Product Description
On a quiet street on Long Island early on a December morningin 2005, more than fifty federal agents stood outside a lovelynew home waiting for the front door to be opened. When it did,there stood the central figure in one of the biggest scandals in sportshistory: Kirk Radomski.

Radomski was a regular New York kid who, from the age offifteen had the amazing fortune of working in the Mets clubhouse.The focus of his job was to give the players whatever they wantedor needed—he got their uniforms ready, packed up their homes atthe end of the season, cashed their checks, and helped them beatthe drug tests that would have led to suspension. And at the end ofthe 1986 season he even led the World Champions down Broadwayduring their victory parade. Eventually, he graduated to helping inother ways: providing them with steroids and human growth hormones.By the time the Feds knocked on his door, he was the mainclubhouse supplier of performance-enhancing drugs to almostthree hundred baseball players.

Under threat of a long prison sentence—and after beingidentified by players he’d helped—he cooperated with SenatorGeorge Mitchell to produce the Mitchell Report, providing namesand dates. Now he’s ready to tell the whole story to the world.Radomski made little money from these transactions, and in thisstunning book he will recount what baseball knew about the problem,his life since the report came out, and who took what. Thisis the tale of a young man seeing his heroes turn into clay, and thedegradation of a once great sport into the drug-addicted spectacle it has become. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Not particularly entertaining
Guy helps people cheat. Guy gets caught. Guy blows the roof off his cheating friends. Meh.

An inside look at how the whole thing started
Though I enjoyed the book, I couldn't help being a bit distracted by the constant self-serving justifications. The excuses, "everybody did it" and "it's not that bad" don't hold much water with me (particularly when he admits to dealing amphetamines in addition to steroids and HGH). Conversely, Radomski has a good point when he talks about the temptations that exist for pro ball players and why anyone in an industry so competitive could easily have been seduced by the promises of quick gains and faster healing. As you can see, the book brings up a lot of conflicting feelings for me. Radomski's good points are overwhelmed, however, by the obvious bitterness he has towards those he sees as betraying him (even though he did the exact same thing himself). If anything, the theme of the book appears to be weighing the costs and benefits of our decisions in life, whether it is taking an illegal substance in order to keep a job or turning state's evidence in exchange for a lesser sentence. If you have an interest in the steroid scandal, this is a worthy addition to your collection.

Baseball and the Steroid Era.
Great read for all baseball fans. Any knowledgeable
fan would indeed find this book very interesting
about America's past-time.

Even Playing Field
I enjoyed this book for many reasons.It gave some real insight into the state of the Baseball Players and the Major League Business of Baseball.It also hit me personally since I myself took legal supplements from GNC for nutritional purposes because I was a college baseball player myself.In fact the whole steroid era has been around since the late '80s.When I got to college in 1990 even the Athletic Training programs encouraged legal supplements which were later banned.Athletes do this to help improve themselves and trust their body's with so called experts.The U.S. Government FDA which allowed these supplements to be sold I feel should be put into the spot light more.Just to be clear, I am referring to the supposed legal precursor supplements to steriods.There is no question in my mind that steriods should be illegal and should be tested for.But as Kirk wrote, these Athletes were making millions of dollars and in order to maintain a leveling playing field and get a larger contract, they would do anything possible to improve their statistics.

This was an excellent book for baseball enthusiats who really want to get a fair history of the 1990's & 2000's.He does write too much on his so called expertise when it really was trial and error.He almost insinuates that he is in favor of steroids for athletes which I believe is wrong.The again, the real phillosphical question is what drugs or stimulants should be legal.Caffeine? Red Bull? Ripped Fuel? B-12?The FDA in my opinion helped cause this problem by relaxing it's restrictions on control of vitamins and supplements in the early 1990's.

The Crime of Punishment
I think three groups of readers will find Radomski's book worth reading.

The first group are former and current players, from the high school level to the major leagues.They usually want to know what the competition is doing and what is really going on in the sport they are currently playing, or have played in the recent, or even distant, past.

The second, larger group, are the fans who love the game as spectators.

A third group, who believe baseball is an important part of American popular culture, will feel obligated to read it, and I recommend they do.As a primary source, it is invaluable and professional historians and sociologists will know how to deal with it as such.

Dedicated baseball fans will, apparently, almost always want to shoot the messenger, Kirk Radomski, for telling them the unpleasant truth that many, if not most, of their heroes are liars and hypocrites who take illegal, performance enhancing drugs, and too often use corked bats to get more hits.And that these players get away with it because clubhouse personnel, including people like Kirk Radomski himself, help them get away with it.

Most of the (current) Amazon reviewers have either attacked Radomski's character directly or implied that his book is some kind of joke:

"Kirk Radomski and his Bases Loaded: The Inside Story of the Steroid Era in Baseball by the Central Figure in the Mitchell Report will be stashed away to be finished for another time; I will pick it up and finish it some other day. Maybe ..."

"One negative I can find is in the beginning, he overstates himself. He said HE led the Mets in downtown in their victory parade in '86. He thinks people think HE's the man who started the whole steroid rage."

"Radomski seems to think he was important because he spent time with big name athletes who made a lot of money."

"The author is a joke."

"The book was very very repetitive and in parts read like a high schooler had written it."

"There was an enormous ego present throughout the book, especially when he flaunted the contracts his clients received."

"Not recommended for young impressionable idealistic fans."

"Radomski constantly brags that he knows sooo much more than any ballplayer about the proper use of these *ILLEGAL-DRUGS*. This bellowing braggadocio... is repeated... not just once... but over... and over... and over... again."

" 'Everybody' is this guy's best friend in the book. Total phony. Not worth the money. Wait to buy until it is on the one dollar book sheld - shouldn't be long."

When you consider that Baseball Digest runs advertisements for funeral urns in the size and shape of baseballs with the names of favorite teams on them, it isn't hard to understand why the messenger is getting a few pitches thrown at his head.After all, when hundreds of thousands of fans are dedicated enough to have their ashes deposited in baseball shaped urns after they die, we're talking about serious business.

However, in spite of all the ruffled feathers, it's pretty clear that Radomski is telling the truth.For one thing, he doesn't have any reason to lie, while players have every reason.Also, while Radomski is no scientist, he is nevertheless a very intelligent guy.He didn't train as a biochemist so we shouldn't expect to hear his scientific opinion about the effects of hormones on biological systems. Radomski is, however, highly knowledgeable about the pragmatic EFFECTS of performance enhancing drugs and its clear that players knew this and therefore came to him to get the right mix to help them through the season.

The reader should not have to be reminded that most biochemists don't understand the biological mechanisms of performance enhancing drugs either, and that is why they are afraid of them.They don't know what their side effects will be twenty years into the future because they don't know precisely how they act on the body in the present.

But ethical issues are not different in baseball and baseball regulations aren't essentially different from other regulatory activities, from banning abortion and making suicide illegal to breaking up monopolies and setting speed limits for highways.

Baseball, however, has a unique position in American culture even though its rules are, more or less, arbitrary.It's not written in stone, for example, that first base should be 90 feet from home base or that the distance to left field should be 200 feet or 500 feet.These things are all part of an American ritual and when they change they must change with the appropriate amount of mumbo jumbo and finally, with the consent of most of the fans and players.

Clearly, there is nothing ethically distasteful about using corked bats or even aluminum bats that weigh half as much as wood bats but are twenty inches longer.And there is nothing ethically wrong with changing baseballs to that they will travel twice as far or half as far when hit, or making them bigger or smaller. It's really just a matter of what fans and players think will make the game interesting.

The use of performance enhancing drugs in professional sports has to clear two hurdles.The first is the hurdle of baseball tradition just mentioned.The second it the hurdle of government regulation, in general.

The government allows nicotine and alcohol but bans marijuana and cocaine and allows creatine and amino acids but bans human growth hormone and steroids.These decisions are not completely arbitrary and they aren't completely rational either and individual citizens have every right to disagree with them and even break the rules if they feel it is in their best interest, or in the best interest of society, to do so.But for any law or rule, if lawbreakers are caught, they are punished, and judges don't usually listen to lawyers who try to argue that the law itself is incorrect.

But then again, judges don't seem to be inclined to prosecute those who use illegal drugs to the same extent they punish those who provide them, probably because the law has always been prejudiced towards the rich and powerful and prejudiced against the poor and powerless.

Radomski is lucky he only got five years probation, even though the only punishment Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will get is not getting into the Hall of Fame.

In his poem The Wolf and the Lamb, Jean de la Fontaine said it a very long time ago, echoing the ancient Greek Aesop, "The reasoning of the strong is always better than the reasoning of the weak."
... Read more

Product Description
Let Rod Delmonico, Baseball America’s 1995 National Division I College Coach of the Year, show you 68 of the offensive drills he uses to take his teams to the top.

Offensive Baseball Drills includes 35 hitting drills, 20 baserunning drills, and 13 team drills for coaches to use in practice or for athletes to do at home. Coach Delmonico also explains the purpose of each drill, equipment needs, proper procedures, coaching points, and how to tailor the drills to older and younger athletes.

Use Offensive Baseball Drills to develop solid hitting, bunting, stealing, and running skills--and score more runs in every game. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great book for K-4 graders practices...
I coach t-ball and little league.This book works great for even the youngsters.I pick and choose the appropriate drills, make copies for hand-outs, and do the drills for practice.They make it more interesting.Great book.

Good Stuff
Excellent offensive drills with good illustration to back it up. A must for coaches looking to add a little variety to the same old boring routines.

A must read.
Delmonico presents his drills in an easy to understand format that is right to the point.The pictures and diagrams farthur simplify the understanding of these drills.The only thing is that sometimes he doesnot go into enough detail and leaves elements of the drills questionable inthe mind of those that still have a thing or two to learn about the gameand its terminology.Overall it should prove to be a great asset andimprove any coaches ability to diversify drills and practice.

Great book.Some terminology clarification needed
Delmonico does a great job in showing numerous drills to develope the fundamentals of offensive baseball.However, Some terminology clarification needed for the readers who are not familiar with Universityof Tennesee baseball. Overall, a must read for coaches at theintermediate to advanced levels ... Read more

Product Description
A great new way to get all kids excited about math!

Fantasy sports are a hit worldwide, and now teachers and parents can take advantage of this phenomenon to give students a reason to look forward to doing math. The games and activities in Fantasy Baseball and Mathematics will get kids excited about learning and practicing math, even if they're not big sports fans. With this fun-filled educational resource, you can teach one math concept or many, and plan lessons that can last for a week or a whole season.

Here's how it works. Students create fantasy teams by picking real-life professional baseball players, and then follow their players' statistics and calculate their teams' total points using algebraic or nonalgebraic methods specifically designed to complement the math skills they're learning. The instructions are easy to follow and the dynamic hands-on games address all learning styles and abilities. The book includes more than 100 scoring systems that give you the flexibility to customize the content according to your students' skill levels.

In addition to the basic Fantasy Baseball game, the book contains easy-to-use lesson plans, reproducible worksheets for extra practice on 46 different math concepts, graphing activities, quizzes, a pre- and post- test, and an answer key. More than just a fun way to learn math, the book's activities also support the NCTM Math Standards.



"The Fantasy Sports and Mathematics programs allow you to reach the students, making the lessons not only comprehensive and enriching, but very exciting. The students loved it, worked harder than ever, and their GEPA scores increased over 40 points in the first year alone!"
--Robert Creamer, teacher, Woodbine School District, Woodbine, New Jersey

"Fantasy Sports and Mathematics! Finally, a fun and effective method not only for teaching math knowledge but going further and providing a framework for students to comprehend, apply, and analyze the learned competencies. A rare and innovative example of academics using sports to teach students life skills."
--Kim Beason, associate professor, Park and Recreation Management, University of Mississippi

Also available in the Fantasy Sports and Mathematics series:

Fantasy Basketball and Mathematics | Fantasy Football and Mathematics | Fantasy Soccer and Mathematics ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fantasy Baseball big help in my class
The season has not yet started, but my classes have completed their draft and are very excited about play fantasy baseball once the season starts in a week or so.I'm very optimistic about using the fantasy sports in my classroom.I plan to use football and basketball along with the baseball next year.

A Wonderful, Effective Addition to My Math Curriculum
As a middle school educator, I'm always searching for ideas to better engage my students in the learning process.An aide at my school told me about a news piece she saw on EPSN showing how teachers were using fantasy sports to help students learn math concepts.Once I saw the piece, I was really intrigued.I ordered the entire set of Dan Flockhart's books immediately.In the past, I have made impulse buys on something that seems really interesting, and I have eventually regretted it.This was not the case with these books.From the first time I opened them and began reading, I was immediately impressed.These books are written in a way that I think anyone could implement this in their classroom, regardless of background knowledge of sports in general, or fantasy sports in particular.Also, if you're worried that this program is just superficial material, it addresses many NCTM (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics) standards, all of which are similar to the Ohio state math standards that I am required to teach.

On top of that, the support from the author through his website has been outstanding.Any questions I have asked, whether in the forums on the site, or through personal messages and email, have been answered in a thorough and timely manner.He has even personally put me in touch with another teacher who implemented his program in a class with a similar demographic makeup to mine (All girls!And, yes, they are LOVING it!).The exchanges with that teacher have been invaluable.Dan Flockhart is really supporting his product in a very personal way.

I have begun my first fantasy baseball season, and, already, the results have been wonderful!My students are engaged in a way I haven't seen all year.I give this book my strongest endorsement.
... Read more

Product Description
As the Civil War ended, the thoughts of many Northern soldiers turned to a game that some had learned about for the first time during the war-baseball. Their newfound interest in the sport, combined with the postwar economic boom and the resultant growth of many cities, took the game from one practiced by a few amateur clubs in New York City before the war to a professional sport covering almost the entire northeastern United States.

Researched from primary sources, the game of the late 1860s is described season-by-season: the fields, the crowds, the strategy, the rules, the style of play, and the confusing struggles to crown a national champion, with all the chicanery and machinations of the contenders. Such landmark events as the Washington Nationals' pioneering 1867 tour and the Cincinnati Red Stockings' undefeated 1869 season are covered. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An essential work
Ryczek's first work, Blackguards and Red Stockings, was a very strong effort but he outdid himself with this one. His research into baseball during the post-Civil War years is excellent and he tells this fascinating story well. Ryczek's focus is on east coast baseball and this book should be read in concert with more recent ones that have dealt with other regions. But that is by no means a criticism of this excellent work, which ought to be in the library of anyone with a serious interest in nineteenth-century baseball.

Excellent detailed account of baseball's early beginings.
This book is a thoroughly researched account of the early days of baseball. Mr. Ryczek dutifully illustrates the exciting andoften times painful transition of the sport from a loosely organized amateur pastime toan openlyprofessional enterprise.

The first extended treatment of an important era.
With insight, clarity and wit, Ryczek surveys a neglected era of early baseball history, and shows how baseball at its highest levels was transformed from a reasonably polite pastime for amateurs into a rowdysport dominated by professionals. This first book-length treatment ofbaseball's post-Civil War era is a must read for anyone who wouldunderstand the origins of the professional game. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
The crack of the bat, the cheering of fans and the agility and athleticism of the players are all characteristics that many people fondly associate with Major League Baseball. However, the players’ strike and owners’ lockout in 1994 and 1995 brought the game under great scrutiny, revealing a side of baseball that is not admirable, honorable, or enjoyable. Nor is this darker side of "America’s Pastime" a recent development. The majority of problems in today’s Major Leagues are a continuation of ills that have plagued organized baseball since its inception.

This book examines the business of baseball, addressing its most significant problems and proposing solutions. It covers some of Major League Baseball’s greatest players and their effect on the game and its business. Among the many topics analyzed are the roles of franchise owners, commissioners, and players’ unions in organized baseball. The book also examines Major League ballparks and baseball fans, and considers how they are relevant to baseball as a game and a business. ... Read more

Product Description
This is not your ordinary baseball trivia quiz book. Mike Attiyeh, semi-finalist in the annual trivia contest of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), has assembled a unique collection of over 300 in-depth questions on topics as challenging as the game itself. From accomplishments on the field to anecdotes from the dugout, from baseball's earliest days to the 2001 major league season, Attiyeh presents an assortment of questions, including trivia, matching, fill-in-the-blanks, true or false, and fill-in-the-lineup. The quizzes are complemented by "Did You Know?" sections, which offer hundreds more facts, figures, and stats.

Who was the only player to play in all 44 New York Yankees–Brooklyn Dodgers World Series games?

Did you know that Ted Williams is the only distinguished major leaguer to participate in World War II and the Korean War?

Those up to the task can take the "Managerial Challenge": two full "seasons" of 162 questions. Answer enough correctly and qualify for the postseason and more rounds of play-off and World Series–caliber posers. Answer too few correctly and it's back to the minors!

What do Babe Ruth, Waite Hoyt, Wally Schang, Herb Pennock, Carl Mays, and Everett Scott have in common?

Did you know that Dizzy Dean once shut out the Boston Braves without taking a sign from his catcher?

But even novice fans, not up to the challenge, can enjoy the vast scope of material covered by Attiyeh. Who Was Traded for Lefty Grove? is a must-have for every fan of the game. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A great book
A great book with one flaw: no index. It should be federally mandated that any baseball book of facts - especially one as well researched as this one - come with an index. Otherwise, the highest recommendation.

Intelligent fun
This is a book for the thinking fan.This is not some ordinary, garden variety baseball trivia book.Rather, this book is filled with an amazing amount of research and it is borne out in the facts and figures that accompany every "question" in the book.Each question serves in part as part of a trivia game, but also simply is the header for detailed discussions on a wide variety of very interesting topics related to the history of the game.A definite must-read for any baseball fan, and a great holiday gift! ... Read more

Product Description
Over his long career covering the Brooklyn Dodgers Harold Parrott witnessed the moguls of baseball's Golden Era firsthand and shares many unforgettable stories about his encounters.Funny and irreverent, this richly anecdotal memoir will be enjoyed by any sports fan who's ever wondered about the goings-on in big-league baseball's inner circle and how the important decisions are made. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

An Overdue Perspective on the Front Office
Unlike other books in this genre, does not romanticize the Brooklyn Dodgers nor mythologizes Jackie Robinson's contributions to baseball. This is an honest, well-written insider's account of baseball in the fifties and sixties.

Sports Illustrated Article July 8 Issue
This is a Gem, Funny First Hand history plus Harold Parrott knows how to write.

I am finally startung to understand why baseball has the "problems" it has. As Mr Parrott says these "Lords" truly are"little boys with big wallets"

Enjoy

A First Hand Brooklyn Dodger History Book
A First Hand Brooklyn Dodger history book, with a sense of humor, an informed point of view with a B/Q attitude...Bravo!!!

Now we know the rest of the story- Baseball
This book was thouroughly enjoyable. I enjoyed the insights
and the annecdotes. Good sports reading-

A funny and revealing book
Simlpy a great sports book ... Read more

Product Description
The award-winning reference book, completely revised updated to take the language and lore of baseball into the next century. TheDickson Baseball Dictionary quickly established it self as the book to go to when you want to know which inning The Catch was made, or needed to find out where the term "fungo" cam from, or couldn't figure why Vin Scully called that last hit a "frozen rope." The only problem became closing the book: once you dipped into this comprehensive, engaging, entertaining compendium of baseball knowledge, it was almost impossible to pull away. Now the dictionary is back more authoritative and comprehensive than ever and filled with lots of never-before-seen illustrations and photos. From hundreds of updated definitions to its thorough bibliography and new thesaurus of terms, The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary combines depth and historical richness with the accessibility of a reference book-something the state books, almanacs, and illustrated histories can't begin to do. This is an essential for every baseball lover's reference shelf.Amazon.com Review
Baseball is an etymologist's delight. The game coins words andphrases faster than Mark McGwire hits home runs (a.k.a. dingers,taters, round-trippers, four-baggers), and much of what begins asbaseball-specific verbiage seeps into common usage. But why exactly isa high, lazy fly ball called "a can of corn," a pop-up that fallsbetween the infield and the outfield a "Texas leaguer," a viciouscurveball "Uncle Charlie," a poke that bounces off the plate a"Baltimore chop," and the minor leagues "the bushes"? Paul Dicksonexplains them--and about 7,000 more terms and expressions, names andevents--in a wide-ranging work that's as much fun to browse through asit is specifically useful. Like its 1989 predecessor (which only sent5,000 entries to the plate), the Dickson Baseball Dictionaryarranges everything alphabetically, supplies definitions, offersexamples, provides cross-references, and, most fascinating of all,traces word and phrase origins. As references go, it brings out the"lumber," looks "yard," and pretty much "touches 'em all." --JeffSilverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Book Ordered/Great Price
Rec'd book on time; cheaper than area bookstores. This is not the first time I purchased items from Amazon and I plan to continue. Great job! Thanks!

Great Book !
This is a book that you'll love. There's a lot of things to learn in it and some terms you probably can't listen anymore. A perfect book for a really baseball fan !

Great Book !
This is a book that you'll love. There's a lot of things to learn in it and some terms you probably can't listen anymore. A perfect book for a really baseball fan !

Clear,Concise, Helpful
This baseball dictionary is clear, concise and helpful, particularly for people like me. I love baseball, but when I was growing up, girls weren't raised on sports, so I became a fan with sketchy knowledge of the rules and nuances of the game. Since I bought this book, I've learned a lot about pitching maneuvers, stats, history of the sport, slang terms and dozens of other things that make baseball more and more interesting to watch.I'm very glad I own it.

A must have for the serious baseball fan!
In baseball, what is a crackerjack? A cradle? A drawing Card? Feel the apple means what? What happens when you go to the pump? Who made up Murderers' Row? Open the New Dickson Baseball Dictionary and you'll findout.

This A to Z complete listing of baseball term is about the best bookon the subject there is. Paul Dickson has put together over 570 pages offacts, terms, definitions and trivia that are sure to please every baseballfan.

Filled with over 100 photos and illustrations you are sure to findjust about every baseball word you can think of. Also included are athesaurus, a section of abbreviations and a fully annotatedbibliography.

The baseball purest is sure to love this book as a gift,and it is priced to meet most budgets. Overall this book is great readingand makes the perfect handy reference book! ... Read more

Product Description
Baseballs, Basketballs and Matzah Balls offers a sweeping exploration of sports: of contests and heroes, of triumph and adversity, and how they relate to the festivals that Jews have celebrated for thousands of years. Among the chapters: Remembering Simpler Times: What central message of Sukkot is enthusiastically espoused by winning college coaches? Kindling the Light of Confidence: What Hanukkah teaches us about the kind of confidence that builds champions? A Purim Perspective on Competitive Anger: Why so many athletes lose their cool, just like the villainous Haman did, becoming their own worst enemies? Coach K and the Meaning of Passover: How Mike Krzyzewski's success explains the Exodus?"A compelling, entertaining, illuminating work that will stir the hearts and intellect of Jews and non-Jews alike." -- Seth Davis, Sports Illustrated/CBS Sports"Rabbi Mitch Smith has written a book that gives all sports fans occasion to think about the meaning of sacrifice, teamwork, leadership and other virtues in a different light. -- Bud Selig, Commissioner, Major League Baseball"This book is a great read! It offers all of us a roadmap to becoming more fulfilled human beings." -- Lenny Krayzelburg, 4-time Olympic Gold Medalist Informative, insightful, inspirational... Mitch Smith scores on every level with this tonic for the soul." -- Tim Green, former defensive end, Atlanta Falcons, Fox Sports NFL ana ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This really is worth reading

While the title Baseballs, Basketballs and Matzah Balls might be a bit too cute this is a serious but very readable exploration of the linkage between Jewish history, ethics and belief with sport;both team and individual performance. While the author is a rabbi, he writes for anyone who has even a passing interest in being a bettersports performer or even fan. Not only is the book informative but fun to read as well. ... Read more

Product Description
With a more limited supply of baseball card sets on the market, and 20 of the 30 professional U.S. baseball teams reporting increases in attendance in the last year and a half, there's no doubt that this is your season, card collector. No one understands this better than the staff of Sports Collectors Digest, the voice of the hobby and the experts responsible for the reliable and thoroughly researched pricing you'll find in 2008 Baseball Card Price Guide. This one-of-a-kind modern card reference must-have contains nearly 400,000 cards, including packs and boxes, inserts, parallels and rare variations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent reference manual
I am very please with the setup, clear, concise values of many different makers of baseball cards.Seems to be a fair assessment of cost.

LOADED WITH MATERIAL
This price guide is filled with tons of card prices. I was not disappointed with this book as I think you will feel the same way. I would like to note that a few of the newer model inserts were not listed and cards past 1981 werent listed as well. Other than that, this book is a great addition to any collection. ... Read more

Product Description

"I'm proud of my record in baseball," Ruth says, "and I'dbe ungrateful to say otherwise. Every time I drive in a run, everytime I hit a ball over the fence or hear the cheers of the bleacherfans ringing in my ears I get a great kick." Babe's Own Bookstill has a knack for giving readers a kick, as well. --JeffSilverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I ENCOURGE YOU TO READ THIS BOOK
WELL PEOPLETHERE ARE PLENTY OF BABE RUTH'S BOOKS IN STORE IT TALKS ABOUT THIS BOY GROWING UP IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND HE WANTED TO PLAY BASEBALL HE STARTED OUT WITH THE BOSTON REDSOXTHEN MOVED TO THE NEW YORK YANKEES WELL READ THE BOOK AND YOU WILL FIND MORE FACTS ABOUT HIM ... Read more

Product Description
In this book, authors H.A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl present their practical and proven strategy for developing the mental skills needed to achieve peak performance at every level of the game. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

The Mental Game of Baseball
This was my first time to order a book online...Amazon.com was great and processed my order on a timely basis.My grandson is enjoying the book with interest.

Great Book
My son and I find this book so helpful. Every page you find yourself learning something. I will recommended this for any serious baseball player and for those want to improved their skills mentally.

Book review
Will do business w/ again.Good baseball book to read, a MUST for would be professional baseball players!

Perfect book to help you be mentally tough
My 12 year old actually read this book himself halfway through the season.His mental toughness increased incredibly.This was by far his biggest weakness when playing baseball.I expect him to be even better, and have even more fun, going into next season having already read it.

Great Book
This is an excellent book.I found it very valuable in helping my son get better at baseball. ... Read more

Product Description

INTRODUCING THE LATEST ADDITIONS TO THE BEST-SELLING LITTLE LEAGUE GUIDES

Packed with valuable information on how to help their players improve at the plate, this guide takes coaches and parents step by step through:

• Correct techniques of hitting
• Developmental practice drills
• Skills kids need to bat .300
• And how to have fun along the way

Customer Reviews (1)

Coaching the Little League Hitter
Very good information easy to understand and clear. My 8 year old boy was able to read the book, and understand the photos.

... Read more

Product Description
Pithy, declarative sentences and bright, happy pictures take very young children through a farm-team baseball game, from bat, ball, and glove to the game-winning home run. Reprint. PW. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

This Is Baseball
This Is BaseballThis is my 2-year-old grandson's favorite book.He especially likes the umpire.Whenever he watches a baseball game on TV, he get's most excited when he sees the ump, and yells, "Yea!! The umpire!!!"He understands so much about the game because of this book. Wonderful.

Great Illustrations
I really like the illustrations in this book. It is a bit simplistic, which can be a good way to introduce the various components or terms about baseball to a child. But if you're wanting a story, it leaves you wanting. You could, of course, embellish it by making up your own narrative to go along with the pictures. Probably best for younger kids (those learning how to talk).

Really fun for little baseball fans
We received this as a gift for my son.This is a great intro to baseball and a wonderful bonding book for baseball-loving parents and their toddler children.I have wonderful pictures of my husband and son enjoying the book together.While simple, the book can hold great emotion and also a great moral in 'tomorrow will be another game'.

Excellent book for babies of baseball fans!
An uplifting introduction to the best sport to watch with your kids.We have given this book as a baby gift to more than a few of our friends.

Terrific Introduction to Baseball for Young Children
I bought this book for my two-year old because he'd taken a sudden interest in baseball "hats," and he now knows more about the game itself than a lot adults.Terrific illustrations and pithy copy that give a brief overview of the game.

Since it's short on words, I highly recommend it for toddlers, though it's apparently being marketed to the four- to eight-year old crowd.

Special bonus to Phillies fans: the illustrator is from South Jersey, and you'll recognize the "Home" team as our lovable Phils. ... Read more

Product Description
Do you:
Know who holds the record for the most career stolen bases?
Want to learn how to hit a homerun like Big Papi?
Wonder how Babe Ruth earned his nickname "the Bambino"?

The Everything Kids' Baseball Book, 5th Edition answers these questions and more! Completely revised and updated, it covers all the bases of the game you love, from baseball history and trivia to player stats and the rules of the game. It's a bullpen full of fun, with information on:

• Your favorite players, rookies, and all-stars
• The great players throughout history
• Statistics and newly broken records
• Ballparks around the country
• How to organize a game with your friends
• How to set up a fantasy baseball team

Customer Reviews (2)

Little League Coach
Any child that plays Little League and is a fan of baseball will find this book interesting. The book is full of history of the game, special moments, playing tips,interesting stories, games and puzzles. It is age appropriate for children ages 6-10.

Great starter book
Great introduction into baseball for the enthusiastic 7-10 year olds; these series integrate the logistics, fun facts, interactives and they actually learn.My 3 boys were constantly quizzing each other from the book throughout baseball season! ... Read more

Product Description

No sport has inspired better writing than baseball, and no one writes baseball better than Tom Verducci.As Sports Illustrateds lead baseball writer since 1993, Verducci has witnessed the achievements of the games greatest heroes and told their inspiring stories with unmatched passion and sophistication. He has enriched SIs readers with an insiders perspective on the game, examining subtle shifts in the ever-changing balance between pitchers and hitters, between slumps and streaks, between sacred records and the athletes trying to break them. Despite his deep affection for baseball, however, Verducci has never shied away from the hard truth about the game: his landmark piece about steroids, for instance, changed the baseball landscape forever.These 25 pieces span the generationsfrom Sandy Koufax to Roger Clemens, from Ted Williams to Barry Bonds.They chronicle the important trends in the game and celebrate baseballs brightest stars and most breathtaking performances.They are the best work of a writer at the top of his game.

Customer Reviews (3)

Very good sports writer
After reading the author's most recent book writen with Joe Torre about his years as Yankee mgr., I was interested in reading another book by the same author...Very interesting and enjoyable to this life-long baseball fan.

Great Baseball Reading
I enjoy the writing of Tom Verducci in Sports Illustrated, so I knew I wanted to get his book when it was published.I wasn't disappointed.The stories span generations and various aspects of the game and are wonderful to read.

A Great Variety of Baseball's Best Stories
Tom Verducci of Sports Illustrated has treated us to a wide variety of his best baseball stories from 1993 to March of 2005."The Left Arm of God" can only be about Sandy Koufax, the competitive fire of Jack Morris pitching game seven of the World Series for the Twins against the Braves, the stress of being a major league closer, the agony of the Red Sox and Cubs, the tragedy of Strawberry and Gooden with the Mets, the Red Sox winning it all in 2004, the nightmare that is steroids and why players didn't like to be slapped on the butt for doing a good job.These are a few of the subjects covered in the book, but the one I enjoyed the most was the last chapter when the author spent five days in spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays, and was confronted with the seemingly impossible task of hitting a baseball thrown by a professional player, even a non-roster one.Television does not do justice to the difficulty of deciding whether or not to swing at a pitch let alone hitting a round ball with a round bat square.Baseball has been blessed with great writers such as Roger Angell and Roger Kahn.It is comforting to know Tom Verducci is carrying on the tradition. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Baseball wonks rejoice! Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia is here with information about the men behind the magic numbers 755, 70, 56, 1.12, and 4,256. This weighty tome presents 2,000 capsule biographies of players, Negro Leaguers, umpires, executives, minor leaguers, owners, and broadcasters. All the big names--Aaron to Zisk--are included in this treasure trove, as are some lesser-known figures such as D.L. Adams (who has a pretty strong claim as "the father of baseball"), Bill Klem ("the Babe Ruth of umpires"), Branch Rickey (who signed Jackie Robinson to the major leagues), and Charles "Victory" Faust (the New York Giants' good luck charm and occasional pitcher, with no wins, losses, saves, walks, or strikeouts, and an ERA of 4.50, in two innings pitched). Each entry includes cumulative statistics, dates and places of birth and death, and a picture of the subject. The descriptions are warm, if not effusive, celebrating the achievements of the game's greats as well as highlighting the positive contributions of some less fondly remembered by history. Fred Merkle, for example, best known for the "Merkle Boner," is described as a fine player who performed well in six World Series. An excellent addition to any baseball fan's library, destined to be shelved alongside Total Baseball: The Official Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball. --M. Stein ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Most interestinghistorical baseball book
With all the trouble baseball is in today, this book provides an outlet for the fan who loved the game before agents, Selig, Don Fehr, astroturf, overpaid performers, etc.You can browse through it again and again, and still enjoy the stories of these players.It is a great supplement to the statistics that we have for all the players of the past.

A beautiful book for the browsing baseball buff
I received this book as a gift and have enjoyed it very much.The number of players covered is extensive, and the biographies are generally fair, well-researched, and well-written.As a younger baseball fan who has long had an interest in the entire history of the game, I have particularly gotten a kick out of the analyses of the 19th and early 20th century ballplayers, as well as the pictures attached to each biography.I am a little disappointed, however, that the authors only use the classic, rather banal (generally) statistics in their biographical sketches, especially as the book was compiled by the editors of the bible of baseball, "Total Baseball".It's fine to read about how many wins Grover Cleveland Alexander racked up in his great career, but how good was he really in comparison to the other greats of his day, as well as in comparison to the greats of today?Stats like ERA+, PRO+, etc., would have really put each of these players in the proper historical perspective.I realize that this book is aimed at general audience, and that many baseball fans still deride advanced statistical analysis, but such analysis truly enriches evaluation of the long history of America's past-time. Don't get me wrong, the book is a lot of fun.I look forward, however, to when some accomplished sabermetricians expand the project.Reading about Babe Ruth's antics off the field accompanied by a searching analysis that truly reveals how mammoth a presence he was on the field, will be icing on the cake.

Microsoft and this book.
I bought this book and when I started reading it discovered that I had read the bios on the ballplayers previously. Wondering where I had, I started to do a search in my huge collection of baseball books and cds.Sure enough, I discovered that the biographical information had previously been released on the Microsoft: Complete Baseball Cd that was available in 1995.There is some new stuff in the book that was not on the cd.

The best biographical reference work yet
Compiling essays on the 2,000 most influential people inbaseball history is a massive undertaking. Somehow, David Pietrusza,Matthew Silverman, Michael Gershman and the editors at Total Sports managed to pull it off -- and set a new standard for quality in the process. Previous biographical compendiums pale by comparison. Some limited their scope, concentrating on only the top players (for whom there already is ample biographical information elsewhere). Others attempted to cover more players but, for many players, provided little more than a summary of the player's statistical accomplishments. The Biographical Encyclopedia doesn't skimp on either count. It covers not only the top players, but also the most notable sportswriters, broadcasters, front office executives and statisticians.More often than not, an individual's essay includes unique biographical info that can't be found in other reference works. The worst one can say is that the book has its share of typos and that the writing is at times uneven. It goes without saying that editing a book of this length must have been a monumental task; the errors, however, rarely obscure pertinent information and are more annoying than damaging. The essays were penned by a number of different authors, so it is perhaps inevitable that some entries are better than others. The least impressive, however, are no worse than those from similar books in the past. Overall, the book marks a substantial improvement over previous efforts, and is priced quite reasonably. It would be a valuable additon to a serious fan's library, and would give a more casual fan hours of enjoyment.

A One of a Kind Baseball Reference

Another excellent offering from Total Sports.Between this book and Total Baseball, you will have at your fingertips far more about baseball history than any one person could possibly remember.With over 2,000biographies, this book covers over 10% of players, managers and importantfigures in baseball history.There are pictures for each player along witha cursory stat line and then a biography for the player ranging from a halfcolumn for some to two or three pages for important figures like Hank Aaronand Babe Ruth.The material is fresh and interesting and I learned newthings about players I thought I knew well.

I have one relativelyminor complaint. If they ever produce another edition, I would like to seea somewhat expanded stat line including things like major achievements(MVP's, Cy Young's), teams played for and ranking in important careercategories.

Still this is a marvelous resource for finding outsomething beyond what you can get in just a player's stat line. ... Read more

Product Description
Baseball Skills & Drills is both a comprehensive instructional guide and a useful practice tool for coaches and players at all levels. Written by three of baseball’s top teaching coaches-Pat McMahon of Mississippi State University, Mark Johnson of Texas A&M University, and Jack Leggett from Clemson University-and developed in cooperation with the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA), this is a book that you’ll use as often as your favorite bat.Master all the fundamentals through the book’s expert instruction, numerous photographs, and essential drills. The 17 chapters cover all the bases in teaching the best techniques for

• hitting,
• baserunning,
• fielding,
• pitching, and
• catching.

Winning baseball teams are solid in all facets of the game, whether at bat, on the mound, or in the field. Use Baseball Skills & Drills to develop the consistent, proper execution of the fundamentals needed to be a winner. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

COVERS IT ALL
This book covers all areas of baseball and gives tips, skills and drills for improving performance.It is not geared toward little league, but some drills can be used for even the youngest players.My husband can use this book until my 7 year old son is playing in high school.

Skill/Drills
I played D1 baseball and this book not only helped remind me of drills that I used, but also gave me some great new ideas.It's worth the purchase!

Great Resource
I am impressed with the quality of this book. Nothing is over explained and its easy to follow. I use it with my teammates who English is thier second language. They like to borrow it.

Covers good fundamentals, good pictures
Covers good fundamentals, good pictures breaking down proper sequences, and good drills.More focused towards high school players.

Baseball Skills & Drills: American Baseball Coaches Association
Purchased for my husband. He said that the book gave him more insight in to the basic fundamentals and explains the different positions more indepth. He recommends this book for any little league coach. ... Read more