No comments about Billy Sunday: The Life and Work of the Baseball Evangelist (Ambassador Classic Biography Series).

4 comments about Armando Marsans: The First Cuban Major League Baseball Player.

1. ...then you have to read this book. Toot is that rare breed of writer who can weave together an impressive array of details and facts into a compelling story. This is a great baseball tale with larger-and-lower-than-life characters, nail-biting games, and interesting off-the-field background. It's also an important book about the integration of hispanics into baseball--their experience and the reaction from the American baseball community. In this day and age of hispanics playing such an integral role in baseball, it's more important than ever to understand where they got their start.



2. If he were playing today, Armando Marsans would be a household name. Until this remarkable book, Marsans' name survived only in boxscores, in the occasional mention in the sports pages, and in the memories of those few surviving fans who remember seeing him play. Through his in-depth research, Toot manages to rescue the player from obscurity and bring his story to life.

   Toot's book is also an interesting sociological study of our country's first hispanic celebrity's struggle for acceptance. Further, it provides an eye-opening picture of the early days of baseball, when players played year-round, when sharp metal spikes threatened devastating injury with every slide, and when there was still the prospect of multiple professional leagues in the US.




3. Its surprising how a very good book can receive so little publicity.
   We always refer to Jackie Robinson when talking about racial prejudices, but we never stop to think what early Latino players suffered.
   Peter Toote has done an impressive job documenting Armando Marsans' career in the Major Leagues, describing his intelligent and agressive style to play the game.
   We can read how Marsans became one of the iconic scapegoats that the Major Leagues used to expand its monopolistic tentacles against the Federal League. Take a look on Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis' role to protect the Major Leagues.
   Perhaps, one of the disadvantages that I find in this book is the little research that the author does about Marsans' career in Cuba.
   American authors must realize that language is not a barrier anymore as there are many Latin experts that speak English and can give a big help to complete a research project.
   Anyway, I give 5 stars. I really liked it.



4. I'd list this up there with Halberstam's The Teammates, Brashler's Josh Gibson biography, and Kahn's Boys Of Summer as one of the great baseball books.
   Toot's love of the game and deft prose is elegantly interwoven with the history of this one groundbreaking player.

No comments about Greatest Baseball Players of All Time.

2 comments about Louis Sockalexis: The First Cleveland Indian.

1. A very good book on a forgotten baseball warrior whose career was cut short due to his human frailities. One of many baseball players who have suffered from alcohol abuse. Mr. Fleitz has woven a very interesting biography of one of baseball's sad pasts. If you have ever heard of the legend of this Cleveland Indian, here is an opportunity to discover the real story. A must read for those interested in 19th Century baseball.



2. One of baseball's most tragic figures is the nineteenth-century outfielder, Louis Sockalexis, who rose to national fame in a few short months and fell just as quickly due to what David Fleitz calls "the pernicious effects of alcohol."

   The handsome, likable Sockalexis was the best college athlete in the nation for two years, quickly attracting attention for his dazzling speed and powerful throwing arm. He was recruited by Cleveland in 1897. The first recognized Native American to play in the major leagues, Sockalexis had to endure taunting war whoops from the crowds and endless gibes from the press, even as he won over the fans who saw him play.

   David Fleitz' compassionate, concise account is very readable and well-illustrated, covering Sockalexis' brilliant rise and tragic fall from the majors. With his talents, he could have been one of the greatest players of all time but caved in to pressure and high living.

   If the Cleveland Indians really want to honor their first Indian, they could dump Chief Wahoo and award scholarships to promising Indian students. Or better yet, rename their park Sockalexis Stadium!

No comments about One-Armed Wonder: Pete Gray, Wartime Baseball, and the American Dream [Large Print].

3 comments about The Autobiography of Baseball: The Inside Story from the Stars Who Played the Game.

1. This is a different sort of "best" book and takes the concept of oral history to a new level. Previously the players in such collections shared a common theme, like a team or time frame. But Wallace wonders what it would be like to sit down old-timers with contemporary players for a discussion of their craft. Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds . . . Bob Feller and Greg Maddux . . . brothers of the diamond shooting the breeze. Using excerpts from old interviews, Wallace seamlessly blends the generations as they regale us in tales about the pressures a rookie faces, the joy of the cheers, and the heartbreak of realizing it's time to hang 'em up. The choice of illustrations works extremely well in enhancing the stories.



2. This book is a unique approach to examining the
   national pastime of the USA. It is a picture book
   that visits various eras of the game in chronological
   order, along with quotes from the era's greatest stars,
   many of whom are enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame in
   Cooperstown, New York. You get to see the quotes of some
   great players. The photography alone makes the book a
   treasured keepsake. If you love baseball history, this
   book is for you. The photography mixed with comments

   about the game itself from those who participate in it
   is a great concept in itself.




3. This is one of the most informative(from the player perspective) books on baseball I've ever seen. Good narrative riddled with excerpts from interviews and autobiographies of the players who've made this the most beautiful sport around. Highlights include Willie Stargell's harrowing brush with Texas racism in the minors, psychological terrorism tips from Ty Cobb, playing through agony with Gary Carter and Roberto Clemente, what if's from Judy Johnson and Monte Irvin and dealing with the loneliness of language barriers in a strange land by Juan Marichal.
   Humor comes from a bit on illegal pitches featuring Gaylord Perry and Burleigh Grimes, as well as Joe Sewell's innovative way to deal with a bunt down the third base line...that one led to an overnight rule change. There is also an amusing debate over who threw the first curve ball and how corn cobs made Paul Waner a better hitter.
   There is also tragedy. The Carl Mays fastball that killed Ray Chapman is dealt with in these pages.
   The oral history is striking and wonderful, but the rare photos are even better. Clear photos grace nearly every page, many of which I have never had the pleasure of seeing. If you love baseball with even half the passion that I embrace it , you must own this book. It's time to see what was going on before sportscenter.

   Despite claims to the contrary by previous reviewers there are no stories related by Barry Bonds and this book is not in chronological order. It is, however, made to order. Slip off the dust jacket and enjoy.

No comments about Big Ego, Little League.

No comments about Joe and Marilyn: The Tragic Love Story of Joe Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe.

2 comments about Throwbacks: Old-School Baseball Players in Today's Game.

1. Don't you hate reading the sports page and seeing all the jerks in sports being highlighted? All the schmucks who make it hard to raise your head and say "I'm a baseball fan"??

   If you're like me and hate to see the game sullied, read this. A breath of fresh air! Talks about the GOOD guys in the game, the ones who play it RIGHT. For love of the game, not just payola.

   My dad always complained that the players today don't appreciate the game they way his players did. All that "back in my day" stuff. lol. Well, he changed his tune after I gave him this book for Father's Day. We're going to the ballpark whenever we can now, especially if one of the players in the book is in town.

   I can't recommend this book enough if you're tired of having America's pasttime desicrated so often. Learn who the good guys are, and learn to celebrate those who play the game right. Great book!




2. George Castle is truly one of the most knowledgeable baseball writers on the scene today. In this book, Castle relies on his knowledge to hand select 12 of today's players, who he feels best personify the 'old school' mentality. Castle does not go down the easy route of picking only stars, although all of his subjects are certainly big name players.
   The book features quotes from each player along with thoughts from their peers. Castle easily and interestingly makes his case for each player. It is hard to argue with his choice or his reasoning.
   The reader gets to see sides of each player not generally seen by the public. The reader gets to know and appreciate the players as well.

No comments about Beckett Great Sports Heroes: Mickey Mantle (Beckett Great Sports Heroes).