5 comments about Tony C: The Triumph and Tragedy of Tony Conigliaro.

1. Understand that this review comes from a thirty- six year old lifelong Red Sox fan, who never saw Tony Conigliaro play before the infamous beaning (and who wasn't subjected to the Red Sox of the early sixties). I went to my first Red Sox game as an eight year old boy in 1970, with my twenty- something aunt who got tickets to see the California Angels, because Tony Conigliaro was on the roster. I was thirteen when Tony electrified the Boston fans early in the magical 1975 season. Because of my aunt's infatuation with Tony C., I have always been intrigued with his story and enthusiastically picked up this book to learn more. The early biographical information was compre- hensive and, although clearly not unbiased, detailed enough to let the reader make their own opinions regarding Tony's immature social values and his arrogant "super jock" attitude. I appreciated the anecdotal history of Tony's minor league and early major league career, especially his rocky ! relationship with the Red Sox other star of the era, Carl Yastrzemski.

   The emotional struggles of Tony's attempted come- back following the beaning were also well reported. The book followed Tony's career beyond baseball, and honestly reported the heartache of a shortened athletic career and the struggle to then fit into a traditional career.

   I would recommend the book as an above average sports biography or an excellent real life human drama. I think the story provides lessons for young men and is heart-wrenching story that would interest young women as well.




2. I am a 12 year old kid and have read the book Tony C. I never watched him play on t.v, and I haven't heard about him until 1991 when i watched a quick clip on sportscenter about him. I couldn't quite remember his name and wanted to find out more about him as I searched for 7 years just to find the guy's name. I came close to finding his name as my friend next door had a model of him, but unfortunately his dog knocked it down earlier and the bottom of the model was broken off and we didn't know his name. Thats when i finally found this book at a local bookstore. This book takes you in depth of his short lifetime. This book tought a lesson to me and i feel that I never give up anymore in anything that i do (like him) This book takes you from his good days in the minors to his excellent early years in the majors until that awful august night. The night when he was struck by the pitch that put him out of baseball. That is where i will end because i don't want to tell everyone the untold, but i do highly reccomend this book. It changed the way i look at everything in life.



3. Dave Cantaneo gives this young fan a second chance to remember a boyhood idol through this very insightful book about the tragic figure thatb inspired thousands of boys my age. The ultimate complement to any baseball player when I grew up was that everyone wanted his baseball card and everyone wanted to "be" the player during pickup games. These were simple times when players were loyal to teams and teams were loyal to fans. Everyone wanted to be Tony C, and since he was just a teenager joining the Red Sox, all of my buddies and I idolized him immediately. This book permits us the opportunity to spend a few hours with a real sports idol. Tony C was to Red Sox fans what the Beatles were to American rock and roll lovers--- except he was right here. Thanks for the book, David.



4. I began work on this book in 1994...I'm glad to see that the public has received this book well. It is a fine tribute to a dashing young ballplayer for whom this book was a labor of love...Here's to you, Tony!



5. This is a great book about Tony C. It shows both his strengths as a person and some of his weak spots, which makes this book a very true and real story.
   It's a great history of the Red Sox when Tony C. played. It shows the true guts, determination, courage and love for the Red Sox that Tony C. had. No player in any sport has made such an effort to comeback. And, this book captures it all.
   The Red Sox should retire his number -- just read the book it supports retiring #25.
   Billy Conigliaro's quote sums up how i feel about Tony C. "I will always remember Tony C. as a fighter, a clutch hitter, warm to his fans. He was a brother who made me proud."
   Tony thank you so much for all the wonderful memories as a Red Sox player. You have given me the strength to fight my own battles in life. I hope that someone makes a movie from this book.

5 comments about The Sizzler: George Sisler, Baseball's Forgotten Great.

1. I hope Huhn did not spend much time on this project.
   
   George Sisler had a .340 career batting average, and that sounds impressive to the few baseball fans who still think batting average is a major statistic. But for the rest of us, Sisler is either--as the preeminent living baseball historian, Bill James, calls him--the most overrated player in baseball history, or, as I call him, the second most overrated player in baseball history, behind Roberto Clemente.
   
   The two men had the same problem. They racked up very high batting averages for their eras, and thus superficially appeared to be great hitters, but they almost never walked. Thus, their career ON-BASE PERCENTAGES, of which "batting average" is but a portion, were mediocre. And neither one of them hit home runs, though Sisler was especially egregious in this respect.
   
   He played in one of baseball's greatest launching pads ever, Sportsman's Park, where it was: 310 down the right field line, 322 to straightaway right, and 351 to deepest right center. And he played there with the super-live ball of the 1920's, before they put the screen up in that part of the park. He also got to play as a visitor in Cleveland's League Park and NY's Yankee Stadium, when they were generous to left-handed hitters, as well as nearly three full seasons as a visitor in the outrageous Baker Bowl in Philly, the century's greatest launching pad.
   
   Do you know how many HR's the guy hit in his career? Try 102.
   
   So this guy is not "baseball's forgotten great." This guy is deservedly forgotten, because sophisticated baseball fans have come to realize he wasn't great. All those years in Sportsman's Park, and he never once hit 20 HR's. All those gaudy batting averages, and his career on-base percentage was lower than those of Fred McGriff, Alvin Davis, Gene Tenace, Elmer Valo, Jack Clark and many scores of other guys who hit nowhere near .300, let alone .340.
   
   Finally, I'm aware of Sisler's mid-career injury, and the huge decline in his stats which flowed from it. He was a vastly better player before that than afterward, and without it, he may have been truly great. But so what? Anyone remember Don Mattingly? I remember thinking he was going to replace Lou Gehrig as the greatest 1B of all time. And I wasn't alone. His back injury ruined him, and if he still makes the Hall, it will be only because he was a Yankee. These things happen, and they don't make Sisler something he was not. (And Sisler was just as terrible about taking walks before the injury as after.)
   
   Next time, Mr. Huhn, write about a "forgotten great" who truly was great. This book was a waste of your time, and is a waste of any reader's time.
   
   Jim F.



2. This last moron to post a review bashed Sisler saying that he is overrated, mostly noted because he hardly hit home runs. I didn't think one had to hit home runs in order to be a Hall of Famer. It's obvious he wasn't a slugger - but just look at this: Twice he was second in the AL in long balls and five times he was in the top 10; on six occasions he was in the top 5 in slugging percentage. Seven times he was top 10 in RBI, four times the steals champ. Let's throw in an MVP for good measure. The list goes on reflecting Sisler's above-average speed and outstanding hitting ability (over 200 hits in 6 different seasons, very easily could have been 8).
   
   Don't allow the lack of Sisler power numbers deter you from reading this book.



3. In response to "J.F. Baseball history nut, music fan", I think the point of Sisler's talent has been missed. I won't go so far as to call Mr. J.F, etc. a moron, but he has certainly missed the boat on some things.
   
   J.F, et. al. tosses around some players who were "better" than Sisler. Let's pick one and compare their stats. How about Jack Clark? True, Sisler didn't walk very much, but he also didn't strike out very much. How many times did he strike out? Try 327 times, in approximately 8200 AB. How many times did Jack Clark strike out? Try 1441 in approximately 6800 AB. ('Nuf said.) Interestingly, Clark and Sisler have an identical OBP, of .379, and Clark has a slightly higher slugging number -- about 10 points higher. Looking at those two stats, they appear somewhat equal, but look at the hit totals: Sisler, 2812; Clark 1826. You see, Sisler wasn't "taking" walks because he was too busy actually getting hits! So, Clark has a thousand fewer hits, and struck out about a thousand more times. Even taking into consideration the ~800 more walks Clark had, I would still rather have Sisler on my team.
   
   PLUS, Sisler scored about 100 more runs than Clark -- on fewer walks, home runs, and in fewer seasons played. This could be because Sisler also stole about 300 more bases than Clark did, or maybe that he hit about 100 more doubles than Clark. Or, maybe, that Clark was a big, dopey power hitter who could do little more than swat the ball a pretty fair distance when he was lucky enough to hit it at all. In essence, this means that while Clark had bigger power numbers, and leads Sisler in the sexy stats of modern baseball analysis, he really wasn't a better player. Not even close. To understand statistics you have to analyze things for yourself and deduce what they really mean -- don't rely on the percentage stats at the end of the row.
   
   This is such a silly comparison, I don't even know why I'm continuing to waste my time on it. I'm not even mentioning Sisler's fielding prowess, and all the ancedotal evidence for his greatness. (Do you think the most "overrated player ever" would have been the first firstbaseman elected to the Hall of Fame? Think about it.)
   
   I could go on, but I think I'm done.
   
   Finally, read the book. It may not be the best piece of baseball writing ever, but don't let J.F.&Company's ridiculous critique hold you back.



4. This is a very good book about a legend of the game. It is a very good read and provides a lot of insight on how Sisler was perceived by many of his peers. My only problem with the book is the author mistakenly saying that Roberto Clemente was from the Dominican Republic. A glaring mistake like this makes me wonder what other facts might be wrong.



5. George Sisler, the subject of Rick Huhn's book, "The Sizzler," is yet another of the classic ballplayers of the early 20th century, admired during his career, acknowledged for his achievements during and after his career, slowly forgotten over the years and without a biography until recently. Huhn has stepped in to correct that oversight in Sisler's case, and it is a welcome addition to the baseball greats section of the library.
   
   George Sisler, as Huhn stressed, was not a colorful player: he kept a low profile and let his playing do the talking. There were few incidents in his life where he made waves: signing a professional contract while underage, and the resulting fight for his services helping to lead to the end of the National Commission; his tenure as manager of the St. Louis Browns, his transfer to the Senators in the late 1920s; his sinus infection and the resulting difficulties with Browns management in 1923; but most importantly, his hitting and fielding with the Browns during his greatest years. His record for hits in a season was untouched for 84 years, and his two years with averages over .400 are impressive, even for the time in which he played. He finished second to Ruth in home runs one year, and his Runs Created between 1915 and 1922 surpassed Ruth by over 100. That he was not exactly the same player after sitting out 1923 is a disappointment, but he was certainly honored in his time, named by Ty Cobb in his all-time team as first baseman.
   
   Huhn has provided us with a fine biography of a deserving player, a stand-out performer in his time, and all time.
   
   One other thing: It has been noted that Bill James, author and Society of American Baseball Research member, wrote in his 2001 Historical Baseball Abstract that Sisler is "perhaps the most over-rated player in baseball history." (p. 441) Mr. James is entitled to his opinion; it's his book and he can interpret the statistics in any way he cares to. I've been a SABR member for over 25 years and am familiar with Mr. James' work, and it is quite safe to say that I do not agree with him a good half the time, this being one of those times. If you look back at his 1985 Historical Baseball Abstract, you'll find that he said "George Sisler is probably the only player other than Gehrig who can reasonably be considered the greatest first baseman ever in terms of peak value . . . Sisler was a different type of player, he didn't have the home run pop, but he hit for a higher average, was faster and a better defensive player than Gehrig, and the comparison between the two is not easy." (p. 346)
   
   So what happened? Sisler's statistics didn't change in the 16 years between books; the 1920s didn't change, either. Most of the guys who seemingly leap-frogged over him in performance were done playing before 1985. Mr. James explains on page of the 2001 book that in rereading the 1985 book there are a lot of things that he didn't like. As I said, it's his book and he writes what he wants, but that doesn't mean I'm buying what he's pushing on me. In terms of perspective of the times, Sisler was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939, in the year of the inauguration of the Hall of Fame, as was Gehrig. A number of guys who jumped ahead of him on the list of top first basemen won't get in the Hall except with a ticket. If this makes Mr. James an over-rated writer, well, I won't say that he is or isn't. But you can make up your mind whether the old Bill James is also the new Bill James, and which one you want to believe.

5 comments about Fred Claire: My 30 Years in Dodger Blue.

1. Fred Claire's story is a virtual travelogue of 30 years of baseball history, a blast for anyone who loves baseball, especially Dodger fans. He brings a variety of perspectives to his story, falling for the game as a boy in Ohio, covering the game as a beat writer for the Angels and Dodgers, becoming an insider as the Dodgers' publicity director, and building a world championship club as a general manager.
   
   Along the way, Claire recounts unforgettable stories, everything from his own one-game Spring Training "tryout" to signing World Series hero Kirk Gibson, from the release of Orel Hershiser to the day Tommy Lasorda nearly gave up bleeding Dodger Blue to join George Steinbrenner's Yankees. Claire also shares a behind-the-scenes look into the business side of baseball, tracing the Dodgers' evolution from a family-owned business under the legendary O'Malley family to a piece of Rupert Murdoch's Fox empire.
   
   Claire remains connected to the game through a radio show and column for [...] If you've heard or read his work there, "My 30 Years in Dodger Blue" won't disappoint.



2. I am a big Dodger fan and found this book very interesting. The book focuses mostly on the 1987/88 seasons and the Mike Piazza trade. I don't read a lot of books and I found this one interesting and an easy read. The chapters are short and the language is very easy to read. I actually read the whole book over a weekend.



3. How many times have true baseball fans wanted to be a fly on the wall in a baseball general manager's office? Fred Claire's book, "My 30 Years in Dodger Blue," does just that. It is an interesting, informative and very entertaining look at baseball from the inside out.
   
   This behind the scenes look at how a baseball organization operates includes an insiders look at the game. Much like a ballplayer who does more for his team than shows up in the box score, Claire's book takes into account the personalities that make up an organization. He explains player transactions and some of the politics that are part of every team.
   
   In short, "My 30 Years in Dodger Blue" is a must read for die-hard baseball fans as well as casual fans who would like to learn more about the game. After reading this book, I sincerely hope that Fred Claire will grace us with another book about baseball. It would be well worth reading.



4. Fred Claire writes about his days with the Dodgers-- and does it well. The book flows together in a way that makes you love reading, with in-depth stories and experiences, one of the best GMs of all-time amazes baseball fans with his profound book.



5. Claire's book on his time with the LA Dodgers is a great read for any baseball fan. He provides a clear picture of the behind the scenes events in the front office of one of the most revered sports franchises.

5 comments about Bat Boy: My True Life Adventures Coming of Age with the New York Yankees.

1. If you are a Yankee fan who remembers the team of the mid-80's era, this book is a nice walk down memory lane. It's a quick, easy read written in an enjoyable narrative style, and it provides the reader with an inside glimpse that most of us Yankee fans would have given our left foot to experience.



2. I can't recommend this book enough for any Yankee fan who suffered through the '80's and early '90's. Perfect read for a day at the beach or a plane ride.



3. This was an amazing book and probably one of the best autobiographys I've ever read. Growing up in California I've been a hard core Oakland a's and San Fransico Giants fan. Reading this book makes you love the Yankees. Mr.Mcough's writing gives you the feeling that you're actually at the baseball game. Matt gives you a full on description of everything he does and if he does something bad or gets in trouble it makes you relate when something like that happened to you. It's great description and humor this definitely a must read for anyone.



4. You don't need to be a Yankee fan or a baseball fan to enjoy this book. As a diehard Red Sox fan, I feel guilty that I've taken a liking to a Yankee's team written about in this book. Mr. Mcgough does an incredible job of making you feel that you're part of the locker room, in the dugout, and on the field with the team.



5. The purpose of a book, in my opinion, is to take the reader away and allow him to experience what the author writes about. McGough has done an excellent job of doing this in his debut.
   
   As a kid, I was obsessed with baseball. It was a rite of passage in our country for young boys to collect baseball cards and idolize the players on their faces. McGough was able to gain access to this world, which is a privilege most of us would have died for. He preserves that childlike wonder throughout this book. Rather than becoming annoying, this tone allows the reader to empathize with McGough's struggles and cheer at his triumphs.
   
   The book also gives a fresh new look at the inner workings of a baseball team. Most sports books are written by players or journalists. Both groups have a certain detachment from society as a whole. McGough is an average kid from New York city with an average kid's problems. He writes about how his grades suffer, struggling to talk to girls, and other situations an adolescent male would find himself in. The difference is that most kids don't have millionaire pals who will lend a helping hand in impressing a young lady. McGough's description of his interactions with the players is very humanizing. In a way, McGough takes these players off the pedestal society has placed them on and shows the reader they are average guys.
   
   This book is my favorite baseball book by far, even surpassing Jim Bouton's Ball Four. If you have a baseball fan in the family, get this book for them. You won't be sorry.

2 comments about Babe Ruth: A Daughter's Portrait.

1. This book is fantastic for all baseball lovers. It puts you in touch with the real person that Babe Ruth was and how caring he was. I found out stuff that I never really knew about him, such as his rough childhood and how interested he was in several different sports. This book is great for people who like to look at pictures, but if you want to read more than see, then this book is not for you. It provides great picturely information about his life but it could use more pictures of him with his baseball team.



2. i am not understanding how julia babe's adopted daughter wrote a book about him and his adopted daughter dorothy had nothing to do with it is dorothy dead or she just doesn't wanna talk about it. I'd really like to know about it because it just left me hangin and i did like the book it was very good and there are lucky to have a father like babe ruth i think there the luckiest kid's in the world to have been adopted by george herman ruth jr. it most take alot to open up about your father who lost his battle with throat cancer.i am so sorry for your father's death i lost my mom at the age of twelve of nasalpharonyx cancer it was hard but i am making it today with 1 beautiful son andrew his my gift from god thanks for letting me explain ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~anonymous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5 comments about My Prison Without Bars.

1. 
   Poor Pete Rose...
   
   After reading Pete's book, Pete Rose, My Prison Without Bars, you just have to think it's such a shame that all those unfortunate events took place in Pete's life. I mean, the man plainly had to have a way to reduce all the stress he was forced to deal with. So Pete turned to gambling. After all, it was his money, wasn't it? Couldn't he do whatever he wanted with HIS money? And hadn't his father taken him to the racetracks and showed Pete how the "big boys bet"? Sure he did. So if Pete's father gambled, and Pete absolutely idolized his father, then the kid had to think gambling was okay...provided, of course, the gambling didn't interfere with the family's livelihood.
   Then too, Pete was afflicted with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which basically meant he was so full of crap he couldn't sit still long enough to pay attention to what an instructor was saying, though he was doing okay until they told him that Pete was too small to play sports. After that, Pete was so distraught he flunked tenth grade. I might have fallen for Pete's claim to the ADHD problem if he hadn't been so good at numbers, a bookmaker's odds, placing bets, remembering who he owed or who owed him. And we aren't talking chicken feed either. Pete may not have been so much ADHD as he was BWSW (bored with school work), and figured out a way to get around it. Then he had that other problem, ODB (Oppositional Defiant Behavior) that was probably inherited from his mother. She could literally "whup the crap out of you" if someone made her good and mad...and, in fact, often did just that. Basically, what ODB really meant was that you didn't TELL Pete what to do. You ASK him...nicely.
   Pete was no quitter and definitely wasn't lazy when it came to playing baseball. He proved this to the entire world by the baseball records he set, which are to be admired. It was simply all those other rules that seemed to get in Pete's way, so he ignored them. Nobody could make me believe the man didn't know how to read, and Rule #21 was pretty self-explanatory: DON'T BET ON BASEBALL. But Pete did, and as you'd expect, he really didn't mean to do it, he simply couldn't help himself because of the stress. Admittedly, Pete wasn't a very "warm and fuzzy" type person, so relaxing at home with his family was out of the question. It was the excitement of the racetracks and the bookmakers that helped Pete to relax. Of course, the reason he wasn't a very warm and fuzzy type person was because of his childhood. He couldn't remember his parents ever saying they loved him, but he knew they did. Likewise, he never bothered with telling his children that he loved them either. Nope, not much show of affection going on in the Rose clan.
   But let's face it, Rules are Rules. And even though Rules supposedly aren't made to be broken, we all know that most rules are often bent, if, in fact, not broken. Pete Rose doesn't stand alone in the rule-breaking/bending area. However, if the posted rules really don't stand for what they mean, then why have the damn things in the first place?
   Pete Rose didn't do time in the Marion Penitentiary because of gambling. He was given a five-month sentence because of income tax evasion. And even though he may have avoided paying some income taxes, I'm certain he could have paid his fines and back taxes and not had to serve time in a federal prison. Most of those guys in Pete's tax bracket end up trying to beat the tax system in any manner that they can, and even when they're caught, they don't usually end up in a federal prison. Personally, I think Pete got a raw deal.
   Do I think Pete should be forgiven for his betting on baseball and be inducted into the Hall of Fame? I'm not sure and I'm glad that's not my call. I do know there are a lot worse offenses committed by big name athletes today, so if betting on baseball was Pete's only offense, then it does tend to make one wonder. Pete didn't drink, do drugs, or smoke and, he was dedicated the game of baseball. The baseball records he set were earned by his physical and mental ability and done without the aid of steroids...unlike a few other big-name baseball players we know. I guess what it boils down to, is whether or not Pete should be forgiven. We know if this hadn't happened, Pete would already been in Baseball's Hall of Fame. I seriously doubt there's a baseball player out there that in all good conscience would step up to cast the first stone at Pete Rose.
   Finally, I must say I think Rick Hill did a fairly decent job on putting this book together. There were a few areas that could have used a little polishing. I had to laugh at one of Pete's statements when he said, "I got anxious and SWANG right outta my jock". Considering what Hill had to work with, he did okay. This book tells a great deal about Pete Rose's life. If I hadn't read another manuscript given to me by a gentleman that actually served time with Pete Rose in Marion, and recalling the remarks he'd made about Pete, then I might have fallen for some of Pete's story. I just have to keep in mind that this book IS PETE'S STORY, as told by Pete, and not exactly what the other inmates thought of Pete Rose as a person. And if you're a Pete Rose fan, then you don't even want me to go there.



2. Pete Rose was one of the best baseball players, but obviously extremely dumb. He admits at the end of the book that he bet on baseball, but says he did not bet on his team. Betting on baseball itself, is extremely unseemely to hear, and if he lied just about this for 15 years is he still covering up the worst sin of betting on or against his team. I would say a dummy like this probably did bet on his team. I knew after I read "Say it Ain't So" about the Blacksox scandal, that if you bet on baseball you would be banned forever from the game--no excuses!!!. I would recommend to Rose to read that book and study Judge Landis Verdict in that case. I knew this when I was 14 years old and Rose still did not even mention this in his book and still doesn't seem to get it. This guy is a hustler/jailbird and should be banned for life just for being stupid enough to do something like this----- Hey, Rose you didn't mention Judge Landis



3. My Prison Without Bars provides a decent insight into the trial and tribulations of the life of Pete Rose. The book shows the reader both the good and dark side of one of the all time heroes of America's pastime. The first third of the book is dedicated to Rose's childhood, where the reader gains an understanding of how his gambling addiction first happened (his father took him to his first race track at the very young age of 12).
   
   The second third of the book depicts the life Rose had on the baseball field. It emphasizes his love, desire and devotion to the game of baseball. The section puts into perspective how Rose's staggering desire to win, excel, and be the best that won him fame, admiration, and love from millions of people; but ultimately was the reason for his fall. The section illustrates the innocence, or better put, the ignorance, of Rose and severity of the consequences for the crimes he committed as far as baseball is concerned. In Chapter 9 "the Long Hot Summer" Rose says:
   
   I managed my last baseball game on August 21, a night at Wrigley Field... After I shook hands with all the players, I took one last look at the ivy on that old brick wall and turned in my spikes... I figured I'd be away from the game for a least one year. But after what I'd done - one year was fitting punishment... enough time to get my life back on track.
   
   The final third of the book deals with the prison time Pete Rose served for cheating on his taxes. Pete Rose discusses how he could empathize with the inmate who "got started in a life of crime because they came from broken homes - something I could relate to."
   
   Rose ends the book with a very uplifting reference to his family, and how he feels that he has come to the point of redemption. The lasts words of the book are, fittingly, lyrics to the song Amazing Grace.
   
   I highly recommend reading My Prison Without Bars. Rose's story is a very true, very tragic story of success and failure. Diehard fans of Rose will fall in love with the book. Casual fans of baseball will have apprehensions about certain parts of the book that see somewhat fictitious. One aspect of the book that I believe no one will disagree with is that Pete Rose loves the game of baseball.



4. The last twenty years should have been the best of times for baseball. Four incredible records, the all-time number of career hits, the all-time number of career home runs, the record for home runs in a season and the number of consecutive games played have all been broken. Yet, only one of these, Cal Ripken's incredible streak of games played, is untainted. The home run records are tarnished by the likely event that Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds took illegal performance enhancing substances and the record for career hits is diminished by Pete Rose's admitting he gambled on baseball.
   This book is Rose's life story, his incredible drive to succeed and how it spilled over into the thrill of gambling, even to the point where he was gambling his career and stature in the game. I was a big fan of Rose when he played, every minute he was on the field he demonstrated how the game should be played. He played to win every moment; he gave everything he had in everything he did on the field. No one can take that away and he should be commended for that.
   However, the integrity of the game must rise above any individual player, no matter what they have accomplished. While Rose admits to his errors and even served time in prison for them, he never seems to quite reach this realization. No player should be allowed to bet on baseball games, this rule must remain absolute and strictly and in some cases brutally enforced. My high opinion of Rose would have been restored had he said that.
   This book deals primarily with Rose's life off the field, which is unfortunate. Given the length of his career and the great players he was on the field with, the book would have been improved if Rose had spent some time describing his experiences with those players. It is also sad to read how far this man fell as a consequence of his breaking the rules.
   The last point I want to make is that I believe that Rose should be elected to the baseball hall of fame. The off the field conduct of some of the players in the hall was far worse that Rose's. For example, the lives of charter members Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth are horrendous. The rule is that once one pays their debts to society, they are allowed back in. Rose should be allowed back in.



5. My Prison Without Bars No one who has been involved with baseball over the last 40 years doesn't know who "Charlie Hustle" is. The unfortunate part of "Charlie Hustle" is Pete Rose himself. I came to this book with an open mind and heart, knowing rather little than most of the scandal that surrounded him when he was thrown out of baseball for gambling.
   
   It wasn't really the gambling aspect and its aftermath that stunned me. It was, rather, the man himself who I came to thoroughly dislike when all was said and done. He comes off as the most arrogant, boorish and narcissistic fools I've ever read about. I did not have the impression that he was in any way sorry for what he did nor had he been, in any way, rehabilitated. Pete Rose is a man on a mission with the end stop being The Hall of Fame. The only hall he's fit for is The Hall of Shame! After all he has been through he's still excusing himself with the words, "that's the way I am!" The things he has missed along the way are the very things that might have re-instated him by now. His only feeling of remorse lies in the fact that he has not yet been able to parlay his arrogant behavior into a second chance...and he won't if he keeps that type of in your face behavior up.
   
   As we all are, Pete Rose is his own worst enemy. He came from nothing but had a talent that was undeniable. His are stats that dreams are made of. Catapulted into a world of money and privilege that he enjoyed for many, many years he was able to live his life as he wished. He was a brash, foul-mouthed, egotistical bundle of power which is still his forte today. The only difference between yesterday and today is that people are no longer listening and he has lost his leverage as a baseball legend and a man. Instead of copping to his lame "that's the way I am" excuse, he should be partaking of psychotherapy every day of his life until he learns humility and true remorse for his disgusting actions. No one cares that that's the way you are Pete! We want to know what you're willing to do to change the way you are and become the man you ought to be.

5 comments about Comeback.

1. Dave Dravecky wrote an inspiring book after his first bout with cancer and amazing comeback to professional baseball. The writing is better than in most athlete-authored books. Most sports fans know that the cancer returned, and Dave lost an arm to it. The follow-up story is revealed in subsequent books authored by Dave Dravecky and his wife Jan Dravecky. I think readers will be uplifted by any of these books.



2. A very uplifting book about Mr Dravecky's battle with cancer. More than just an athlete centered book, this details his struggles and triumphs with this very debilitating disease.



3. A must read for every athlete - both Christian and non-Christian. Dave is an inspriation. I have read the book six times over the years and have never found a book by an athlete better. To top it off, Dave is as nice of a guy in person as he is in his book.



4. I've always been a big Dave Dravecky Fan, and I knew his story from what I read in the news and saw during the events of this time period. Reading about his life, his thoughts and insights on the world around him was inspirational. He loved baseball so much, that he did whatever it took to be the best. Dravecky was a man of great faith-he makes many references to thanking Jesus Christ for the opportunities and never blamed Him for the obstacles. His never say die attitude is one I wish more athletes and general public would adapt as their own.

   This book follows a timeline from his childhood and minor league struggles (briefly) to his major league success and then his battle with cancer in his deltoid muscle, and finally, his return to baseball. It is a very quick read and one of the better athlete autobiographies I have read.




5. In the face of adversity, faith in God will see you through. That's the moral of the story.
   
   Dave Dravecky was a baseball player. A pitcher. That was all he ever wanted to be. And he was good at it. Good enough to pitch in the major leagues. But when a cancerous tumor was found in his pitching arm it looked like his career was over.
   
   Or was it? The Dravecky family had faith in God. They placed their future and Dave's career in His hands. Placing faith in God is always the right thing to do and Dravecky's story is a testimony to that fact. Against all odds, against all expectations, Dave Dravecky overcame the loss of his deltoid muscle and worked his way through the minor leagues back up to the major leagues.
   
   Comeback is a story of triumph over impossible odds. Ronald Reagan said of Dravecky, "The remarkable faith and courage he has shown is an inspiration to us all." So it is. Judging by the cover and the man who wrote it you may think this is a book about baseball. It's not. Comeback is a story about a man and his faith in God. Comeback is a story about God's work in one man's life.
   
   Dave Dravecky's story is deeply inspirational and his book should be found on every Christian bookshelf.

2 comments about Streak: Joe DiMaggio and the Summer of '41.

1. THIS IS ABOUT THE LONGEST HITTING STREAK IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASBALL HISTORY AND SOME OF THE EVENTS DURING 1941. THE AUTHOR GIVES US A GOOD LOOK AT EACH GAME DURING THE STREAK AND A GREAT DEAL OF DETAIL CONCERNING THE EVENTS LEADING TO WORLD WAR II. HE DOES A VERY GOOD JOB AND KEEPS MY INTERST WHEN HE STICKS TO THE STREAK AND WHAT DIMAG DID DURING EACH AT BAT. BUT HE ALSO INCLUDES TOO MUCH DETAIL ABOUT WORLD EVENTS WHICH BECOME TEDIOUS AND REPETITITVE. I RECOMMEND THIS FOR HISTORY BUFFS OF BASEBALL.



2. Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak in 1941 has long been one of sports most hallowed accomplishments, and one which it seems may never be equalled. Author Michael Seidel examines the streak game-by-game, detailing not just the exploits of DiMaggio, but also the events of the world at that time, especially the escalation of World War II. From the news of the sinking of the Egyptian steamer Zamzam with 138 Americans aboard to violinist Fritz Kriesler walking for the first time since being hit by a car to numerous other news stories of the time, the stories that go along with the chronicling of the streak make this book a unique and totally enjoyable read. To make the book all the more desireable for baseball fans and statisticians, the appendix of the book has complete box scores for each of the games. A great book that would fit nicely in the collection of any baseball trivia buff or fan of Joe DiMaggio and the New York Yankees.

5 comments about Stengel: His Life and Times.

1. Picked up this book because I enjoyed Creamer's book on Babe Ruth and Stengel is just as good, maybe better.
   You'd almost expect a book on Stengel to skip the earlier years in favor of his coaching years but this book doesn't. Stengel's early years are entertaining and provide a good look into the teens, 20's and 30's of baseball so if that's what you're after then you'll like this book. You'll probably also be surprised at the life that Stengel lived, there's so much more to this man than I expected - what a full life he lived. He was the Ulysses of baseball....as if the Gods of Baseball decided to pluck this Chaplin-like soul and make him wander through the game for a lifetime. Creamer really delivers.



2. Growing up in NY in the early 1960's I remember Casey vaguely as the manager of the Yankees (really Ralph Houk was manager in my early years) but more as the comic elderly leader of those miserable Mets. While I learned later of his great career as manager of the Yankees, somehow he was always portrayed as the marginal player who excelled as a bench leader. Creamer works hard to dispel this perception (which maybe only I had) and repeatedly stresses Casey's fine playing career. I appreciated gaining this new insight and found it a valuable addition to our understanding of Casey's wonderful career as a manager and ambassador of the game.



3. This is a solid biography of one of baseball's most colorful characters. Charles "Casey" Stengel (1890-1975) spent parts of six decades in the big leagues in a career that lasted from 1912 until 1965. Stengel was a bit clownish and he spoke in a distinctly non-articulate style ("Stengelese"), but he was also an extremely intelligent man. The author details Stengel's youth in Kansas City and early ambitions to become a dentist. We get a descriptive look at his 14-year playing career with several national league teams. We get an equally effective look at his managerial tenure with the mediocre Brooklyn Dodgers (1934-36 )and Boston Braves (1938-1943), the powerhouse Yankee teams from 1949-1960, and the woeful expansion New York Mets from 1962-1965. There are many smiles (and a couple frowns) for readers as these pages examine a complex and colorful man.
   
   Author Robert Creamer uses straightforward readable prose, and the result is a very good and informative biography. Readers should also like his biography on Babe Ruth, and his look at the 1941 baseball seasons.



4. Excellent. Well written, gives a good history yet moves right along.This guy had an amazing career and an amazing record.This is a must read for anyone interested in baseball.



5. Enjoyed reading this book almost as much as Harry Potter.
   It's funny how nowadays you can't get away with jumping up into the stands and punching fans.
   Well written and well told story.

5 comments about The Player: Christy Mathewson, Baseball, and the American Century.

1. As a fan of baseball history, I have been looking for a modern, definitive biography of Christy Mathewson ever since I grew to admire him many years ago. I was hoping that Philip Seib's The Player would be that elusive work, but I was wrong. Although it covers the major events of Matty's life, Seib works very hard to put him in context as the first major baseball star and the times that he lived in, so what we're left with is less of a biography and more of a social history.

   This is all well and good, and the premise is an interesting one, except that Seib doesn't take it far enough and when he tries to expound on his theory, he ends up giving more info on other figures of the times like Billy Sunday and Woodrow Wilson than on Mathewson.

   Almost contradictorally, the main problem is that it all just feels too thin. At less than 200 pages it's a one and a half day read at best and you come away not knowing anything more about Mathewson than you would reading any history of baseball. Were I Seib's editor, I would have recommended that he go in the opposite direction and really blow out his research. Joseph Durso wrote an excellent double biography of John McGraw and Casey Stengel that captured the general history of American society as well as baseball and that is clearly what Seib is aspiring to but falls short.

   I don't want to knock the book too much since I enjoy general history as much as anyone, but I guess I just expected so much more. Also, Seib labors in spots to draw his conclusions and ends up being extremely repetitive. His reverence for Mathewson is well-appreciated, but borders on overindulgence.

   If you are interested in reading more on Mathewson, I would recommend seeking out the Jonathan Yardley essay "The Real Frank Merriwell" for a terrific mini-bio and tribute to a great pitcher.




2. This book is a decent read but it is less a biography of Mathewson than it is a commentary on the times and events that he lived through. I had hoped to learn about who Christy Mathewson was and what made him so great and instead I felt like I read an overview of the major events in baseball and history during the late 1800's to the mid 1900's.



3. "The Player" provided a trip back in time to what it was like playing ball around the turn of the century through the times of the first World War.
   
   To understand what Mathewson meant to the game itself is truly amazing. Not only being a phonomenal pitcher with exceptional control, he realized that he was a role model for others, not only the young kids that idolized him, but the everyday american worker. To know what he gave of himself to others off the ball field, his charity work, volunteering for WWI at the age of 37, gives us a better insight to the individual.
   
   The book also tells of his attempts to clean up the game, before the Black Sox scandal. He knew it was going on, tried to warn others, but no one would listen.
   
   A great read if you want to get a much clearer insight into one of the greatest ball players of all time. One that is unfortunatelly forgotten by too many in today's game.



4. When I was given this book, the gift-bearer informed me that it was the perfect gift for me, "... a book about baseball AND U.S. history.". Being the grateful recipient of said gift I of course bit my tongue, didn't respond, "How do you separate the two?", and accepted the gift in the spirit it was given. Now, after reading it, I realize how smart my niece is. The book is indeed about both, and without wandering too far from its subject, (Christy, in case there is some confusion), is a very enagaging read. Similar books about this time period in baseball tend to get repetitive and somewhat choppy to read by piecing together newspaper reports and box scores. This author alleviates that problem by also tracking events in the U.S., (and the world as 1914 approaches), while Christy pitches his way through his baseball career. This is recommended for baseball novices, hard core fans and anyone in between as it's a nicely written book.



5. I agree with just about all the positive and negative critisms I've read here about this book. It's definitely worth reading...but just don't expect too much.