Book Description
What would legendary Boston Celtics coach and 16-time NBA champion Red Auerbach say is the most critical quality for a person to be successful? Would his advice differ from 10-time NCAA championship coach John Wooden's? What would each say to a young person just starting out in pursuit of their dreams? What is the best advice they were ever given?
It took author Christian Klemash more than two years of research, persistence, and original interviews, but now he's ready to pass on the best advice you'll ever get. Only the rare individual has had the opportunity to pick the brain of just one legendary sports coach—let alone thirty-four of the best sports coaches of all time. Klemash gives sports fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn valuable life lessons from the most famous, intelligent, and victorious coaches ever. The legends span the sports world, from gold medal-winning gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and three-time college football championship coach Tom Osborne to four-time World Series-winning baseball manager Joe Torre and hall-of-fame boxing trainer Angelo Dundee.
These coaches know how to teach top athletes about character and winning, how to manage pressure at crunch time, and how to bring out the best in their players when it matters most. How to Succeed in the Game of Life shares their insights into sports, life, and the most vital keys to sustain success.Featuring Exclusive Interviews with:
Red Auerbach, 16-time NBA World Champion
Bobby Bowden, College Football's All-Time Winningest Coach, 2-time National Champion
Scotty Bowman, 9-time Stanley Cup Champion
Bill Cowher, Super Bowl Champion
Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Champion
Dan Gable, 15-time NCCA Champion
April Heinrichs, Gold Medal Winning Coach of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team
Bela Karolyi, The World’s Greatest Gymnastics Coach
Bill Parcells, 2-time Super Bowl Champion
Emanuel Steward, Boxing Trainer of 30 World Champions
Joe Torre, 4-time World Series Champion
Bill Walsh, 3-time Super Bowl Champion
Lenny Wilkens, NBA’s All-Time Winningest Coach, NBA Champion
John Wooden, 10-time NCAA Champion
And More!
Customer Reviews:
A Great Read.......2007-08-26
Wow!Could not put it down.An extraordinay self help book.Gave it to my kids they loved it.Don't miss this one
What a great read!.......2007-07-25
I took it on vacation with me and I couldn't put it down. A great book for aspiring athletes and coaches as well as your average Joe who works 9-5. The coaches discuss a variety of topics from their childhood to how they motivate their players. Any easy read for all ages.
Game of life.......2007-07-24
I've read through Game of Life and I enjoyed it very much. There are so many things to take from this book, not just into sports, but also some reflections on life. I would recommend this book to everybody.
Coaching advise from athletic coaches.......2007-06-27
A fun read, especially if yoiu're a sports fan. I read it in search of things that would help my own ability as a coach in my company. Much of it is light stuff but the easy read makes it fun nonetheless and there are few golden nuggets laced throughout the book.
Overcome Adversity.......2007-04-12
Anyone looking for inspiration, either for their own life or to share with others, will find a gold mine of quotes here. This book isn't just for sports fans.
Book Description
In Game of My Life: 20 Stories of Yankees Baseball, everyone from stars to supersubs offers personal stories revealing the obstacles they had to overcome in order to succeed on sports' biggest stage. Some of the biggest names to ever don the pinstripes are captured in personal portraits here, from Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera to Don Mattingly, Reggie Jackson, Ron Guidry, and all the way back to Yogi Berra and Tommy Henrich, the first Yankee to grow up dreaming of the big ballpark in the Bronx. Along with taking readers behind the scenes of the greatest moments in Yankees history--from Bucky Dent's home run to David Wells's perfect game--the book offers a glimpse of what helped the stars reach their peak. Jorge Posada made up for the dream his father lost as a political prisoner in Cuba. Ron Guidry hunted from the time he was a boy to help his hard-working father put food on the table. Mel Stottlemyre, who lost a son to leukemia, picked a seemingly meaningless regular-season game because "my boys didn't think I could do it." Joe Torre first started organizing games in the park as he took refuge from his "bully" of a father. Don Mattingly recounts the thrill of proving he could perform on the October stage and the decision to walk away from the game without a World Series ring so he could spend time with his family. Reggie Jackson details his difficulty in adjusting to the Yankees, from his battles with Billy Martin to his eventual triumph in making World Series history. Award-winning writer Dave Buscema, who covers the Yankees on a regular basis, paints a personal picture of the Yankees' biggest stars and captures the joy of those who rose from obscurity to history. The game accountsspark memories of the most exciting moments in Yankees history. The players personal stories show that, for many of them, the "Game of My Life" was often about more than just a game.
Customer Reviews:
Brian Doyle, Yankee, review.......2005-10-11
Very entertaining because I have been associated with Brian Doyle for 45 years. The author, Dave, wrote that Brian was from Cave City, KS not KY. Although very entertaining it contained grammatical errors which bother a former school teacher. When I looked past those and realized Dave was using "interview" - "newspaper" style I really enjoyed the book. It contained personal insights into each "character" or ball player. They are a strange breed unto themselves.
Good stories, but...........2005-03-31
As a baseball fan reading this book and not particularly a Yankee fan I found it an enjoyable read that invites a question and a comment.
How do you write a book about individual Yankees and omit Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris? I would think that even current Yankee players who might read this would be surprised by that.
The book was written pre-2004 and several ties mention was made of "The Curse" (over the Red sox) staying in place. Considering "The Curse" obviously didn't work the season after the book was written, that tends to cancel out some of the obvious obnoxious Yankee fan statements in the book. The author shows that attitude of "Well, he's not a Yankee so he's not the best player at his position". Typical.
Buscema Scores Big!!! A Must-have for Yankee fans.......2005-02-19
This book was really a treat for my family and I, Yankee fans for our entire lives. Just re-living the great names, moments and games that Buscema described made the book worth reading, but the inside scoops and exclusive interviews made it awesome. Buscema is also clearly a sports fanatic and a skillful storyteller. Recommended to one and all.
Joseph
A superb giftbook for baseball fans in general.......2004-12-13
Game Of My Life: 20 Stories Of Yankees Baseball brings together personal testimonies of 20 of the greatest Yankees baseball players. In their own words, big names such as Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Reggie Jackson and more tell of the tension, the severe training, the little frustrations and the indefinable rewards that come with life in professional sports. Black-and-white photographs pepper this superb giftbook for baseball fans in general, and Yankees fan especially.
Book Description
Sixteen-year-old Matthew McGough was a fairly typical teenager, obsessed with getting through high school, girls, and baseball, not necessarily in that order. His passion for the New York Yankees was absolute, complete with a poster of his hero, Yankees first baseman Don Mattingly, hanging on his bedroom wall. Despite having no connections whatsoever with the ballclub, Matt dreamed of sitting in the dugout with the fabled Bronx Bombers. So, in the Fall of 1991, he wrote a letter in his very best penmanship to the New York Yankees asking for a position as a bat boy.
Miraculously, he got the job, and on April 7, 1992, Matt walked into the madness of the Yankee clubhouse on Opening Day. And there was Don Mattingly, Donnie Baseball himself, asking him to run an errand, an errand which soon induced panic in the rookie bat boy. Thus began two years of adventures and misadventures—from the perils of chewing tobacco while playing catch with the centerfielder, to being set up on a date by the bullpen, to studying for a history exam at 3:00 a.m. at Yankee Stadium, to his own folly as Matt gradually forgets he’s not a baseball star, he’s a high school student.
BAT BOY captures the lure and beauty of the American pastime, but much more it is a tale of what happens to a young man when his fondest dream comes true. Matthew McGough wonderfully evokes that twilight time just before adulthood, ripe with possibility, foolishness, and hard-won knowledge.
Customer Reviews:
READ THIS BOOK!!!!.......2007-06-09
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.
Must read!.......2007-04-17
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.
Must read........2007-03-19
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.
Good read for Yankee fans.......2006-03-01
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.
A Book for All Seasons.......2005-08-04
I didn't know I was a baseball fan until I read this book. Matthew McGough conveys the beauty of the game with such humor and heart, I feel an urge to actually go to a game myself -- but even more than that, I want to read more Matt McGough! This is an exquisitely written and observed book about growing up -- elegant, hilarious, smart and assured, it's a big-hearted look at the game of life, and I laughed, cried, and stomped my feet. Now I want more. I'm back on-line to score copies for freinds and family -- this is a wonderful read for young and old, sports fans and sports phobics. It's a great book to share with a circle of people of all ages, inspiring one's own youthful memories and family tales to be told together over hot dogs, beer and lemonade. Don't miss this one -- it belongs on your shelves for generations to read over the years.
Book Description
Tug McGraw's "Ya Gotta Believe!" was the rallying cry of the 1973 New York Mets. But it was also the rallying cry of the screwy left-handed relief pitcher who made millions of fans believe in the impossible, especially when-as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies-he struck out Kansas City's Willie Wilson to win the 1980 World Series. Here is the story of a man who rose to fame, fell from grace, battled cancer, and became a champion not just in baseball, but in life.
Customer Reviews:
Become a believer and then hooked on the book.......2007-09-12
I grew up a Met fan in the 70's but his career in NY was a bit vague to me. I knew him better down the pike in Philly while unfortunately having to root against him. I learned so much about him while turning every page and he made me laugh and later brought me close to tears. The book was splended and showed many of his peaks and valleys, reminded me and informed me of his baseball career. Its often said that "this (one) is unique," but Tug truly was one-of-a-kind and apparently a joy to many. The adversity he experienced was wide-spread and unfortunately it may've trickled down to his children, specifically the now renown, Tim McGraw. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone, especially those that knew him during his sports career; the final 100 pages were riveting as you get a front row seat at his final months riding a bad roller-coaster.
I will always Believe.......2006-07-03
First off I will admit to no small amount of prejucice when it comes to this book. I have been a Phillies fan since the 1970's and was a huge fan of Tug Mc Graw's growing up. In saying this perhaps this book had a deeper effect on me than the average person as I was aware of a lot of the events that Tug relates in this narrative of his life. What I was not aware of was his incredible courage while he was fighting this illness and the amazing warmth and generosity of his son, C&W star Tim Mc Graw. I feel you have to have grown up as part of Tug's generation to understand his motivations and behaviors. I am not saying that excuses the mistakes he made but it did help me to understand the WHY of what he did. In addition it made me appreciate all the more the courage it took him to admit those mistakes and the effort he put forth trying to correct them. This is an extremely moving and emotional tale with tremendous highs and lows and should effect everyone who reads it. Also this is an incredibly honest insight into the psyche of professional athletes in the 70's and 80's. Highly recommended for its' passion and honesty.
Explains the life of a baseball player in the 70's.......2005-12-07
Tug McGraw has had a shameful life story that not many people have known about. He had done some very bad things like neglecting his son, country singer Tim McGraw, because he refused to believe that he was his son. When he was dying he forgave everybody and was nice to all of his relatives, and admitted to all of the wrong things he did. He really showed that he was sorry for everything and he would have changed a lot if he could.
I was truly impressed by how he handled everything when he was dying. He is definitely an amazing man, in more than one way.
He had many family-related problems that he got through. He was a little crazy too, but a motivational speaker really got him to the World Series by telling him, "Ya Gotta Believe!"
A crazy and honest ride.......2005-05-19
Tug McGraw was a bonafide original. From his thigh slap to his screwball to his love of a good time, Tug did things his way. But as he says during the book, sometimes his way was the selfish way. The most compelling part of the book for me was him discussing his relationship with his son Tim. From refusing to acknowledge his fatherhood to completely ignoring him (other than one visit in Houston) to finally coming around and taking responsibilty for himself and his son.
That's a main theme in this book, taking responsibility. Unlike his ex-teammate Pete Rose who seemingly blamed everyone under the sun for his problems other than himself, Tug steps up and admits his mistakes. He says that he was not a good husband or father. He was determined not to make the same mistakes with his youngest son Matthew. His children all rallied around him as he battled brain cancer.
Sadly this story doesn't have a happy ending as Tug passes away in January of 2004, a month before this book was released. The final chapter of this book is very touching as Don Yaeger describes Tug's final days. This book shows that it's never too late to say you're sorry and it's never too late to make things right. An excellent book, highly recommended.
Great Read.......2004-11-03
Wow! I'm not a baseball fan, or a Tug McGraw fan for that matter, but I read this book in a day. I love, love, love Tug's son Tim McGraw and it was amazing to read how Tug treated his children, Tim especially and they way Tim loved Tug so unconditionally-even paying for his medical bills, rent, furnishing a home for his father and spending hours on end just holding Tug's hand in Tug's final days. It makes me an even bigger fan of Tims. Tug's own childhood/family life was heartbreaking to read about, as well. The baseball parts were interesting, but not very exciting for me, as I am not a big fan of the sport, but baseball fans will definitely enjoy this book.
There are some great pictures in the book also.
Customer Reviews:
The Truth Will Set You Free.......2005-07-05
I am reluctant to give and am usually suspicious of gushy, mushy reviews about books, but I have to make an exception for this extraordinary book mostly because of the risk that Bouton and his courageous friends were willing to make to their families' personal risk and financial future. I was also delighted by the details of the interchanges between the unstoppable guys and their pragmatic wives. And the support they gave each other. As with all of Bouton's books the story that is told is much more inclusive of our society as a whole than the mere retelling of a particular episode in the lives of teams whether in Seattle or in Pittsfield, MA. They are really books about what 1)we value as a society, 2)about our need for idolatry with sports persons, and 3)With the amount of denial we want or need to maintain our personal self-images. If someone needs a bogus hero-worship identity to maintain their self-esteem then they should not blame or demonize the people who show them a mirror. They should look clearly in the mirror and take responsibilty for their own lives rather than living vicariously.
Ballpark stays while city decays.......2005-02-15
As a resident of Pittsfield and a fan of baseball I fully supported building the new stadium. Pittsfield is awash in drugs, crime and economic stagnation. A new stadium would have brought in a new minor league franchise, a venue for concerts and other sorts of activities. In the end a great thing for Pittsfield. But thanks to Jim Bouton and other non residents (or part time "summer" berkshire residents) the initiative was defeated, Wahconah park was never renovated it can't attract any minor league teams because it is so far under code it is helpless. So now it sits there unused and decaying like the rest of our once great town.
Thanks alot Jim.
Great Book - Read It.......2005-01-21
I couldn't put this one down and read the entire book on one long day of traveling cross country. The book is about a lot of things. Love for the game of baseball, if not the business of baseball. What kind of crooked nonsense goes on in thousands of small towns across the US every day with bogus politicians defying the will of the people they are supposedly there to serve. How companies that screw all of us somehow convince people and politicians that they are looking out for our best interests. But most of all, this book is about the absolute need all American citizens have for a free press, and a free press that is intelligent, well-informed, willing to take risks, and willing to do its damm job. When the press rolls over, there really is no hope of outing the kinds of crooks and morons Bouton smokes out. It's a very compelling read and I comend Bouton for writing it (even if his originally publisher wimped out).
You will pull your hair out.......2004-04-10
This book is Erin Brockovich, the Insider, It's a Wonderful Life, A Civil Action, and Field of Dreams all rolled into one awesome book. I just read this in two days. It is both fantastic and infuriating. I am so mad I want to go up to Pittsfield and shoot some of these people. The situation faced by Bouton is so frustrating; yet this kind of behavior goes on every day all over America. The book is both inspiring and discouraging. It makes me want to go full bore for a similar cause; but it also reinforces what I already know: That it's almost impossible to change anything. But this book has an unknown (at the time of publishing) happy ending. Read the book and then check out Bouton's www.foulball.com for the latest news. Anyway, this is an absolute must read for ANY AMERICAN. You don't have to be a baseball fan, or even know what a bunt is to appreciate it.
A Great Book.......2004-02-18
For years, I'd always intended (and still do intend) to read Bouton's classic baseball book, "Ball Four." But I hadn't even heard of his new book until I received it as a Christmas gift from my father. "Foul Ball" is not simply a great book for people who love baseball and what makes the game so wonderful (hint: it's not skyboxes or retractable roofs). It's one of those rare books that takes a relatively small story (small-town corruption and greed) and ends up revealing an awful lot about human nature (mostly bad, some good). Bouton's voice is very engaging--once you read the first few pages of the Intro, he's got you, and you're in it for the long haul. And the story is as compelling a drama as it is an unbelievable tale of the lengths some people will go to line their own pockets or grab a little bit of power--as well as the lengths the author and his partner will go to try to do the right thing.
I was particulary interested to read Bouton's account (in the Epilogue) of how his original publisher, Public Affairs, jerked him around at the eleventh hour. As an editor and author who has worked in book publishing for the past 10 years, I was disgusted by the behavior of his editor and publisher, whose actions were inexcusable.
I would highly recommend "Foul Ball" to anyone interested in baseball, the media (particulary local media in smaller markets), or the ways that big business can corrupt public affairs and discourse. It's a great read, and even though it sheds light on some dark and disturbing aspects of American society, you feel good knowing that there are people like Jim Bouton, and his friend and partner, out there fighting the good fight.
Average customer rating:
- Non Fiction
- The Greatest
- Must Read for "Bird" Fans
- Book review for Drive
- Lacks the "wow" factor.
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Drive: The Story of My Life
Larry Bird
Manufacturer: Bantam
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My Life
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I May Be Wrong but I Doubt It
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ASIN: 0553287583
Release Date: 1990-10-01 |
Book Description
"Of all the people I play against, the only one I truly fear is Larry Bird."--Magic Johnson, from the Foreword.
The heart and soul of a champion: his life, his career, his game. To understand basketball, you have to understand Larry Bird. Arguably the greatest all-around player the game has ever known, he led the Boston Celtics from the basement to three world championships, collecting three NBA Most Valuable Player awards along the way. Yet, despite these massive accomplishments, Bird has rarely talked to the press, and much about the man has remained a mystery. Now in Drive, the long-silent superstar sets the record straight, revealed a side of himself-and of basketball-you've never see before. Inside, you'll learn Bird's most private feelings about: The momentous decision to transfer from Bobby Knight's Indiana University to Indiana State. The heartbreak of his father's suicide and his own failed marriage. The single-minded discipline that tumed a small-town hero into a national superstar. The Boston Garden and the legendary Celtic charm. The Isiah Thomas controversy and the fierce Celtic-Laker rivalry. The great players of the NBA: including Magic Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan, and much more. here is the book that puts a basketball legend-and his game-on the line. And scores!
Customer Reviews:
Non Fiction.......2007-09-03
It is quite likely that this bloke from absolutely nowheresville Indiana's picture would be next to a dictionary that had an entry that said 'White Men Can't Jump'. If you can do everything else though, you can win a lot, and even get some of those Championship type ornaments to hang in your stadium and about your preosn.
The Greatest.......2007-06-12
This is the story of a person who is one of the greatest players of all time, Larry Bird. He grew up in the small town of French Lick, Indiana. He came from a very poor family of six. His mother was a hard worker and took care of the family. Larry's father, Joe, worked for little money at a shoe company. This was hard for Larry, but it got worse. His father committed suicide when he is young, which forces his mother to work two jobs.
Larry didn't always love basketball. His first love was baseball. He also liked football, but these two sports didn't work for him, so he decided to play basketball. Larry didn't really start liking basketball until his sophomore year, but then he starts to live for the sport. His high school coach helped him improve his skills and during Larry's junior and senior year he goes to the state championship. After high school Larry goes to Indiana State University, where, during his senior year, they go to the NCAA championship to face Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Unfortunately, Larry lost in the most watched final ever.
My favorite part of the book is the Foreword by Magic Johnson because it explains how Larry Bird changed the game of basketball forever.
This book is similar to with other sports biographies. It shows how Larry worked hard to get where he is similar to Bo Knows Bo by Bo Jackson. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys sports and is a fan of Larry Bird
Must Read for "Bird" Fans.......2006-07-06
A great and truly under-rated sports book. Bob Ryan (the actual writer) is a long-time Boston Globe columnist and a terriffic writer. He captures the essence of Larry Bird, from his childhood to his journey through high school and college to his emergence as both a basketball legend in the NBA and a larger-than-life sports hero in Boston. You may like this book even if you don't care for basketball. You will definitely enjoy this book if you area a hoops fan. And if you are a Larry Bird fan and you haven't read this book... shame on you!
Book review for Drive.......2006-01-25
Book review on Drive
Dedication, spirit, and heart are some of the words you can use to describe Larry Bird. Larry is a small boy growing up in the rural town of French Lick, Indiana. He never thought that one game of basketball would change the course of history and send him on the road to stardom. This book takes you on a journey inside the game and the life of an N.b.a. superstar. I recommend this book to basketball fans of all ages.
The combined themes of sadness and irony make this a great and unique novel. An example of irony is when Larry enrolled at Indiana University. He spent less than a month there then hitch hiked back to French Lick. An example of sadness happened when Larry was 19 years old. His father committed suicide so his family could have the money from his life insurance.
There were many characters that Larry talks about in his book. He talks about his first basketball coach Jim Jones who taught him the fundamentals of the game. He talks about his siblings Mike, Mark, Linda, Jeff, and Eddie. He talks about his teammates Kevin McHale and Robert Parish. He even talks about his opponents (Ervin Johnson, Moses Malone, Julius Erving, and James Worthy to name a few).
When he played in the N.B.A., he traveled across the country playing basketball. Therefore, their were many settings in this book. The main setting was Indiana. It was very hot there and most of the men around where he lived were farmers. Another main setting was Boston, Mass.
I recommend this book to any basketball fan wanting to know about the game. This book brings you closer to the game and shows you the life of a basketball star. The main lesson in this book is that nothing comes easy in life. It's hard to realize how much work it takes to become successful. Read this book and you'll find out.
Lacks the "wow" factor........2006-01-14
This book is a good read about one of the greatest players to ever lace 'em up, but....it reads more like a review of his basketball career rather than a true look inside the man Larry Bird. It's a must read for any Bird or Celtic fan and would be a great addition to any personal library.
Book Description
More than 30 former and current Atlanta Braves players celebrate the extraordinary moments that have shaped the franchise's rich heritage, which includes a major league record 14 straight divisional titles.
Book Description
Now available for the first time in years, My Turn at Bat is Ted Williams' own story of his spectacular life and baseball career.
An acclaimed best-seller, My Turn at Bat now features new photographs and, for the first time, Ted's reflections on his managing career and the state of baseball as it is played in the 1980s. It's all here in this brilliant, honest and sometimes angry autobiography -- Williams' childhood days in San Diego, his military service, his unforgettable major league baseball debut and ensuing Hall of Fame career that included two Triple Crowns, two Most Valuable Player awards, six batting championships, five Sporting News awards as Major League Player of the Year, 521 lifetime homeruns and a .344 career batting average. And Williams tells his side of the controversies, from his battles with sportswriters and Boston fans to his single World Series performance and his career with the declining Red Sox of the 1950s.
My Turn at Bat belongs in the library of everyone who loves Ted Williams, baseball, or great life stories well-told.
Red Barber proclaimed My Turn at Bat to be: "One of the best baseball books I've ever read." John Leonard of The New York Times said My Turn at Bat was "unbuttoned and wholly engaging...the portrait of an original who is unrepentant about being better than anyone else."
Customer Reviews:
From the hip.......2007-05-14
In his autobiography, legendary Ted Williams details his illustrious career in baseball with a wide spectrum of human emotions. From passion to disparity, Williams tells it like it is.
He blasts sports writers for their one sidedness's and fabrications, talks highly and respectful of many managers, players and close friends, and above all he talks baseball...especially hitting.
Losing nearly six years to military service and injuries, there is a strong possibility that Williams would have set even more incredible records.
A strong-willed reflection of his life in his own words. It's as if you have Ted right there in your own home and listening directly to the greatest hitter of all time.
Good Hot Stove League.......2005-12-17
"My Turn at Bat" is a biography of the late Ted Williams, slugging left fielder for the Boston Red Sox from 1939-1960. MYB is very pleasant and easy reading. The tone is conversational, as if there were no ghostwriter. The reader might almost believe Ted is present in the room. There are few surprises. The tale unfolds in linear fashion from TWs childhood through his career-ending homer against young Jack Fisher of the Orioles. The reader of "a certain age" will be reintroduced to some old friends both on the Bosox and other teams: Del Baker, Joe Cronin, Lou Boudreau, Dom Di Maggio, Bobby Doerr, Billy Goodman, Pinky Higgins, Jim Tabor and TWs favorite manager, Marse Joe McCarthy are all here. TW makes his love for fishing quite clear. Those salmon in New Brunswick's Miramichi River must be wonderful! There are some negatives: The spacing of the paragraphs makes reading a challenge and the chapters are oddly sequenced. MTB has a patched together undertone. These flaws are not fatal; they are listed here for the record. There is also a sense of melancholy to MTB. This reviewer always thought TW gave that vibe in his final years. It seemed TW would leave a game early for no apparent reason. In fact TW lost the 1954 and 1955 batting titles due to insufficient times at bat and he never did achieve 3,000 hits. Something was going on there. Perhaps it was the 5 (!) seasons lost to military service. If TW had those seasons back, he would own the record book. The final word on MTB remains positive. The only major warning label might be that the potential audience is limited. Fans with little curiosity concerning the TW era may be disappointed. Hardcore Bosox fans or those who remember Ted from the good old days should pounce.
My Turn at Bat!!!!.......2005-08-12
My turn at bat!!!!
by:TED WILLIAMS....
This book refers to a kid whose dreams were to become a ballplayer.As any kid he always kept the hope that one day he would have made his dreams come true. One of his opportunities came while he was playing ball with his friends in a field near to his house. He used to play baseball almost every single day.
He was told by his friend that he had a lot of abilities at bat. From that day he thought that becoming a famous player could be easier than he thought. He spoke to his father that he wanted to be a ballplayer. That's how he started getting into this sport.
He played for his school team by couples of times and then he joined one of the major national baseball leagues. After becoming a famous ballplayer it was not easier than he thought. He went through a lot of difficulties ,but he never gave up on his dreams. He could count on his father who helped him as much as he could to realize his son's dreams.
This story is very similar to story of Roberto Clemente,who was a legendary figure as a player.Both of them played the game with passion.
I would like to recommend this book to someone who thinks that dreams do not come true. Because i do belive if you put effort on something that you do love, and are interested in, it would make you change your mind, because it would help you to believe in yourself and keep your hopes and never and ever stpo thinking that you are not able to do it, Also ages between 15 and 20 could read this book,it contains a good vocabulary for those who are taking English as a second languaje...
A Hall of Fame book by one of the greatest Hall of Famers.......2003-03-28
The story is an entertaining look at Williams' career as a ballplayer, fisherman and ex ball player. It talks about his strange career with the Red Sox fans that would boo him in spite of his brilliant hitting. His study of the game, especially batting and dedication to being a near perfect hitter is a pretty good insight into why the booing bothered him so much and led to some bad displays of resentment by him to the fans. The spitting incidents and the time he accidentally threw a bat into the stands and hit a lady spectator on the head are well covered. His resentment toward most sportswriters is a continuation of his reaction to the reception he received in Boston. It's a large contrast to the welcome given to Joe DiMaggio in New York and the rivalry between Williams and DiMaggio is covered too. In later years, Williams mellowed and so did the fans so that their relationship was a good one. One wonders what kind of statistics Williams would have had if he had not missed five years in the military service, being a pilot in World War II and in Korea. One of his statistics that I don't often see mentioned is the fact that he is one of only two players to win the Triple Crown twice.
Besides being a "Hall of Fame" ball player, Ted Williams was also a hall of fame fisherman and there is a lot of fishing talked about in the book.
Ted Williams was definitely one of Baseball's greatest hitters and an individualist, plus being quite a character. This book gives a good insight into these things in his "own words". It should be a must for any baseball fan.
Complex personality.......2003-03-13
First, a quick qualifier: the four stars is for "My Turn at Bat" as a baseball book. Unlike "The Boys of Summer," for example, it is not also a literary gem, nor, I suspect, was it intended to be.
That said, Williams and his collaborator, the fine writer John Underwood, achieve a peppery tone in the book that one certainly heard in Williams's voice when he spoke out after his baseball life. Williams's language is rich and funny and-especially when he speaks about baseball writers-sometimes bitter.
The book paints a vivid picture of Williams's childhood in San Diego which, he says, included countless hours playing ball in backyards and city parks. Ted is at pains later in the book to point out that his enormous success as a hitter came from this constant practice, not as a result of his keen eyesight, which was the subject of much legend.
The book also brings to life the storied Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, which of course produced a lopsided advantage in favor of the New Yorkers during Williams's career. You feel his frustration when he discusses the final-game loss to the Yankees in 1949 that ended the Red Sox season and the team's subsequent decline over the remainder of his career. That loss came after his poor showing in the 1946 World Series-the only one of his career-and a season-ending playoff loss to the Indians in 1948.
These frustrations and his vicious battles with the press bring out the human side of Ted, important because as a hitter he seemed to most in a world of his own. To his credit, he doesn't dwell unduly on his achievements, but to ignore the magnitude of them is impossible: only one season below .300, 521 career home runs, an incredible on-base percentage, and so on. The humanity is also revealed in his description of his final at-bat (which resulted in a home run). Despite his emotion, he was unable, he says, to acknowledge the crowd (famously commented on in an essay by John Updike) despite its clamoring and the urging of his teammates to take an extra turn in the spotlight. Not my way, the Splendid Splinter says.
A final section of the book is also very interesting for Williams's comments on the secrets of hitting and his recommendations for improving the game. Some of the latter are timely for the game today: he urges hitters and pitchers to work more quickly, and he advocated before its adoption the use of a designated hitter. Personally I don't find that to have been one of baseball's shining ideas, but he certainly was foresighted.
If you're looking for much on Ted's personal life, look elsewhere, but as a fine read for the student of baseball, "My Turn at a Bat" should get a turn with the reader.
Book Description
Long-time Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell tells his favorite baseball stories. This is a collection of columns originally published in the Detroit Free Press.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent.......2006-11-20
Although some of the stories have been written before and many heard on Ernie's broadcasts, it an absolute must for any Detroit Tiger fan from the 1960's to early 1990's (like me)!
Ernie Harwell is a treasure.......2004-04-03
Ernie Harwell is treasured by all Detroit Tigers baseball fans. For many of us, it is his voice we associate with listening to ballgames on summer evenings. Well, Mr. Harwell was also a writer. During the 1990s he wrote a short column for the Free Press over the years. The columns are only a few hundred words each, but they are keen observations of the team and the sport. While the columns come from the 90s, he makes observations and tells stories from many decades. They are quite interesting, well written, and easy to read. They sound like the kind of thing he would say through the mike if he had a few minutes to fill with his thoughts.
Some of these columns have been used elsewhere, but this is still a volume worth having if you are a Harwell fan and fan of the Tigers. The longer you have followed the Tigers the more his stories will mean as they bring back memories of players and games. I am glad to have it on my shelf.
Recycling Pays -- But Not for the Reader........2001-12-29
A collection of very short (typically less than 250-word) light riffs on baseball and broadcasting from this Hall of Fame radio play-by-play giant -- some are vaugely interesting, but don't expect any of gee-whiz insights into the game you'd hope for from a broadcaster of Harwell's pedigree.
Disturbingly about 25% of this book contains reprints of stories and articles from his other two books. This is particularly galling considering this is such a slim large-print effort to begin with.
ernie harwell: stories from my life in baseball.......2001-05-04
Mr. Harwell's book consist on many short stories that were printed for the detroit press. Most were very fascinating. Some of the stories he has covered in his other books. ernie makes everyone feel as if they are at the park with him. he is very nice in public when i talked to him about the book. he even took time to autograph the book. all in all, a very good book.
Average customer rating:
- Great book
- Does he tell the truth?
- One big story, with a million entertaining substories.
- A LOOK AT A LEGEND
- a must read for a true baseball fan
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My Life in Baseball: The True Record
Ty Cobb , and
Al Stump
Manufacturer: Bison Books
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0803263597 |
Amazon.com
One of sports literature's great whitewashes and cover-ups, Ty Cobb's autobiography is anything but the "true record" of its titular claim. Cobb was as haunted and complex a man as has ever sharpened a pair of spikes, and, in his 70s, when he sat down to tell his story, he simply didn't want the whole of his truth revealed; he preferred to perpetuate his legend. What results, then, is a flawed fairy tale filled with colorful anecdotes and reminiscences that duck the demons that fueled Cobb's inspired play like a pitcher trying to hide from a line drive smashed in the direction of his eyeballs.
Interestingly, the story behind the book is far more raucous and compelling than the book itself. Cobb, as violent and demanding at the end of his life as he was in his playing heyday, virtually kidnapped Stump (one of the most honored sports writers of the late '50s and early '60s), subjecting almost every word and observation to Cobb's approval. Stump finally exacted his literary pound of flesh years later when he slid spikes high into Cobb's ghost with the publication of his marvelously rich--and real--accounting of Cobb's life in Cobb: A Biography. Stump not only nicked the fuzz off the Georgia Peach in that second effort, he recounted the harrowing circumstances behind the first. Together, the two books provide a fascinating prism into a man's life and legacy, the first volume bending the light to diffuse the truth, the second straightening it out to preserve it. --Jeff Silverman
Customer Reviews:
Great book.......2006-02-14
This book is great Ty Cobb teaches you all of his secrets and relationships between other players in his time he even picks his all time team that he would go against anyone today and he said he would beat anyone with his all time team I think he probably would
This book is a must for a Cobb fan and a must if you are a baseball fan
Does he tell the truth?.......2004-05-03
I think that this book was very well-written. Cobb seems like a smart man who was ahead of his time when it came to baseball. He comes across as a very bitter guy though... of course Ty was in his 70s at the time and oldtimer athletes always seem that way. Complaining about how the game has changed to be horrible and such. Its always cool to get an insider look at pro sports and athletes tho , and while i feel he didn't always tell the whole truth, I think it was a good book overall. Especially if you are a baseball history dork like me. i give it 4 out of 5.
One big story, with a million entertaining substories........2003-08-20
I really enjoyed reading this book. It was the first book about Cobb that I had ever read; before that, he was just a name and statistics to me.
The overarcing story of this book is Ty Cobb's career in baseball, with a little bit about his life before and a few flashes into his life after. Now, it would be easy to sum up a career in baseball with several numbers, a few game highlights, etc. But that is not what you'll find in this book. What you'll find is a ton of short, 5-10 paragraph interludes about almost every big name in baseball from the 1905-1928 period... and even big names elsewhere. Ty Cobb was fortunate enough to have interacted with everyone from actors to presidents to business executives, and he has humorous angles on each of them. I actually laughed out loud several times while reading this book at the way he portrayed various people.
In a lot of ways, reading this book is almost like listening to your grandfather tell stories of his adventures and his friends in his youth. Except it's not your grandfather, it's Ty Cobb, telling stories of the Golden Age of Baseball, and his friends were legends like Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Connie Mack, Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance, Nap Lajoie, and others who may also simply be names in the Hall of Fame to you. Cobb's stories bring life to long-dead names, color to old black-and-white photos. Most of us have only heard legends of those early parks, players, pennants, pitches, pundits. Cobb was there. And through reading his story, it almost feels like you were there, too.
While I've read other reviews that say this book hides the Dark Side of Ty Cobb, I don't think that is entirely true. He definitely talks about some ways he treated people, such as Shoeless Joe Jackson, that makes you realize that at his core he was a man who would stop at nothing to win.
It doesn't matter if you like Ty Cobb or hate Ty Cobb. If you want to hear some great baseball stories, read this book.
A LOOK AT A LEGEND.......2003-07-20
TY COBB TELLS OF HIS LIFE AND CAREER IN THIS INTERESTING STORY. I FOUND HIS SIDE OF THE STORY TO BE VERY REFRESHING. HE CERTAINLY IS NO ANGEL. HIS FAMILY LIFE IS MENTIONED, MAYBE 5 TIMES IN THE WHOLE BOOK. HE WAS A TRUE BRAINY PLAYER AND TOTALLY FEARLESS. HIS TROUBLED BOYHOOD WAS A REAL NIGHTMARE (HIS MOTHER ACCIDENTLY SHOT HIS FATHER TO DEATH). HE IS TOTALLY WRAPPED UP IS HIS OWN LITTLE WORLD NEVER ALLOWING ANYONE TO GET CLOSE TO HIM. I FOUND HIM TO BE FULL OF HIMSELF AND IN SELF DENIAL CONCERNING HIS ANGER AND SELF CENTEREDNESS. AS A HUMAN BEING HE IS VERY FLAWED, HATED BY TEAMATES AND JUST ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE. A TRUE LEGEND AS A PLAYER AND A VERY INTERESTING AND TROUBLED PERSON. RECOMMENDED.
a must read for a true baseball fan.......2003-02-21
Cobb is the 1st man into the hall of fame
you need to read this
No one ever loved playing baseball more than the Peach
love him or hate him
this is a must read for any TRUE baseball fan
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