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 Adobe Digital Edition [ 0.3 Mb ]
Street Date: Wednesday, July 28, 2004
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| Have you ever watched a baseball game and wondered why on some days every good call or lucky bounce goes in favor of the team you're rooting for, while on the other days it seems like there is a grand conspiracy perpetuated by some higher power to keep them from winning? Or maybe you've wondered why some players always seem to get the big hit in the clutch, while others wilt when the spotlight shines on them? Or on a more personal level, maybe you're someone who can't figure why your life is not what you had always hoped it would be and you feel powerless to do anything about it? The questions of baseball and life are as mysterious as the compulsions that drive us to answer them, but there are a group of beings that make their home on the ball fields of our youth and in the landscape of our dreams who can answer all our questions and teach us to live to a better life. They are the Baseball Gods and this is the story of how I met them, how they have changed my life. |
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Street Date: Thursday, July 13, 2006
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| CHALLENGE AT SECOND BASE Stan Martin's chances of playing second base seem next to zero at the start of the season. His rival for the position, Gary Newman, looks tough to beat. Stan loves baseball-maybe even more than his brother, Phil, who played pro ba |
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| In this delightful book that every baseball fan will cherish, ten outstanding ballplayers remember the heyday of the game in the 1930s and 1940s. It was the era of Gehrig and DiMaggio; of Foxx, Greenberg, and Williams; of Grove and Feller. Elden Auker, Tommy Henrich, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, and Bob Feller recall some great rivalries: Auker pitched to Ruth and Gehrig, then faced Dizzy Dean in an unforgettable World Series; Henrich was a clutch player for the Yankees who alertly turned a passed-ball third strike into a World Series victory; Dom DiMaggio was a superb center fielder who batted .298 lifetime and nearly ended his brother Joe's hitting streak; Pesky, a Red Sox mainstay, was blamed for Enos Slaughter's dash home that was the most memorable play of the 1946 Red Sox-Cardinals World Series; and Feller was a teenager when he faced -- among others -- Foxx, Greenberg, and Joe DiMaggio. But this was also the era of great Negro Leagues stars who never had the opportunity to play in the major leagues. Buck O'Neil remembers the outstanding players of his day who never got their chance or whose turn came too late -- Oscar Charleston, Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, and Satchel Paige among them. Two great events happened in the 1940s, and one of them would change the game forever. World War II took some of these great players off the diamond and put them into a different kind of uniform. Warren Spahn pitched his first game in 1942 and didn't pitch again until the war ended, getting his first victory in 1946 (nonetheless he won more games than any other left-hander in history). As he recalls here, he served his country memorably in the war. Then in 1947 Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, followed only a few months later by Larry Doby, the first African-American in the American League, who vividly describes what it felt like to be the only black ballplayer in the clubhouse -- and the league. The game began to change after integration, and home run king Ralph Kiner remembers how some clubs were quick to sign African-American players and thrive. Meanwhile, some Negro Leagues stars, such as Monte Irvin, itched for the opportunity to face the major leaguers and prove that, like Robinson and Doby, they could compete with the best. All of these ballplayers recall their favorite memories: the games that mattered most, the players they all admired, the childhood experiences that shaped their lives, and the deep affection for the game that has always remained with them. Illustrated throughout, The Only Game in Town is a fascinating trip through two decades when baseball changed profoundly. Like The Glory of Their Times, it is a book that will find a permanent place on every fan's bookshelf. |
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Eleven short stories by award-winning poet Soto portray Latino kids bridging the span between cultures and generations. Soto brings sensitivity and humor to these portrayals of first love, deceit, success vs. failure and the ups and downs of friendship. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A Booklist Editors' Choice
Hornbook Fanfare Selection |
 Audio Book (MP3) [ 80.7 Mb ]
Street Date: Friday, February 3, 2006
 Audio Book (WMA)  [ 41.2 Mb ]
Street Date: Friday, February 3, 2006
Diaz and Gongora give Soto's heartfelt collection just the right spark of Latino flavor in this sharp audio production. With the help of solid performances (and crisp pronunciation of the smattering of Spanish words and phrases), listeners will take away a real sense of what it was like for many Mexican-American kids growing up in California's Central Valley... -Publishers Weekly
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| Little Casey loves baseball. Even before the child was born, his father knew that the kid was going to be a baseball player and prepared a nursery theme of baby blue walls with baseball angels in the form of porcelain dolls, framed pictures, and the new Big Head poster of Cal Ripken Jr.; his Dad's favorite Major League player on the wall. Two years later, Casey loves baseball and everyone realizes it. He knows exactly what to do with that little plastic bat and ball his father so anxiously waited to get for him. Every night, when Casey's father comes home from work, it's "Game Time!" They play ball in the living room, watch their favorite big league team on the big screen with surround sound for a better "learning experience," with a side order of Baseball Tonight on ESPN. Finally, the two finish the night talking about baseball and dad hopefully believing that his little Casey will dream of making the big play or hitting the big home run; Casey at the plate...right? Parents, do you know what to do next? In Pursuit of the College Baseball Scholarship is a book of wisdom and insight on how to pursue a college baseball scholarship from the perspective of a coach who has been there and done it well. |
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Street Date: Thursday, July 23, 2009
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| This book of 25 stories and poems is for anyone who loves baseball at any level - from the major leagues to high school to little league - or softball played with passion by people of all ages on diamonds across America and the world. It's also a celebration of Yogi Berra, one of baseball's most beloved figures, and his legendary contribution to the sport and the nation. Read about the only perfect game in World Series history, the Bucky Dent home run seen from a crowded bar in Woodstock, a pair of tickets to Ebbets Field in its final days, a miracle outcome at Yankee Stadium in a city stunned by 9/11, a nine-year old girl who outshines every player on the field, a serious baseball league for men in their fifties and sixties, a meaningful late night catch between father and son, a high school alumni game with sudden insight into what it means to be a parent, a family reunion centered around a baseball game across generations... Above all, this is a book about the greatest game ever invented told through the experiences and emotions of its fans and players. It's about you. So, let's play ball! |
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Street Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009
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| In the book that launched her adventures, Meg follows a series of notes hidden in her grandfather's house to solve an old mystery of a missing baseball signed by Babe Ruth. The reader is challenged to interpret each clue before Meg solves it. |
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Street Date: Friday, October 30, 2009
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| Mathletics is a remarkably entertaining book that shows readers how to use simple mathematics to analyze a range of statistical and probability-related questions in professional baseball, basketball, and football, and in sports gambling. How does professional baseball evaluate hitters? Is a singles hitter like Wade Boggs more valuable than a power hitter like David Ortiz? Should NFL teams pass or run more often on first downs? Could professional basketball have used statistics to expose the crooked referee Tim Donaghy? Does money buy performance in professional sports? In Mathletics, Wayne Winston describes the mathematical methods that top coaches and managers use to evaluate players and improve team performance, and gives math enthusiasts the practical tools they need to enhance their understanding and enjoyment of their favorite sports--and maybe even gain the outside edge to winning bets. Mathletics blends fun math problems with sports stories of actual games, teams, and players, along with personal anecdotes from Winston's work as a sports consultant. Winston uses easy-to-read tables and illustrations to illuminate the techniques and ideas he presents, and all the necessary math concepts--such as arithmetic, basic statistics and probability, and Monte Carlo simulations--are fully explained in the examples. After reading Mathletics, you will understand why baseball teams should almost never bunt, why football overtime systems are unfair, why points, rebounds, and assists aren't enough to determine who's the NBA's best player--and much, much more. |
Adobe Digital Edition [ 1.1 Mb ]
Street Date: Thursday, September 17, 2009
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| Mantle or Mays? A-Rod or Jeter? Biggio or Morgan? Clemens, Maddux, and Randy Johnson -- or Pedro, Palmer, and Carlton? These are questions baseball fans can spend endless hours debating. Former All-Star pitcher and National League Manager of the Year Larry Dierker has his own opinions, and he shares them in My Team, his fascinating discussion of the greatest players he has seen in his four decades in the major leagues. Dierker selects twenty-five players for My Team and another twenty-five for the opposition, the Underdogs, or "Dogs." There are two players at each position, five starting pitchers, and four relievers. (When your starters are the likes of Roger Clemens, Greg Maddux, Bob Gibson, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, and Juan Marichal, you don't worry about bullpen depth.) All are players that Dierker has played with or against or watched in his years as player, coach, manager, and commentator. Each athlete must have played at least ten years in the major leagues to qualify, and players are judged on their ten best seasons. Leadership skills and personality -- critical components of team chemistry -- are highly valued. So how is it possible to select two teams composed of outstanding ballplayers from the past forty years and not have room for Sandy Koufax, Reggie Jackson, Carl Yastrzemski, or Cal Ripken Jr.? Dierker explains his choices, analyzing each position carefully, always putting the team ahead of the individual player. He provides statistics to back up his selections, and often relates personal anecdotes about the players. (From his first All-Star Game in 1969, Dierker offers a wonderful anecdote about Hank Aaron, by then an All-Star veteran.) My Team may start more debates than it settles, but Dierker's insights, and his passion for the game, will enlighten and fascinate true baseball fans. |
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| " The greatest moments of the greatest team The Yankees are by far the most successful baseball franchise in history–a team that has won 26 World Series titles in 101 years, 17 more than their closest rival. Each year, they draw more than 3 million fans to Yankee Stadium, and millions more see them on the road and on TV. This unique book brings to life the 50 greatest Yankee games of all time, ranging from the 1949 pennant race that pitted Joe DiMaggio against Ted Williams to the 1978 Bucky Dent home run game. Filled with player interviews, fascinating anecdotes, box scores, and nearly two dozen vintage photographs, it’s the perfect gift for every Yankee fan. Cecilia Tan (Cambridge, MA) was born in New York City and is a lifelong Yankee fan, despite her current residence. She has written for Yankees magazine, Yankees Xtreme, and other baseball publications. |
Adobe Digital Edition [ 13.7 Mb ]
Street Date: Friday, April 29, 2005
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Coach your kids the Dom Scala wayFrom his days playing in the majors to his years as bullpen coach with the New York Yankees through his NCAA victories with Adelphi University and his success as director of New York's number-one baseball camp, Dom Scala has a lot to teach you about coaching. And in this all-in-one illustrated guide to coaching fundamental baseball he throws it to you easy, right down the middle. Sticking to the basics and keeping it simple, Dom brings together his 30 years of experience combined with special advice from baseball all-stars and hall-of-famers including Lee Mazzilli, John Franco, and Goose Gossage. Inside he'll teach you how to: - Help young pitchers excel on the mound
- Turn any player into a powerful hitter
- Impart the secrets of running, sliding, and stealing
- Work your fielders at the college level
- Manage equipment and schedules
- Deal wit
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A unique look at the inner workings of a major league baseball team and how the Red Sox went from perennial losers to baseball's next dynasty. When the Boston Red Sox defeated the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series, they did more than win their second world championship in four seasons---they changed forever the identity of a franchise once defined by its spectacular failures. If winning the 2004 World Series permanently buried Boston’s tragic past, the team’s 2007 championship reinforced its promising future while changing the culture, mentality, and mind-set of the Red Sox and their followers. But the team's meteoric rise was not without controversy, and behind-the-scene clashes and infighting within the organization are revealed here in detail for the first time: The wildly popular pitcher Pedro Martinez and outfield sensation Johnny Damon were allowed to depart as free agents, and the Red Sox had to endure the temporary resignation of General Manager Theo Epstein. Author Tony Massarotti has been covering the Red Sox since the 1991 season and in Dynasty, Massarotti provides an in-depth and probing look at how the Red Sox became the most successful franchise in baseball. |
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Street Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2008
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| ¿Football is force and fanatics, basketball is beauty and bounce. Baseball is everything: action, grace, the seasons of our lives. George Vecsey¿s book proves it, without wasting a word.¿¿Lee Eisenberg, author of The NumberIn Baseball, one of the great bards of America¿s Grand Old Game gives a rousing account of the sport, from its pre-Republic roots to the present day. George Vecsey casts a fresh eye on the game, illuminates its foibles and triumphs, and performs a marvelous feat: making a classic story seem refreshingly new. Baseball is a narrative of America¿s can-do spirit, in which stalwart immigrants such as Henry Chadwick could transplant cricket and rounders into the fertile American culture and in which die-hard unionist baseballers such as Charles Comiskey and Connie Mack could eventually become the tightfisted avatars of the game¿s big-money establishment. It¿s a celebration of such underdogs as a rag-armed catcher turned owner named Branch Rickey and a sure-handed fielder named Curt Flood, both of whom flourished as true great men of history. But most of all, Baseball is a testament to the unbreakable bond between our nation¿s pastime and the fans, who¿ve remained loyal through the fifty-year-long interdict on black athletes, the Black Sox scandal, franchise relocation, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs by some major stars. Reverent, playful, and filled with Vecsey¿s charm, Baseball begs to be read in the span of a rain-delayed doubleheader, and so enjoyable that, like a favorite team¿s championship run, one hopes it never ends.¿Vecsey possesses a journalist¿s eye for detail and a historian¿s feel for the sweep of action. His research is scrupulous and his writing crisp. This book is an instant classic¿¿ a highly readable guide to America¿s great enduring pastime.¿ ¿ The Louisville Courier Journal From the Hardcover edition. |
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Street Date: Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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| In Juicing the Game, award-winning journalist Howard Bryant offers the only big-picture look at the insidious manner in which performance-enhancing drugs infested baseball as the game's leaders stood idly by, reaping the rewards. Combining hard-hitting investigative journalism with interviews with baseball heavyweights such as Jason Giambi, Commissioner Bud Selig, union head Donald Fehr, and Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson among many others, Juicing the Game is the definitive book on both the steroid scandal and the era it has irreversibly tainted. BACKCOVER: "A rich and measured tale of the last dishonest decade . . . No more comprehensive, balanced or fair account exists. Bryant carefully and powerfully builds his case. The self-inflicted catastrophe could have no better chronicler." |
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Street Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009
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| From his perspective as a journalist and a true fan, Bob Costas, NBC's award-winning broadcaster, shares his 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. |
"Costas is that rare hybrid in sportscasting with converging wit, erudition and superb communication skills." Los Angeles Times
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