Book Description
In "Brooklyn Remembered: The 1955 Days of the Dodgers, Allen has captured the emotion, the drama and the sweet reverie of what many baseball people and fans consider the greatest sports triumph ever, the 1955 Brooklyn Series win over the Yankees. It was the one and only Brooklyn championship for the team filled with Hall of Famers like Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Roy Campanella, Duke Snider, Sandy Koufax and even fringe lefty Tommy Lasorda. Two years after the title the team moved from Brooklyn's cozy Ebbets Field to laconic Los Angeles. All of the 11 surviving members of that historic baseball team contributed their poignant and personal recollections of that season that warmed the baseball world and sent millions of memorable moments across America, memories that last to this day in millions of homes across the country. Two game winner Johnny Podres, the handsome bachelor, recalls how he drove to the game from his aunt's home in nearby Staten Island a few days after his 23rd birthday and promised his aging teammates a World Series victory. He delivered with a 2-0 triumph. Historic baseball figure Jackie Robinson and supportive teammate pee Wee Reese, knowing their time for titles was short, reached their ultimate goal. Duke Snider, Carl Erskine, Clem Labine, Don Newcombe and all the rest of Dem Bums eased the pain of Brooklyn's millions with that emotional victory. Allen has talked to all of the Brooklyn 1955 survivors and to the women who carry the torch today for the fallen Dodgers, such as Rachel Robinson and Joan Hodges, for memories of that moment and the impact on their lives half a century later. Other significant figures, such as broadcaster Tom Brokaw, opera legend RobertMerrill, opponents Willie Mays, Whitey Ford and Stan (The Man) Musial recall their days as Brooklyn fans, opposing players or just Ebbets Field fanatics. This is the stirring, funny, romantic, touching, historic story of one team in one town in one time that has lasted across the decades. The Brooklyn Dodgers of 1955 were an epic collection of talented athletes and heroic men.
Customer Reviews:
A VERY NICE READ.......2006-12-26
AUTHOR MAURY ALLEN TAKES US BACK TO 1955, THE YEAR THE BROOKLYN DODGERS FINALLY WON THE WORLD SERIES. HE INTERVIEWS THE 11 REMAINING PLAYERS AND BRINGS BACK SOME GREAT NOSTALGIA. SOME OF THE SURVING PLAYERS ARE KOUFAX, NEWCOMBE, SNIDER AND GAME SEVEN WINNER PODRES. THE STORIES ARE INTERESTING AND ENTERTAINING. I ENJOYED THIS AND RECOMMEND IT FOR ALL DODGER FANS AND FOR BASEBALL FANS WHO WANT TO LEARN ABOUT A SLICE OF BASEBALL HISTORY.
Great Subject, Mediocre Book.......2006-02-04
This book was a big disappointment, starting with its awkward subtitle. At first reading it looks like "the one-thousand-nine-hundred-and fifty-five days of the Dodgers," as if the team had only lasted that long! "The Days of the 1955 Dodgers" would have been better.
But the big problem with this book isn't the title-- it's Maury Allen's slapdash and dull writing. Hard to believe this guy was a successful sportswriter for so many years. His prose is careless, rambling, repetitious, and lack-luster. There are even some spelling errors-- the kind of thing we've come to expect from 20- and 30-something sportswriters, but that you don't expect to find in a writer of Allen's generation.
What saves the book and makes it worth reading-- and the reason I gave it three stars rather than two-- are the many extensive quotations of surviving Dodger players from the 1955 team, and others associated with the team that season. Thanks to Allen's long-established credentials as a sportswriter, he was able to get "face time" with many former players and team officials who are difficult or impossible for others to interview. Ever try to set up an interview with Yogi Berra or Willie Mays? As they say in Brooklyn, "Fuggeddaboudit!"
This is a pleasant enough read for Brooklyn Dodger lovers, but that wonderful team and that magical year deserve better than they get in this so-so volume.
Good Read.......2006-01-17
For those of us still in the Brooklyn area and those who ventured far away, this book takes you back to the care-free days of the "Brooklyn Bombers." Go for it!
A LOOK BACK AT THE MAGICAL 1955 BROOKLYN TEAM.......2005-10-18
THE BOOK GIVES YOU INSIGHT INTO THE 1955 SEASON AND WHAT WINNING THE WORLD SERIES WAS LIKE, THROUGH THE MEMORIES OF THE SURVIVING ELEVEN MEMBERS OF THAT TEAM AND OTHER FOLKS WHO RECALL THE STRUGGLE AND EUPHORIA OF WINNING THE FALL CLASSIC AT LAST!BBOOKLYN DODGER FANS AND BASEBALL HISTORIANS WILL ENJOY THE STORY OF THAT MAGICAL SEASON!
The 1955 Dodgers Revisited.......2005-07-01
Respected baseball writer Maury Allen has provided us with an update on the 11 surviving members of the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers' championship team on its 50th anniversary. The book is just over 200 pages long and Allen discusses his visits with the former players and the wives of some of the deceased players. I found several of the stories told in other books on Brooklyn's beloved team, but there were a few stories I hadn't heard before. One involved Gil Hodges who has received more votes than any other player who has not been elected to the Hall of Fame. Supposedly Veterans Committee member Ted Williams has been instrumental in keeping Hodges out not because of his playing ability, but because Hodges was more popular as a manager in Washington than Williams was. Dodgers' executive Buzzie Bavasi felt Jackie Robinson should not have retired as a player when he was traded to the Giants following the 1956 season. He felt Robinson could have become a possible assistant who could one day become the general manager of the Dodgers. That never would have happened with Walter O'Malley owning the team due to the tension that existed between O'Malley and Robinson. Although the 1955 team won Brooklyn's only championship the 1952 and 1953 teams were better than the '55 version. The team was on the way down agewise by 1955 while the 1952 and 1953 team (Roger Kahn's Boys of Summer gang) were in their prime. Author Allen also recounts an incident with manager Walter Alston over some unaccounted soft drinks that hadn't been paid for by the players. Allen wrote a column about what he felt was a petty issue, and Alston invited Allen into his office to discuss it. It resulted in Alston physically attacking Allen. Traveling secretary Lee Scott heard the ruckus and came to Allen's rescue. Several of the members of this team keep their championship ring in a safety deposit box to pass down to succeeding members of their family after they are gone. I find it too bad the ring can't be worn and enjoyed, but they feel the risk of robbery is too great. The book also includes a recap of each of the seven World Series games. No team had ever come back from being down two games to none and won a seven game World Series before. I did find one minor mistake. Allen mentioned that Pirates' slugger Ralph Kiner was traded to the Cubs in 1952 when the correct year is 1953. I'm old enough to remember this team and Kahn's 1953 team as well, and I was happy to read their will be a reunion party for the 1955 team in Brooklyn in the fall of this year, 2005.
Book Description
He lost two Cy Young winners in two years, signed a 47-year-old to be his starting first baseman, played 17 rookies in 2005, and still took his team to the playoffs. Baseball is John Schuerholz's world--everyone is just playing in it. Now, in BUILT TO WIN, the legendary manager takes readers behind the scenes of the most successful franchise in recent history--and shows how his unique philosophies and leadership have helped the Atlanta Braves achieve something no team has ever come close to accomplishing. He candidly peels back the curtain, from his first World Series with the Kansas City Royals to his departure for the struggling Braves. No sooner did Schuerholz arrive than they won their first title in 1991...and the rest is history.
Customer Reviews:
Written by John's biggest fan.......2007-07-28
First of all, I've been a Braves fan for 30 years, so I appreciate the success of the Schuerholz era. Having said that, this book is really terrible.
Schuerholz comes across as a pompous blowhard who wants us to know that he IS the best dressed man in baseball ("dapper" & "stylish apparel" are used in the book), and that he and Tom Glavine know more about wine than idiots like Stan Kasten. In fact, we get three pages on a Chateau La Fleur Petrus Pomerol, vintage 1961 - oh yeah, that's great reading!! Add some incessant name dropping and a pile Management 101 anecdotes and you get this opus of self-love.
I really thought I'd enjoy this book. It's too bad the big guy didn't stick to baseball and leave the management cliches for someone as impressed with the author's insights as the author himself. It's almost as if Schuerholz is desperately seeking his share of the credit for the success of the team; so much so that he tries to convince the reader that his management expertise is more responsible for the team's success than the organization Bobby Cox had in place when the author arrived in Atlanta. I'm not buying it, John - even though I was dumb enough to buy this book.
Irritating and Cliched.......2007-07-09
An occasionally interesting look into the mind of a successful MLB general manager is marred by insipid management book cliches regurgitated from far better motivational books.
If this book had stuck to the inside stories, it might have been a modern baseball classic, but Schuerholz can't seem to resist slinging tired bromides about commitment and teamwork. When he talks about baseball, Schuerholz is a joy; but when he babbles about his "leadership strategies," this book jumps the rails.
Methinks this book might be a better library or bookstore skim than a take home purchase.
Better than expected!.......2007-04-07
As a long-time baseball fan who has heard all the interviews and read a lot of baseball books, I fully expected "Built To Win" to be a rah-rah, gung-ho baseball book in the spirit of the interviews that Tommy Lasorda always gives the media. I also expected nothing resembling "inside info" that I hadn't read elsewhere. So I was very pleasantly surprised that the book isn't at all like that. As a 15-year Braves' season-ticket holder, I learned a lot about the organization and gained a greater respect for Schurholz and his staff. The only negative thing I can say about it is that Schurholz repeatedly hammers the point that his philosophies are all full of goodie-two-shoes attitudes. While that's not a bad thing . . . in fact it's quite admirable in this day of schmuck-dominated business dealings . . . it gets a little old after a while.
Schuerholz proves his genius.......2007-02-22
A great "bio" of the streak of the Braves. If you're a die-hard Braves fan, you'll love this book. If you're into the management of baseball, you'll love it as well.
Good baseball stories mixed with some leadership tips........2006-09-09
As a lifetime Braves fan I may be a little biased, but as a lifetime baseball fan I think I can make a fair review. It seems like Schuerholz wanted to write a book about how to be a great leader in the business world, but he just could not stop talking about all the interesting behind the scenes baseball stories from his career as a general manager for the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves.
These stories make this book a fun read for baseball fans. Schuerholz talks about the Glavine debacle, trading for Barry Bonds, stealing Maddux away from the Yankees, and trying to sign Arod among other things. This book is a must read for Braves fans, and a pretty good look into the life of a general manager for baseball fans.
Amazon.com
Curt Smith takes a stunningly simple idea and executes it in an obvious format: assemble the Homers of baseball and let them rip. The result is an oral history of the game delivered with the crispness and color of the voices in the broadcast booth whose day--and night--job is to bring us the game. There are giants at work here: Mel Allen, Jack Brickhouse, Curt Gowdy, and Ernie Harwell. There are newer voices, too--Bob Costas, Tim McCarver, and John Miller among them--but The Storytellers truly belongs to the sounds of the past brought into the present. Allen on Mickey Mantle is wonderfully stirring, as is Gowdy on Ted Williams. Funny when it wants to be, and poignant without forcing nostalgia, The Storytellers is a bit like coming home, turning on the radio, and hearing the comfortable and exuberant sounds of childhood passion. The writing is a reminder of why, in an era of cold corporate ownership and player greed, the game survives in the heart and somehow endures.
Book Description
The Storytellers are baseballs play-by-play and color men who have created the legends and lore of the game. From the days of static-filled radio broadcasts to todays internationally televised games, baseball has been shaped into Americas pastime by these wizards of the microphone. Assembled in this terrific collection, these great announcers from all over the country share with us some of their favorite stories about the job - their best games, most admired players, preferred parks, biggest flubs and more.With their unique styles of speech, cadences, and catch phrases, these broadcasters have become our friends at the ballparkconveying the excitement, celebrating the victories, and commiserating on the defeats. Baseball fans of all agesand from the East coast to the West coastwill enjoy welcoming these ballpark friends into their homes once again. The Storytellers will be released in an audio version in Spring 1997.
Customer Reviews:
Great Stories, Great Storytellers.......2002-04-25
The stories are varied, entertaining, and required reading for anyone that enjoys listening to baseball on the radio while sitting on their porch on a warm summer's evening. I could have done without Curt Smith's introduction to each chapter, as his over-the-top prose didn't seem to fit with the simplicity of the language of the anectdotes.
From coast to coast, this is a winner. New Yorkers will be particularly fond, however, of the pre-California baseball tales.
Most enjoyable........1999-07-28
Curt Smith gathers some of the legendary Voices of baseball together to (what else?) tell stories. The anecdotes are invarably interesting, funny, moving, and illuminating, whether or not the reader has actually had the pleasure of listening to any or all of these broadcasters. My only quibble with this book is that author Smith seems to have lifted several passages in toto from his earlier, and even more fascinating, "Voices Of The Game." This seems like unnecessary duplication and can be mildly annoying for those of us who've read both. Still, it's well worth the time of anybody who loves the Summer Game.
A great book for baseball lovers like myself!!.......1999-02-12
I saw this book on amazon.com and knew I had to get it. Great stories inside the game and behing the broadcast booth. Couldn't put it down, just spectacular, wish there was a sequel!!!!
A Wonderful Collection of Great Baseball Stories.......1997-11-08
The Storytellers is a hillarious and moving collection of baseball stories told by the people who have held our ears for decades. The funniest stories (Ernie Harwell explaining to a baseball usher that it wasn't beer he had spilled . . .)had my wife and I laughing out loud. The most moving (Bob Costas boyhood visit to Yankee stadium) still bring a tear to my eye. A must read for fans of baseball, fans of broadcasting, or fans of oral storytelling. This is a wonderful book to read aloud.
Book Description
Critically acclaimed author Curt Smith fulfills the wildest dreams of baseball fans everywhere by traveling through space and time in a vast, entertaining volume that spares readers the price of gas, food, lodging (and admission) and puts them in a field box at every big-league park in the pastime’s history—from Fenway and Ebbets to Camden Yards and PNC Park. Just as Smith’s critically acclaimed Voices of the Game is the definitive history of baseball broadcasting, Storied Stadiums chronicles the stories, statistics, and characters behind all of baseball’s venues. From park to park throughout the years, the great game’s triumphs, tragedies, and comedies unfold in a kinetic prose as full of surprises as a wind-aided knuckleball. Illustrated with 36 color lithographs from the Bill Goff Collection, Storied Stadiums is at once a fact-filled almanac of the more than 125 major-league ballparks, past and present, and a paean to our national pastime.
Customer Reviews:
Mr. Smith, Tear Down This Stadium!!.......2005-04-25
Written in a staccato style that resembles gibberish, this book takes what should be a great topic into Alice in Wonderland. Its reminiscent of watching Dennis Miller on Monday Night Football trying to interject intellectualism into something that should be fun. Smith is not trying to take us back to old ballfields, but to impress us with how "erudite" he is. The sad thing is that he obviously did not learn from this fiasco. His new book "Voices of Summer" on baseball announcers is just as bad.
Storied Stadiums in Shambles.......2004-04-13
I recently purchased this book and found it to be incredibly disappointing - Baseball history through a James Joyce-ian stream of consciousness writing style that is hard to understand and harder to digest. All chapters are written in a " running dialogue" style, which causes the reader to be feel left out of the conversation. Dozens (perhaps hundreds) of unrelated and confusing comments about political issues, celebrities, etc., which badly detract from the baseball core. Additionally, MANY
inaccuracies (both statistical and factual) and typos throughout the text .....3-4 in the section about Shea Stadium from 1964-1975 alone (nothing gets past this Mets' fan!). DO NOT GO HERE if you are looking for faithful commentaries and interesting insights on historic stadiums or reliable documentation on baseball history...this book falls WAY, WAY short in both areas. I would give it 0 stars, but the ratings mandate me to give it one. Spend your money instead on " To Every Thing a Season: Shibe Park - 1909-1976", a VASTLY SUPERIOR and thoughtful book, even if you do not live in/near Philadelphia (I am transplanted from North Jersey to South Jersey, but could not put the Shibe Park book down!).
This book gets an undeserved bad rap.......2004-04-07
This book has been pummelled by reviewers who hate Curt Smith's writing style. Granted, sometimes he writes like someone in a mental hospital stitching phrases together in bursts. Other times he writes like your buddy telling stories in a bar. Because of the huge scope of content (ie. the entire history of baseball told via a tour of its ballparks), this clipped style works. At over 500 pages, this is still a weighty read. I would have given it 3 stars, but it earns a 4th one for the cool colour inserts that show a couple dozen paintings of historic and current stadiums at gametime.
A disappointment.......2003-07-25
"Storied Stadiums" is the most poorly written book I've read in quite some time. To illustrate, here's one example among many:
"Note merely how offspring spurred the pastime's throb. Brooklyn baseball began a century before proving that even in the fifty-second World Series-Game Seven, October 4, 1955, Brooklyn 2, Yankees 0, after losing seven straight Series, five to New York-a franchise could run into luck" (page 20).
One must work extremely hard to deconstruct the author's circuitous (and sometimes inexplicable) line of thought and the device of using various song titles to introduce each section seems rather silly.
Considering the author's qualifications, I would have expected a more polished and professional style. Quite disappointing on the whole.
Learn how to write.......2003-05-07
Curt, I loved Voices of the Game and Storytellers, but you lost your way on this one. How about this sentence: "Classic parks forged a Mayberry of puppies and emerald turf and picket fences and small-town marms -- frozen in amber, but fixed and sure."
WHAT? Claptrap....pure and simple....and that was only page 3.
My real favorite was "If Bogart means Key Largo, baseball can mean year." HUH? At least match the verb syntax, Curt. Fantastic research, but you need to relearn writing for the reader. For God's sake, tell your editor(s) to find a new line of work.
Amazon.com
This isn't a commentator's diatribe against the sport, but rather a fan's case for baseball. What do I want? I think the same thing that most baseball fans want: To see the game prove worthy of our devotion.
Bob Costas loves baseball. And he's worried about the state of the game--superstar players abandoning the teams that helped them rise to greatness, the awkward interleague play system, the pennant-race-weakening wild cards, and the payroll disparity that effectively eliminates two-thirds of the teams in the league from having any chance to win the World Series--even before opening day. Costas addresses these problems and offers provocative solutions in Fair Ball.
Costas makes it clear from the outset that he's not a romantic, baseball-should-be-played-in-flannel traditionalist; indeed, some of his ideas--comprehensive revenue sharing and salary caps and floors--will be seen as radical by many team owners and players. Others are more standard--no more wild card, and farewell to the DH--but all are thoughtful and cogently argued.
Throughout Fair Ball Costas's affection for the national pastime softens his occasionally strident tone. Ultimately, all baseball fans want the same thing; Costas's ideas, if adopted, would go a long way toward returning the game to full health. --Sunny Delaney
Book Description
From his perspective as a journalist and a true fan, Bob Costas, NBC's award-winning broadcaster, shares his unflinching views on the forces that are diminishing the appeal of major league baseball and proposes realistic changes that can be made to protect and promote the game's best interests.
In this cogent--and provocative--book, Costas examines the growing financial disparities that have resulted in nearly two-thirds of the teams in major league baseball having virtually no chance of contending for the World Series. He argues that those who run baseball have missed the crucial difference between mere change and real progress. And he presents a withering critique of the positions of both the owners and players while providing insights on the wild-card system, the designated-hitter rule, and interleague play. Costas answers each problem he cites with an often innovative, always achievable strategy for restoring genuine competition and rescuing fans from the forces that have diluted the sheer joy of the game.
Balanced by Costas's unbridled appreciation for what he calls the "moments of authenticity" that can still make baseball inspiring,
Fair Ball offers a vision of our national pastime as it can be, a game that retains its traditional appeal while initiating thoughtful changes that will allow it to thrive into the next century.
Customer Reviews:
Good Points.......2007-06-29
This book gives some good suggestions on needed improvement in the MLB organization. During his speech at the Speaker Series he mentioned that a lot of the points that he brings up have been fixed since he wrote it back in 2000. I don't know baseball well enough to know what has changed, but I think that it is still obvious that there are franchises that cannot compete because of the amount of money demanded by the superstar/high quality players. Even though I am not a huge fan I remember when the Royals were highly regarded. Now, you hardly hear mention of them. This book is still relevant and some of Costas' points still need to be discussed and incorporated.
How to fix what is clearly broken.......2006-09-07
I am one of those fans of baseball that has left the game. My exodus started after the strike in the early nineties and the gradual decline continued over several years. I don't believe that I have watched the equivalent of a complete nine-inning game on television over the last year. Although I have enjoyed watching a few games played by the local minor league team.
Major league baseball simply has not learned any lessons from its past or from the other major sports leagues. The NFL and NBA, albeit after some serious difficulties, adopted a revenue sharing policy that will keep the league competitive over the long term. The franchise that is the butt of jokes this year often makes a playoff run after a few years.
However, for several major league baseball franchises, there is little hope that they will ever be seriously competitive. Smaller market teams such as Kansas City, Pittsburgh and Minnesota may make some occasional noise and surprise the baseball world, but the routine is to be at or near last place every year. Who can blame the fans if they lose interest when this is the reality?
Costas is the cream of the crop when it comes to the broadcast business because he not only understands the game; he truly cares about it. In this book he explains what is wrong with the game and what needs to be done to correct it. He places the blame on both the owners and players, showing that each is determined to pursue their own short-term interest while ignoring what is being done over the long term. I completely agree with him in his assessment of the wild-card playoff spot. That policy has destroyed the concept of a pennant race, where you must win to continue, so each play could be the difference between victory and defeat.
He also comes up with some real solutions and it is the hope of every true fan that those who are running major league baseball will finally understand what needs to be done. Without some form of true change in the structure, there are several franchises that will slowly wither and die. As they die, even the teams at the top will lose, for in a league, they all live or die together.
Six Years Later..........2006-07-28
A well written, concise book about the problems in baseball today, Fair Ball is a book that is now old. Baseball has changed in the past six years and these six years of history has validated some of Costas' points. The main points of contention in Fair Ball are revenue sharing, salary cap, divisional alignment and the playoff wildcard. What drives Costas to desire change in baseball money comes from what he calls a "competitive imbalance." Since the book has been written, baseball has seen the Arizona Diamondbacks, Anaheim Angels, Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox win World Series. The years that they won the world series the Arizona Diamondbacks had the 8th highest payroll, Angels the 15th highest , Florida the 20th highest, and the White Sox the 13th highest. This is a big change from the late 90's when the World Series almost always went to the top 5 paying teams. I believe the last five seasons have shown that the competitive imbalance is not quite as bad as Costas claims it is. However, there are still teams that have no chance thanks to their minuscule payroll. As lucky, or well coached as teams like the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals are, they will not threaten to compete for the playoffs let alone a World Series. I believe something needs to be done about that, and some of Costas' ideas that he came up with in 2000 can still be used in today's game.
As far as his views on the wildcard, I am skeptical. He has a good point that I had never thought of, the wildcard takes some drama and worth out of the pennant race. It is sad that the regular season means so little to the Red Sox and the Yankees because they know that the loser of the regular season will be granted a pass to the playoffs with the wild card. On the other hand, this year (2006) presents a very interesting wildcard race in the National League which still includes most of the teams. My Atlanta Braves had a horrible start and have virtually lost the NL East, but they are only 5 games out of the wildcard race. As a fan I can still hope.
All in all, the book is a great baseball book. Bob Costas not only knows his sports, but he has a passion for them and this book is his attempt to see baseball brought to its best. Even though it is a bit dated, I would recommend this book to any baseball fan.
Thoughtful look by a devoted fan.......2005-12-15
Kostas critiques baseball and proposes several common-sense changes. He attacks extended playoffs, and shows how the current revenue disparities make it difficult for many small-market teams to compete effectively. Kostas also calls for a combined salary cap and salary floor. Actually, a decent salary floor makes lots of sense, and probably should be applied to the minor leagues, where (unbeknownst to many) lots of players and umpires barely make enough to live on. But I was surprised by the author's call for taking the players down a notch, and the last couple years have seen some teams with modest payrolls (Minnesota, Houston, White Sox) attain success.
This is a concise and readable book, a bit dated, but clearly an intelligent look by one of baseball's most thoughtful fans.
As others have said: Costas For Commish!!!!!! NOW!!!.......2005-07-18
This book is only really slightly dated as MLB baseball is slightly different now - A) the "luxury tax" system penalizes big money teams who go over a certain limit (and the system is set up to funnel more money to the low payroll teams as the big money teams stay over the 'cap', but then some of those teams promptly mismanage those funds), and B) there is now an unbalanced schedule, where teams play division foes much more often than other teams in the league. Nevertheless, these are SMALL developments and the big problems Costas discusses still exist. So, it's still relevant. Bud, Gene, Don - read this!
Costas' passion for baseball is evident, and it's clear that he's given these problems a lot of thought. Let me move through the book and offer my thoughts on some of his thoughts.
Chapters 1 - 3 discuss the nature of the situation we are currently in (the debacle of 1993), as well as what sports leagues actually are - they are atypical organizations that rely upon quality among all participating businesses (clubs), which is qualitatively different from the capitalist model.
Chapters 4 - 7 discuss a VERY REASONABLE revenue sharing plan, together with "floor" and "ceiling" salary caps. The whole thing stands or falls on its own, and frankly, I can't see how it wouldn't work. Of course, the union probably would still sabotage it even though its benefits for the average MLB player would be much improved. What will it take for the union to agree to such a sensible plan??????
Chapters 8 - 9 discuss realignment. Thankfully, nobody is talking about 'radical re-alignment' anymore. Costas' plan is to move Houston to the AL West, thereby having 2 15 team leagues and one interleague match going on through the season. This makes sense!!!! As he puts it, why do we have to some big "Mardi Gras" of interleague play!!!! I used to mull over these realignment possibilities myself, but never thought of moving Houston over. IT is so clearly the best!!!
Chapter 10 - 11 discuss pennant races, the 'wild card' system, and Costas' alternative for playoffs (division leaders play, with the best record team getting a bye). I'm not sure I buy all of what Costas is selling here. Wild card possibilities do increase interest. And with 3 divisions, an AL East team that works its tail off, creams most of their other opponents, but still comes in second in the league should not have to sit home while some second-rate AL Central team gets in to the playoffs again. My fix to the 'wild card problem' would be to simply make the WC play all of its first round games away, at the park of the team with the best record, whether they're from the same division or not.
In Chapter 12, Costas discusses the minor issues (and they are minor issues) such as the DH, commercialism, Pete Rose, etc. Thoughtful discussion, and I agree with most of his stances.
He then concludes, and you can tell, his really is a "fan's case for baseball".
MLB - listen! Respond!
Book Description
Who was better, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays? At their peak, who was more valuable, Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams? If Jackie Robinson had been white, would he have made the Hall of Fame? Who was the greatest all-around player of the last century? Clearing the Bases tackles baseball's most intriguing questions and offers hard, sensible answers based on exhaustive research and analysis. Allen Barra, whose weekly sports column 'By The Numbers' has earned him millions of readers in The Wall Street Journal, takes on baseball's toughest arguments. 'If you love the game for what it is....step up and dig in.' -The New York Times
Customer Reviews:
A sabermatrician's wet dream.......2007-01-04
I don't participate in fantasy baseball but I do appreciate the amount of research Allen Barra has put into this book. Part of the intrigue of any sports books like this is the inevitability of more arguments, counterarguments and rebuttals. I agree with some of his points, his defense of Jackie Robinson as a Hall of Fame 2nd baseman on just his statistics, and I also disagree with some of his other arguments, like ranking Roger Clemens as the best pitcher of all time. Interesting read for all baseball fans.
If you like to think and argue about baseball, just order this now..........2005-11-04
If you are the type of person who enjoys the serious discussion of baseball comparisons...like, "Who's better: Mays or Mantle?" Or "Who's the best _____ in baseball ever?" than this is pretty much an essential purchase for you. Just go click on the order button and you'll be fine.
Barra's book is a series of short "arguments" or meditations on various subjects. Most of them are on baseball, although he tosses a few about football and basketball in at the end. They are written as if he was given a theory, and he feels compelled to provide proof or evidence of said theory.
For example, he takes on the hallowed legend of Babe Ruth, tries to break it down into comparisons which debunk some of the "myth" surrounding his legacy, and then surprisingly, ends up validating much of his greatness.
He has some interesting insights, like the segment on the 1919 Cincinnati Reds. Who knew they were so good? He has an elegant discussion comparing Joe DiMaggio with Ted Williams.
There were startling (for me) revelations and discoveries; players who I never appreciated, like Lefty Grove, Juan Marichal and Tim Raines.
His defense of Mike Schmidt as one of our all-time greats reads like a fantastic legal closing argument. You will walk away convinced that Schmidt may be one of the, if not the most, underrated baseball players ever.
The whole Mantle/Mays thing gets a bit bogged down in statistical analysis, and in the end, I came away with they were both so freaking great, we can leave it at that. I do agree that Mays isn't as revered as Mantle, and he probably should be.
The short football chapters (and one basketball missive comparing Chamberlain to Russell) at the end are interesting, but out of place. I think they're inserted to show he can write and think about other sports. Read them separately, at a later date.
There's a lot of good stuff here: an appreciation of Roger Clemens that avoid fawning, Minnie Minoso's unrecognized stature as a cultural icon, practical ideas regarding on-base percentage/average...
... what keeps this from a five-star book is that sometimes the book gets inundated in statistical gobbledygook and loses it's momentum. Don't get me wrong: I love stats and numbers like any self-respecting baseball nut. It's just that sometimes there's a bit TOO much here...but maybe this is a minor quibble.
Baseball fans will love this stuff...I sure did.
close but no championship ring there, Shula.......2005-08-19
Fascinating book but sometimes raw data needed a bit of refining. How about next time giving us something we can comprehend quickly when, say, comparing Ted Williams to Joe DiMaggio without having to pull out a calculator to figure HRs/plate appearance, or what their typical season was stat-wise, etc.?
I liked the fact he gave Juan Marichal and Minnie Minoso their due and also made a strong argument for Roger Clemens as being the equal at least of any pitcher in history. At times, though, you can see Barra has an axe to grind which is fine, but I think his arguments would work better without that slant.
I also think in any argument baseball writers have they should take into consideration post-season play. I mean, many consider statheads consider Derek Jeter to be less than the greatest thing to play SS in years but they base this ONLY on regular season stats. I'll take Jeter any day over any SS out there in the post-season....but I digress (and I'm not even a NYY fan...go figure).
I didn't quite get why we needed some basketball and football chapters in a book clearly subtitled about baseball. I enjoyed the pieces but they need to retitle the book and maybe double the size. This book really is way too short as the baseball stuff only goes to 213 pages so the stuff on other sports looks like padding to me.
A New York State of Mind.......2005-07-27
There is baseball outside of NYC but you'd never know it from this obnoxious one-sided book. Maybe if you love cute little Bob Costas you might like it...
Off base and unoriginal.......2002-08-26
Allen Barra, a terrific columnist for the Wall Street Journal and Salon, unfortunately disappoints in this book. Most of the book consists of recycled,unoriginal conclusions. Yes, most knowledgable baseball fans know Babe Ruth didn't save baseball single-handedly and was a womanizer, Mantle was a better offensive player than Mays, Ted Williams was a better hitter than Joe Dimaggio, etc... As another reviewer pointed out, most of these ideas were originally proposed by Bill James years ago. I cannot recommend this book.
Furthermore and far worse, Barra makes several factual errors in Clearing the Bases. In his misguided attempt to tear Babe Babe Ruth down, he incorrectly states that Ruth benefited from good homerun parks in Boston and New York. This is absolutely false. One thing Barra didn't learn from Bill James: Fenway Park in 1919 was a very tough homerun park. Ruth hit 20 of his 29 homers on the road. For his career Ruth had more homers on the road. I sent the author an e-mail informing him of this fact, which he has not acknowledged. Another misstatement occurs in the Lefty Grove section. Barra says that Grove missed time in 1934 because Connie Mack was overusing him. That would have been unlikely, since Grove was traded to Boston before the season and wasn't being coached by Mack that year. Barra can do better and I hope he will try again. Don't waste your time and money on this book.
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Playing with My Youngsters: Reviewing Some Ways to Gain the Trust of Young Horses
Maria Ana Beja da Costa
Manufacturer: BookSurge Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Memoirs
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ASIN: 141963948X
Release Date: 2006-07-05 |
Book Description
Maria Ana Beja da Costa's Playing with My Youngsters is a detailed guide on her effective and caring approach for breaking young horses, developed from many years of experience and training, and demonstrating how proper grooming and horsemanship are the ideal foundation for teaching horses to welcome riding.
Average customer rating:
- A Voice For a Baseball Wife
- Must Read
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Safe at Home: A Baseball Wife's Story
Sharon Hargrove , and
Richard Hauer Costa
Manufacturer: Texas a & M Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0890963762 |
Customer Reviews:
A Voice For a Baseball Wife.......2003-03-22
I have often wondered how other women handle the baseball life. I have moved three times in the past year and a half. I looked up as I was driving yesterday and couldn't remember which town I was in. Reading this book has calmed me. I gained energy just hearing the struggles the Hargroves have had to endure. Sharon is correct when she says you have to have a since of humor about it all. You have your good, your bad, and your hope. If you are a baseball wife or fan this book will open your eyes to the other side of the game.
Must Read.......2000-01-11
This book should be read by every baseball fan and by anyone else that wants a successful marriage. Plus, this is the only book written with me in it!
Book Description
The remarkable story of the season when the New York Jets, Mets, and Knicks all won championships, recounted by the players who made it happen and the fans who experienced itIn 1969 three underdog New York sports teams won World Championships. It was an unprecedented feat in the history of sports, and it helped bring the nation's largest city---and much of the country---euphoria to balance the lingering political despair of 1969. And here, in The Magnificent Seasons, is that story---a re-creation of one of the most magical periods in sports history. In reflecting on these events, what they meant then and what they still mean today, Art Shamsky, a 1969 "Miracle Met," introduces the thoughts of members of every team. Highlights include comments from Joe Namath, Tom Seaver, Bill Bradley, Yogi Berra, Emerson Boozer, Jerry Koosman, and many more. But as important as these wins were to the players and coaches who made them happen, their victories meant just as much to the city and the people who celebrated them, and Shamsky includes their perspectives through such personalities as Bob Costas, David Halberstam, Rudy Giuliani, and many other fans of the city and its sports. Together, the words and pictures within make a wonderful keepsake---a book that lets fans relive three championship runs and gives a true sense of what these sports victories meant to a country suffering through a turbulent period in its history. The words and memories of the players, their fans, and their opponents carry a tremendous emotional charge, and The Magnificent Seasons takes readers back with all the heart-stopping thrill of the time when three teams captivated the country, and when New York City ruled the sporting world.
Amazon.com
This book will help settlle all your baseball bets! A compulsive fan's dream come true, this compendium is full of the most obscure records, coincidences, and general oddities of the great American pastime. Here are a couple of trivia warm-ups: Who is the oldest player to get a hit in the majors? (Minnie Minoso of the White Sox, at age 53.) The first man to bat on television? (The Red's Billy Werber at Ebbets Field in 1939.) The best ballplayer to come out of Prague? (The great Jim Thorpe! However, please note, Thorpe was from Prague, Oklahoma.) Out of Left Field is packed full of countless historical baseball tidbits that the devoted baseball aficionado will find truly priceless.
Book Description
With an introduction by Bob Costas of NBC Sports,
Out of Left Field is the perfect book for the baseball fan who has read it all. Jeffrey and Douglas Lyons's three years of research have dug out a diamond mine of fascinating, never-before-seen gems, such as:
Themajor league team that broadcasts all of its games in London
The mother and son who both played pro ball
The .252 hitter who had an entire town named after him
The only big-leaguer directed by Alfred Hitchcock
With a question and answer format,
Out of Left Field is the one book that diehard baseball fans will savor from cover to cover.
Customer Reviews:
Out of Left Field.......2001-03-25
This book is the best baseball stat book ever! You have to know something about the game to read it though. It was printed in 1998, so not all of the facts are true, because they have been broken.
Confusion for excellence.......2000-07-07
Okay there is obviously no baseball fans that enter this website. 2 of the above 3 reviewers have absolutely no knowledge of the game. This is a fabulous book. Even though I am a close friend of Mr. Doug Lyons, there is nothing sloppy about this book. I don't know what that "western reader" is talking about. This is one of the best researched books I've ever read. It is so interesting and has so many interesting facts in it. Maybe you should give this book another chance, and buy the sequel which is coming out soon. Only real baseball fans get this book. If you are not one, then don't bother!
Very Sloppy Work.......2000-01-27
In addition to the several glaring errors mentioned in the two earlier customer reviews, I'd like to point out that Paul Molitor is not the only designated hitter to score more than 100 runs in a season Edgar Martinez did it three times, including two seasons of 121 runs, which is more than Molitor ever achieved in the DH slot.
Uninformed, misleading and lazily researched books like this only give baseball publishing a bad reputation.
3 base error.......1999-07-23
This book is so filled with errors that the authors and editor should be ashamed. Some of the more glaring examples: they identify Gene Conley as the only man to play on a NBA and MLB championship team in the same city - Boston. While Conley did play on a world series winner it was the Milwaukee Braves in '57 - not the Boston Braves who left that city in '53. He did play for the NBA winning Celtics a little later. They also state that all world series games were played between 1947 and 1956 in New York City. They fail to remember that the famous Philadelphia Phillies Whiz Kids were in the '50 series. Those are just two of many unpardonable errors which riddle this book. An old fashioned editor with a little knowledge of baseball is needed. I hope Mr. Lyons, esq. is not as sloppy in his legal briefs as he was in compiling this mess.
Something here ain't kosher........1998-05-06
This is another boonie dog book review from Wolfie and Kansas. While there is no canine angle to "Out of Left Field" by Jeffrey and Douglas Lyons, we have noted in prior reviews that we like to read books about humans playing fetch. On the whole, "Out of Left Field" is well above average for baseball trivia books. However, we are posting this review to show that even boonie dogs can catch an error if it is obvious enough.
Lyons and Lyons assert that Al Rosen, the 1953 AL MVP, was the first Jewish MVP. Hank Greenberg once said, "When you're playing, awards don't seem like much. Then you get older and all of it becomes more precious. It is nice to be remembered." Lyons and Lyons were not nice to the memory of the Hall of Famer and war hero who won the AL MVP award in 1935 and 1940.
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- Chicken Soup for the Woman Golfer's Soul: Stories About Trailblazing Women Who've Changed the Game Forever (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
- Cisco ASA: All-in-One Firewall, IPS, and VPN Adaptive Security Appliance (Networking Technology)
- Crime Scene Photography
- Dead Run: The Untold Story of Dennis Stockton and America's Only Mass escape from Death Row
- Different Brains, Different Learners: How to Reach the Hard to Reach
- Divine Nobodies: Shedding Religion to Find God (and the unlikely people who help you)
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