Book Description
The Cincinnati Reds, founding fathers of professional baseball, have no historical equal. The team has a history rich in players, personalities, and championship moments. Echoes of Cincinnati Reds Baseball chronicles that history through some of the greatest sportswriting of the past century and a half. From the original Red Stockings to Johnny Vander Meer, and from the Big Red Machine to Junior, this book covers all the bases that define Cincinnati Reds baseball.
Book 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
Customer Reviews:
A great read for baseball fans of all ages.......2005-02-24
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
Book Description
Twenty-seven essays, profiles, and stories about America's pastime.
Customer Reviews:
Every Chapter A True Joy.......2005-04-26
I don't know if these are truly the greatest baseball stories ever told, but they are certainly entertaining. I am a baseball fan, but I'm not especially learned in baseball history. These stories, all by a different author, have deepened my love for the game and engendered appreciation for the men who play the game, past and present. I admit up front that I am a die-hard Dodger fan. The chapter by Vin Scully on Sandy Kofax's perfect game gave me goose bumps. I learned my love of baseball from my father, so the chapter by Doris Kearns Goodwin was especially meaningful (brought tears to my eyes). She tells how her father taught her to keep a score book for the Brooklyn Dodger games, then relay to him, play by play the entire game when he came home from work. She tells how, when the score was close toward the end of a game, she had to ask her mother to take notes while she left the room because the anxiety was just too much to bear. I, too, have had to do this. Of course, the first chapter with Abbott and Costello's "Who's On First" is a classic whether you are a baseball fan or not. I enjoyed every page of this book and plan to pass it along to grandkids who also love the game of baseball.
The Title Says It All.......2003-01-02
The baseball stories that make up this book make it possible to call this book the Greatest Baseball Stories Ever Told. These stories have appeared in years past in the three Fireside books of baseball that are currently out of print. Since they are no longer available it would be advisable for you to strike while the iron is hot and buy this book. The book contains both fiction and non-fiction and certainly doesn't cover all the great stories that the Fireside books contain, but you can't argue with the thirty that make up this book. I would especially recommend this book for youngsters interested in baseball literature who weren't around to enjoy the Fireside books.
An instant Hall of Famer.......2002-04-26
This is an absolutely super collection of baseball stories. There's alot of familiar stuff in here -- how could it be called the "Greatest" without John Updike's story on Ted Williams or Gay Taleses's on Joe DiMaggio -- but where the book really steps to the plate is in its surprises: like the fiction by Zane Grey and P.G. Wodehouse, whom I associate with other arenas, and tremendous non-fiction from Al Stump (on Ty Cobb), Bill Barich (on Russian barnstormers), and a completely unexpected Red Smith (on Morganna the Kissing Bandit and Johnny Bench.) This is a book aimed right for the baseball fan's heart. It certainly pierced mine.
Great writing about a great sport.......2002-01-19
There are those who prefer football or basketball, but I'll take baseball. It has a pace that some may find slow, but I think of as more leisurely, allowing suspense to build slowly and often leaving the conclusion unknown until the final out. If you're down twenty points in football with a minute left, there's no way you're going to win; if you're down three runs (a similar three scores as in the football example), there is at least still a chance.
The dramatic twists of fate in baseball are only part of makes the sport great. There is also the rich history and the colorful characters. And unlike almost any other team sport, baseball lends itself well to the narrative structure; when you read about a baseball game, you can picture exactly what happened. An entire game could be described on paper and you can see it all in your mind; try this with a basketball game and you'll be disappointed.
Thus this book. Take some of the great writers (in sports or otherwise), give them the best sport to write about, and you can't go wrong, and this one doesn't. As an anthology, not every story is equally fantastic, but they are all good. They serve as a reminder of what makes baseball great: its drama, its history and its character.
A solid hit.......2001-11-22
I was looking for something to decompress with after the 7th game of the World Series. Now, after reading all the stories in this awesome anthology, I can't wait for the new season to begin. This is great baseball stuff. I especially liked the profiles of Cal Ripken -- believe me, this is the way you'll want to always remember the Iron Man -- and Yogi Berra, who the writer compares to a mystic yogi. The book also has the entire Abbott and Costello "Who's On First" routine, which is every bit as funny on the page as it is on the ear. Another really memorable story comes from the old Dodgers announcer Red Barber, who I used to listen to on NPR. He writes about what Jackie Robinson went through to break the color line, and how much he learned from Robinson in the process. I recommend this highly to baseball fans everywhere.
Amazon.com
If baseball from a fan's perspective is the answer to a lazy summer day, then Tales from the Dugout is the answer to lazy days the rest of the year. Pick it up and open to any page and you'll find the delightful yarns, quotes, foibles, and folklore that wrap the grand old game like so much twine around the innards of a baseball. Bobby Brown, Yankee third baseman of yore, explains why teammate Yogi Berra had such an unconventional strike zone; an unassuming North Carolina pitcher named Jimmy Hunter reveals the truth behind his nickname, "Catfish"; and major-league prankster Ken Griffey Jr., in a rare turn of the tables, plays the April Fool. With more than 150 anecdotes from America's national pastime, this memorable collection is the perfect antidote to rainouts and winter blues.
Book Description
Batter up--here comes the most memorable collection of anecdotes about the national pastime ever assembled. Tales from the Dugout brings together never-before-told stories from baseball personalities such as Roger Maris, Ken Griffey Jr., Pete Rose, Phil Rizzuto, and Gaylord Perry in this illustrated, one-of-a-kind compendium.
Customer Reviews:
NOT.......2007-09-10
Not the greatest baseball stories, not even good baseball stories.The only funny story about this book is I ordered it twice by accident(by the way I didn't like it either time)
Grand Slam! Amazing Book.......2006-01-09
Tales from the Dugout is a great book. The book has tons of great short stories about the game of baseball. Furthermore, the stories are about former and current players, managers, owners, fans, teams, announcers, and the list could go on. Additionally, the stories range from hilarious to respectful. This makes the book stay exciting throughout its entirety. The variety really adds a lot to the book.
I would really recommend this book if you are a baseball fan or just like a good reading. Tales from the Dugout uses such a great variety of well known people and not well known people. This quality makes sure that you are learning about new people and learning more about players you came to love years ago. Personally, I am devoted baseball fan and love anything about baseball. This book tops all the books I have about baseball. It is truly a great book.
The author, Mike Shannon, displays a great knowledge and understanding of baseball and writing. Shannon writes the stories in a way that pulls you in once you start reading. It is really amazing. When I was reading the book, it felt like I was talking to Shannon in person. Additionally, Shannon picked "The Greatest True Baseball Stories Ever Told." Every single story in Tales from the Dugout leaves with a great last word and makes you want to see what how the next short story will end up.
If you love the game of baseball and like reading about baseball, this book is perfect for you.
If You Like Baseball History, Read This Book.......2004-10-30
This book is about a number of people and things. Some people that it's about are Pete Rose and Ken Griffey Jr. There are broadcasters in the book, one is Joe Nuxhall. There are many other people in the book, too.
Some things that I liked about the book was, there was a collection of short stories. It also had some pictures. There weren't pictures about everything they talked about. If you didn't like one story, it wasn't so bad because the whole book wasn't about that. You could keep going with the book.
Somethings I didn't like was, it had some stories that didn't make sense. Those stories were around five pages long. Other than that I liked the book pretty well.
Could have been much better.......2004-04-02
Shannon's research is great, and his love of the sport comes through, but simply put the stories included aren't anything special. Anyone who has grown up listening to and loving our national pastime has certainly heard many stories much better than the ones here.
Shannon explains that his intent was not to repeat old anecdotes, but to write a book full of new ones. It's a noble goal, but unfortunately it results in a collection of mediocre and mostly uninteresting stories.
Nice Book, But Nothing Revolutionary.......2004-03-22
The easiest way to write a book is to have other people tell the story while you write it down and take credit. This is not meant to discredit the author, Mike Shannon. However, as a lifelong baseball fan, I already heard many of these stories. In many cases, I enjoyed reading these stories from the original source or a witness. Additionally, many of the stories chosen for the book are just not interesting.
If you like the Yankees, you will like the book. There are plenty of Yankee stories in here. If you hate the Yankees, this will make this a less than pleasurable read. I particulary enjoyed reading the Marge Schott stories. The exploits of the late Reds owner are always good for a laugh. Many of the stories seem to be about miserly owners. I particularly enjoyed reading about Bobby Thigpen's attempts at using poetry to get a raise. While many of the stories are informative, they aren't very entertaining. I was hoping to read more "inside the game stories."
To the casual fan or even big baseball fans, many of these stories are old news. I believe that this book is more geared toward younger readers who are learning about the game. This is probably a book most baseball fans can live without.
Book Description
Legendary manager Casey Stengel is featured prominently in a book recapturing the spectacle of a season where the expansion Mets set a record for losses but gained a legion of fans.
Customer Reviews:
Before they were Amazin'.......2004-07-16
This is a fun little read that will appeal mostly to diehard Mets fans or baseball historians. Seven years before they stunned the world, the Mets' founding fathers logged the dreadfully dubious distinction of being the worst team in the history of baseball, a record that stands today, despite the dismal efforts of the 2003 Tigers. The book relates all the uncanny blunders of the '62 season--from the first pitch of spring training to the triple play that ended the final game--through a series of very brief passages comprised of anecdotes and game wrap-ups. The chronology makes for easy reading, although Paskin touches on a few intriguing subjects that leave you wishing she had done a more in-depth examination. (For instance, she mentions briefly the team's contention that, although they certainly weren't all-stars, the Mets weren't quite as bad as perceived and lost several close games because they were victimized by umpires who refused to give them breaks on close calls. I would like to have seen that explored and explained more.) But this book is driven by personalities and narratives not investigative scrutiny, and all the characters are here: beloved but aging ex-Dodgers like Gil Hodges (who would go on to coach the Mets to championship glory in '69); solid players like Richie Ashburn, who took the Mets' many losses personally and chose to retire after the '62 season rather than endure another year in a Mets uniform; the inestimably inept Marv Eugene Throneberry (initials M.E.T); and the passionate New York fans who, still stinging from the loss of the Dodgers and the Giants in '57, packed the Polo Grounds even as the Mets kept losing, and have remained true to the blue and orange to this day. But the undisputed star of the book is the truly legendary Casey Stengel, who coached the Mets to ignominy that year. His famously unflappable personality and oddball antics had not waned an iota, even though he was in his 70s at the time. However, as you read you're left with the feeling that perhaps the Mets might have done better that year had they not had a coach who regularly forgot the players' names, would fall asleep in the middle innings, and issued quotes to the press like, "The team is coming along slow but fast." Still, even if the Mets might have won a few more games that year with a more adept coach, they would not have been as laughable and lovable. The '62 season is a large part of the Mets mystique and, although I was only 2 years old at the time, I'm as proud of that team as I am of the '69 and '86 champs. Above all, the book reminded me of my dad, who loved the Mets from day one. I remember him telling a story of a game that year in which Marvelous Marv attempted to field a routine infield pop-up, lost it in the sun, and was promptly struck on the forehead with the ball and had to be helped off the field. No matter how many times he told the story, it was always accompanied by deep belly laughs. Whenever I watch the Mets lose (and I'm doing that right now) I think that no matter how bad it gets, it will never be as bad as it was in '62. Then again, it may never be as good either.
Book Description
Now in paperback, Mike Shannon's newest collection of memorable anecdotes from the game's past and present will appeal to all generations of baseball fans. It includes priceless stories from such legends as Ted Williams and Bob Gibson as well as from modern-day stars such as Mo Vaughn and David Wells. These humorous and touching tales will delight fans for many years to come.
Customer Reviews:
Baseballs best tales from the ballpark .......2006-02-11
This book is about a bunch of stories of famous baseball players. Most of the players in this book tell about there memories during their careers, and how they felt about their memories. It also goes over what they did in their career. This book contains a lot of stories about a bunch of different people, but most of the stories are short. There was one story in the book where they talk about baseball players that are on very rare trade cards and how much they cost, it also had where to buy them at back when they first came out. This book doesn't just talk about trading cards it also talks about the players problems that they had during their season.
In this book I liked the fact that there was a whole bunch of stories and not just one story concerning on one idea. I like this idea because some stories that I choose to read are very boring and it is hard for me to find a book with a story I like. I didn't like that there were stories that were starting to get a little bit longer then usual because I couldn't keep my mind focused on it and still remember what I was reading. I did like it when other players played antics on rookies because they did some very funny antics. I didn't like it when the narrator would criticize the players because the baseball players worked at this sport very hard to get where they are at now.
I am giving this book three stars because it was very funny and it kept me reading, it didn't bore me like most books do. If you are a die hard baseball fan that likes learning about baseball players or just don't know much about the players and want to learn more about them then I would definitely recommend this book to you. Especially if you liked Tales from the Dugout then you should like this book also. That's it I hope you read this book it is a great book.
Simply put - a fun book!.......2001-07-03
TALES FROM THE BALLPARK is a quick read that contains poignant, funny, sad, and informative stories. All of the tales are short (one or two pages) and cover a wide range of subjects - stories about fans, the minors, umpires, old players and modern players.
If you are looking for an in depth book about baseball, this one isn't for you. But if you just want to be entertained for an evening, I would heartily recommend this book.
Very entertaining!.......2000-07-13
This book is very entertaining from start to finish. It's hard to put the book down once you start because the stories in it keep you glued to the book. The first book was great also. I just hope that Mike Shannon has a third installment in the works. There are a few glaring mistakes in the book that I must point out. Shannon refers to current Arizona 1st baseman Greg Colbrunn as "Colburn" and he states that Barry Bonds broke into the majors with the Pirates in '89 wearing number 24 when he actually entered in '86 wearing number 7, since Denny Gonzalez wore 24 back then.
two for two.......2000-05-09
Shannon has done it again. How often do we read baseball anecdote books, only to skip 3/4 of the stories, having already read them elsewhere. Well, it won't happen with Mike Shannon's books! It's clear that solid research has resulted in stories that are always unique and usually hilarious. I loved it, and you will too. Check out Tales From The Dugout, too. you won't be disappointed.
home run.......2000-05-01
Entertaining, well-written book. Vignettes range from poignant to the hilarious. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for baseball and who can appreciate the author's mature and restrained style. A home run in my book.
Book Description
Sit on the bench with Yogi and Casey, in the locker room with Mickey and the Babe, and in the bullpen with Whitey and Sparky. Tales from the Yankee Dugout is a compilation of the funniest, strangest, and most unique stories, anecdotes, and tall tales that have been attributed to the former personalities from baseball's legendary New York Yankees. Includes more than two dozen caricatures by noted sports illustrator Robert Jackson.
Customer Reviews:
Decent Stories.......2003-06-03
These are decent stories, generally a paragraph or two per subject and several pages per person (see the Table of Contents online). Most of them are entertaining and make for quick reading when convenient.
Clever and entertaining.......1999-12-05
This compendium of stories is sure to delight the baseball fan in any house (even if they're not rooting for the Yankees)! Some of the stories were laugh-out-loud funny. A great gift idea.
Book Description
The New York Yankees are the acknowledged kingpins of Major League Baseball, and no one among the media is more of an authority on the Yankees than Ed Randall. He has conducted personal interviews with virtually every current Yankee player and hundreds from past seasons. In More Tales from the Yankee Dugout, fans will gain insights about the famed Bronx Bombers that they've never read before. Nearly 200 different tales are told in this book.
Customer Reviews:
A book for everyone..........2002-09-07
The stories from the players are the ones that never made the news papers or the sports radio shows.
The book covers everything from Goose Gossage driving the bullpen car in Milwaukee across the baseball field to Mel Stottlemyer winning a bet and having his AMEX bill run up by some of his fellow ball players as a joke.
Several of the player stories from Mr.Randall actually made me laugh out loud!
Weather you like baseball or not this book is a must read.
Book Description
Tales from the Diamondback Dugout is a compilation of fascinating vignettes that give baseball fans an inside look at the 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks' world championship season as well as many of the magic moments that preceded it. From the founding of the expansion franchise to their quick rise to glory, as seen through the eyes of manager Bob Brenly, his coaching staff and such D-Backs players as Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and Mark Grace, readers get a front-row seat for Arizona's World Series win over the New York Yankees.
Customer Reviews:
EASY READ.......2007-10-07
THIS IS A BOOK ABOUT THE WORLD SERIES WINNER OF 2001. IT HAS LITTLE DETAILED INTERVIEWS AND BRIEF NARRATION CONCERNING D-BACKS CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON. MOST OF THE PLAYERS AND COACHES ARE INTERVIEWED BUT THIS IS NOT A BOOK I WOULD SUGGEST FOR D-BACK FANS. I WAS NOT ALL THAT FAMILIAR WITH THIS TEAM AND BOUGHT IT OUT OF CURIOSITY. IT IS OK FOR THE CASUAL FAN. BUT HARDCORE D-BACK FANS, THIS IS VERY DISAPPOINTING AND WILL NOT SATISFY YOU.
Disappointing.......2007-01-09
As an avid Diamondbacks fan I was looking forward to reading this book. It was a quick read but I came away very disappointed and frustrated. Several facts represented in the book are flat out wrong bringing the whole book into question. The effort seemed haphazard at best leaving out many important events and dates within the history of the team. For such a Cinderella story I would have expected a better effort than what was given. I could not recommend this book to anyone who is truly looking for a recount of what occurred during the 2001 season.
disappointing.......2003-11-07
I'm was a big fan of the 2001 D'backs, but I'm NOT a big fan of this book. It's a 181 page book. I put it down at p. 102 and haven't picked it up since. Boring! Surprisingly little focus on the amazing pitching combo of Johnson & Schilling.
The book jumps around a lot from subject to subject. It contained lots of background that I was not interested in. It's not a straight beginning-to-end telling of the storied 2001 season. Egads, discussion of the D'backs' 2001 regular season doesn't even begin until Chapter 12 (p.79)!
But the most disappointing thing were the pictures. BUYER BEWARE: The only PHOTOGRAPH this book has is the one that appears on the cover. ALL of the images inside the book are pen & ink-type drawings! LAME!
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Books Index
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General
| Baseball
| Sports
| Subjects
| Books
Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Highlights: Memorable Moments in Team History as Heard on the Reds Radio Network
MLB Vintage World Series Films - Cincinnati Reds 1975, 1976 & 1990
Tom Browning's Tales from the Reds Dugout
Riverfront Stadium: Home of the Big Red Machine (OH) (Images of Baseball)
Cincinnati Reds: 1950-1985, The (OH) (Images of Baseball)
