On a beautiful July morning in 1991, three men gathered in a hotel suite for an informal breakfast and conversation. The discussion ranged widely over events and characters of the past, famous names and fabled accomplishments flowing along with the coffee and juice. Two of them, Ted Williams and JoeDiMaggio, were the ultimate symbols of athletic glory for generations of American men. The third man, Fay Vincent, was living a dream, sitting with and asking questions of his boyhood heroes.

Fay Vincent never set out to be the commissioner of baseball. He got into the game alongside his good friend A. Bartlett Giamatti, as deputy commissioner, when Giamatti was named to the sport's highest office in 1989. They spent their first spring and summer dealing with Pete Rose's gambling, and Vincent's legal expertise complemented his friend's moral thunder. But that was to be their only season working side by side, as Bart Giamatti's heart gave out just days after the announcement of the Rose suspension. Vincent found himself the only logical candidate to fill a position as guardian of the best interests of the game he loves.

In The Last Commissioner: A Baseball Valentine, Vincent takes us along for the ultimate fan's fantasy camp. As commissioner, he got to talk baseball with the likes of Yogi Berra, Larry Doby, Warren Spahn, Ernie Banks, Eddie Lopat, Whitey Ford, and Henry Aaron. He brought his legal training to bear on the delicate issue of whether Roger Clemens uttered the magic word that would justify his being tossed out of a playoff game (and it's not the word you think). He was one of the few outsiders at the annual Hall of Fame banquet for the new inductees and their immortal peers, where he watched, amazed, as Johnny Mize demonstrated to Ralph Kiner his method of hitting an inside pitch -- a piece of advice from forty years past. And he brought equal respect and attention to the greats of the Negro Leagues, listening to the gracefully told stories of Joe Black and Buck O'Neil, slowly learning how Slick Surratt earned his nickname, hearing Jimmie Crutchfield give as good a definition of a well-lived life as we will everknow.

Vincent shares these stories and more: his high regard for umpires, instilled in his youth by his father, an NFL official and respected local ump; his close relations with the Bush family, forged in a summer spent working in the oil fields with his schoolmate Bucky Bush, the 41st president's brother (and 43rd president's uncle); his unusual experiences with the relentless George Steinbrenner, including the famous meeting where the Yankees owner was facing a two-year suspension and plea-bargained it down to a lifetime ban. Vincent also gives his candid views on the state of baseball today, firm in his belief that the game will survive its current leadership and even prosper.

Through it all, Vincent's deep love of baseball shines through. His most remarkable accomplishment as commissioner may have been to emerge from the office with his fandom intact. The Last Commissioner is truly a valentine to the game, written with the insight and vision that comes from the lofty perch of the ultimate front-row seat.

From beanballs to basebrawls, the most important rules governing the game of baseball have never been officially written down — until now.

They have no sanction from the Commissioner, appear nowhere in any official publication, and are generally not posted on any clubhouse wall. They represent a set of time-honored customs, rituals, and good manners that show a respect for the game, one's teammates, and one's opponents. Sometimes they contradict the official rulebook. The fans generally only hear about them when one is bent or broken, and it becomes news for a few days.

Now, for the first time ever, Paul Dickson has put these unwritten rules down on paper, covering every situation, whether on the field or in the clubhouse, press box, or stands. Along with entertaining baseball axioms, quotations, and rules of thumb, this essential volume contains the collected wisdom of dozens of players, managers, and reporters on the secret rules that you break at your own risk, such as:

1.7.1. In a Fight, Everyone Must Leave the Bench and the Bullpen Has to Join In

1.13.3. In a Blowout Game, Never Swing as Hard as You Can at a 3-0 Pitch

5.1.0. In Areas That Have Two Baseball Teams, Any Given Fan Can Only Really Root For One of Them

An inspiring look at the underdog heroes of the 1975 World Series

In the fall of 1975, the country was mired in the aftereffects of the war in Vietnam, economic distress, and lingering political turmoil from the Watergate scandal. Amid these trying times, Americans were desperate for some kind of diversion—anything to take their minds away from the harsh news of the day.

That diversion arrived in the form of an unforgettable Fall Classic that truly would live up to its name. In his lyrical prose, lifelong Boston Red Sox fan Doug Hornig takes readers back to that exhilarating autumn in 1975, when Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Luis Tiant, and the ragtag Boys from Beantown faced Cincinnati’s Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench, and the rest of the indomitable “Big Red Machine” in an epic seven-game struggle that is still widely regarded as the greatest ever played.

Doug Hornig was there—with his favorite uncle, Oscar, by his side, a man old enough to dimly recall the last time the Sox won a Series, back in 1918. Together, in the stands at cozy Fenway or in front of a snowy black-and-white TV, they watched and waited and prayed. In the end, the Curse of the Bambino struck again, but not before the Red Sox gave us one hell of a show. For twelve wonderful days, Americans were able to put aside their more serious concerns and lose themselves in the drama unfolding on two small fields of green. As the author so eloquently puts it, “For that lovely, long October moment, we became as children once again. And that is a gift of incalculable value.”

Years later, moved by memories of that incomparable series, Hornig set out to meet and interview the members of the 1975 Boston Red Sox, a cast of characters that included party animals and pot smokers, with nicknames like Pudge and Yaz, Carbs and Willow, Señor and the Spaceman. Those candid conversations—Luis Tiant talking pitching in a motel coffee shop, “Spaceman” Bill Lee discussing philosophy at his rural hippie hideaway—are all here, skillfully woven together with a moving memoir and an exciting play-by-play of the triumphs and tribulations of that October classic: from “El Tiante”’s Game 1 shutout to Fisk’s historic winning homer in the wee hours of Game 6 and the nail-biting finale, decided by a single, heart-stopping run.

Through it all, the underdog Red Sox embodied the spirit of the game, in victory and defeat, to give us the Series we needed—and one we’ll never forget. Against the backdrop of one of American society’s low points, The Boys of October celebrates baseball and the heroes who made it what it is.

"The most valuable team player in sports" shows you what "teamwork" really means



What does it take to be a real team player, especially in a society that glorifies selfishness and a corporate culture that often uses "team player" as a buzzword but rewards only the showboaters and prima donnas? Well, You Can Observe a Lot by Watching. In this happy and hilarious guide to teamwork, sportsmanship, and winning, Yogi Berra draws on the timeless wisdom handed down by example from ballplayers who came before him to inspire you to make the right choices and become not only a better team player--at sports, at work, and in life--but a better person.



Filled with colorful stories from his life and career, not to mention the down-to-earth wit and insight that Yogi fans love, You Can Observe a Lot by Watching shows you how to make a bad team good and a good team great.

The EPUB format of this title may not be compatible for use on all handheld devices.

Baseball's premier national television analyst Tim McCarver presents fascinating tales from the game's greatest players and personalities

Tim McCarver's Diamond Gems is a treasure trove of fabulous anecdotes from the many baseball celebrities who have appeared on 'The Tim McCarver Show.' A valuable mix of baseball history with a personal touch, this book is a natural for everyone who loves the game. Includes tales from baseball greats Sandy Koufax, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Willie Mays, Yogi Berra, Tom Seaver, Cal Ripken Jr., Johnny Bench, Don Mattingly, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Chipper Jones, David Wright, and many more.

'Baseball is THE storyteller's game. So, if you love the game, you'll love Tim McCarver's treasure trove of stories. And you'll also understand why Tim never has to fear a rain delay.'

—Bob Costas, NBC & HBO Sports

"Tim McCarver's Diamond Gems is the modern version of The Glory Of Their Times. It's fun and engaging and instructive and even sweet now and then. Tim could always call the pitches, and he also seems to get everyone to deliver their best stuff here.'

—Frank Deford, author, The Entitled

They began as a "Phoenix," rising out of the ashes of the "ghosts" of the Dodgers and Giants, long lost stalwarts of the Big Apple. Despite their ineptitude (or maybe because of it), New York National League fans took them in as an animal lover would take to the "runt of the litter." However, after seven years, the Mets finally rewarded their fans by winning what was considered a "Miracle Championship." Double Blackjack also sheds light on the lean years, which unfortunately occurred more often than the opposite.

I know I have only scratched the surface of the Mets' transactions, especially for all the "Monday Morning Quarterbacks" out there. I also know that there will be quite a lot of controversy associated with my writing. However, I have never been one to back down from an unpopular opinion; if I believe in a cause, no matter how futile it may be, I won't be swayed. All Mets' fans can commiserate with me.

For an extraordinary handful of years around the turn of the millennium, the Yankees were baseball's unstoppable force. With four World Series championships in five seasons and a deep bench of legends and comers -- Clemens, Rivera, Williams, Soriano, Jeter, O'Neill -- they dominated the major leagues, earning the love of their hometown fans and the grudging admiration of players and spectators everywhere.

For the members of the team, though, baseball Yankees-style was an almost unbearable pressure cooker of anxiety, expectation, and infighting. With owner George Steinbrenner at the wheel, the Yankees money machine spun out of control, and as the team's revenues skyrocketed, salaries were inflated unimaginably -- and smaller teams found themselves priced out of competition. True devotees of the game suffered, and so did Steinbrenner's employees. Emboldened by New York's unforgiving fans, Steinbrenner let the Yankees know loud and clear that their fat paychecks carried an equally exaggerated mandate: win now, and win all the time -- any season that doesn't end in a World Series victory is an unforgivable failure. As the spending and emotion spiraled, careers were made and broken, friendships began and ended, and a sports dynasty rose and fell.

In The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty, Buster Olney tracks the Yankees through these exciting and tumultuous seasons, providing insightful portraits of the stars, the foot soldiers, the coaches, the manager, and the Boss himself. With profound knowledge of the game and an insider's familiarity with the team, Olney also advances a compelling argument that the philosophy that made the Yankees great was inherently unsustainable, ultimately harmful to the sport, and led inevitably to that warm autumn night in Arizona -- the last night of the Yankee dynasty.

All you need to know about Tee Ball from the leading name in children’s sports

Endorsed by Little League Baseball®, The Little League® Guide to Tee Ball covers all the bases for parents as well as coaches. Authors Ned McIntosh and Rich Cropper, who have nearly thirty years of coaching experience between them, show you how to keep the game fun for the kids while you teach them baseball fundamentals.

In this informative and easy-to-read book, you will learn how to help your rookies develop the coordination and confidence they will need throughout their Little League careers—and beyond. Topics include:

• Choosing the right equipment
• Teaching kids to hit, throw, catch, and run bases
• Teaching the rules and positions of the game
• Keeping practice fun and maintaining proper perspective
• Deciding to register your child in Tee Ball rather than softball
• And more

From breaking in a new glove to developing a natural swing, The Little League® Guide to Tee Ball gives you the advice and know-how to teach the next generation of baseball players.

On October 1, 1932, during Game Three of the Chicago Cubs -- New York Yankees World Series, Babe Ruth belted a long home run to straightaway centerfield. According to legend, just before he hit, Babe pointed to the bleachers and boldly predicted he would slam the next pitch there.

Did he call the shot or didn't he? Witnesses never agreed. Like other baseball fans, Joe Stoshack wants to know the truth. But unlike other fans, Joe has the astonishing ability to travel through time and solve one of baseball's greatest puzzles....

Josh feels like he's starting to make it big! Jaden, the school reporter, says he's going to take the baseball team to number one. Then his dad pulls him off the field and signs him up with Coach Rocky Valentine's youth championship team, the Titans. He says Josh has what it takes to be a baseball great — and the Titans will help him get there.

Now Josh is gulping down Rocky's "Super Stax" milkshakes to build muscle and trying to fit in with his new teammates — older, tougher kids who can suddenly become violent. All Josh really wants to do is play ball, but as he gets in deeper with the Titans, there are questions he's just got to ask. As Josh and his new friend Jaden investigate their suspicions, they find themselves in a dangerous struggle with a desperate man who doesn't want them to expose the nasty secrets they uncover.

Pulsing with action, baseball great offers a baseball story attuned to today's headlines, a totally involving, character-driven, sports-centered thriller.