Last good baseball book you have read

[nebboy]

Im almost done reading all my winter list of baseball of books, and need to come up with a new list so I can find during the summer for next winter. A couple of the ones from this years list were pretty bad. So help me out.

[scooter729]

I just finished up a good Cy Young biography, written around 2000. Can't remember the author's name right now (Reed something?). Not too long of a read, but good and informative...

[teetwoohsix]

If you haven't read it,I HIGHLY recommend this book:

"Baseball Memories 1900-1909,An Illustrated Chronicle Of The Big League's First Decade-All The Players,Managers,Cities,& Ballparks"

Written By Marc Okkonen,1992

This is a wonderful book with TONS of early baseball photographs-just as fun to look at the pictures as it is to read!!!:D

Sincerely,Clayton

[barrysloate]

I'm reading it now, and wrote a little review on the main board. It just came out, and is called "Mint Condition", by Dave Jamieson. It's excellent (but I haven't finished reading it yet).

[nebboy]

Ive read the Cy Young and the

"Baseball Memories 1900-1909,An Illustrated Chronicle Of The Big League's First Decade-All The Players,Managers,Cities,& Ballparks"

goes on the list - any more Ideas out there?

[dennis]

best baseball book imo is the bill james historical abstract, these also are among my favorites" breaking the slump" baseball in the depression era by chas alexander

"baseball in 41" robt. creamer, "they also served" bill gilbert
"when the boys came back" fredrick turner
"summer of 49" david halberstam (try reading these 4 in this order.)

[ChiefBenderForever]

Chief Bender's Burden: The silent struggle of a baseball star, by Tom Swift. A must read for any A's fan, great accts of the World Series and the story of Bender's life from birth to death.

[GrayGhost]

Im going to get Diamonds in the Rough, the Untold History of Baseball, that sounds really good.

Recently, I read that book bout the woman baseball fan /writer who wrote a book bout the Yankees by following them around and such. I forget name of it, and didnt finish it.

Currently, im reading "The Ballad of Billy and George" by Phil Pepe and enjoying it immensely, I was a teenager during those years and lots of memories so far, and its easy to read, plus Im learning things I didnt know before about both men.

[insidethewrapper]

"Catcher" by Peter Morris is a great read. History of the catching position.

I'm looking forward to the "Biography of Al Kaline " which is being released at the end of March. Author : Jim Hawkins.

[donmuth]

The Glory of Their Times is sitting on my shelf to read when I get done with my current series (non-baseball related).

I've also read:

3 Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger
Crazy '08 by Cait Murphy
October 1964 by David Halberstam
Mickey Mantle's autobiography
Ty Cobb by Alexander
Baseball An Illustrated History by Ward and Burns

and my favorite...

The Old Ball Game: How John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, and the New York Giants Created Modern Baseball by Frank Deford

[Robextend]

The Old Ball Game: How John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, and the New York Giants Created Modern Baseball by Frank Deford


I picked this one up recently, I can't wait to start reading it.

[wolfdogg]

Havev't read it yet (not all of it) but have skimmed thru it---

"Crazy '08"

[pgellis]

Does anyone have a review for "Crazy '08"?

I have picked it up from the shelf at the bookstore twice now, only to put it back for some reason.......not sure why I haven't given it a chance. Would be interested in any reviews someone might have.

[dennis]

http://www.crazy08.com/home.html

[GrayGhost]

Rob, "the Old Ball Game" is excellent.

I finished the Ballad of Billy and George and loved every page of it.

Hopefully, I'll be starting Diamonds in the Rough, the Untold history of Baseball this week once it arrives. I cant wait to read that one.

[pgellis]

http://www.crazy08.com/home.html

I was really asking if anyone on the board had their own review. I think that the book's actual website would only put good reviews on their own website regarding their book. That doesn't tell me anything.

I did go on Amazon and read some reviews. There were several bad reviews regarding the author's writing style and the way the author was telling the story. After reading some of these reviews, now I understand why I skimmed through some pages and put it back.

[JasonL]

They were ok.
The Iowa Baseball Confederacy was very entertaining and pretty well written, though I did have trouble following whose perspective I was reading a couple of times, and I had alot of trouble identifying/connecting with the main character/voice. But the concepts were top notch.

Fouled Away - the bio of Hack Wilson. this one was not terribly well written, (and horribly edited - there was one blatant error where the date was obviously supposed to be 1922 and it read as 1992)...and really just a collection of anecdotes strung together in chronological order...some of them were good, though, and it was very interesting to read about a player I did not know much about.

The Old Ball Game -saw several mentions in the posts above- was very good.

[GrayGhost]

So far, Im around a hundred pages into the Diamonds in the Rough. Excellent read, with plenty on the creation of baseball theories and all the other fascinating stuff from the old days, plus talk bout cards, memorabilia, etc.

[rnisly]

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero

I read this book last year and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Makes me appreciate what he did for what he had to endure.


http://www.amazon.com/Clemente-Passion-Grace-Baseballs-Last/dp/074329999X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270916745&sr=8-1

Roger

[base_ball]

Just finished "The Bullpen Gospels" by Dirk Hayhurst...by far, the best description of minor league life in the 21st Century. Very funny, and very, very poignant at times. Hayhurst writes well, but not superbly, which is the only thing that keeps this book from greatness. How refreshing to read insightful musings on what it means to be a professional athlete from an actual jock. This book is a far, far cry from the vapid thoughts we're used to hearing from Yankee captains and their type. Highly recommended.

[Zach Wheat]

I read Crazy '08 by Cait Murphy. For those not familiar with the book, Cait edits/writes in Economics related fields/publications and this is somewheat reflected in her writing style. The book recounts the season of 1908 and the battles between the Cubs/Giants & Pirates - as well as battles with some fo the other AL teams. She also brings other topics together that are tangentially related to base ball.

I found her writing style a little formal and fact oriented at first. After several chapters into the book, I began to appreciate the history and the seemingly unrelated events she brought into the 1908 season. For instance, she briefly reviewed Abner Doubleday and his association with the game; secondarily how Take Me Out to the Ball Game" became the de facto song associated with today's game. It can be a little distracting to some....but all in all a good read.

I have read Lefty Grove: American Original (by Jim Kaplan) and found that entertaining. I also really enjoyed Ty & the Babe (Tom Stanton).

Ty & the Babe detailed one of the fiercest personal rivalries of all time during the Ty & The Babe's playing career. The book details how Cobb pissed the Babe off and the Babe came in to pitch even after he left his pitching career behing.....just so he could pitch to Cobb.

The book not only detailed the rivalry (i.e. read every at bat) on the field & off the field as well as in their personal lives - but culminates in a mind blowing highly publicized "best of 3" golf match at the twilight of their careers. Babe was a significantly better golfer than Ty......but there were a few surprises and I am not going to tell you how the match ends. Suffice it to say it was quite an interesting read of two highly competitive men that never wanted to be bested.

To top it off, Cobb was deeply sad when the Babe passed away...and reading about the rivalry from a personal and professional perspective was really touching.

The match was so important to these two....that the winner put the championship trophy on their mantle for the remainder of their life......

[wake.up.the.echoes]

I am reading "The Boys of Summer" by Roger Kahn.

Great book.

[nebboy]

I read Crazy '08 by Cait Murphy. For those not familiar with the book, Cait edits/writes in Economics related fields/publications and this is somewheat reflected in her writing style. The book recounts the season of 1908 and the battles between the Cubs/Giants & Pirates - as well as battles with some fo the other AL teams. She also brings other topics together that are tangentially related to base ball.

This will be on my to-read list - Thanks nice crique

[olsport]

QUOTE "If you haven't read it,I HIGHLY recommend this book:

"Baseball Memories 1900-1909,An Illustrated Chronicle Of The Big League's First Decade-All The Players,Managers,Cities,& Ballparks"

Written By Marc Okkonen,1992

This is a wonderful book with TONS of early baseball photographs-just as fun to look at the pictures as it is to read!!!

Sincerely,Clayton "
I just found one copy on ebay for $6.26!!!shipped and bought it, but others had it for as high as $86.00!!:eek: Thanks for the recommendation.
I am currently (and too slowly) reading the Rube Waddell book, as he is my favorite pre war player. All the zany stories are a must, as he was one of the top 3 most colorful HOFrs in baseball history!

[olsport]

I got my copy of the book and the pictures are of very POOR quality in this!! They look like a zerox copy machine from the 1970s was about out of toner!! or copies of newspapers.