Product Description
Continuing in the tradition of Sports Illustrated’s 50th Anniversary Book and The Football Book comes a spectacular celebration of baseball that will be treasured by fans of the National Pastime.With the same kind of unforgettable photographs and award-winning writing that propelled The Football Book to surpass the sales of The Anniversary Book, a New York Times best-seller, this lavish coffee-table volume brings to life the legendary players, the classic action and the great traditions of the Summer Game. In 294 oversized pages, The Baseball Book commemorates the epic teams and characters, the crucial plays and classic games, the personalities and performances and artifacts that have kept baseball at the heart of American sports for more than a century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Great book!
Love this book! Makes a great coffeetable book and can be a great coversation starter!

Baseball illustrated
Thank you so much for your lighting fast shipping. This made our Christmas go alot smoother since this was a Christmas gift and they are going to open their gift on time now. We really appreciate professional sellers like you that try their best for their customers. Thank you,again and Merry Christmas :)

Baseball History
A great book about Baseball. Lots of Info and Awesome pictures. I highly recommend this book!

Baseball Addicts Dream Book
I bought this book for my 12 year old nephew. He said his dad has a copy but won't let him look at it. He was so happy to get his own copy. He was showing it to everybody. And..the best part is, Auntie got a big hug from him.

Great for baseball fans
Book that is great for baseball fans.Photos and facts that are good fun for an old man to sit down with. ... Read more

Product Description

hen Sports Illustrated was launched in 1954, baseball was, indisputably, the national pastime, its stars America`s epic heroes, its rivalries the era`s mythology. As baseball`s fortunes rose and fell over the next 50 years-and then rose again to new heights, drawing more than 65 million fans to ballparks in 2004-the game never failed to produce great drama and inspired storytelling. This collection is a virtual Hall of Fame from the pages of SI, bringing together the stories of baseball`s greatest heroes (Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Sandy Koufax) and villains (Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, Denny McLain) and characters (Casey Stengel, Max Patkin, Yogi Berra); its legendary quests (the home run chases of Roger Maris, Hank Aaron, Mark McGwire, and Barry Bonds; the thrilling pennant races, from the Dodgers-Giants in 1951 to the Yankees-Red Sox in 1978); its world-class writers (Frank Deford, Mark Kram, George Plimpton, Peter Gammons, and Tom Verducci) and its own players writing from the inside about their game (Ted Williams, Jim Brosnan, and Jim Bouton). In the wake of SI`s acclaimed Fifty Years of Great Writing comes this baseball anthology worthy of Cooperstown.

Customer Reviews (2)

Baseball Frozen in History
Perhaps the best thing about the book is not the writing itself, but how the writing freezes teams, players, and moments in time to allow the reader to sense and experience the emotion of the past.Obviously, in a collection of works that spans 50+ years and is entitled "Great Baseball Writing," the reader is treated to some of the best work ever penned about America's Pastime.

Whether the focal point is Ted Williams' post-baseball fishing prowess, Billy Martin, Stan Musial in decline, Vin Scully on the rise, the Philadelphia A's of the 20s or the Oakland A's of the 70s, each of the dozens of stories are tough to set aside and, if age allows, recall some wonderful memories about the game.

The book is divided into sections covering individual players, teams, other figures and events, and all-time greats.No matter your rooting interests, favorite players or most hated rivals, each story from beginning to end succeeds in getting that internal clock started -- the one that counts down each winter to pitchers and catchers.

Baseball heaven!
As a fan of the game and of Sports Illustrated I was pleasantly suprised by the content and the writing style of the book. Some of the stories brought back memories and others were new to me. I would recommend this book to anyone even, non-lovers of the game. ... Read more

Product Description
The Ultimate Guide to Weight Training for Baseball and Softball is the most comprehensive and up-to-date baseball and softball-specific training guide in the world today. It contains descriptions and photographs of over 80 of the most effective weight training, flexibility, and abdominal exercises used by athletes worldwide. This book features year-round baseball and softball-specific weight-training programs guaranteed to improve your performance and get you results.

No other baseball or softball book to date has been so well designed, so easy to use, and so committed to weight training. This book takes you from the off-season to the in-season, and is loaded with dozens of tips and pointers to help you maximize your training and improve your performance.

Both beginners and advanced athletes and weight trainers can follow this book and utilize its programs. From recreational to professional, thousands of athletes all over the world are already benefiting from this book and its techniques, and now you can too!

As an added bonus, this book also contains links to free record keeping charts which normally sell separately for $20. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

good for general fitness but not so good for baseball/softball
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R28KOI259W3CVL To all softball players, coaches and parents:

In this video review, I explained that I'm very qualified to review this product and why I strongly believe that this book is not specific enough for softball players and is better suited for the general population.

Reviewer's credentials:

- Experienced Softball Coach (over 20 years of softball coaching experience including the international and college levels)

- Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (over 10 years of experience training and conditioning softball players)

Wonderful Book
This book has been absolutely wonderful for me, as well as the rest of my team.I'm hitting the ball further then I ever have before.The difference was evident in weeks.Truly the single best program out there.

Helpful workout program
With help from this workout program I gained baserunning speed and an increase in bat head speed.This program is written very clearly and easy to follow.

Suprised
I have to admit, I never thought something like this would work.But, I was proven wrong. I just thought I would give my recomendation for this book, and thanks to Robert Price for helping me with my game. ... Read more

Product Description
At a 1931 barnstorming exhibition game in Tennessee, a seventeen-year-old pitcher for the Chattanooga Lookouts struck out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig back to back. Her name was Jackie Mitchell--"organized baseball's first girl pitcher." On September 9, 1965, Sandy Koufax made baseball history by pitching his fourth perfect game. In July 1970, a stripper rushed onto the field at Riverfront Stadium to kiss Johnny Bench, temporarily disrupting a game attended by President Nixon and his family. These are just some of the great, quirky, and comic moments in the annals of baseball recorded in THE GREATEST BASEBALL STORIES EVER TOLD. Here also are profiles of such legendary figures as Joe DiMaggio, Pete Rose, and Yogi Berra, essays that explore the complexities and pleasures of the game, even an excerpt from the movie Bull Durham. This is the perfect book for anyone who has ever played so much as a game of catch.

Contributors include:

John Updike
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Abbott & Costello
Ring Lardner
Bill Barich
Zane Grey
David James Duncan
Al Stump
Pete Hamill
P.G. Wodehouse
Damon Runyan
Roy Blount, Jr.
Richard Ben Cramer
Gay Talese
A. Bartlett Giamatti
and many more
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A great read for baseball fans of all ages
This is a great book if your looking for some short stories (both true and fiction) about the great game of baseball.It is a great collection covering anything from Ripken's drive for the Ironman title, the summer of 98 and the home run kings, lesser known characters like Pistol Pete Reiser and what life was like after baseball for guys named Joe Dimaggio and Ty Cobb among others.

Highly Recommended ... Read more

Product Description
There are very few major personalities in the world of sports who have so much to say about our National Pastime. And even fewer who are as well respected as Bill White.

Bill White, who's now in his mid 70s, was an All-Star first baseman formany years with the New York Giants, St.Louis Cardinals and PhiladelphiaPhillies before launching a stellar broadcasting career with the NewYork Yankees for 18 years. He left the broadcast booth to become thePresident of the National League for five years.

A true pioneer as an African-American athlete, sportscaster, and top baseball executive, White has written his long-awaited autobiography in which he will be candid, open, and as always, most forthcoming about his life in baseball. Along the way, White shares never-before-told stories about his long working relationship with Phil Rizzutto, insights on George Steinbrenner, Barry Bonds, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Bob Gibson, Bart Giamatti, Fay Vincent, and scores of other top baseball names and Hall of Famers.

Best of all, White built his career on being outspoken, and the years fortunately have not mellowed him. UPPITY is a baseball memoir that baseball fans everywhere will be buzzing about. ... Read more

Product Description
Coaching young players, developing their skills, and cultivating a love for the sport may be the most rewarding experience baseball can offer. Cal and Bill Ripken understand this like few others.

From their father, Cal Sr., a legend in the Baltimore Orioles organization for 37 years, they learned to play the game the right way. Those lessons, paired with their combined 33 years of big league experience, helped develop the Ripken Way, a method of teaching the game through simple instruction, solid explanations, encouragement, and a positive atmosphere. In Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way, Cal and Bill share this approach to coaching and development.

Whether you’re teaching your children at home, managing the local travel team, or working with high school-level players, Coaching Youth Baseball the Ripken Way will help you make a difference both on and off the field, with these features:

• More than 50 drills covering defense, hitting, pitching, and baserunning
• Age-specific practice plans for players ranging from 4 to 15+
• Strategies for setting goals and reasonable expectations for your players and team
• Advice on communicating with parents, players, and staff
• Methods for creating a positive and fun environment in which kids can learn the skills and strategies of the game

Customer Reviews (9)

One of the best books for coaching little league baseball

Lays out the plan to train, manage and teach young players the right way. For less than $20, you get the basic training you need to help your team be their best. Outstanding tool for any baseball coach.

A Good Book For Youth Baseball!
You come away after reading this book that both Ripken brothers
love the game of baseball to no end. And they want to share their
love of the game with everyone.
The drills are good but needed a little more detail.
Worth the purchase price.





This person also reviewed these popular baseball instructional products:
Youth Baseball Drills
The 59 Minute Baseball Practice
Schupak's Baseball Super 8 DVD Set
"The 59 Minute Baseball Practice"Mem-cards

Great Book!
I've already coached one kid from tee-ball thru the 11-12 group.Just about to start again with a 4 year old next season so figured I'd buy a few books to do a better job.Got some personal validation when I found out that I have much of the same philosophy as the Ripkens, and also got some great new drills and coaching advice to go along with that.I bought two books, Play Baseball The Ripken Way, and Coaching the Ripken Way, and both have great tips from dealing with parents and then going on to cover just about every aspect of youth baseball coaching and playing that you will need to know, including illustrated drills.I'm a slow reader, these books are interesting and very easy to read, I had no trouble at all getting through them and will definitely continue to use them once the practices start up again.And for the price, way worth it!In my opinion paying ten or eleven bucks for even just a good really good drills would be money well spent, but these books have way more than that.

Great Coaching Tool - HIghly Recommended
We think anyone who coaches young baseball players should read and use this book.One of Cal and Bill Ripken's biggest goals is to get young players to LOVE THE GAME and have fun!We originally picked this book because it is written by the Ripkens (and we think Cal Ripken is one of the best ballplayers of all time!)

The book is not just a list of drills but they also take time to discuss coaching responsibilities and philosophies and reasonable expectations.They include great ideas for practices and how to run games at the younger levels - we wish this book was required reading for ALL volunteer youth baseball coaches.Drills included are several for Hitting and Baserunning, Throwing and Pitching, and Fielding.

The best part of the book is the Practice Planner, where they go over Practice Particulars for each age group (4-6, 7-9, 10-12, etc.)They also tell you what skills you should be teaching kids at what age level.I was amazed at the "basics" that my 8 year old son hasn't learned yet.The Ripkens want kids to learn and have fun doing it so they love the game.

We found ourselves agreeing with everything the Ripkens had to say and we will be using the rest of the spring/summer to "backyard coach" our 5 year old, 8 year old and 10 year old daughter now that baseball is over for the year - keeping it fun, of course!We would love for our children to go to one of the Ripkens' baseball camps, but this book will have to suffice.

Perfect for any Baseball Coach
This is a fantastic book. I'm a first time Tee-Ball coach and this book gave me a great start. I now plan to look into other Ripken Way products. ... Read more

Product Description
In the 150 years since its humble birth, baseball has shown an infinite capacity for exhilarating triumphs, heart-breaking losses, amusing blunders, and awe-inspiring feats.Willie Mays's amazing catch of Vic Wertz's monstrous drive in the 1954 World Series, Bobby Thomson's "shot heard round the world," the "Black Sox" Scandal of 1919, DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak, even the pitiful 1962 Mets, who finished 60 games (or two full months) out of first place--these are all part of baseball lore and part of its allure.

A banquet for baseball fans, Baseball Anecdotes offers a colorful and highly entertaining anecdotal history of America's National Pastime, from the founding of the first professional baseball team, Cincinnati's Red Stockings, by George Wright (the son of a famous English cricketer) and the forming of the first league (in a New York bar on St. Patrick's Day), to the miraculous comeback of the Mets in the Sixth Game of the 1986 World Series. Here you will meet the game's great innovators (from John Montgomery Ward, who invented the pitching mound--and also pitched the second perfect game in history--to Bill Veeck, who introduced the exploding scoreboard in Comiskey Park); the colorful eccentrics (such as King Kelly, who was accompanied off the field by a black monkey and a Japanese valet) and the self-effacing stars (such as Harmon Killebrew, who, when asked what his hobbies were, said, "Well, I like to wash dishes"); the penny-pinching owners (when Babe Ruth requested tickets for the Yankee's 1936 season opener at The House That Ruth Built, the team management said sure, just send in a check); and, most of all, the legendary players: Ruth, Ty Cobb, Rogers Hornsby, Lefty Gomez, Sandy Koufax, Casey Stengel, Mickey Mantle, and countless others.Along the way, readers are treated to instant replays of some of baseball's most memorable moments, such as Roger Maris' quest for Ruth's 61-home-run record, Don Larsen's perfect World Series game, and Ted Williams' final major league at bat (he hit a home run).

Okrent and Wulf, two highly regarded baseball writers, touch all the bases in this vividly written volume, capturing the whole human drama of baseball in a cascade of stories that offers a nostalgic feast (or, as Yogi Berra would put it, "Deja vu all over again") as well as a fascinating introduction to baseball lore for the newest generation of fans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Nice Anecdotes
Daniel Okrent and Steve Wulf have compiled over 300 pages of major league anecdotes and trivia, dating from pre-Civil War to the modern era.The authors begin with Alexander Cartright and Abner DoubleDay, and just keep on going.There's a lot here in these readable pages, from personalities like Cap Anson, Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Willie Mays, Pete Rose, etc., to some of the more more successful and more colorful teams, key World Series', etc.The book covers each era, from the post-civil war teams of the later 1800's, to the dead ball era, the roaring 1920's, the Depression and War years, postwar baseball, expansion, etc.Hard core fans will recognize many of the anecdotes, but there's so many here that some are bound to be new.Actually, I wish the authors had included more pages of information, but this still makes good reading for baseball fans.

Thinking fans should also read Okrent's NINE INNINGS, a dated but superb look at baseball and baseball strategy.

Great book for baseball fans on the east coast
This book does a great job of telling stories about Yankees, Red Socks, and the Yankees.

This book has a lot of history and, unfortunately, a lot of actual quotes (profanity and all)!Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the book, I just can't let my son read it.

There was more listed in the book about Steinbrenner's early years as the Yankees' owner than the decade of the Big Red Machine and the oldest professional baseball team combined.I admit that I am a Reds' fan.

Fun stories from the national pastime
Here is a treasury of great stories from the game of baseball. Collected and ordered from the 1800's down to today. You see some of the great characters from the game, and a look back to simpler times. Some very amusing stories are sure to keep you interested.

Semi-Interesting Anecdotes, Not-So-Crisply Told
This is not a bad book: It's just very sluggisly paced without much style. In the hands of real sportswriters it could have been a gas. The authors are far too reverential: Cooperstown to them is some kind of holy shrine,and anyone with even a smidgen of skepticism is an Unbeliever. Hey, it'salready late 1998. Why write like it's 1958?

The PBS Series Without Photos
For those of us who love the history of baseball as much as the game itself, this is a, "must get".

I found all the anecdotes from the PBS Ken Burns documentary "Baseball" here plus a bunch thatdidn't make it.(You may recall, that Daniel Okrent was heavily featuredin the PBS series)

The only missing element that would cause me to bumpmy ratings to 5 stars would be(you guessed it) photos.

With theunearthing of Charles Conlon's negatives they would have a trove of other18,000 images to choose from - most of which have yet to be published inthis half of the century. (Only a fraction of these incredible images madeit into the Abram's book, "The Golden Age of Baseball")

Ofcourse, this would drive the cost of the book up and possibly detract fromthe wonderful stories here - I wonder out loud if it isn't perfect just theway it is...

Never the less, you will be all the poorer if this book innot in your baseball library, photos or not! ... Read more

Product Description
In the pantheon of great sports literature, not a few poets have tried their hand at paying tribute to their love affair with the game -- Walt Whitman, Marianne Moore, and William Carlos Williams among them. This elegant volume collects Donald Hall’s prose about sports, concentrating on baseball but extending to basketball, football and Ping-Pong. The essays are a wonderful mixture of reminiscence and observation, of baseball and of fathers and sons, of how a game binds people together and bridges generations.
Amazon.com Review
"Half of my poet friends," confides Donald Hall, one of America's bestpoets and essayists, "think I am insane to waste my time writing aboutsports and to loiter in the company of professional athletes. The otherhalf would murder to take my place." Either way, aficionados--both of gamesand words--should simply be thankful.

Hall's lyrical voice, graceful craft, and spiritual bravado are evidentthroughout from the opening title essay--a first-person reminiscence of aspring-training sojourn with the Pirates--to a meditation on football thatserves as the volume's final gun. In between, he offers lovely, finelytuned odes to Fenway Park, Old Timers' games, Ping-Pong, and former Celticforward Kevin McHale. From a reader's perspective, "Proseball," agrand tour of baseball literature, is particularly poignant; as Hall goesdown his line-up, your heart should break when you realize just how muchgood writing--from Roger Angell, Thomas Boswell, and Red Smith, forstarters--is currently, and tragically, out of print. --JeffSilverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nostalgic look at our childhood memories.
Donald Hall had taken me by the hand and walked me up the runway into the Polo Grounds for my first baseball game all over again. His recap from the drive to the ballpark, the surroundings, the weather right to the clotheshe wore made me feel like it was 1962. This is a must read for a father ofa young boy who is just starting to attend sporting events. The storiesbrought a tingle to my spine and a tear to my eye. I relived watching LarryJackson beat my Mets and remembered getting my first autograph by SandyKoufax. Being 42 didn't matter anymore, I felt like I was 6 years old againand seeing the greenest grass I had ever witnessed albeit at such a youngage and growing up in New York City. It is a book you read to your son atbedtime and you hope he never falls asleep so you can keep reading. ... Read more

Product Description
From the authority on baseballresearch and statistics comes a vastand fascinating compendium of uniquebaseball lists and records.

The SABR Baseball List & Record Book is an expansive collection of pitching, hitting, fielding, home run, team, and rookie records not available online or in any other book. This is a treasure trove of baseball history for statistically minded baseball fans that's also packed with intriguing marginalia. For instance, on July 25, 1967, Chicago's Ken Berry ended Game Two of a doubleheader against Cleveland with a home run in the bottom of the sixteenth inning -- Chicago's second game-winning homer of the day. The comprehensive lists include Most Career Home Runs by Two Brothers (Tommie and Hank Aaron have 768), Most Seasons with 15 or More Wins (Cy Young and Greg Maddux each have 18), and Highest On Base Percentage in a Season by a Rookie (listing every rookie above .400).

Unlike other record books that only list the record holders -- say, most RBI by a rookie, held by Ted Williams with 145 -- SABR details every rookie to reach 100 RBI. Other record books might note the last pitcher in each league to steal home; here SABR has included every pitcher to do it. The book also includes a number of idiosyncratic features, such as a rundown of every player who has hit a triple and then stolen home, or every reliever who has won two games in one day. Many of the lists include a comments column for key historical notes and entertaining trivia (Bob Horner hit four home runs in a 1986 game, but his team lost). This is a must-have for every fan's library.

Edited by Lyle Spatz, Chairman of the Baseball Records Committee for SABR ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Excellent Compilation Of Many Obscure Records
This fine book has been edited into eight sections: Batting,Pitching,fielding and base running records,as well as rookie and miscellaneous records. Also included are a list index and player index. Just about any unusual record one might imagine is included. Many are broken down as totals and then by right,left and switch hit batters as well as right and left handed pitchers. Several interesting illustrations are most career grand slam home runs
Lou Gehrig (23),best career strikeout to home run ratio Joe DiMaggio (1.02)most career home runs without ever hitting 30 in a season Al Kaline(389),most career shutouts Walter Johnson(110),most career strikeout by a pitcher Nolan Ryan(5714)most consecutive strikeouts Tom Seaver (10-1970), most RBI's in a season by a rookie Ted Williams(145-1939)most consecutive wins in a season by a time N.Y. Giants(26-1916,most career steals of home Ty Cobb(54). This list covers seasons 1876-2006. Many of the records are broken down between pre and since 1893. And don't think just the top players of a category are listed. In many cases the best forty or fifty are shown. All told there are 740 record categories. Tremendous job that should be in every serious baseball library.

Filling the Void in Baseball Reference Books
I immediately saw the value of this book when I received it as a SABR member. I claims to fill a void and it does.

I'm not the stat type that many SABRen are. I like the story more than the stats. But stats help tell the story. The stats in this book, help put stats in context.

This does not replace any other work. But it will definitely help to complete your baseball reference library.

baseball fanatic
a boring chore if you sit down to read from cover to cover.
like reading recipe after recipe.

it is great to check on a particular player, or a particular stat.

it's probably most fun just to open to a random page and read about a famous stat that you THOUGHT you knew about, a new stat you learn about, something new about a player you have known about for years, or a new player you see from a stat page, then try to learn more about him.

Neither here nor there
The book turned about 50 cool statistic lists into a couple of hundred by going by position and such.That turned out to be fairly numbing and repetitive.

I enjoy baseball statistics also, but I will sit on the fence on this one with 3 stars.

Talk about cool statistics!
For those who are figure filberts and love strange statistics, this book is for you!

This is a book produced by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).This is, as the book says (page vii), "intended to fill what we in SABR feel is a void in the reference publications that fans and media depend upon."It is not intended to replace standard sources of statistics, The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia.It provides other lists, not appearing in standard references.For instance, the Introduction remarks that some reference sources include records for most RBIs by a rookie, this volume lists "every rookie who batted in at least 100 runs."

The book covers the time frame 1876-2006.And comparing statistics across these periods is extraordinarily difficult!

Records are listed in numerical order from 001 to 740 (thus, there are 740 records examined).001 is Most career games played (Pete Rose is # 1 with 3562); 740 is "Families with 3 or more brothers who played in the major leagues" (the Delahanty's are # 1 with 5 brothers playing in the bigs).By the way, both records are in the The Baseball Encyclopedia, if memory serves.But what records are included in between!

Some random picks: Worst fielding average by a first baseman since 1946.One player dominates with 3 of the 4 crummiest fielding averages.Any guess?Dr. Strangeglove--Dick Stuart (1961, 1963, 1964).Here's something exotic: Pinch-hit home run and one other home run in a game:This has happened 26 times (all with 1), the most recent beingJeff Salazar (Chicago White Sox) in 2006.What about most homers in a season without winning the home run title?Sammy Sosa, of course, with 66 in 1998.

Another intriguing hitting record: Most career RBIs without a 100 RBI season.Pete Rose ranks # 1 here.Others in the top 10 include Eddie Collins, Craig Biggio, Sam Rice, and Julio Franco. And how's this?Game-ending extra-inning home runs (16th inning and later)?The most recent is Ramon Martinez in 2006; the earliest was Charley ("Old Hoss") Radbourne, in 1886.

One last tidbit.Best stolen base duo in a season?With 246 steals, Arlie Latham (129) and Charlie ("Old Roman") Comiskey (117) in 1887.From1898 to the present?Vince Coleman (110) and Willie McGee (56), for a total of166 in 1985.

Anyhow, this book is a hoot for those who like offbeat statistics.Despite the book's claim, you will find some of these statistics elsewhere.But there are some interesting off-the-beaten-path stats.
... Read more

Product Description
Coaching Youth Baseball, Fourth Edition, stresses fun, safety, and effective instruction, helping you create an environment that promotes learning, encourages a love of the game, and motivates your athletes to come out year after year.

Numerous coaching books present the skills and drills of baseball. But here's a book that teaches you how to convey these skills to your athletes in an engaging and positive manner. Coaching Youth Baseball's focus on teaching offensive and defensive skills through gamelike drills sets it apart from the current lineup of baseball coaching books.

Sporting a reorganized format geared for sequential learning and quick reference, the fourth edition features a line-up of 11 new drills and 40 age-specific coaching tips that are sure to jump-start your planning and practices. The expertise of Coach Tom O'Connell and essential coaching skills--communicating with parents and officials, motivating players, and preparing for games and practices--make this book a must-read as you prepare to meet the challenges and enjoy the rewards of coaching young athletes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

More On Non-Technical Ideas
This book does cover more of the non-technical aspects of being a youth coach, but it does a good job at covering those. Many of these items are not covered in other books, so it is very helpful. Perhaps not as good as a "... for Dummies" guide might be, which are much better than their titles indicate, but it comes close. Certainly worth checking out.

coaching youth baseball
The author does not know the actual fundamentals of baseball, incorrect hitting an bunting techniques. concentrates on the politics of youth baseball and not drills and skills. ... Read more

Product Description
If you are a baseball fan, then coaching youth baseball is one the most enjoyable and rewarding activities you’ll experience. But what if you’ve never coached before? Or you haven’t played the game in a while and have forgot some key points to the sport?

No worries! Coaching Baseball for Dummies guides you through the rules of the game, explaining all the essential skills and the best ways to teach them to your players. Covering different age groups and great practice routines, this guide is all you need to have a fun-filled season. You’ll discover how to:

• Fulfill the role of being a coach and parent
• Develop a coaching philosophy
• Understand how your league works
• Evaluate your team
• Teach your players fundamentals
• Understand all kinds of children
• Create your practice plan
• Prepare for game day
• Overcome challenges and problems

This plain-English guide also shows you how to run all kinds of drills, from hitting and pitching to fielding and base running. And when your team is tense or low on morale, it shows you how to relax your players and keep them focused on the game. There are also suggestions for making your season, and theirs, a memorable one. Coaching Baseball for Dummies shows you how much fun it can be to train kids to be athletes, have good sportsmanship, and work together as a team. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Too Simple
If you've never coached a team before, this book is for you.But if you have coached and are hoping for some advanced tips or great practice drills, forget it -- this book is too simple! ... Read more

Product Description
In this action-packed baseball story, the Backyard Bombers, a pick-up team, go up against their biggest rivals—the Sluggin’ Tigers. There’s just one problem—Joey, the Bombers’ first baseman, thinks he has to be the boss to get his team to win, and the rest of the Bombers aren’t too happy about being bossed around and yelled at. Can the Backyard Bombers all come together for an edge-of-your-seat showdown against the Sluggin’ Tigers? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good easy reader for 2nd grade
Bought this for a 3rd grade boy.It was a little too easy for him.He read it in like 30 minutes.He said it was good though. Probably the reading level is more for a 2nd grader.For kids interested in sports, it's a good easy read. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Great pick up for the baseball fan.
Morse breaks it down into manageable and understandable snippets, laced with wit.Enjoyable for the newbie as well as the baseball afficionado. ... Read more

Product Description
Provides a fact-filled biography of Greg Maddux, covering the baseball superstar's life as a pitcher, his character as a player, and the special achievements of his career, such as winning four Cy Young Awards and six Gold Glove Awards. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

its pretty good! =)
i think the book was great.it talked about his childhood ,and all the rest of his life.i think that matt christopher should be the author of the year!i think the best book is on the court with michael jordan though. and if you you like basketball it will be the best book you ever read.if you like baseball then you would like at the plate with mo vaughn and at theplate with greg maddux. and finnally if you like football you would likethe joe montania book rettin by matt christopher. thats why i like mattchristopher so much...............

its pretty good! =)
i think the book was great.it talked about his childhood ,and all the rest of his life.i think that matt christopher should be the author of the year!i think the best book is on the court with michael jordan though well i g2g c ya world ... Read more

Product Description
Lou Gorman is best known for having assembled the great but star-crossed Red Sox team of 1986. Few, perhaps, know that he also laid the foundation for the Mets club that clawed past them. Or that he is the only baseball executive involved in the start-up of two teams (the expansion Mariners and Royals), that he won a World Series with the Orioles, or that he has drafted Roger Clemens, signed George Brett, developed Jim Palmer, and traded away Jeff Bagwell. In all, Gorman has spent parts of five decades in the front offices of five major league franchises, directly involved in the development of clubs that won three World Series, five pennants and eight division titles. The stories behind those teams and Gorman's dealings with players, managers, and other of baseball's higher-ups are shared here for the first time. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Fun, but very low-level math.
I was a little bit disappointed in the level of mathematical sophistication in this book. Maybe I was expecting too much, but the math was really low level. I guess this is a plus for many readers, since basically anyone with a high school education and an understanding of Excel would be able to understand most of the book.

An example of the low level of math is that often times after the author introduces a mathematical model for a sport, instead of computing probabilities using a formula he resorts to Monte-Carlo simulation. I guess this makes it easier for non-mathematicians to follow, but as a probabilist it's a bit frustrating for me.

He does have some cool examples, but some of the chapters get a bit repetitive. At least half of the chapters seem to consist of
1) Gather data
2) Do a regression using Excel
This gets a bit repetitive. I think the beginning of the book is the strongest. This is the section on baseball. He does a nice job here at building up the techniques from simple analysis to more and more complicated analysis of individual players. I'm not an expert, but it seems to follow what likely was the historical development of sabermetrics.

Overall, if you like math and sports it's a fun read, just don't expect too much serious math.

Impressive!
I had no idea as to the quality and depth of thought that has gone into this field. Winston does an excellent job, making the material reasonably understandable, interesting, and detailed - beginning at first page. Even non-mathematical issues are addressed, such as why the regular baseball season is a relatively poor predictor of playoffs - because a team's regular season depends on the performance of five starting pitchers, vs. only 3-4 during the playoffs. Bill James' thinking on baseball is there as well, and how it has been modified to handle football and basketball. Evaluating pitchers, fielders, parks, individual players in major sports, comparing players from different eras - wow!

Mathletics
This is a great book! If you like math and sports this is the book for you.

Many topics, very shallow treatment. Disappointing.
The book talks about various aspects of using statistics and probability theory in professional sports. It is divided to four parts: baseball (MLB), American football (NFL) and basketball (NBA), and the fourth section talks about some sport gambling and general comments that are not a good fit to any of the other sections. The author of the book is a professor for operations and decision technologies and was also a statistics consultant for several professional teams such as the NBA's Dallas Mavericks (season 2006-2007).

Generally, the topics discussed in the book are interesting (to me both as a sports fan and with an interest and background in Math') and include topics like how to evaluate players, is there a correlation between teams wealth and the probability to win and how to compare players from different years.

However, the book itself is not an interesting read mainly because each topic is discussed in a very shallow level. The basic flow of each topic is to introduce the motivation of what statistical insights we are now checking, give the required math formula (usually without enough explanations or examples to understand it thoroughly), and than a single conclusion of the analysis is presented before continuing to the next topic. This results in the reader being left without any interesting findings or insights to learn about the topic in question with respect to different years, teams or players. For each given topic I could easily come up with several other questions that every die-hard NBA fan would like to see treated.

Basically, the book looks like a cooking book, that present an idea, gives you the formula (often discusses Excel implementation) andleaves all the hard work to the reader. Now, as the author consulted the Dallas Mavericks, most of these conclusions (in the NBA section) refer to that team in that relevant year (2006-2007). I would expect to see additional interesting results on each topic and without that I think the book will disappoint most readers.

Let me exemplify what I mean: a topic named "Are college basketball games fixed?" sounds like a very deep topic which should have profound consequences. However. this topic is exactly two pages long (57 lines to be exact), that obviously results in a very shallow treatment without any important conclusion. Another example, "Analyzing Team and Individual Matchups" topic (again, in the NBA section) is two and a half page long of text (and another 2 pages table) which only deals with the Spurs-Mavericks 2006 western conference semifinal. I guess most readers would want deeper analysis of more interesting encounters and see some data manipulation on other series.

As I wanted to get more information about these topics a quick look on various Internet website (which the book does give as good references points) I could find various articles that were more interesting than the book itself.

Overall, the book gave me a feeling that it is mostly a quick and naive compilation of a series of articles that were already posted somewhere else. Each topic (or an article in a blog\newspaper in a previous life) is treated without any deep thought or any desire to show deeper observations. If you are just looking for formulas, the internet is full of resources. This book presents very little interesting finding to sports fan.

The Mathematics and Statistics Behind Sports
Should a basketball team down by two with seconds to go try to tie the game with a two-pointer or attempt to win it with a three?Are football teams too conservative when deciding whether to go for it on fourth down?How efficacious are sacrifice bunts in baseball when there is a man on first and no one out?

In "Mathletics", Wayne Winston uses mathematics to examine these and many, many more situations in baseball, football, and basketball.The author comes to many conclusions that are against current sports conventional wisdom.Some of the other more interesting questions Winston addresses are whether Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak is the all-time greatest sports record, whether college basketball games are fixed, whether the NFL or NBA has greater parity, which sports collapses are the greatest, and whether another system to determine a college football champion would be better than the current BCS.

Some of the math in the book is too advanced even for someone who took college algebra, but someone who did well in college algebra and is familiar with some concepts in statistics such as standard deviation will be able to understand much of the math the author uses to reach his conclusions.Any serious sports fan, however, would enjoy reading the book just to see the conclusions the author arrives at concerning three of America's most popular sports. ... Read more

Product Description
The most striking, compelling and comprehensive single volume ever devoted to America's pastime. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

A baseball fan's dream
This is a wonderful book for baseball fans who like detail, context, and statistics.

One of the greatest features of this volume is the year-by-year starting lineups for all major league teams since their origin.What about Altoona's starting lineup in 1884?Baltimore's lineup in 1893?John McGraw at 3rd base.Chicago Cubs in1876?Cal McVey at 1st base; Cap Anson at 3rd base; Al Spalding as pitcher.Chicago White Sox in1987?Greg Walker at 1st base; Carlton Fisk at catcher; Harold Baines at DH.What a resource!This may be my favorite part of the book.

Of course, the statistics for every player who has ever stepped onto the diamond during a game is presented.Bill Leinhauser played one game during Ty Cobb's suspension in 1912; his statistics are here.So, too, Eddie Gaedel's stats from his one game as a pinch hitter for Bill Veeck in 1951.

This massive (over 2500 extremely thin pages long) book contains data on the game's history (including team histories), the players (including such gems as members of families who played, such as the Alous, the Boones, the DiMaggios, the Mathewsons, et al.), great streaks (such as hitting and pitching streaks), All-Star Game data, postseason records, a roster of coaches and managers from Day One of major leaguer baseball, a listing of all umpires, an enumeration of owners (e.g., the eccentric Chis Von der Ahe of the St. Louis Cardinals from the 1890s) and executives , even a listing of baseball announcers, great quotations (e.g., Frank Robinson on his role as manager saying that: "I had no trouble communicating.The players just didn't like what I had to say"; or Willie Stargell speaking of Steve Carlton: "Sometimes I hit him like I used to hit Koufax, and that's like drinking coffee with a fork"), and so on.A treasure trove of data on baseball, from its origins to the present.

If you don't like numbers, don't look at this book.For baseball fans, this is a must acquire volume. . . .You can spend hours with fellow fans just rifling through the pages and sharing trivia and minutiae that are fodder for Hot Stove League discussion.

Where did dome of the data go?
Love this book. I read it most every day. Here are some things in past editions I would like to see come back:

1. Playoff stats under the player's regular season stats verses a seperate section in the cack.
2. Pinch hit at-bats and hits return
3. Blown saves added back to the pitchers stats
4. Family connections. Used to have at least an "F" for family. Past additions also had "Brother of, Father of etc". Always found that interesting.

Little stuff but that is what makes the book fun. All the little things you can uncover in every read!

Most Complete Stat Resource Available
This is the best statistical resource I have seen.It is comprehensive; you will find just about anything you're looking for in here.All of the traditional statistics plus many of the analytical stats developed by the Society of American Baseball Research to determine more accurate measures of a players actual impact on winning games.It also includes a number of interesting articles on the evolution of the game, which anyone with an interest in baseball history will find invaluable.This reference tool is well worth the price.

THE Baseball Reference Book
I have read two previous editions of Total Baseball and this 8th edition is the very best.For all TB readers out there the 8th edition still has complete statisical player guide with the standard statisticsbaseball historian tend to expect.The newest stat added is the Win Shares for each season and carrier.Anyone would has read Bill James' Historical Baseball abstract is familiar with this stat.
What makes the 8th ed of TB a better book than all that have come before are the essays on both the historical progession of the game and on hot botton issues.Essays take onhot button subjects as the greatest team of all time(not the '27 Yanks)and whether Bonds is the greatest ever. Also included are essays from contemorary SPORT magizines on player profiles.
In short this book is simply the greatest as far as historical reference and as always is the greatest stat guide ever produced.5 stars + ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

A delight for sports fans to page through or read straight cover to cover.
Edited by Richard Peterson (Professor Emeritus of English, Southern Illinois University), The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a carefully selected anthology of writings by a wide variety of authors about St. Louis' two most famous baseball teams: the Cardinals and the Browns. Covering St. Louis baseball from its late-nineteenth-century origins to the amazing tales of its hall-of-fame players to how Jackie Robinson stood up to racism and Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause to modern-day games. Articles include "World Champs: Cardinals Wrap It Up" by Rick Hummel, "Browns in American League Since 1902" by Frederick J. Lieb, "The Cardinals' First Publicity Man" by Gene Karst, and many more. A delight for sports fans to page through or read straight cover to cover. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Great Baseball Book
Some great stories in this book. I would recommend it to any baseball fan.

Some cheaper New copies on [...] for those looking to purchase. Only [...] bucks for a new copy of this book.

[...]

RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN SAYS: "BASEBALL HELPS SOME ADULTS NEVER GROW UP!"
The author Talmage Boston is a lawyer as well as a writer and like many of us men who never grew up... he had dreamed of being a Major League baseball player. For him... writing this book about players from his generation is as close as he will come to the big leagues. For me... reading books like this and writing reviews is as close as I'll come. Talmage (In a normal review I probably would have used the author's last name here instead of his first... but being that his last name is Boston... the potential reader might get confused and think I'm talking about the Red Sox or the city. And by the way... that's how Boston... became Boston's favorite team when he was a young boy growing up in Texas. Seeing his last name ("Boston") on the front of the Red Sox's road jerseys... resulted in Boston's favorite team being Boston.). (Wooo! Glad that part of the review is over.) And of course if the Red Sox were the author's favorite team during those years... then the odds are quite high... that the "YAZ"- Carl Yastrzemski would be his favorite player. But more on that later.

Let's first define what "those years" consisted of. The author and I both are part of the "BABY-BOOMER" generation. The first thing I learned from this book is that the time period that defines the "BABY-BOOMER" generation is a longer period than I would have guessed. The author lists those magical years as 1946 thru 1964... off the top of my head I would have thought it was approximately 1946 thru about 1956... but lo and behold... according to the internet the author is correct. The author divides the book into nine chapters that are really nine short stories. The subjects of these short stories are: "MICKEY MANTLE & JIMMY PIERSALL"... which basically describes Father and son relationships going wrong. "YAZ & THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM"... the author's favorite childhood player and his TRIPLE CROWN season leading the Red Sox to the 1967 World Series. "JACKIE ROBINSON & BRANCH RICKEY"... the integration of baseball... and it's interesting to note that Jackie was my all-time idol... and the author attempts to cover his entire lifetime in a restricted space. In my opinion this is fine if the reader is a pedestrian fan... rather than the type of fanatical fan that the author himself and I both claim to be. "NOLAN RYAN"... detailing his record breaking career. "BART GIAMATTI"... the former Commissioner Of Baseball who was famous for loving baseball with the eloquence of a great poet... who was forced to suspend Pete Rose for tarnishing the game that we all love... and the fact that Rose's transgressions were anything but poetic... is probably what killed the Commissioner. "COOPERSTOWN & THE HALL OF FAME"... this shrine to baseball and young boy's dreams... seen through a boy's heart... that still resides inside of all "BABY-BOOMER" boys that just happen to be over fifty-years-old. "ROGER MARIS"... the man who despite threats of asterisks... and the ghost of "THE BABE"... and eight extra games... hit the magical *SIXTY-ONE-HOMERUNS*... and I was absolutely thrilled... and shouting in unison with the author... as he derogatorily ... and resolutely... attacked the shameful steroid era... that mocks the entire history of baseball and its holiest of holy records... records that should remain on the highest peaks of Mount Olympus on hallowed ground... engulfed with rarefied air... so that future generations of boys and men with dreams... will never doubt that they were earned without illegal and artificial enhancements. "FRIENDS IN THE GAME"... the author's personal experiences with John Grisham... Dr. Bobby Brown... Lou Brock... and Bobby Bragan. "FIRST PERSON PERSPECTIVE"... tying it all together with the Author's family and son.

This is an enjoyable book that drips with the loving emotion of a lifetime baseball fan. I feel that the way this book is laid out with nine short stories that its biggest potential impact will be with a reader who is looking for an overview on multiple subjects... rather than the reader who wants intricate detail that would be provided in a biography.

Only a game?
Baseball; love it, hate it, or just tolerate it, has certainly made its impact on out culture. Mr. Boston takes a few of the game's stars and one commissioner, exposes their exploits and Achilles heels in a way that makes them seem like the "guy next door." For someone like me that loves the game of baseball it is inspiring to see how a man like Nolan Ryan can be hit in the mouth in the first inning of a game (later would require eight stitches to close the gash) with a bouncing ball off the bat of Bo Jackson, yet pitch into the eighth inning with blood streaming down his uniform giving up only three hits.These stories are about courage, determination, focus, failure, and overcoming failure; the things that make America great! It is a quick read and I could not put it down.

Non-fiction page-turner
I cannot remember finishing such a good book so quickly.A non-fiction page-turner. Captivating!Well researched and written, original choices of subject matter, palpable passion. ... Read more