1 comments about Omar!: My Life on and Off the Field.

1. I bought this book to hear the dirt about Jose Mesa. Vizquel is great talent - especially in the field, but what an ego!

5 comments about Juicy: Confessions of a Former Baseball Wife.

1. I bought this book because I already knew what Jose had to say, but wanted to hear what Jessica had say. The 1st half of the book she said absolutely nothing except repeat how she would catch Jose cheating, they would fight, break up, and get back together again. In fact she just repeats this throughout the whole book. How many times can you read the same story before you get bored?? You really get to the point where you just want to slap her and knock some sense into her for being so stupid.
   
   I really dont know why I kept reading this book. I kept hoping something eventfull would happen, but it never really did. I wouldnt recommend this book unless you want to hear an ex-wifes story about how her husband cheats on her and abuses her in a never ending cycle of 230+ pages



2. From the Playboy pics, it looks like she is on steroids, too. Trophy wife, but aren't trophies made of plastic?



3. Who probably wish they could look half as good as Jose's ex-wife. While her tale wasn't the most profound or riveting, it wasn't anything to scoff at, either. Unless you people have walked in similar shoes, shut the hell up with your judgments - what was it Jesus said? Let he who is without sin cast the first stone? Or something like that, but you get the point.
   
   It's funny how women get blamed for a men's misbehavior, even though Jessica ADMITS that she was addicted and co-dependent on her relationship to Jose. We forgive drugs addicts, alcoholics, even gambling addicts, yet when a woman, and an attractive one at that, is stuck in a rut, she receives the big brush off, is labeled a gold-digger, a bimbo, an idiot, she should have "known better," etc etc etc....Yet everyone else is entitled to forgiveness, compassion, and understanding.
   
   I found the former Mrs. Canseco's story to be of some use as perhaps another woman in a simiar situation will recognize the signs and bail out before her own self esteem spirals further downward. One thing you petty naysayers need to remember is how young she was when she met him. How many times do we hear of the influential older man taking a naive woman as his partner and molding her into what suits his needs? A man with a healthy self esteem would want to find an equal partner, not a young, unsuspecting female he can crap on. (Another similar scenario would be OJ and Nicole Simpson). Yet Jessica is blamed for being an unsuspecting woman, then a (co-dependent) addict, and she still gets reamed for trying to find her own way (whether it be posing in Playboy or writing this book).
   
   As for the comments on being an unfit mother, and the reviewer who wrote that Jose would make a better parent only because he did steroids, you have got to be kidding. Another case of misogyny and sexism - does the same reviewer blame Nicole Brown Simpson for her own murder and the murder of Ron Goldman?
   
   Maybe Jessica is cashing in on the Canseco name, but after all she's been through, I say she is well deserving of doing so.
   
   Also, if you are going to judge someone by their recreational drug use and sexual exploits, I suggest you move out of the country, hell, move off the planet and colonize one of your own - news for you - a lot of people experiment and it doesn't make them UNFIT or BAD and in fact, I admire her candor for coming out because it is an integral part of the story and relates to how BAD she felt about herself, and how she used drugs to escape and tried to save her marriage by pleasing Jose.
   
   However, I suspect it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
   
   I will sum up this review by saying that while the book was enjoyable and a fast read, I do wish I had saved my money by going to the library instead of purchasing it. As I stated, it wasn't groundbreaking enough to part of my book collection.



4. Juicy is an appropriate title for this book. A great read for the beach. No, it's not deep and insightful, but rather, fun and trashy. Highly recommended!



5. ...but then you're left with a bad taste in your mouth.
   
   I've read a few of these autobiographies from trophy wives of stars and they're pretty much all the same, and all have the same themes. Let me sum this book (and about 3 others) up for you, to save you some time:
   - Don't hate me because I'm beautiful, I had a tough childhood
   - It's really, really difficult for me because no one takes me seriously, because I am just so much prettier than everyone else
   - I spend more on clothes, beauty products, and spa treatments each month than 5 average families spend on food and rent
   - The only wage-paying job I've ever had involved me showing off my amazing body, but again, don't hate me because I'm beautiful
   - I really thought my incredibly handsome husband who couldn't keep his pants zipped for FIVE MINUTES before we were married would be faithful to me! And I was totally heartbroken when he cheated!
   - Even though I ditch my kid(s) with the nanny every chance I get, my children are my life! And I am such a great mother I could win awards!
   - I would LOVE to get a real job and support myself like a normal person, but going back to school is just too hard, so I'll keep living off the alimony, thanks. That is, until I can find a new rich guy to pick up the tab of my incredibly shallow and image-focused lifestyle.
   
   Yawn. Jessica Canseco obviously has some big issues with Jose and wants to make him look bad, but just makes herself look like a gold-digging bimbo. I mainly read this looking for some kind of input from a baseball wife on the whole steroids-in-baseball issue but all I got out of this about that was: people in baseball do steroids. I did learn a lot about how baseball wives have tons of unnecessary plastic surgery when they get bored.
   
   I will say that Jessica does seem self-aware about the shallowness of her life in some points, but in others just seems completely self-absorbed and clueless. The book was very obviously ghostwritten, and despite that, the platitudes and therapy-speak still get very old fast.
   
   I think books like this are valuable for one reason, and that is to serve as cautionary tales for women who follow celebrity men around thinking they are one wild night away from the good life. Jessica may have been rich but her life seems incredibly empty and devoid of meaning to me. No wonder these trophy wives are so anxious to have kids - they probably need something, ANYTHING, to latch onto to give their lives some kind of shape or meaning. If this is grabbing the brass ring, I'm happy to be living in the slow lane of life because no amount of money is worth giving up your self-respect, in my opinion. It's too bad so many other women don't feel the same way.

No comments about The Warsaw Sparks: A Memoir.

3 comments about One Pitch from Glory: A Decade of Running the Red Sox.

1. I was disappointed in this book and thought it could have been a lot better. Gorman's heart is in the right place and he writes honestly, but without depth. The book needed a good editor. It contains redundencies, excessive/bland game by game detail/filler, and errors of grammar and fact. For example, former Sox player Larry Parrish is referred to as 'Lance' ; A's pitcher Storm Davis becomes 'Steve', Mike Greenwell becomes Mike Greenfield, and the trade that brought Nick Esasky and Rob Murphy to Boston refers to the Phillies (rather than the Reds).
   
   If you are a diehard Sox fan looking for insight to the inner
   workings of the team during Gorman's tenure, the book offers little of significance. Gorman leaves the reader wanting to know more. He discusses the Wade Boggs/Margo Adams scandal like an observer. Yet Ms. Adams frequently traveled with the team. Obviously the organization allowed this, but we don't find out any more about it. He mentions having negotiated with Bruce Hurst for over a year before he was 'devastated' when Hurst left as a free agent. Yet there is no discussion about the negotiations or what went wrong.
   
   On the positive side, is is apparent that Gorman was a dedicated, hard working GM who loved the Sox and indeed brought them 'One Pitch From Glory' in what is one of the most difficult jobs in baseball- running the Red Sox. Gorman pegs much of the Boston baseball media exactly as many of them are - negative and miserable. He also opens the book strongly with an interesting (and still wrenching, despite the glory of 2004) behind the scenes look at the '86 World Series. I wish the rest of the book contained as much insider detail.
   
   It is appropriate and pleasing to this reader that Gorman drank champagne the night the Sox finally won it all !



2. If you followed the Red Sox through that 1986 Baseball season you will love this book. This book is a must have for every Red Sox fan. It gave me new insight into a time during my childhood that made my heart both soar and sink. I relive everyone of those moments again with this book.



3. I have been a member of Red Sox nation for over 30 years and and have been a clinical psychologist for the same duration. I found Lou Gorman's book fascinating from two major perspectives. First, his stories enlighten all of us to the rigors and joys of major league baseball, and especially but not limited to the Boston Red Sox. Secondly I think Lou is a psychologist in his own right, displaying uncanny understanding of the personalities of some of the most noted athletes that have ever worn a major league uniform. Lou's book teaches the reader that managing today's players demands baseball and psychological expertise. Lou Gorman clearly possesses both abilities. Arthur P. Ciaramicoli, Ed.D.,Ph.D.
   Author of Performance Addiction

No comments about The Mainieri Factor: Promoting Baseball With a Passion From Miami Dade to Notre Dame, LSU and the Chicago Cubs.

5 comments about My Life in Baseball.

1. Robin Roberts' book, My Life in Baseball, along with his previous book, The Whiz Kids and the 1950 Pennant, transported this 62-year old back to my early childhood memories growing up in a Philadelphia suburb. Mr. Roberts' writing helped me recall a time when life was less complicated, a time of few worries, and a time when baseball was all about the game.
   
   Mr. Roberts' book is so detailed with the names of who hit what kind of pitch, in which inning, and to what part of the ballpark that it is like having been at the game or reading last night's box score. He provides a different perspective about baseball - of how the game used to be played back when players earned $5,000 a year and traveled long hours on the train going from one big league city to another.
   
   Mr. Roberts had a remarkable career as a big league pitcher. In just his third year in the Major Leagues, he won 20 games, which he did for six consecutive years. His record in his fifth year was 28 and 7, with 330 innings pitched. In 19 seasons, his overall ERA was 3.41. No wonder Mr. Roberts was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976, at that time just the second Phillie ever elected to the HOF.
   
   Read about some of the stars and Hall of Famers who played alongside Mr. Roberts or who faced him on the field, players such as Ashburn, Simmons, Ennis, Jones, Hamner, Mays, Aaron, Robinson, Musial, Spahn, Koufax, and Campanella. And read about the spitball, the development of the Players' Association, and the creation of the players' pension fund. This is a must-read for anyone who has a passion for the game of baseball.



2. 
   
   To fully appreciate "My Life in Baseball", it would help if the reader knows what the "Hot Stove League" is. (The phrase refers to fans amusing themselves in the cold winter by talking baseball, looking forward to Spring Training- and presumably staying warm around the hot stove in a rural general store.) MLBB is set mostly in Major League Baseball's golden era, from 1946-1960 when BB was comprised of the original 16 teams and St. Louis and Kansas City were the western outposts. Robin Roberts played from 1948-1966 but his most productive years were in the early to mid 1950s with the Phillies. The author has an encyclopedic recall of old games, former teammates, managers, coaches, front office staff and opponents. His musings on individuals are more absorbing than the play by play in games of long ago. This reviewer was more taken with Roberts' less productive years in the early to mid 60s as he struggled to hold on with the Orioles, Cubs and Astros. The reader follows with admiration as Roberts invents a life for himself outside of Major League Baseball. He was highly instrumental in the formation of the Major League Players Association, though he disagrees with some of the actions that organization has taken. MLBB is an intelligent sports biography by a thoughtful and serious athlete. Roberts attained success on and off the playing field but had his struggles as well. He tells it like it is and, as another reviewer noted, does not use MLBB to settles old grudges. If one is over 50, or a die-hard Phillie fan of any age, MLBB is a safe choice. One dig at the author: How did he not know that Sal "The Barber' Maglie of the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers didn't shave on days he was scheduled to pitch? (It made him more intimidating to the batters!) Every school kid in New York City knew that one! Those who fondly remember Sal will enjoy MLBB.



3. Robin Roberts was a great pitcher, arguably the greatest right-handed pitcher ever for the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1950, the Philadelphia Phillies won the pennant over the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Phillies went on to lose in four straight to the New York Yankees in the World Series. Although they had a nucleus of very good, young ballplayers (Roberts, Richie Asburn, Curt Simmons, Granny Hamner, etc), they never seriously contended again.
   Roberts fills you in on every painful detail of the Phillies demise.
   As a life-long Phillies fan, but one born after Roberts career had ended it was good to read about his insights. I suggest that those who never saw Roberts play read this book. Roberts is very even-handed. Complimenting others and admitting his mistakes.
   He discusses the failings of baseball in general and the Phillies in specific, but still keeps it light. He laments the Phillies reluctance to sign black players - missing out on Roy Campenella as well as others. He recalls his involvement in the Player's Union. He let's the reader know how the players were not treated fairly, but now it is the fan who is not treated fairly.
   This book is a good easy read. Very close to a 5 star rating, but just not enough juicy and/or unique information.



4. I read-read-read baseball books. This is one of the best. Ranks right behind Roger Kahn's "Boys of Summer" and David Halberstams "October 1964". This includes an excellent description of how the players became organized into a union and the reasons why.



5. ROBIN ROBERTS DOES A GREAT JOB TELLING US ABOUT HIS LIFE AND CAREEER IN BASEBALL. SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS (THERE ARE MANY) ARE: 1950 WHIZ KIDS, RELATIONSHIPS WITH EDDIE SAWYER, INVOLVMENT IN THE PLAYERS UNION AND FINALLY HIS JOB LATER IN LIFE AS A STOCK INVESTOR. HE HAS MANY INTERESTING AND FUNNY STORIES. IT IS ONE OF THOSE BOOKS THAT IS HARD TO PUT DOWN. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS FOR BASEBALL AND EXPECIALLY PHILLIE FANS WHO REMEMBER THIS GREAT PITCHER.

No comments about Alex Rodriguez: A Biography (Greenwood Biographies).

2 comments about Still A Legend: The Story of Roger Maris.

1. As a teenager at Busch Stadium I thrilled to watch Roger Maris play right field during two Cardinal championship seasons. In "Still A Legend" I was introduced to the man wearing number "9". In this work, Harvey Rosenfeld does a good job at projecting the whole Roger Maris. Comparable emphasis is given to Maris the baseball player, Maris the family man, Maris the son of Fargo and Maris the faithful Catholic.
   
   Roger Maris grew up an Fargo, North Dakota where he attended Catholic schools and met his wife, Pat, while developing into a great baseball star. After the minor leagues, Roger continued his march to stardom as a Cleveland Indian and a Kansas City Athletic. Even in Cleveland he was regarded as a surly loner.
   
   After his playing time in his adopted home of Kansas City, Roger was ready for the Yankee pinstripes but not for the glare of the New York press. Although he changed teams, Roger retained a privacy which would forever bar the press from his world and would limit his enjoyment of public adulation. The press would demonize Roger in his pursuit of Babe Ruth's record, while manufacturing the legend of a feud between himself and his roommate, Mickey Mantle.
   
   Throughout the ups and downs of his stormy and injury plagued career, Roger retained his love of baseball which was damped only during the most severe of the onslaughts by fans and media.
   
   This book wears its themes on its sleeve. The main themes are that Roger was not properly appreciated, his purported surliness was merely a justified demand for privacy and that he has been unjustly denied admission into the Hall Of Fame.
   
   Although written by an obvious fan, this book does not do justice to Roger Maris. Too often the story degenerates into a litany of quotes from Roger, his teammates, friends and detractors to be classified as good writing. The sections dealing with the media bias and the injustice of his exclusion from the Hall Of Fame run on too long. This book is more editorial than biography. Still, this book tells much about Roger Maris. It also tells us much about ourselves, the fans. Yankee fans booed the Roger Maris whom they regarded a surly usurper. By contrast, Cardinal fans loved Jolly Roger. This is in keeping with our reputation as the greatest fans in baseball. The story of how the Cardinals restored Roger's enjoyment of the game and delayed his retirement for two years confirm the stories I remember from the time. It is too bad that Roger did not become a Cardinal in 1960. He could have been as big as Mark McGwire.



2. You said he could have been as big as Mark McGuire? I do not thing Roger took steroids my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!

4 comments about Mr. Red Sox: The Johnny Pesky Story.

1. By MARK PRATT, Associated Press Writer
   April 8, 2004

   BOSTON (AP) -- Johnny Pesky is the common thread that ties together more than six decades of hope and heartbreak for the Boston Red Sox.

   Pesky, 84, will be at spruced-up Fenway Park on Friday when the team opens its home schedule against the Toronto Blue Jays, and like all Red Sox fans, he's sure this is the year they'll win it all for the first time since 1918.

   ``Of course, I thought last year we were going to do it too,'' said Pesky, who has been a player, manager, broadcaster, and now a special instructor in the organization. ``We've helped ourselves in a couple of ways, especially on the mound and in the bullpen.''
   
   The Red Sox return most of a record-setting batting order, and strengthened their pitching with the acquisitions of Curt Schilling and Keith Foulke.

   Pesky is the subject of a new book, ``Mr. Red Sox: The Johnny Pesky Story,'' by Bill Nowlin.

   ``Johnny is kind of an underappreciated ballplayer,'' said Nowlin, who has written a number of books on Pesky's former teammate Ted Williams. ``He is kind of like a goodwill ambassador for the Red Sox now. He'll talk to anybody and everybody and he's so humble. He loves to interact with the fans.''

   And he loves to interact with the players. Spry, and in better shape than many men half his age, Pesky still hits grounders to today's superstars, teaching them the finer points of hitting and fielding.

   Pesky's history with the team dates to 1939. Before the days of the amateur draft, a Red Sox scout wooed Pesky's mother with flowers and his father with fine bourbon. His parents, immigrants from what is now Croatia, didn't understand baseball, but they did feel the Red Sox were the best fit for their son even though other major league teams offered more money.

   They were right.

   John Michael Paveskovich, an Oregon native, played two years in the Red Sox minor league system before making his major league debut in 1942. That season he set the team record for hits by a rookie with 205, a mark that stood until 1997 when fellow shortstop Nomar Garciaparra had 209.

   He spent three years in the Navy during World War II, although he did not see combat, before resuming his playing career. He was with the Red Sox through 1952 before being traded to the Detroit Tigers.

   He spent two years with the Tigers before starting a coaching career that included a two-year stint as Red Sox manager in 1963 and 1964. He came back to the Red Sox in 1969 and has been with the team ever since.

   ``I've had a good life with the ballclub,'' Pesky said. ``I just try to help out. I understand the game, I've been around the ballpark my whole life.''

   Nowlin got the idea for a book about Pesky from Elizabeth Dooley, a longtime Red Sox season-ticket holder, whom he interviewed extensively for his books on Williams.

   ``He asked me about doing it and I said 'It won't sell,' but he said he was going to go ahead anyway,'' Pesky said.

   Nowlin conducted hundreds of interviews for the book, which includes some interesting tidbits, including the fact that Pesky was a disc jockey for a Boston radio station, spinning ballroom tunes.

   ``In those years, ball players had to have jobs in the offseason,'' Nowlin said.

   The book, published March 31, is already in its third printing, Nowlin said. He and Pesky would set up a table outside the souvenir shop at the team's spring training facility in Fort Myers, Fla., and sell 75 to 100 copies a day, Pesky gladly autographing every copy and posing for pictures with fans.

   Pesky is still going strong with no firm plans to retire.

   ``I've been saying if we get in and win the World Series I might retire, but my health has been pretty good,'' Pesky said.

   Either way, Pesky's legacy with the team is set in stone.




2. You don't have to be a Red Sox fan to enjoy this book. Not only is this a great history of Johnny Pesky and the Red Sox but it also gives a nice insight into what it was like to be an American male during the WWII period. The book starts with a nostalgic look at life in the Croatian immigrant neighborhood where Paveskovich family lived in Portland, Or, and follows Pesky's career as a player, a member of navy, a coach, and a manager. There are great stories told by Pesky and others, a fine historical perspective, actual accounts of games of note, and the real lowdown on "Pesky's Pole" and the infamous play that ended the 1946 World Series. And then there's the foreword written by Pesky's team mate Ted Williams calling for Hall of Fame consideration for Pesky. You still see the enthusiastic octogenerian Johnny Pesky on the field before every Red Sox game at Fenway with his fungo bat, delightful grin and his obvious love for the game of baseball and the Boston Red Sox. I recommend this book very highly to every baseball fan. Johnny Pesky truly is "Mr. Red Sox" and this is a fitting tribute to him. If you are a Red Sox fan, this book belongs on your shelf.



3. This book should have been a great biography of Johnny Pesky, a Nice Guy who is finally finishing first. The author took the time to interview many people, and found much material that was not widely known about Pesky's personal life.
   
   However, he never bothered to edit the book. It is a nightmarish mish-mash of material. Many times the same story or fact is repeated in several consecutive chapters because there is no strong outline of what material is to be covered when. This jumping back and forth effect also causes confusion in understanding the sequence of events in his life. The poor editing turns this book into primary material to slog through to garner information, rather than a book one can read for enjoyment.
   
   This book is a fly-by-night job. There are other books on Pesky now; I recommend searching them out.



4. I was motivated to write because of the strange review by "L. Goldstein," who seems a little off. Goldstein says this book has "no strong outline of what material is to be covered when."
   
   Wrong. It actually does, though not exactly the most imaginative one. Each year in Pesky's professional life is detailed, for instance, 1946 is followed by 1947 is followed by 1948, and so forth. What Goldstein is talking about isn't clear, since 1947 material is covered in the 1947 chapter and 1948 material is covered in the 1948 chapter, and so forth and so on. Goldstein doesn't provide a single example. There's obviously something else going on here.
   
   Be that as it may, I enjoyed the book immensely. The author obviously spent a lot of time researching it and wrote a very straight-ahead book that I found easy to read. The ups and downs of this great Red Sox player are detailed well here.

5 comments about Hank Aaron and the Home Run That Changed America.

1. Like author Tom Stanton, I was a little boy when Henry Louis Aaron was closing in on baseball's crown jewel record: Babe Ruth's 714 home runs. I lived in Forest Park, Georgia, about 12 miles south of Atlanta Stadium, and I had the good fortune to be able to see about a half dozen of Mr. Aaron's home runs in person. I played with the other boys in our neighborhood, and when the Braves were playing we always had the radio on. We could talk and joke and laugh through the rest of the game, but our voices would hush when Milo Hamilton would tell us "Aaron is on deck". Hank would come to the plate and our room would erupt with joy if we got to hear Milo's typical home run call. "There's a long drive.... It's going back.... WAY back.... It's OUT of here! Home Run number 683 for Henry Aaron!"
   
   Anyway - I had to begin this review by admitting what a HUGE hero Hank Aaron is in my life.
   
   All that being said, this book is both very informative and disappointingly bland. It was good to hear the names of those Braves from the past - in particular Aaron progeny Dusty Baker and Ralph Garr. Darrell Evans and Davey Johnson who joined Aaron as the only 3 teammates in history to hit 40 home runs the same year. (1973, the year before historic #715). Eddie Matthews, who was once Hank's teammate, the two teammates with the most life-time home runs, then served as Hank's manager during the years that make up the bulk of the book. Hall of Fame teammates Phil Niekro and Warren Spahn. Hall of Fame opponents like Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver and Don Sutton.
   
   Most enlightening were the details of the paths Hank followed behind Jackie Robinson as a ground-breaking African-American excelling in the National Pasttime. Most heart-breaking were the tales of hate mail and death threats that he received every day. To right-thinking people it is inconceivable that a man could receive death threats only because he was doing his job as well as any person had ever done it.
   
   The four stars are because I didn't come close to receiving the same thrill that this same material could have given me if presented properly. Stanton is a terrific researcher, but his writing style feels clinically cold. If America is a country of "Tall Tales" and our best legends are the real living ones, then certainly Hank Aaron must be one of America's Greatest Heroes by any definition. Stanton says as much in this book, but there's what you say, then there's how you say it. Nonetheless, this is the best record I know of covering these events, and I'd call it "required reading" for anyone wanting to know about Hammering Hank.



2. Three-and-a-half stars, actually.
   
   Tom Stanton takes us back to 1973 (with a little of '72 and '74 thrown in, of course) to tells us the story of Hank Aaron and his record-breaking 715th home run to break Babe Ruth's record. We follow Aaron through the '73 season, tracking his progress and following the reaction of everyone to his home run. For the most part, the reaction is favorable, but there are many examples of hateful sentiments in the form of letters and catcalls. We also read background on Aaron's career and life, with emphasis on the unfortunate impact of race on not only Aaron, but also baseball in general.
   
   Stanton's book was quite good, and I enjoyed reading it, but I couldn't help feeling like there was something missing. A good baseball book presents the story in a straightforward, professional manner that tells you what you need to know. A great baseball book, though, does that and then gives you more, a little bit of heart, something that takes the story beyond just what happened and gives you a feeling for the subject matter. Stanton just couldn't get to the level of great, he created a skillful portrait of Aaron and he effectively captured the time, but there was still something more he left out. I felt like everything turned out too sunny in the end, that there was more to the bad side (as much as many would not want to dwell on that) that would be key to capturing the story.
   
   Despite my complaints, though, this was a good book and well worth any baseball fan's time.



3. Author Tom Stanton provides a straightforward account of Hank Aaron's chase of Babe Ruth's home run record during the 1973-74 seasons. The book is partly about baseball but more about Aaron the man, plus his life under pressure from a combination of fan adoration, media crush, and racist hate mail. Imagine being constantly surrounded by adoring fans, and even having tour busses stop in front of your house. Imagine facing hordes of reporters before and after every game, or playing the outfield after receiving death threats. Most fans supported Aaron, but some responded in a vile manner. Like millions of other kids I watched his record-breaking homer on TV, and then was surprised to hear Aaron say moments later, "Thank God it's over." After reading this book, one can see why Aaron said that.
   
   The author might have given more attention to U.S. life circa 1973-1974, the coming of free agency, and how most of the sellout crowd that night left the ballpark not that long after Aaron's fourth-inning homer. Still, this is a very readable look at one of baseball's most famous moments, and one of the game's most inspiring stars.



4. Early last summer, I walked out of a Vermont bookstore with a copy of Hank Aaron and the Home Run that changed America by Tom Stanton. I wanted to learn about Aaron and his quest to break Babe Ruth's all-time career home run record. About nine months later, I picked the book up and began reading it. I learned more about those two heart wrenching years than I ever thought I could. I also realized that I had just read one of the greatest sports books ever.
   There are three main reasons why I consider this book to be one of histories greatest. The first is that it only chronicled the two years Aaron was chasing Ruth's coveted record. Most other sports books I've read, including Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy by Jane Leavy and Derek Jeter: The Life You Imagine By Jack Curry and Jeter himself both told of the life stories of the athlete the book portrayed. This book is one of the only sports biographies that doesn't tell about an athletes entire life. Although it did tell of Aaron's personal life during those two years, including his marriage to wife Billye Williams, and his childhood inspirations from Jackie Robinson in the first chapter, it is almost entirely about "the chase".
   Another reason I enjoyed this book so much, is that it kept interviewing and talking to the same characters, including teammate Dusty Baker and manager Eddie Mathews. With this, not only were you connecting with and watching Aaron grow, but also you saw what happened to his friends throughout all of the two years. With other books, you'll be lucky to hear about a sub-character, or read an interview from the same person mabey on two pages tops.
   The third and final reason this is the best sports novel ever is because it showed how hard it was to mentally survive the two record breaking seasons. It told of all the death threats, hate mail, and concerns Aaron had for his family. It also told about kidnappings that were going on at the same time that made him so cautious.
   I hope by posting this book review that I have intrigued some of you sports fans to pick up a copy of Hank Aaron and the Home Run that changed America. After reading it you all will agree that this book is not only one of the greatest sports books ever, but one of the greatest books in history as well.



5. In his usual, thorough and mesmerizing manner, Stanton takes us thru the times of one of baseball's true heroes. Aaron emerges at once a hero AND a normal man with wants, fears and determined expectations lived under the canopy of the race issue. This book is one that is easily read because Stanton makes the progression to the final home run go swiftly. But he includes statistics and surprises which make each page worth the close scruitiny required if a reader is to get the full meaning of Hank Aaron's life and his importance to America's Game. This is a book I'm saving for my young grandson to read and before he is old enough to appreciate it's impact, I'm going to enjoy reading it again!