Baseball Books

Labratt21 · Jul 25, 2010

My mom recently had surgery (She's doing awesome) and will be spending the next few weeks doing as little as possible. She loves reading anything and everything baseball related, if fact she's the one who got me into baseball when I was a kid by getting me involved with little league and taking me to my first game in Oakland when I was 10 years old. (My mom is awesome!) so, what I'd like from you guys is to let me know of some of your favorite baseball books. My mom has already read Canseco's books (she always liked the guys because he was really nice to me when I met him) and Pete Rose's book. So, I'd appreciate any help and will be sending my mom some stuff from amazon this evening. Thanks alot guys!

Mike

leatherman · Jul 25, 2010

The classics:

Ball Four by Jim Bouton
Men at Work by George Will
The Teammates by David Halberstam

Joshua.Roundtree · Jul 25, 2010

"Traded: Behind the Most Lopsided Deals in Baseball History"

Find it, very interesting read with a math perspective evaluating all trades in MLB history. Using Win Share they try to figure out the top 200 most lopsided deals and rank them. I believe the Orioles-Astros trade of Curt Schilling, Pete Harnisch, and Steve Finley for Glenn Davis gets #1 followed by Babe Ruth to Yankees for cash at #2. Very good read, very informative.

nevermore · Jul 25, 2010

Mike, glad to hear you mom is doing well post-op. I remember this as being an excellent book about the Yankees golden years when I read it in middle school, its written by Tommy Henrich.

Here is a website I came across which might be worth checking out:
http://rksbaseballbookshelf.wordpress.com/

hofmichael · Jul 25, 2010

One of the best books I ever read was "I Was Right On Time" by Buck O'Neil.One of the biggest tragedies in baseball was him not getting into the Hall Of Fame in 2006.Yet he still gave an acceptance speech on behalf of those that were inducted.
Mike

scooter2374 · Jul 25, 2010

Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero by Leigh Montville is one of the best biographys I've ever read. Awesome read from page one.

joey12508 · Jul 25, 2010

hope your mom gets well.
try "the yankee years"
by joe torre and tom verducci

gmarutiak · Jul 25, 2010

I'm currently reading The Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst. Maybe not Mom material (it gets a little raunchy at times), but it's laugh out loud funny one minute, then extremely touching the next. One of the best baseball books I've ever read, and I've read a bunch. Plus, Dirk is going to be at the FCB booth at the National!
My best wishes for your mom.

Tom Oates · Jul 25, 2010

The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn is a must read. I'm getting ready to read it a second time.

Ten Rings by Yogi Berra is a fun quick read. It's not great literature but I enjoyed it.

I'm currently re-reading a Mark McGwire biography. This book was written before the steroids news came to light so it's interesting reading some of the quotes from McGwire. The author is portraying him as this honest shy christian boy from a great family with outstanding morals and has no interest in records and personal achievements. Yeah right!!!

Tom

coltsnsox07 · Jul 25, 2010

Of course I would recommend Stephen Kings' "Faithful", written during the Red Sox 04 season as letters and conversation between him and a friend. great insight into that year with alot of great Stephen King flair. Just looking at the cover of the book will bring a great big smile to anyones face.....its Arod eating a face full of Varitek's glove!

FortyFour · Jul 25, 2010

gmarutiak said:
I'm currently reading The Bullpen Gospels by Dirk Hayhurst. Maybe not Mom material (it gets a little raunchy at times), but it's laugh out loud funny one minute, then extremely touching the next. One of the best baseball books I've ever read, and I've read a bunch. Plus, Dirk is going to be at the FCB booth at the National!
My best wishes for your mom.

Great book but yea a bit raunchy for mom.

cbrandtw · Jul 25, 2010

Shoeless Joe
The Iowa Baseball Confederacy

Both are written by W.P. Kinsella. Recognize the last name? Ray Kinsella is the character in Field of Dreams. Field of Dreams=Iowa + Shoeless Joe.

rehmus · Jul 25, 2010

Gonna echo a few other recommendations...

Halberstam's The Teammates is probably my favorite baseball book ever.
Two that are similar in subject matter and quality are Richard Ben Cramer's "What Do You Think Of Ted Williams Now?" and John Updike's "Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu"... both of those are very quick reads... much love for the Leigh Montville suggestion, too. There are obviously several great books involving Ted Williams.

Gonna disagree about Stewart O'Nan/Stephen King's Faithful. I love the 04 Sox as much as anyone but that book was 3/4 Stewart O'Nan talking about how wonderful he is. Also worth avoiding: anything by Dan Shaugnessy (im sure im spelling wrong)...

A great and hilarious book about the 04 Sox is Bill Simmons' "Now I Can Die In Peace"
If you want something that will make you/her weep: track down the "Win It For..." book put out by the Sons Of Sam Horn forum... probably the most famous sports related message board thread ever... so oddly appropriate considering where we're posting...

I'm reading Jane Leavy's "Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy" and it's pretty good so far but another author in love with herself.

You can't go wrong with anything by David Halberstam. He was amazing.

Sorry I don't have more non-Boston suggestions. Ive read plenty but can't remember them.

RL24 · Jul 25, 2010

coltsnsox07 said:
Of course I would recommend Stephen Kings' "Faithful", written during the Red Sox 04 season as letters and conversation between him and a friend. great insight into that year with alot of great Stephen King flair. Just looking at the cover of the book will bring a great big smile to anyones face.....its Arod eating a face full of Varitek's glove!

I just read this awesome short story...

It's a real short story though, I wish it was longer.

Labratt21 · Jul 25, 2010

Thanks for the tips guys, it's much appreciated!

shields33 · Jul 26, 2010

The Luckiest Man-Jonathon Eig.A bio of Lou Gehrig,an excellent read.
The Echoing Green- Joshua Prager. About the 1951 pennant race between the Dodgers and Giants,my personal favorite.

xcantgobackx · Jul 26, 2010

Still Pitching - Jim Kaat is one of my faves

SamHell · Jul 26, 2010

Just picked up Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero by David Maraniss.
Excellent read so far. Changed my perception of Clemente for sure. Always knew he was a good man and hero to many, but he could be extremely arrogant(don't compare his arm with anybody else, his arm was the best, no question.) and violent at times as well. This is not a hatchet job at all. Just more of the whole picture of the man.

NECpilgrims8 · Jul 26, 2010

Great book about the Cape Cod League.

brianga26 · Jul 26, 2010

NECpilgrims8 said:
Great book about the Cape Cod League.

One of the Best!!

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