that appeared in The Washington Post, this is a raw, inside look at the wear and tear and the glory and impermanence of baseball--shortlisted for the 2016 PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing.
At 162 games, it is the sports world's longest season. Grueling. Thrilling. Routine. Lonely. Exhilarating. Major league ballplayers even have a name for this relentless, unmatchable rhythm: The Grind. In The Grind, Barry Svrluga, The Washington Post's national baseball correspondent, zooms in on the 2014 Washington Nationals, reporting not just on the roster's star players, but also on the typically invisible supporting cast who each have their own sacrifices to make and schedules to keep. There's The Wife, who acts as a full-time mom, part-time real estate agent, occasional father, and all-hours dog walker; The 26th Man, a minor leaguer on the cusp of job security who gets called up to the majors only to be sent back down the very next week; The Reliever, one of the most mentally taxing, precarious, and terribly exposed positions on any pro squad. These and many more players, scouts, equipment managers, and even travel schedulers create the fabric of Svrluga's intimate and unusual book; they could be from any team or any big-league city. As he writes: "There is no other sport with an everydayness, a drum-drum-drum beat like baseball."Author Biography
Barry Svrluga has worked at the Washington Post since 2003 and is currently the national baseball writer. He previously reported on and blogged about the Washington Nationals and is the author of National Pastime, which details the franchise's relocation from Montreal and its first season in the nation's capital. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and daughter.
by Jacob Kornhauser (Author)
"This is one of the very best baseball books in years." Booklist, Starred Review
Reaching the major leagues is a pipe dream for most young baseball players in America. Very few ever get to live it out. A select number of those players face the elation and frustration of getting to play in just one major league game. The Cup of Coffee Club: 11 Players and Their Brush with Baseball History tells the unique stories of eleven of these players. It details their struggles to reach the major leagues, their one moment in the limelight, and their struggles to get back. They include a former Major League Baseball manager, the son of a Baseball Hall of Famer, and two different brothers of Hall of Famers. Exclusive interviews with each of the players provide insight into what that single seminal moment meant and how they dealt with the blow of never making another major league appearance again. Spanning half a century of baseball, each player's journey to Major League Baseball is distinct, as is each of their responses to having played in just a single game. The Cup of Coffee Club shares their unique perspectives, providing a better understanding of just how special each major league game can be.Author Biography
Jacob Kornhauser is a sportswriter and former television producer. He has worked for ESPN, FOX Sports, and Bleacher Report.
by Tim Darnell (Author)
Beginning in an era before traffic jams, air-conditioning, and Atlanta's ascension to international fame, Tim Darnell chronicles the emergence of amateur and minor-league baseball in various forms in Atlanta from just after the Civil War through the rise of the Crackers (1901-65).
Through never-before-published player interviews, rare illustrations, extensive charts and statistics, and thorough research, Darnell examines the drama and politics that affected the Crackers over the years. Also profiled is the Black Crackers, Atlanta's Negro Southern League franchise whose success and popularity paralleled those of their white counterparts. The Crackers is a light-hearted, fun, and engrossing history of a time, a people, and one very special centerfield magnolia tree whose stories are legend to this day. Includes a Crackers Trivia Quiz, and appendices with records and statistics.Author Biography
TIM DARNELL is an award-winning journalist who has written for numerous Atlanta sports and political publications. He is also the author of 101 Atlanta Sports Legends and The Georgia Tech Trivia Book.
by Bill "hondo" Hongach (Author)
Former Yankee batboy, Bill "Hondo" Hongach, who had his first book published while still in high school at age 18, takes the reader on a journey of what goes on behind the scenes of America's National Pastime. The book opens with the author being beaten so badly by Pete Rose's right-hand man, ironically, with a Pete Rose bat, that he ends up in a coma for four days. Jack Lang, who was in charge of the Baseball Writers Assoc. and wrote dozens of baseball books himself before being put into the Hall of Fame, wrote that this was the best baseball book he ever read! He simply put it "...I could not put it down until I had finished reading the entire book." For one to see and know the "The Dark Sides of Baseball" is, in essence, to have the perspective that very few baseball fans get to experience. To become close on a personal basis with some of the greats of the game is rare and unique. "The Dark Sides of Baseball" is a glimpse that the public is not privy to or ever get to encounter. The book tells a tale of how a teenage boy chased his love of baseball, from interviewing sports greats, becoming a Yankee batboy the last two years at the original Yankee Stadium in 1972 & 1973, at the age of 18 having his first baseball book published while still a batboy and leading to the end of the Topps' Baseball Card monopoly, while still going to school. His close relationship with Mickey Mantle and Pete Rose would show him the troubled and positive sides of the game, that the public were never shown. The stories are endless as to what goes on in a clubhouse and what it is like to have these great athletes together for a baseball card show. Every baseball fan can watch a game and look up the stats. "The Dark Sides of Baseball" lets you see what goes on in the dugout, the clubhouse and off the field.
by William R. Douglas (Author)
★★★★★ "A truly, well written, must-read book!" - Reader review
A unique, and groundbreaking Sports Fiction, and Dystopian novel for Young Adults on up. A clean story, suitable for Young Adults (YA) and adult fiction lovers everywhere!
- What if Civil War 2.0 is the endpoint in the current trajectory of America's divisiveness?
- What if early warning signs of baseball's long-term popularity continue downward?
- What if among the personal and cultural casualties of a Civil War 2.0, baseball was to die as a sport?
The Death and Resurrection of Baseball take those what-if propositions and transports the reader 140 years from now into the futuristic United States of America to the year 2166. A United States that is far from our current recognition.
12-year-old Joe Scott lives in the northern Illinois city of McHenry and goes exploring in the woods one day in a no man's land that a hundred years earlier was the site of the bloodiest battle of the Second Civil War. While there, he discovers a relic from the distant past, from before the war. It sparks a search for its meaning.
As events unfold, Joe finds himself at the center of the rediscovery of the sport of baseball, long lost and forgotten by the ravages of time and the lingering aftereffects of Civil War 2.0.
The Death and Resurrection of Baseball will take you back to the happy days of your youth and your coming of age. The story will thrill you, move you, and make you think long and hard about where The United States of America is currently, and where we could be headed.
Baseball has always been a metaphor for America and has always brought Americans together. In The Death and Resurrection of Baseball, you will find its greatest strength, hope!
by Steve Fainaru (Author), Ray Sanchez (Author)
In 1998, a mysterious right-handed pitcher emerged from the ashes of the Cold War and helped lead the New York Yankees to a World Championship. His origins and even his age were uncertain. His name was Orlando El Duque Hernandez. He was a fallen hero of Fidel Castro's socialist revolution.
The chronicle of El Duque's triumph is at once a window into the slow death of Cuban socialism and one of the most remarkable sports stories of all time. Once hailed as a paragon of Castro's revolution, the finest pitcher in modern Cuban history was banned from baseball for life for allegedly plotting to defect. Instead of accepting his punishment, he fearlessly fought back, defying the Communist party authorities, vowing to pitch again, and ultimately fleeing his country in the bowels of a thirty-foot fishing boat. Here, for the first time and in astonishing detail, the secrets behind El Duque's persecution and escape are revealed. Moving from the crumbling streets of post Cold War Havana to the polarized world of exile Miami, from the deadly Florida Straits to the hallowed grounds of Yankee Stadium, it is a story of cloak-and-dagger adventure, audacious secret plots, the pull of big money, and the historic collision of ideologies. Present throughout are the larger-than-life characters who converged at this bizarre intersection of baseball and politics: El Duque himself, Fidel Castro, the Miami sports agent Joe Cubas, the late John Cardinal O'Connor along with scouts, smugglers, and the Cuban ballplayers who gave up their lives as tools of socialism to test the free market and chase their major-league dreams. Reported in the United States and Cuba by two award-winning journalists who became part of the story they were covering, The Duke of Havana is a riveting saga of sports, politics, liberation, and greed.Front Jacket
In 1998, a mysterious right-handed pitcher emerged from the ashes of the Cold War and helped lead the New York Yankees to a World Championship. His origins and even his age were uncertain. His name was Orlando El Duque Hernandez. He was a fallen hero of Fidel Castro's socialist revolution.
The chronicle of El Duque's triumph is at once a window into the slow death of Cuban socialism and one of the most remarkable sports stories of all time. Once hailed as a paragon of Castro's revolution, the finest pitcher in modern Cuban history was banned from baseball for life for allegedly plotting to defect. Instead of accepting his punishment, he fearlessly fought back, defying the Communist party authorities, vowing to pitch again, and ultimately fleeing his country in the bowels of a thirty-foot fishing boat.
Here, for the first time and in astonishing detail, the secrets behind El Duque's persecution and escape are revealed. Moving from the crumbling streets of post Cold War Havana to the polarized world of exile Miami, from the deadly Florida Straits to the hallowed grounds of Yankee Stadium, it is a story of cloak-and-dagger adventure, audacious secret plots, the pull of big money, and the historic collision of ideologies.
Present throughout are the larger-than-life characters who converged at this bizarre intersection of baseball and politics: El Duque himself, Fidel Castro, the Miami sports agent Joe Cubas, the late John Cardinal O'Connor along with scouts, smugglers, and the Cuban ballplayers who gave up their lives as tools of socialism to test the free market and chase their major-league dreams.
Reported in the United States and Cuba by two award-winning journalists whobecame part of the story they were covering, The Duke of Havana is a riveting saga of sports, politics, liberation, and greed.
"From the Hardcover edition.
Author Biography
Steve Fainaru is an investigative sportswriter for The Wash-ington Post. He was a reporter for The Boston Globe for eleven years, covering major-league baseball, Wall Street, and Latin America. He lives in Washington, D.C.
Ray Sanchez writes a column for Newsday, where he served four years as Latin America correspondent. He lives in New York City.
by Noel Hynd (Author)
Nominated by SABR (The Society for American Baseball Research) for Best New Book about The Brooklyn Dodgers in 2019.The Dodgers' final game in Brooklyn was played on September 24th, 1957. From the author of "The Giants of The Polo Grounds," here's a thoughtful entertaining new account of that last game played by the Brooklyn Dodgers at baseball's fabled Ebbets Field. 'The Final Game At Ebbets Field' starts this unique collection of true baseball stories. Photographs and a treasure trove of new insights and details accompany this newly researched account. The book continues with a lively assemblage of true major league stories from the golden age of baseball, focusing on New York, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Brooklyn, with a touch of San Francisco at the conclusion. We meet the fascinating men and women of the first half of the 20th Century. We get to know the people and places of a colorful bygone time: back when there were sixteen teams and hundreds of legendary players. Meet, for example, the family that lived at a ballpark in New York, the female Olympic swimmer who became the pitcher and captain of the New York Female Giants. Spend time with championship Boston Red Sox team that featured the greatest everyday outfield ever. Go back to the day when John Dillinger played professional baseball and Al Capone asked a Chicago player for an autograph, a request that was not to be refused. Fly a single engine plane with Ruth Law, the skilled aviatrix who dropped a grapefruit from an airplane on the Brooklyn manager. Relive the torments of the A's owner who erected a spiteful wall in Philadelphia to prevent neighborhood fans from seeing his team's games.All these true stories and more are contained here, told in the wry amusing style of Noel Hynd, a former contributor to Sports Illustrated.'The Final Game at Ebbets Field' is an insightful romp through some of American baseball's quirkiest events. It's a memorable read! Come join us on a road trip into baseball's most colorful times.Praise for Noel Hynd's "The Giants of The Polo Grounds"......"A compelling and comprehensive history of an extraordinary ball club." - New York Times"Grandly digressive! The owners, stars like Mathewson and Mays, various eccentric players are all here in this vivid history by Sports Illustrated contributor Hynd." - Publishers' Weekly"Fans of all ages will treasure the crazy quilt text for its stylish recall of the game's summer roots." -Kirkus Library Journal"Just plain enjoyable as baseball is supposed to be." - The Pennsylvania GazetteE-book priced in a tribute to Ty Cobb's career batting average. Trade paperback publication, late May 2019.
by Jim Leeke (Author)
When the United States officially entered World War I in 1917, it was woefully underprepared for chemical warfare, in which the British, French, and Germans had been engaged since 1915. In response, the U.S. Army created an entirely new branch: the Chemical Warfare Service. The army turned to trained chemists and engineers to lead the charge--and called on an array of others, including baseball players, to fill out the ranks.
The Gas and Flame Men is the first full account of Major League ballplayers who served in the Chemical Warfare Service during World War I. Four players, two club executives, and a manager served in the small and hastily formed branch, six of them as gas officers. Remarkably, five of the seven--Christy Mathewson, Branch Rickey, Ty Cobb, George Sisler, and Eppa "Jeptha" Rixey--are now enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York. The son of a sixth Hall of Famer, player and manager Ned Hanlon, was a young officer killed in action in France with the First Gas Regiment. Prominent chemical soldiers also included veteran Major League catcher and future manager George "Gabby" Street and Boston Braves president and former Harvard football coach Percy D. Haughton. The Gas and Flame Men explores how these famous baseball men, along with an eclectic mix of polo players, collegiate baseball and football stars, professors, architects, and prominent social figures all came together in the Chemical Warfare Service. Jim Leeke examines their service and its long-term effects on their physical and mental health--and on Major League Baseball and the world of sports. The Gas and Flame Men also addresses historical inaccuracies and misperceptions surrounding Christy Mathewson's early death from tuberculosis in 1925, long attributed to wartime gas exposure.Author Biography
Jim Leeke is a former news journalist, a retired copywriter and creative director, and a U.S. Navy veteran. He is the author of several books, including The Turtle and the Dreamboat (Potomac Books, 2022), The Best Team Over There: The Untold Story of Grover Cleveland Alexander and the Great War (Nebraska, 2021), and From the Dugouts to the Trenches: Baseball during the Great War (Nebraska, 2017).
by Allen E. Hye (Author)
Within the excellent, if underrated, body of adult baseball fiction that emerged in the latter half of the twentieth century, one finds a distinctive subgenre of baseball novels that feature the religious aspirations of their characters and the spiritual qualities of the game of baseball. The Great God Baseball looks at nine of these novels, including lesser known gems and established classics. It endeavors to make them more accessible to casual as well as serious readers, fans and non-fans alike, through discussion of key motifs, analysis of unique narrative structure, and frequent cross-references that locate theworks in a literary context.The Literary Line-Up includes:1. Douglass Wallop, The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant (1954) 2. James F. Donohue, Spitballs & Holy Water (1977) 3. Jerome Charyn, The Seventh Babe (1979)4. W. P. Kinsella, Shoeless Joe (1982) 5. Eric Rolfe Greenberg, The Celebrant (1983)6. Nancy Willard, Things Invisible to See (1984)7. W. P. Kinsella, The Iowa Baseball Confederacy (1986) 8. David James Duncan, The Brothers K (1992)9. Darryl Brock, Havana Heat (2000)The varied religious experiences portrayed in these superb novels stimulate us to engage our society, our national pastime, our own imagination, and our sense of spiritual awareness. From a literary encounter with the great game of baseball, we emerge, as if from a church, temple, or ball park, different, re-created people. The Great God Baseball seeks to be an agent for this encounter.
by Richard Bradley (Author)
In this spellbinding book, Richard Bradley tells the story of what was surely the greatest major league game of our lifetime and perhaps in the history of professional baseball. That game, played at Fenway Park on the afternoon of October 4, 1978, was the culmination of one of the most tense, emotionally wrought seasons ever, between baseball's two most bitter rivals, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Both teams finished this tumultuous season with identical 99-64 records, forcing a one-game playoff. With a one-run lead and two outs, with the tying run in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth, the entire season came down to one at-bat and to one swing of the bat.
It came down, as both men eerily predicted to themselves the night before, to the aging Red Sox legend, Carl Yastrzemski, and the Yankees' free-agent power reliever, Rich "Goose" Gossage. Anyone who calls himself a baseball fan knows the outcome of that confrontation. And yet such are the literary powers of the author that we are pulled back in time to that late-afternoon moment and become filled anew with all the taut sense of drama that sports has to offer, as if we don't know what happened. As if the thoughts swirling around in the heads of pitcher and hitter are still fresh, both still hopeful of controlling events. That climactic game occurred thirty seasons ago and yet it still captures our imagination. In this delightful work of sports literature, we watch the game unfold pitch by pitch, inning by inning, but Bradley is up to something more ambitious than just recounting this wonderful game. He also tells us the stories of the participants -- how they got to that moment in their lives and careers, what was at stake for them personally -- including the rivalries within the rivalry, such as catcher Carlton Fisk versus catcher Thurman Munson, and Billy Martin versus everyone. Using a narrative that alternates points of view between the teams, Bradley reacquaints us with a rich roster of characters -- Freddy Lynn, Ron Guidry, Catfish Hunter, Mike Torrez, Jerry Remy, Lou Piniella, George Scott, and Reggie Jackson. And, of course, Bucky Dent, who craved just such a moment in the sun -- a validation he had vainly sought from the father he barely knew. Not a book intended to celebrate a triumph or lament a loss, The Greatest Game will be embraced in both Boston and New York, with fans of both teams recalling again the talented young men they once gave their hearts to. And fans everywhere will be reminded how utterly gripping a single baseball game can be and that the rewards of being a fan lie not in victory but in caring beyond reason, even decades after the fact.
by Bryan Soderholm-Difatte (Author)
When Jackie Robinson made his debut at Ebbets Field on opening day in 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers became the first major league team with a black player anywhere in its organization. By the end of the Golden Era of baseball, a period in and around the 1950s, there would be an unprecedented number of notable black players in the major leagues, including Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Jackie Robinson. While this era is defined by integration, it was also the age of the "boys of summer" Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankee dominance, and the first major change in the geographic landscape of the big leagues in half a century.
In The Golden Era of Major League Baseball: A Time of Transition and Integration, Bryan Soderholm-Difatte explores the significant events and momentous changes that took place in baseball from 1947 to 1960. Beginning with Jackie Robinson's rookie season in 1947, Soderholm-Difatte provides a careful and thorough examination of baseball's integration, including the struggles of black players who were not elite to break into the starting lineups. In addition, the author looks at the dying practice of player-managers, the increasing use of relief pitchers and platooning, the iconic 1951 pennant race between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers, and more. Soderholm-Difatte also tells the stories of three central characters to this era, whose innovations, strategies, and vision changed the game--Branch Rickey, who challenged the baseball establishment by integrating the Dodgers; Casey Stengel, whose 1949-1953 Yankees won five straight championships; and Leo Durocher, whose spy operations was a major factor in the Giants' 1951 pennant surge. In an age when baseball was at the forefront of American society, integration would come to be the foremost legacy of the Golden Era. But this was also a time of innovative strategy, from the use of pinch hitters to frequent defensive substitutions. Concluding with an overview of how baseball is still evolving today, The Golden Era of Major League Baseball will be of interest to baseball fans and historians as well as to scholars examining the history of integration in sports.Author Biography
Bryan Soderholm-Difatte is a former senior analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Counterterrorism Center. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and a regular contributor to The Baseball Research Journal. Soderholm-Difatte writes the blog Baseball Historical Insight.
by Tom Clavin (Author)
In The DiMaggios, acclaimed sportswriter Tom Clavin reveals the untold Great American Story of three brothers, Joltin' Joe, Dom, and Vince DiMaggio, and the Great American Game--baseball--that would consume their lives.
A vivid portrait of a family and the ways in which their shifting fortunes and status shaped their relationships, The DiMaggios is a exploration of an era and a culture.
This comprehensive biography that recalls the work of Jane Leavy offers a trove of insight into one of the game's greatest players and his family, sure to be treasured by Yankees fans, Red Sox Fans, and baseball aficionados around the world.
Back Jacket
More than 350 sets of brothers have played in the Major Leagues, but few have had the skill, the charisma, or the success of the DiMaggio brothers. Joe DiMaggio is an American icon and one of the greatest athletes of the twentieth -century. But two of his brothers were dynamic players in their own right. Dominic, affectionately known as "The Little Professor," was a seven-time All-Star who played for the Boston Red Sox. And Vince DiMaggio, the eldest, made two All-Star teams while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The DiMaggios reveals how three kids from an immigrant family found their way to the upper echelons of American sports and popular culture. A vivid portrait of a family and the ways in which their shifting fortunes and status shaped their relationships, it is also a transporting exploration of an era and a culture, using baseball as a lens to view and understand American society in the twentieth century.
by Bill O'Neill (Author)
For the real sports fan this is a must-read book. It is perhaps the biggest collection of facts and what some might call fiction, since some of the sports stories have been passed on for generations. Although it focuses on baseball, there are scores of insightful anecdotes that crossover into many other sports. It doesn't stop there. It shows how intertwined with everyday life baseball has been over the years, from its relationship to world conflicts to the impact on US Presidents.
You'll enjoy the trivia questions at the end of each chapter, some of which you might find simple, some are difficult, but they are all entertaining.
There are literally hundreds of random facts that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. They take you from Abner Doubleday right up to present day. It covers controversial issues surrounding players, owners, and even fans.
We can assure you that no matter what generation you are from that you will learn the history of baseball. You will read sports stories from the perspective of people that were there. It begins in Cooperstown and ends with World Series baseball, which has contained some of the most dramatic moments the sport has ever seen.
Not everyone that has left an indelible mark on the sport is a household name, but they will be after you finish the book.
Sports trivia books come and go, but this one sticks around a long time. It stays with us for as long as many of the historic sporting events and the people that made them what they are.
We know baseball has been passed down from one generation to the next, and this sports trivia book might be, too. It will bring back memories, educate, and is most of all, fun!
by John Rosengren (Author)
"The vivid story of a young Reggie Jackson on Charlie Finley's A's and the veteran Willie Mays on Yogi's Mets, both destined for the '73 series." --Library Journal
A rousing chronicle of one of the most defining years in baseball history that changed the sport forever.
In 1973, baseball was in crisis. The first strike in pro sports had soured fans, American League attendance had fallen, and America's team--the Yankees--had lost more games and money than ever. Yet that season, five of the game's greatest figures rescued the national pastime.
- Hank Aaron riveted the nation with his pursuit of Babe Ruth's landmark home run record in the face of racist threats.
- George Steinbrenner purchased the Yankees at a bargain basement price and began buying back their faded glory.
- The American League broke ranks with the National League and introduced the designated hitter, extending the careers of aging stars such as Orlando Cepeda.
- An elderly and ailing Willie Mays--the icon of an earlier generation--nearly helped the Mets pull off a miracle with the final hit of his career.
- Reggie Jackson, the MVP of a tense World Series, became the prototype of the modern superstar.
The season itself provided plenty of drama served up by a colorful cast of characters, including the Mets rise from last place to win the division under Yogi Berra's leadership, Pete Rose edging out Willie Stargell as the MVP in a controversial vote, Hank Aaron chasing Babe Ruth's landmark record in the face of racial threats, Reggie Jackson solidifying his reputation as Mr. October, Willie Mays hitting the final home run of his career, and future Hall of Famers Dave Winfield and George Brett playing in their first major league games.
That one memorable summer changed baseball forever.
Originally published as Hammerin' Hank, George Almighty and the Say Hey Kid.
"It's a season-ticket to one of the greatest years in baseball history. John Rosengren has given us one of the most enjoyable baseball books to come along in years." -Jonathan Eig, author of Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig and Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season
by Historycaps (Editor), Frank Foster (Author)
Rube Foster, Cool Papa Bell, Monte Irvin, Buck Leonard...they are some of the greatest players to ever play the game; so why have so few people heard of them? Because they never played in the MLB; they were the heroes of a baseball league often forgotten: The Negro League.This book traces the history of the league from the early days of Professional Black Baseball and the formation of leagues to Post-Integration decline.HistoryCaps is an imprint of BookCaps Study Guides. With each book, a brief period of history is recapped. We publish a wide array of topics (from baseball and music to science and philosophy), so check our growing catalogue regularly to see our newest books.
by Bill O'Neill (Author)
For the real sports fan this is a must-read book. It is perhaps the biggest collection of facts and what some might call fiction, since some of the sports stories have been passed on for generations. Although it focuses on baseball, there are scores of insightful anecdotes that crossover into many other sports. It doesn't stop there. It shows how intertwined with everyday life baseball has been over the years, from its relationship to world conflicts to the impact on US Presidents.
You'll enjoy the trivia questions at the end of each chapter, some of which you might find simple, some are difficult, but they are all entertaining. There are literally hundreds of random facts that range from the sublime to the ridiculous. They take you from Abner Doubleday right up to present day. It covers controversial issues surrounding players, owners, and even fans. We can assure you that no matter what generation you are from that you will learn the history of baseball. You will read sports stories from the perspective of people that were there. It begins in Cooperstown and ends with World Series baseball, which has contained some of the most dramatic moments the sport has ever seen. Not everyone that has left an indelible mark on the sport is a household name, but they will be after you finish the book. Sports trivia books come and go, but this one sticks around a long time. It stays with us for as long as many of the historic sporting events and the people that made them what they are. We know baseball has been passed down from one generation to the next, and this sports trivia book might be, too. It will bring back memories, educate, and is most of all, fun!
by Frank Foster (Author), History (Editor)
Rube Foster, Cool Papa Bell, Monte Irvin, Buck Leonard...they are some of the greatest players to ever play the game; so why have so few people heard of them? Because they never played in the MLB; they were the heroes of a baseball league often forgotten: The Negro League.
This book traces the history of the league from the early days of Professional Black Baseball and the formation of leagues to Post-Integration decline.
HistoryCaps is an imprint of BookCaps Study Guides. With each book, a brief period of history is recapped. We publish a wide array of topics (from baseball and music to science and philosophy), so check our growing catalogue regularly to see our newest books.
by John Rosengren (Author)
A 2014 CASEY Award finalist for the best baseball book of the year.
--New York Post "must-read books"
Now in paperback!
One Sunday afternoon in August 1965, on a day when baseball's most storied rivals, the Giants and Dodgers, vied for the pennant, the national pastime reflected the tensions in society and nearly sullied two men forever. Juan Marichal, a Dominican anxious about his family's safety during the civil war back home, and John Roseboro, a black man living in South Central L.A. shaken by the Watts riots a week earlier, attacked one another in a moment immortalized by an iconic photo: Marichal's bat poised to strike Roseboro's head.
The violent moment-uncharacteristic of either man-linked the two forever and haunted both. Much like John Feinstein's The Punch, The Fight of Their Lives examines the incident in its context and aftermath, only in this story the two men eventually reconcile and become friends, making theirs an unforgettable tale of forgiveness and redemption.
The book also explores American culture and the racial prejudices against blacks and Latinos both men faced and surmounted. As two of the premiere ballplayers of their generation, they realized they had more to unite them than keep them apart.
Author Biography
John Rosengren is the award-winning author of eight books, including Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes and Blades of Glory: The True Story of a Young Team Bred to Win. His articles have appeared in Men's Journal, Reader's Digest, Runner's World, Sports Illustrated and Utne Reader, among other publications. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research and the American Society of Journalists and Authors, he lives in Minneapolis.
by Christopher H. Evans (Editor), William R. Herzog II (Editor)
The Faith of 50 Million features essays by religion scholars who analyze the relationship between baseball and theology in American culture. Topics include the sense of national identity, baseball and civil religion, "saints and sinners," baseball and the American Dream with regard to racial integration, women and baseball, baseball as metaphor, and baseball as spiritual autobiography. Readers will love this fascinating intersection of baseball, race, American civil religion, and contemporary sports culture.
by Tom Clavin (Author)
In The DiMaggios, acclaimed sportswriter Tom Clavin reveals the untold Great American Story of three brothers, Joltin' Joe, Dom, and Vince DiMaggio, and the Great American Game--baseball--that would consume their lives.
A vivid portrait of a family and the ways in which their shifting fortunes and status shaped their relationships, The DiMaggios is a exploration of an era and a culture.
This comprehensive biography that recalls the work of Jane Leavy offers a trove of insight into one of the game's greatest players and his family, sure to be treasured by Yankees fans, Red Sox Fans, and baseball aficionados around the world.
Back Jacket
The great American story of three brothers--Joltin' Joe, Dom, and Vince Dimaggio--and the great American game, baseball, that would consume their lives
More than three hundred fifty sets of brothers have played in the major leagues since the 1870s. But few have had the skill, the charisma, or the success of the DiMaggio brothers. In The DiMaggios, journalist Tom Clavin draws on a wealth of source materials, interviews with family members and teammates, and in-depth reporting to reveal how three kids from an immigrant family of eleven found their way to the upper echelons of American sports and popular culture. A vivid portrait of a family and the ways in which their shifting fortunes and status shaped their relationships, it is also a transporting exploration of an era and a culture, using our national pastime, baseball, as a lens to view and understand American society in the twentieth century.
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