Book Description

Piazza is a collection of the most intriguing Daily News stories and photos detailing catcher Mike Piazzas career with the New York Mets. The book contains approximately 20 stories that accompany four-color photos throughout the book. Moments such as Piazzas signing with the team, his tumultuous start on the Mets, and many of his best games are included in this book. Color photos throughout! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Mike Piazza
Exceptional photos of Mike Piazza. Tells of his impact on the Mets from his arrival to now. Easy, fun reading.

Very good adn real entertaining.
What team was averaging 18,100 fans before his arrival and after his arrival over 35,000? The New York Mets and the person to whom this attendance-doubling feat goes to is Mike Piazza. Watching the way the Mets have performed since his arrival is one of the reasons they are one of the top ball teams in the National League.

Since his arrival in New York, Piazza has taken his team from mediocre to the NLCS and nearly pulled off one the biggest upset in baseball. Piazza abilities behind the plate are as impressive as his interaction the fans of New York outside the gates.

Over 125 pages packed with stories and photos, this is one book for every serious Mets or Piazza fan. The book only covers Mike's time in New York, so if you are looking for the definitive biography this is not he book. Price under $25.00 this book is certainly a good value for the money. ... Read more

Book Description

On a beautiful July morning in 1991, three men gathered in a hotel suite for an informal breakfast and conversation. The discussion ranged widely over events and characters of the past, famous names and fabled accomplishments flowing along with the coffee and juice. Two of them, Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio, were the ultimate symbols of athletic glory for generations of American men. The third man, Fay Vincent, was living a dream, sitting with and asking questions of his boyhood heroes.

Fay Vincent never set out to be the commissioner of baseball. He got into the game alongside his good friend A. Bartlett Giamatti, as deputy commissioner, when Giamatti was named to the sport's highest office in 1989. They spent their first spring and summer dealing with Pete Rose's gambling, and Vincent's legal expertise complemented his friend's moral thunder. But that was to be their only season working side by side, as Bart Giamatti's heart gave out just days after the announcement of the Rose suspension. Vincent found himself the only logical candidate to fill a position as guardian of the best interests of the game he loves.

In The Last Commissioner: A Baseball Valentine, Vincent takes us along for the ultimate fan's fantasy camp. As commissioner, he got to talk baseball with the likes of Yogi Berra, Larry Doby, Warren Spahn, Ernie Banks, Eddie Lopat, Whitey Ford, and Henry Aaron. He brought his legal training to bear on the delicate issue of whether Roger Clemens uttered the magic word that would justify his being tossed out of a playoff game (and it's not the word you think). He was one of the few outsiders at the annual Hall of Fame banquet for the new inductees and their immortal peers, where he watched, amazed, as Johnny Mize demonstrated to Ralph Kiner his method of hitting an inside pitch -- a piece of advice from forty years past. And he brought equal respect and attention to the greats of the Negro Leagues, listening to the gracefully told stories of Joe Black and Buck O'Neil, slowly learning how Slick Surratt earned his nickname, hearing Jimmie Crutchfield give as good a definition of a well-lived life as we will ever know.

Vincent shares these stories and more: his high regard for umpires, instilled in his youth by his father, an NFL official and respected local ump; his close relations with the Bush family, forged in a summer spent working in the oil fields with his schoolmate Bucky Bush, the 41st president's brother (and 43rd president's uncle); his unusual experiences with the relentless George Steinbrenner, including the famous meeting where the Yankees owner was facing a two-year suspension and plea-bargained it down to a lifetime ban. Vincent also gives his candid views on the state of baseball today, firm in his belief that the game will survive its current leadership and even prosper.

Through it all, Vincent's deep love of baseball shines through. His most remarkable accomplishment as commissioner may have been to emerge from the office with his fandom intact. The Last Commissioner is truly a valentine to the game, written with the insight and vision that comes from the lofty perch of the ultimate front-row seat. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Marvelous
Fay Vincent calls his book his "valentine to baseball" and it's not too far off from the truth. He has divided each chapter into their own "half innings," the "top half" being about a particular topic, and the "bottom half" being various lists. In between, his stories and opinions I found to be quite entertaining and even in some cases thought-provoking. Whether it's relaying old baseball anecdotes involving Hall of Famers like Yogi Berra, Ted Williams & Joe DiMaggio, or old Negro League ballplayers he got to know during his stint as Commissioner, or stories about his friendship with both George Bush and his son (a one time Texas Rangers owner), or more serious topics like the suspension of Pete Rose, his time and friendship with Bart Giamatti (the commissioner he succeeded in office after Giamatti's death), or his experiences at the earthquake-marred 1989 World Series, the reader is certainly never bored. I especially found his story about this fascinating, as I was among the crowd at that game 3 some thirteen years ago now. I never realized how much Isaiah Nelson, a SF cop on duty at the game helped to orchestrate the orderly evacuation of the park.

After reading his thoughts on Rose, I as well as another reviewer have come to change my mind about whether Rose should be re admitted to the game (although as of this review, pressure to reinstate Rose in some capacity seems to be growing). I also agreed with him about Steve Howe, whose continued readmittance to baseball after several drug convictions in my humble opinion marred the game. When Vincent resigned as commissioner of baseball in 1992, I felt the game has been deprived of a leader, even if I sometimes disagreed with his decisions. I wouldn't call this book a "great masterpiece," but I'm glad I ignored a couple of negative reviews I've seen of it. This book is an enjoyable read and makes me wonder how different today's game might have been if Vincent had been allowed to at least finish out his term as commissioner, much less be commissioner today.

Anecdotes abound
The anecdotes of old time baseball are worth the price off the book alone. Vincent's tales of meeting with Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio are priceless. The splitting of chapters into topics and lists were fun. Each chapter offered something new, a virtual learning experience. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and recommend it to any real baseball fan. It shed a new light on his commissionership in my opinion and, in the true test of writing, actually changed my mind about Pete Rose and his inclusion into the Hall of Fame. I always thought Pete should be admitted, but after reading Vincent's words, I have changed my mind.

A timely book
The Last Commisioner is interesting with many first-hand baseball stories and insights by the former Commissioner of Baseball. Fay Vincent's chapter on Bart Giamatti and Pete Rose's banning from baseball has again become a hot topic. Recent editorials, including the New York Times', discuss this issue. Fay Vincent's insights and his op-ed piece in the Times makes this book so timely. Vincent's childhood memories are priceless; the reclusive Joe Dimaggio comes to life for the reader. Do yourself a favor if you're interested in Baseball: Get the book and read it, keep it on your shelf. Good Luck !

Self-indulgent Pap
This is probably the worst baseball book I have ever read. In addition to rationalizing all of his own many critical mistakes as Commissioner, Vincent provides trite and banal commentary about historic baseball figures, and adds nothing to baseball lore. His "predicitions" on the outcome of the recent labor negotiations proved totally wrong, and were jaded by his own failures. I would only recommend the book because the royalties are going to charity. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A balanced, thoughtful book
There has been a lot said and written about Joe Jackson by a variety of people - baseball people, baseball historians, scholars of the 1919 World Series, residents of the South (particularly South Carolina), and others. There's also been a variety of books produced about Jackson, most with his point of view or the "point of view he would have had," whatever that might have been at any point in time. It was with some skepticism that I picked up Fleitz's book and started to read, half expecting to see the same arguments that I've read before - Jackson as a victim, as the greatest player not in the Hall of Fame but for one mistake, and how he went back to South Carolina and scratched out a living (or was very successful, depending on which book you read).

Fleitz's book was a most pleasant surprise - it offers information that I haven't found anywhere else, and gives more "flesh" and substance to the person that was Joe Jackson than any previous account of his life that I had read. One point is the relationship that he had with his wife: always shown as the doting couple, Fleitz writes that this wasn't always the case. In baseball, he shows that Jackson wasn't the near-mythological player that he had been portrayed, and that he did fail at any number of clutch situations. By the same token, Jackson is also frequently mentioned as a batting role model to any number of famous players. The reactions of contemporaries thoughtout the book is also delightful feature.

A primary focus of the book is in the 1919 World Series and Jackson's role in that. Through the years Jackson has garnered significant numbers of supporters claiming that he was innocent; Fleitz offers evidence and opinions that he may not have been that innocent at all. There is also the issue of his initial acceptance of the gamblers' money. As with many people, I have my opinions of the World Series fix and Jackson's involvement. Prior to Fleitz's book, the opinion was a little fuzzier; after reading the book, it's become a little clearer. Was he innocent or guilty? Read the book and make your decision - it's well worth your time.

The definitive Joe Jackson book
Great book. Separates the myth and the legend of Shoeless Joe Jackson from the "average Joe" and looks at his banishment from baseball in an honest, objective light. Author does an outstanding job of dissecting Jackson's behavior and possible motives throughout the scandal of the 1919 Black Sox.
But more importantly, more personal information about Joe is available on Joe throughout the pages of this text than any I have ever seen. This is a fantastic accomplishment as there is a lot of sappy, sentimental fluff out there about Joe Jackson and this book really made me feel as though I knew Joe, in addition to understanding what he was about.
This book is by far and away the best baseball book of the year (along with Reed Browning's Cy Young) and is amongst the best and most important baseball books ever written. If you're a serious baseball fan, you will enjoy SHOELESS!!

The Shoeless Joe You Didn't Know
Baseball biographies come in all types, from boring descriptions of the player's performance in games, to tantalizing disconnected details of the player's life outside the lines, to full-fledged development of the player's life history and personality. This new book by David Fleitz falls more toward the latter. I recommend it to all baseball fans, especially ones (like me) who are fascinated by the lesser-known stars of the pre-Ruthian world.

Much of the book is devoted to Jackson's role in the Black Sox scandal, putting it into historical context and digging into the actions and motives of some of the key figures. The passages involving Charles Comiskey are especially revealing.

The road between city life and country life was much longer back then. Early baseball has many stories of the difficulties rural men faced when thrust into MLB's urban landscape. Because of his great physical skills, the illiterate Jackson is a highly compelling example of these stories. I now feel like I've met Jackson. Among the best baseball biographies I've read.

Finally, A Biography about Joe
As a thirteen year resident of Greenville, South Carolina, I have finally found a biography about "Shoeless" Joe Jackson that captures his life story rather than the many myths surrounding the man. As any baseball player or fan knows, the likes of Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and other baseball greats have been immortalized in a plethora of biographies, but Joe has been little more than a footnote. Perhaps, this is due to his involvement in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal, perhaps not. This book, however, finally captures the life and many facets of Joe Jackson. Though I do not subscribe to one theory or another in regard to his involvement in throwing the 1919 World Series, I am pleased to have finally found a book that addresses this issue without glamour, intrigue, or writer's license. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in baseball, the history of our National Past Time, or the life of one of baseball's greatest hitters, Joe Jackson. ... Read more

Book Description

There aren't many Americans who didn't feel a lump in their throat watching Cal Ripken, Jr. take a historic jog around the bases on the evening of September 6, 1995--the night he smashed Lou Gehrig's record number of 2,130 consecutively played games. But, as "the hardest working man in baseball" will tell you, he was just doing his job. And now he tells you just how he does it, why he does it, and how it makes him feel.With the candor and grace that have endeared him to fans everywhere, Cal Ripken, Jr. tells the story of his journey to the major leagues: of his early childhood and life with a baseball manager for a father; his stint in the minors, working his way up from the Rookie Leagues to Triple-A; and finally to the permanent call from Baltimore where he began the drive to an All-Star career. Cal talks with warmth of his mentors and teammates, and with honesty of the Orioles' roller-coaster ride from the pennant to a lamentable 0-21 start in the eighties. He reveals his innermost thoughts on the game, and leads us through his strategies at the plate and on the field. Best of all, Cal reveals what makes him tick: his commitment to the game, to his family, to his career, and to the team. In this rich and rewarding memoir, we find out why he's credited with putting the "great" back into America's greatest game: it's the only way he knows.

*The #1 Washington Post bestseller
*Author is one of the most visible--and articulate--baseball players of the century
*Available on audiocassette from Penguin Audiobooks ... Read more

Reviews (19)

The Only Way I Know
"The Only Way I Know" is a great autobiography about Cal Ripken Jr. I especially liked this book because it's not boring, and instead is fast-paced throughout the whole book. This book also has great pictures from his whole life. This great autobiography also explains everything from the first time he played catch with his dad to his record setting 2,131st consecutive game and everything in between. This story explains everything down to the tiniest detail. This is a great book for any baseball player or fan. I hope anyone who reads this excellent book likes it just as much as I do.

"The Only Way I Know"
The Only Way I Know is a good book. IT tells you alot about Cal Ripken Jr. It talks about him as a child, a baseball legend, and a father. I enjoyed reading this book a hole lot. I recomend this book to any Cal Ripken Jr fan. The book helped me understand what it is like being a profesional athlete

Zach's Review of The Only Way I Know
If you are a fan of Cal Ripken Jr., "The Only Way I Know" is the book for you. In this autobiography Cal shares information with us on how he got to where he is today and what it is like being a profesional baseball player. He overcame a lot during his brilliant career as a Baltimore Oriole. In Ripken's illustrious 20 year career with the Baltimore Orioles he broke several records and appeared in several all-star games. This book is 326 pages and took me about three weeks to read. I am a big fan of Cal Ripken Jr. so I really enjoyed this book. Ripken is one of the most recognized profesional athletes ever, so you can only imagine how good this book really is. As you all know Ripken broke the record of consecutive games by playing 2,132 consecutive games; he is known as the iron man. There are also many pictures in the book from different points in Ripken's career. I hope you enjoy this book.

Boring
I bought this book hoping to learn about the Cal Ripken Jr. the man...But all I was able to learn from this book is that he is a baseball player. He goes very little into his own life outside of the ballpark. I would not recommend this book to anyone that is not a huge Ripken fan. D-.

Great for the fan but best for the young want to be athlete!
This book shows the ordinary life of this talented and driven athlete. Should inspire and confirm that everyday effort and hard work makes for success. You will find Cal's boyhood stories and read about his entire family's passion for the game. The role model his father afforded him. There are stories about his wife and children and his genuine competitive spirit. I was struck by the ordinary upbringing and the seemingly level headedness that he has maintained throughout his success. I am a fortunate season ticket holder who attends many games. And I am always amazed at the class and level of integrity that Cal seems to possess. Even as a local and available to many reports on Cal at play and with charitable events, this book still offered an interesting read. You will also find a section of color personal photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Stories of Half a Century
Don Zimmer has been active in professional baseball for longer than most of us have been alive. His experiences over these years form a story of how the sport has changed. It's no longer the close knit teams of friends that played ball together for years. It's changed. Now professional baseball is big money, really big money. the free agent system has turned the team into individual players each more concerned with his own contract than the team.

Don tells this story of change in a book of anecdotes, laughs, excitement and comedy. Did the sport change for the better? Well, yes and no. Like another book starts out: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." But with the season over, it's clearly time to do some reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Ernie, Gabby, Billy, Fergie, Cap and Hack, Rhino and Santo, Andre and Sammy, Wrigley, the ivy. Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance, tossing back opposing teams’ homers, the Billy Goat Curse, Bartman’s ball. Sixteen National League pennants, two World Series crowns, but … 95 years and counting.

Cubs Pride spans 129 years of Chicago Cubs ups, downs, and almosts. Extolled are the great legends, the lustrous lore, and the fabled futility of the Windy City’s favorite nine. It’s certain to work up a case of diamond fever for Cubs fans and baseball enthusiasts everywhere.

In 2003 the Cubs were just five outs away from their first World Series appearance since 1945, but the mysterious forces of fate intervened once again, and a late-game eight-run-rally by the Florida Marlins ended the dream. Such mishaps have made the Cubs America’s "favorite losers," according to Chicago TV station WGN, owned by the same company that owns the Cubs. The team’s perennial failings and underdog status have created a national following.

Cubs Pride provides firsthand accounts of the great Cubs players; the intense rivalries; the testaments to Cubs character; the great moments in Cub history; all 16 National League pennant-winning rosters; the all-time Cubs team; and even a shrine to No. 14, the immortal Ernie Banks. All are told by the players themselves, managers and coaches, Cubs’ opponents, and members of the media. ... Read more

Amazon.com

That the original 1945 incarnation of My Greatest Day in Baseball has returned to print, courtesy of the University of Nebraska's Bison Books imprint, is as welcome as a hanging curve to a power hitter. It's a cornerstone volume to any serious baseball library. Based in Chicago, John Carmichael was one of America's most celebrated sports columnists from the early '30s to his retirement 40 years later. For My Greatest Day, he collected the first-person rambles of 47 of the best ballplayers of the first half of the century. The roster is a virtual who's who: What aficionado wouldn't want to share a dugout with, among others, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Frankie Frisch, Satchel Paige, Mel Ott, Rogers Hornsby, and Jimmy Foxx?

Sometimes myth triumphs over absolute truth in the players' memories, but baseball has always made room for its legends, and so much antiquated charm manages to seep into these pages as a result. For example, listen to how the Bambino begins his recollection of the famed "Called Shot" (which may or may not have actually happened) against the Cubs in the 1932 World Series: "What blankety-blank fool would-a done what I did that day. When I think of what-a idiot I'd a been if I'd struck out and I could-a, just as well as not because I was mad and I'd made up my mind to swing at the next pitch if I could reach it with a bat. Boy, when I think of the good breaks in my life..." Ruth leads off the volume, and merely sets the table. The 46 who follow acquit themselves equitably in bringing My Greatest Day home. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Baseball When It Was A Game--Great Nostalgia
Do you get a chill when you see names like Ruth, Cobb, and Gehrig in an actual box score--a box score from a bygone era that omits runs-batted-in and sometimes even times at bat? Have you ever heard about the "Merkle boner," Walter Johnson's dramatic first world series victory (in relief!), unknown Howard Ehmke starting a world series game instead of the great Lefty Grove and setting a strikeout record against the heavy-hitting Chicago Cubs (yes, the Cubs), Pete Reiser's Dodgers heading toward a pennant, Tinker to Evers to Chance? If so, you'll love this well-written, nostalgic look at baseball the way it used to be (before 1945). Though these first-person accounts were written by leading sportswriters of that era, the personalities of the players come through clearly. Some old-time (if occasionally fuzzy) pictures add to the fun. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

This work contains the heretofore unpublished memoirs of Xaverian Brother Gilbert (a.k.a. Philip F. Cairnes), who is generally credited with being the mentor who steered the Babe to his first professional contract. Ruth was raised by the Xaverian Brothers, a Catholic religious order, at St. Mary's Industrial School from 1902 (when he was only 7) until 1914.These reminiscences begin with Babe Ruth's departure from St. Mary's and concentrate on his early playing years. An historical introduction by the editor of these memoirs, Harry Rothgerber, details the history and relationship that existed between this organization of Catholic educators and the man who was to become the most influential baseball player and greatest slugger who ever lived. Brother John Joseph Sterne, the book's forewordist, recounts a St. Mary's band fundraising trip in which they accompanied the Yankees through the American League cities at the end of the 1920 season. Several heretofore unpublished photos from the Xaverian Order complement the text. ... Read more

Book Description

From the only openly gay former major-league baseball player comes an unprecedented chronicle of America’s national pastime. Going the Other Way is the intimate memoir of a man who, in the prime of his career, faced a heartbreaking dilemma and, in time, learned to follow his own path.

As a shirtless Little Leaguer racing around the sun-drenched diamonds of Southern California, Billy Bean imitated his childhood baseball heroes Steve Garvey and Fred Lynn as he dreamed of becoming a professional ballplayer. By virtue of a relentless work ethic, exceptional multi-sport talent, and a quick left-handed swing, Bean became one of the very few athletes to make it to the big leagues—playing in the majors from 1987 to 1995 for the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres.

In Going the Other Way, Bean takes us from the dusty fields of his youth to the college World Series, the minor-league playing diamonds of Glens Falls and Toledo (where, in a nod to his talent, his teammates nicknamed him "Roy Hobbs," the hero of The Natural), to his first game for the Tigers (he tied the record for most hits in a major-league debut), and winter-ball seasons in Latin America.

Bean brings us inside the clubhouse and onto the playing field, offering dead-on insight into the game and the physical and emotional demands it makes on players. Bean’s forthright portraits of baseball icons—his legendary managers Sparky Anderson and Tommy Lasorda, slugging stars Kirk Gibson and Tony Gwynn, and all-star pitchers Jack Morris and Trevor Hoffman, among many others—illuminate what it takes to be great.

Dubbed "the boy of every girl’s dream" by Dodger manager Lasorda, Bean solidified his role as a major-league utility player even as he grappled with a secret that made hitting a Roger Clemens fastball look easy: he was a gay man in a brutally anti-gay world. Ultimately, Bean faced an agonizing choice between continuing to play, in secrecy and solitude, the game he loved and the honesty of a loving relationship.

Bean came out to national acclaim in 1999, but Going the Other Way is the first time he has told his story in his own words. By turns heartbreaking and farcical, ruminative and uncensored, the book culminates in a respectful, deeply felt appeal to Major League Baseball and other professional team sports to live up to their promise of equality and opportunity. A testament to the power of a single voice, Going the Other Way is an exemplary American tale that points the way toward a more perfect game, one in which all men and women can pursue their athletic dreams free of prejudice and discrimination. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Real LIfe "Take Me Out"
A professional baseball player who for years hid his homosexuality, Billy Bean recounts his story with an easygoing charm. From his childhood, up through the majors the first part of the book is about how he fell into the sport and how his passion for it consumed him. Once he begins to address his sexuality the book shifts focus and really becomes an exploration of gay athletes, and the prejudices they face or potentially face. It seemed by the end that Billy truly is happy, which is great, because at times it felt like he lived a alot of his life with regret, yet ultimately his courageous act may someday help someone else in a similar situation. And maybe one day his dream of players being able to play without fear of discrimination will be a reality.

Courageous, the stuff of role models
At its inception, "Going the Other Way ..." could easily have been little more than a professional athlete's bio of protecting his homosexuality in what remains one of the sexuality's near-hallowed taboo, and even going that far would be courageous. But ex-baseball player Billy Bean takes his private story further by not only coming out publicly but by submitting the subtle question if sexual orientation really has anything to do with a person's worth as a family member, friend and working in whatever profession. In doing so, Bean's story is a lesson not only in coming to terms privately but also in being accepted by rendering impotent the social tendency to over-use labels like straight, gay and bi. Until Bean made good his dream to play major league baseball, his story was essentially non-descript: a loving family supporting his athletic ambition, a straight A student, girlfriends, marriage to a breathtakingly beautiful woman. Bean's "wholesome" story becomes unique only when he actually makes the big leagues but has to stay in his closet to avoid the potential multi-dimensional issues associated with coming out. Remarkably, Bean's is both a baseball and coming-to-terms book, and he manages further to posit the thought that sexual orientation may actually have little to nothing to do with any person's total worth. Bean also goes into some detail about his gay sexual experiences and concludes he was bassically "lucky" to have dodged the fatal bullet of AIDS. Still, that portion of his narrative poses the thought that public discussion about homosexuality and AIDS, even by the anti-gay faction, may actually be productive in blunting activity that risks the disease. In the end, though, Bean's story is an important contribution in learning to accept oneself and by doing it in such a way to be accepted in general with little to no qualification of sexual orientation being a factor. Beyond that, Bean's story is a one of courage and unshakeable faith in his own worth as a human being, and it and he are the stuff role models are made of.

Billy Bean's GOING THE OTHER WAY
I read this book for the first time last year and I heartily recommend it. Billy discusses his career in baseball, his life as a (...)man and his life in general. He is a terrific role model for (...)youth and all youth. I would give the book more than 5 stars if I could do so.

Great story that DARES TO COMPARE
I'm not so much of a sports person especially when it comes to baseball. I don't even know how to watch the football and understand the game. That's not the point, I believe, why Bean decided to tell the story. It's about dignity, pride, and respect that every one deserves! This book reminds me of my own similar pain and discrimination I went through just because I'm gay! There're those who prefer to hide and live the lies and those who dare to make their voices heard! Bean has been through both to know better. This book will make you appreciate your life better, respect yourself more, and proud to be who you are. Whenever you think you're alone, this book will remind you that someone is on your side and supports when you'll have to fight for what you believe....as a human being!

Bean's Book
"Going the Other Way" is as nice as "Sea Biscuit", and is of great importance. Bean has made me a baseball fan. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

If You Love Baseball...
...I question that love if you do not have this book. This is the most concise collection of biographies, stats, and information about every human involved with the development, management, and participation in every Negro League that ever existed. Even players whose first name was not known is listed with at least a few words about when they played and for whom. And the players with extensive history is detailed along with stats and other great side stories about them. There is even information on the teams in the Negro Leagues, which I found most interesting. I don't know of any other book that has as much information on the lesser-known players and behind-the-scenes people in the Negro Leagues than this one. If you are a Negro League fan, you probably already have this book. But if you are a baseball fan in general, you MUST have this book. ... Read more

Book Description

In his forthright and honest autobiography, St. Louis Cardinal, World Series, and Super Bowl broadcaster, Jack Buck entertains all of his fans once more in a different setting. Jack Buck: " It's A Winner!" is the story of a remarkable man's life. A member of 11 Hall's of Fame, incl- ding both the baseball and football Halls of Fame.--This text refers to the hardcover edition of this title ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The voice of St. Louis
What an inspiration Jack Buck is to all of St. Louis. Wouldn't we all like to be remembered as a truly happy person, just a nice guy? That is who and what Jack Buck was. We are richer for having known him in our lives, and thankful he shared this essay with all of us. Jack Buck loved St. Louis, but that love is returned 100 fold to Jack Buck. He's a winner!

Underwhelming
Picking up the autobiography of legendary baseball announcer Jack Buck, you'd think you're in for a light summer read full of good-natured homilies, humorous anecdotes, and "I was there" accounts of great games and players. That doesn't set the bar very high but would make for a good baseball book. "That's A Winner" doesn't deliver on even these modest expectations. First, Buck himself doesn't come across as a very likeable guy. Free with his back-handed criticisms, judgmental of others, once slamming the door in the face of a desperate pregnant woman, and generally keeping his head down as the inveterate corporate guy trying to keep his job. Second, he doesn't really have much to offer. Less than half the book is about baseball, so the reader has to wade through chapters on Buck's youth aboard a boat, in World War II, going to school, reciting names of family and friends as though reading a phone book. There are futile discussions of Castro and the death penalty and Vietnam, issues to which Buck brings no insight and that merely serve to distract the reader looking for some sports. Third, when the baseball finally comes, it's feeble and fleeting. A few thoughts on drugs use in the late 1970s, praise for Whitey Herzog and Ozzie Smith, and that's about it. For a guy who's been around some of the greatest players in the history of the game and become famous for his steady deep-voiced announcing, Buck has written a book that manages to suck the life out of the games and players. No stories, no funny anecdotes, nothing to interest a fan. If you're researching Buck's life and need to know about his military service, this is the book for you. If you want to pass a weekend with a good baseball book, pick up Roger Angell instead.

Jack Buck--Hall of Famer
If you want to read about the St. Louis Cardinals any book written by either Jack Buck or Bob Broeg is sure to provide you with solid reporting. Buck has been announcing for the Cardinals since the mid-1950's and spent many of those years with another hall-of-famer named Harry Caray. Jack provides the reader with insights into his army career prior to entering baseball, his many years as an announcer for KMOX radio in St. Louis, and those glorious years with the Cardinals of the 1960's and 1980's. He also provides us with his opinions on the changes that have taken place in both baseball and the world from what it used to be. You don't have to be a Cardinals' fan to enjoy this book. If you enjoy baseball history, reading a book written by the much-respected Jack Buck is an enviable treat.

Old time baseball: tough times for players and media
A tough old coot, Jack Buck tells the story of coming through the early years of baseball media. Pride and a competitive spirit were fundamental to success in the industry. Buck lays it on the table: there were fewer jobs than hopefuls. Only the best prevailed. And industry politics frequently interfered.

While not rivoting, the book is one of few available that provides a window on this very small piece (sports announcing) of a small industry (media announcing).

I liked Buck's open discussion of various baseball commentators. A fresh view from inside that confirms some of my suspicions, and clouds others.

If you are a real baseball fan, then this book will open doors of further appreciation for the sport.

Not just a baseball book
I bought this book to read Jack Buck's stories about the St. Louis Cardinals. That material is there, but not in the quantity one might expect. The book is immensely enjoyable for other reasons, ones that I didn't expect when I first bought it. Buck tells a number of moving stories, in a matter-of-fact manner, about growing up poor and serving in World War II. These stories, and not the Cardinals material, were my favorite parts of the book. There are other things as well. Buck tells of getting baseball tickets for a mobster (and, later, for the FBI agents that were keeping tabs on him); enduring a Joe DiMaggio temper tantrum when Buck asked him to sign a baseball; and his relationship with Harry Caray. He also tells some unflattering stories about the Cardinals, including his dislike for some of the teams of the 1970s and 1980s and a poignant story about how he once suggested an airline meal of franks, biscuits and beans for a Cardinals team flight, and the players all refused to eat it. ... Read more

Book Description

The life of one committed man whose simple little idea ("Let’s play ball!") God is using to make a huge impact on thousands of disenfranchised children, their families, their community, their city, and their world. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

WOW ... What a Ripple Effect
I never knew Bob Muzikowski ... nor did I know of the book prior to last month (April 2004). However, I was fortunate enough to meet this amazingly honest, articulate, straight-shooting gentleman [yes ... gentleman] at a prayer breakfast in Albany, NY. After hearing him speak [him being the featured speaker] and hearing his story I simply needed to know more. I spent a little time researching Bob and was interested in reading the book.

OK ... now for the book review ...
DON'T READ THIS STORY if you are not interested in changing your heart and mind for a greater good. THE RIPPLE EFFECT will occur in your heart as you realize the full potential each and every one of us has to better the lives of others. HHHMMM ... isn't that what Jesus taught?
AND if you're an Evangelical Christian, the story will either motivate you INTO service for Him or it will refresh your walk and current service.
Either way ... this story is SO MUCH BIGGER than Bob and his boys. It's a glimpse of the ON-GOING ACTIONABLE LOVE AND COMPASSION for everyone associated with Bob and Tina ... and for you and I? It's fuel for our hearts ... raw honesty, compassion and love seen through very tough circumstances and people.

BOTTOM LINE ... this book is an example of what God can do when a heart is willing to be transformed.
PS: Check out the Chicago Hope Academy ... a school opening in 2004 that was built on the fire and determination of these folks.

Inspiration
This is one of the most AMAZING books I have ever read. Touching, heartfelt and gutsy! I have passed this book on to many friends and they have all had the same response. One of those books that changes your outlook on pretty much everything.

Batter Up!
Although Bob Muzikowski's book, "Safe at Home," is catagorized as an autobiography, it is so much more! This book is a real life story of THE Author's plan for one man. Bob Muzikowski has shown us how one man (and woman, Tina!) can make a difference when he chooses to please an Audience of One - the blessings of God on Bob Muzikowski's life have been multiplied exponentially to others! "Safe at Home" has been described as "inspiring," but Bob's story will only be truly inspiring if it generates a response from its readers; one that takes them out of their comfortable church pews and into the God-prescribed place that He wants them to be! "Batter Up!" The choice is yours: you can take the challenge as the designated hitter or warm the bench in the dugout!

This true story deserves to be told!
When Bob Muzikowski and I sat across from each other on a plane ride last September, I mostly listened as he told his story. As publisher for Zondervan, I knew by the time we landed I'd be asking him if he was interested in telling this story in print! The world is hungry for stories about "everyday heros" with whom we can actually identify. Bob is a regular guy who, in spite of a rough and tumble first few decades of life, has found a way to live an extraordinary life. His story reads like a novel but the inspiration that drives him is compelling and accessible to all of us. This is a book that you will not be able to just read. You will most definately encourage your adolescent children to read it and you will talk about it with your colleagues and friends. Trust me...for what started as an idle conversation on a plane last September is now a wonderful book that in just over a month is being read by thousands.

An inspiring, TRUE story
I have known Bob Muzikowski for three years now, and he never ceases to amaze me. Reading this book has been a revelation. If you're feeling cynical, or doubt that one man can make a difference in society, read this book. Muzikowski chronicles his life from a tough childhood to a self-destructive early adulthood through his current and permanent persona, a caring, compassionate person who genuinely wishes to spread goodwill. Hopefully, this story will inspire others to follow in Bob's footsteps, and love their neighbors. The narrative is alternately heartbreaking, hopeful, and humorous, but always honest. A seemingly endless parade of intriguing supporting "characters" add color depth to Muzikowski's infectiously interesting vignettes. Rather than see the Keanu Reeves/Hollywood version, read the real thing. Pass it on! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A VERY SAD TALE ABOUT A GREAT PITCHER
THIS IS THE STORY ABOUT ONE OF THE LEGENDARY PITCHERS OF THE GRAND OLD GAME. A TREMENDOUS ON THE FIELD SUCCESS AND OFF THE FIELD FAILURE. HIS 1926 WORLD SERIES IS LEGENDARY AS IS HIS STORIED CAREER. BUT HIS OFF THE FIELD DRINKING AND EPILEPSY IS VERY SHOCKING AND GUT WRENCHING. I WONDER WHAT SORT OF CAREER HE COULD HAVE HAD IF HE DIDN'T HAVE TO FIGHT THE DEMON OF ALCOHOLISM. ALEX'S PLAYING DAYS ARE DONE IN GREAT DETAIL, JUST WISH MORE WAS AVAILABLE ABOUT HIS PRIVATE LIFE. BUT A WELL DONE JOB BY THE AUTHOR. A MUST READ FOR BASEBALL HISTORY FANS.

A trageic story of baseball's greatest pitchers
I have undertaken the quest to read biographies of the past baseball heroes, and wanted to know more about Ol' Pete, so this book was an exact match.

I became a aware of a few editing mistakes, there is a picture caption that claims GCA won 26 games as a rookie yet the statistics show he won 28.

During a 3 page span there were a few mathematical mistakes dealing with GCA and surpassing Matty's career wins record. Page 110 said Pete needed 9 wins to pass Matty, then a few pages later it said GCA won his 6 game, 1 more needed to tie Matty. Certainly with the Mattty record changed later, this was just clearly an over site with numbers, hopefully it will be corrected with the paperback version up-coming.

A handful of the old-time players were certainly tragic firgures, and I guess Fitzgerald was right, when he said "Show me a hero and I'll write you a tragedy."

If you enjoyed this book, try the following: 1. Matty: An American Hero 2. Fouled Away: The Baseball tragedy of Hack Wilson 3. Rogers Hornsby: A Biography

Too much trival detail
I have always wondered why there was not more written about this early hero of baseball who seemed to have such a sad and tragic life, and was very excited when I found this book. Jack Kavanagh did a wonderful job of researching the ins and outs of Ol' Pete, and reading of his life and hardships was very informative. But I believe he allowed the book to drag just a bit by trying to include too much detail about meaningless games.

Ol' Pete...So Great And Yet So Sad
Reading this book was difficult. Not difficult to read, but difficult to accept. Hard to imagine that one of baseball's most loved and storied legends had such a difficult life. A well written and well researched book. Kept me interested from beginning to end. When I finally closed the book, I could not help but sigh. A sigh of such sadness will overcome you. Truly a sad outcome for such a gifted pitcher. ... Read more

Book Description

As of July 2001, there are 253 players enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame. From Hank Aaron to Robin Yount, from the initial class (1933), to the latest (2002), from Tom Seaver--with the highest percentage of votes--to Al Simmons, who received the lowest percentage, Heroes of the Hall has them all. It combines vivid color and black-and-white photography, vivid biographies, and random tidbits in the one book that captures all the skills of every Hall of Famer in a single volume. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A perfect gift for the serious baseball fan!
This is a great book for the baseball aficionado. Especially for those who appreciate the great players of years gone by.

Dozens of Hall-of-Famers are featured, with beautiful photographs of each individual. You'll find basic statistics and the accomplishments of each personality, as well as a commentary on their contributions to the game. A nice bonus is a small photograph of their hall-of-fame plaque.

As a collector of older baseball cards I found this book especially useful to my further appreciation of the players and the history of this greatest of past-times.

I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

One of the miracles of the National Pastime is the way it can tie us to our home teams with a blood-knot of allegiance; we live with them in good times ... and die with them the rest of the time. Of course, being a Cleveland Indians fan over the course of the last half-century has demanded a good deal more of the dying. And Terry Pluto should know--he's covered the Tribe for years as an award-winning sports columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal. On the surface, his memoir is a solid baseball book, a fascinating tour through a historic franchise and some of the more interesting characters who've worn its colors: Lou Sockalexis (the original Cleveland Indian), Tris Speaker, Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, Larry Doby (the first black in the American League), Rocky Colavito, owner Bill Veeck, and on to today's Omar Vizquel and Manny Ramirez. But like the best baseball books, it's about more than the game; it's about what the game means to us, how it ties generations together, and, on the most intimate level, how it links a father to his son.

In the case of Pluto and his father, the link is a complex, sometimes tense one of clashing generations often played out in front of the TV set, beside the radio, or in the stands--and it's one that the son bravely analyzes. "For us," he writes, "it was easier to go to a baseball game and pour salt on popcorn rather than old wounds." Ultimately, Pluto figures out that it is within the rhythms of the game that a son, over time, comes to know--and to accept--his father. Which is another one of baseball's miracles. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Touching Book
This is a fantastic book for any Indians fan who grew up watching games at the old Stadium. It's for all of us who grew up rooting for a sad team who had never won anything before and was never likely to do so in the future. It helps us to remember those days when the important thing wasn't how good the team was or if they had a chance at the Series, but rather spending time with our fathers watching the game. Maybe, just maybe, this book will help us to remember what is really important once again.

A great read for all fathers and sons
This book is as much a story about a son and his relationship with his father as it is about baseball, and tells each of those stories wonderfully. For basball fans it is an entertaining history of the Cleveland Indians and is full of colorful players, managers, and even owners. From the perspective of this one baseball team, the reader has a ring side seat on how much our country, society, and professional sports have changed and grown over the last 75 plus years. Just from the standpoint of the baseball Terry Puto is as good as Ken Burns or George Will.

But the story within the story is really about the author and his father. That relationship is one that is full of joy and sadness, wonderful memories and yet regrets. The author comes to better understand and appreciate his father after a stroke makes it impossible to talk to his father. In a cruel irony, when the time came that the author was ready and wanted to share stories and talk to his father, he was not able to.
All fathers and sons should read this book.

A final comment on Terry Pluto's writing style. I have read three of Mr Pluto's books and appreciate the way he writes in a clean, no non-sense style and yet fills his books with so much detail and color.

Not just a great baseball book
This is a superb book because it goes beyond being a great sports book. Terry Pluto's weaving of his relationship with his father into his lifetime love of the Cleveland Indians makes it a book that readers will think about long after they've finished reading it. It's not necessary to be a Tribe fan to enjoy this book. I'd even go as far to say that a reader need not be a baseball fan to feel empathy and self-reflection on his or her parent-child relationship, regardless of whether the person is the parent or the child. I've also read the author's "Loose Balls", a wonderful look back at the American Basketball Association, and recommend that to those who remember the ABA (go Oakland Oaks!) and to those who weren't around to enjoy those years.

For all Baseball fans - not just Cleveland ones
I am definitely not a fan of the Indians,but I loved the book. If you are a fan of any team, you should enjoy this. Pluto drops fun anecdotes of Indians history and trivia throughout Our Tribe. He also comes to grips with his relationship with his father. An enjoyable read.

When Being a Fan is a Birth-Right
If you went to the baseball game with your Father, this book will strike a chord in your heart. Beside reactivating some old memories (fortunately they become better with time), this book also illustrates why Indians fans are Indians fans, by birth-right. We are fans becouse most of us were born near Cleveland and went to the stadium with our dad's, neighborhood friends, college friends, clients, and yes our kids.

This book reminds you why Indians fans are so special. We didn't pick the Indians, they were given to us. In a day where the team was yours for life. When every spring you got excited at the chance that a miracle just might happen this year. When you didn't dare like the Yankees even if it seamed to be an easy way out to happiness. Being an Indians is more valuable than that. Thanks Terry. ... Read more

Book Description

"Gorgeous George" Sisler, a left-handed first baseman, began his major-league baseball career in 1915 with the St. Louis Browns. During his sixteen years in the majors, he played with such baseball luminaries as Ty Cobb (who once called Sisler "the nearest thing to a perfect ballplayer"), Babe Ruth, and Rogers Hornsby. During his illustrious career he was a .340 hitter, twice achieving the rare feat of hitting more than .400. His 257 hits in 1920 is still the record for the "modern" era. Now in The Sizzler, this "legendary player without a legend" gets the treatment he deserves. Rick Huhn presents the story of one of baseball's least appreciated players and studies why his status became so diminished. Huhn argues that the answer lies somewhere amid the tenor of Sisler's times, his own character and demeanor, the kinds of individuals who are chosen as our sports heroes, and the complex definition of fame itself. ... Read more