What are some of your favorite baseball related books?

[Buythatcard]

I just finished an excellent book called "Mint Condition". Now that I am in the mood to read another baseball related book. I'd love to hear recommendations from other Net54 members. Anything that is related to baseball whether it's a biography, fiction or something about the card industry.

[Rich Klein]

There are actually tons of good baseball books out there. Do you prefer a more modern book or perhaps a book focusing on the pre-war era

In addition, do you want a biography or a history or something else

Sometimes the subject matter means a ton to the reader, so think of what you'd like to so

In addition, there is a difference between a book you'd find at B&N and an older book you can find on an amazon.com

So, let's say you wanted to read an important book; I'd actually first say

Ball Four: Which is a diary of Jim Bouton's 1969 season, which was the ONLY season for the Seattle Pilots and that book was insrturmental in changing how reporters covered baseball teams.

Regards
Rich

[J.McMurry]

Here's a few that stand out in memory as Good reads.

The Duke of Flatbush - Duke Snider

Operation Bullpen-Kevin Nelson

Cobb- Al Stump

Glory of their times = Lawrence Ritter

Sleeper cars & Flannel uniforms - Elden Auker

The Last Commissioner - Fay Vincent

[FrankWakefield]

They've mentioned some good ones...

The Glory of Their Times (and the 4 cd set, too)
Sleeper Cars and Flannel Uniforms
Ball Four
Cobb


I'd add...
Bill James' Historical Baseball Abstract (the first one)
The Celebrant (one GREAT baseball novel)
Baseball When the Grass was Real
If I Never Get Back

[Robextend]

I am currently reading "The Old Ball Game" by Frank DeFord, and so far I am loving it.

[SmokyBurgess]

"Only the Ball was White" turned me on to the Negro Leagues when I found a copy in the library back in the late 1980's.

Lots of good reference material and interesting player profiles.

[slidekellyslide]

Originally Posted by Buythatcard

I just finished an excellent book called "Mint Condition". Now that I am in the mood to read another baseball related book. I'd love to hear recommendations from other Net54 members. Anything that is related to baseball whether it's a biography, fiction or something about the card industry.

The Natural by Bernard Malamud is my favorite fictional baseball book. The Glory of their Times which I'm sure has been mentioned by just about everyone here is my favorite non-fiction baseball book. Some other good ones were Eight Men Out by Eliot Asinof, and Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball (can't remember author offhand).

[Aquifer]

In no particular order:
Ball Four--Jim Bouton
The Long Season--Jim Brosnan
A Whole Different Ballgame--Marvin Miller
Eight Men Out--Eliot Asinof
Once More Around the Park--Roger Angell
Summer of 49--David Halberstam
Satchel--Larry Tye
Man on Spikes--Eliot Asinof
The Imperfect Diamond--Lee Lowenfish
October, 1964--David Halberstam

[Kalineman]

Here's another outstanding baseball book: Why Time Begins On Opening Day by Thomas Boswell. A must-read for die-hard baseball fans.

[Bill Stone]

I really enjoyed The Best Game Ever -Pirates vs Yankees October 13, 1960 by Jim Reisler.

[FrankWakefield]

Hey Rob Miller...

Back on page 1 AB Patton mentioned the best McGraw book I ever read, a really good book, John McGraw by Charles Alexander. If you're wanting to read about Mr. McGraw, that's the book.

[53Browns]

My all time fave is "I'd Rather Be a Yankee". I just started "Boys of Summer" by Roger Kahn.

[PolarBear]

I like Cait Murphy's wit and sarcasm in Crazy '08.

As mentioned before, The Old Ball Game is a great read.