The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Buck: Almost too good to be true
  • On the road with Buck
  • I Knew Buck O'Neil
  • A year in the life of Buck O'Neil
  • Hmmm...
The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America
Joe Posnanski
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060854030
Release Date: 2007-02-27

Book Description

When Legendary Negro League player Buck O'Neil asked sports columnist Joe Posnanski how he fell in love with baseball, Posnanski had to think about it. From that question was born the idea behind BASEBALL AND JAZZ. Posnanski and the 94 year old O'Neil decided to spend the 2005 baseball season touring the country in hopes of stirring up the love that first drew them to the game. This book is just as much the story of Buck O'Neil as it is the story of baseball. In a time when disillusioned, steroid–shooting, money hungry athletes define the sport, Buck O'Neil stands out as a man that truly played for the love of the game. Posnanski writes about that love and the one thing that O'Neil loved almost as much as baseball: jazz. BASEBALL AND JAZZ is an endearing step back in time to the days when the crack of a bat and the smoky notes of a midnight jam session were the sounds that brought the most joy to a man's heart.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Buck: Almost too good to be true.......2007-09-23

Like many baseball followers, my admiration for Buck O'Neil can be traced to Ken Burns' documentary on baseball. How a black man could live through the era in which Buck lived with the attitudes he has is beyond me. (I am white, not American but lived in the US in the 60s and 70s.) Mr Posnanski's book is is a little too sugary, uncritical and unprobing for my liking. I cannot but help to think that with a little probing there is probably bit more to Buck's attitudes than is presented. However, if you want a feel-good book about this topic, this is the dream book.

5 out of 5 stars On the road with Buck.......2007-09-10

A splendid collection of stories, told by one of our most valuable citizens, and conveyed by a very talented listener and writer.

5 out of 5 stars I Knew Buck O'Neil.......2007-08-24

A great read of a great human being, and baseball man. I would see Buck several times a year in the '80s at the Detroit Tigers, Joker Marchant Stadium, when he was a scout with the Kansas City Royals. He was a pleasant a man you could ever meet. I am pleased to have known the man, even if only those brief moments I was able see and to talk to him.

Buy this book, and read a great tribute of this man and to the Negro Leagues of the past.

3 out of 5 stars A year in the life of Buck O'Neil.......2007-08-23

I found the book very readable and never really got bored with it. I would have liked more in depth stories from when Buck played and managed. Most of the reminisces were short and sweet versions. All and all, I did enjoy the book and consider it a good book, not a great book.

3 out of 5 stars Hmmm..........2007-08-08

I can't help but wonder if the 22 reviews -- all giving this book 5 stars -- are some of the author's closest friends. I am not saying I didn't like the book, but the writing was drab. Through the first few chapters, I got it, Buck O'neal was a good man. So, I'm just saying that the stories were not told in a way that made me connect with Mr. O'Neal --he was just a nice guy and then he died. There are a few editing errors as well, which made it confusing. I am by no means a critic of writing, but I just don't see the amazing book everyone else here did -- anyone agree with me?
I Was Right On Time
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • A Great, Fun, Read
  • BUCK!
  • An incredible human being...
  • Got To Give It Up
  • Charming and Informative
I Was Right On Time
Buck O'neil , David Conrads , and Steve Wulf
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 068483247X

Amazon.com

The beauty of former Negro League star Buck O'Neil's autobiography is its tone: it's filled with thankfulness for the life he's had. Born into an era of racial segregation, O'Neil--truly an inspirational presence in the Ken Burns documentary Baseball--has a right to be bitter for the opportunities denied him; instead, he is at peace with the opportunities he took. A man of unmistakable dignity, O'Neil is a marvelous storyteller, and I Was Right On Time reads like a fireside chat. He spins tales of baseball's barnstorming era, offers memories of his all-time Negro League all-star team, and weaves deft portraits of the stars he played with (and against), most affectionately his good friend and long-time teammate Satchel Paige. Still, O'Neil doesn't whitewash the past. He has stared down injustice and confronted insult, yet instead of lecturing, he opts to inform. Now in his 80s, O'Neil, as chairman of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, remains a living part of baseball memory. I Was Right On Time gives that memory a rich, resonant voice.

Book Description

From Babe Ruth to Bo Jackson, from Cool Papa Bell to Lou Brock, Buck O'Neil has seen it all. As a first baseman and then manager of the legendary Kansas City Monarchs, O'Neil witnessed the heyday of the Negro leagues and their ultimate demise.

In I Was Right on Time, he charmingly recalls his days as a ballplayer and as an African-American in a racially divided country. Whether he's telling of his barnstorming days with the likes of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson or the day in 1962 when he became the first African-American coach in the major leagues, O'Neil takes us on a trip not only through baseball's past but through America's as well.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Great, Fun, Read.......2007-06-08

This book wasn't really a baseball book. It wasn't a biography. It was something of a dairy. It was a candid presentation of Buck O'Neil. Through anecdotes of his travels, the book gives you a great glimpse of Buck O'Neil. He truly was an eternal optimist that found wonder and beauty in every day he lived. He befriended everyone he met.

Buck O'Neil was the sort of man that our society sorely needs more of. I couldn't help but smile and feel good as I read this book. Buck reminded me of why I loved baseball as a kid. He dulled my cynicism of modern MLB baseball. He pulled me back to the ballpark. Buck enjoyed the game at its most basic level. He enjoyed big league games. He enjoyed pickup games in small towns. He enjoyed talking about the game. But, best of all he enjoyed the humanity surrounding the game, all participants from stars to fans.

The pure simple joy he found in baseball rekindled my love for this uniquely American game. I recently took my boys to an NCAA regional tournament and watched some very talented kids playing the game because they love it. It was one of the best times my sons and I have enjoyed in recent memory. It was just the sort of day, Buck would have loved.

5 out of 5 stars BUCK!.......2007-02-24

Just what I needed to learn more about Buck. Horribly over-looked by the Hall of Fame. Very informative book, just in time for baseball season.

5 out of 5 stars An incredible human being..........2007-01-10

Back in the early 90's, before Ken Burns, I ran into Buck in the lobby of the Otesaga hotel in Cooperstown. It was the year that Willie McCovey was going in and we "snuck" our way into the building. Buck entertained me for over an hour with stories of guys I never had heard about. When I asked about his career, he really downplayed his greatness. I was mostly struck by the fact that this man did not have a single ounce of remorse or spite. Quite the opposite, he felt he was blessed to have played.

The book is written in a conversational style that goes quickly. I felt I could hear Buck's voice in my head has the pages turned. It was a fantastic book and Buck will be sorely missed.

5 out of 5 stars Got To Give It Up.......2006-11-29

This is not simply an autobiography, but an oral-history on where we have been and where we are going. It was written from the heart, and - if you read closely - it will open yours to live life in a different, better way.

I read the book when it was initially published and recently purchased the soft-cover edition. Rarely do I re-read a book, but I felt the need after hearing Buck O'Neil's moving and uplifting speech this summer at the Baseball Hall of Fame and listening to a rebroadcast of an interview conducted several years ago by radio sports-talker Jim Rome.

The road to racial equality remains long and steep, but by gazing upward you may view what appears to be a finish-line tape rippling in the breeze at the top of the mountain. But look ahead and you see the harsh reality that the road remains unfortunately rugged, with many twists & turns.

Buck O'Neil is an American hero and if your eyes are dry after reading the last page of I Was Right On Time (no matter how many times you read the book), then your heart may not have opened up wide enough to tackle the journey ahead.

5 out of 5 stars Charming and Informative.......2005-12-27

This easy-going autobiography combines sunny optimism, seriousness, and rich baseball history. John J. "Buck" O'Neil was a first baseman in the Negro Leagues during the 1930-1940's, and he then spent another half decade in baseball, both in the Negro Leagues and in the majors. Here he recounts his upbringing in Florida during segregation (where he was denied entry to high school) and his long career in baseball. O'Neil details life in the Negro leagues, including barnstorming and low pay, playing for the famed Kansas City Monarchs and his friendship with stars like Satchel Paige and Hilton Smith. He also describes managing in the Negro Leagues, coaching for the Chicago Cubs (the first black coach in the majors) and spending decades as a baseball scout. O'Neil is an intelligent man gifted with great charm, and he's often described as the "ambassador to baseball." That charm shines in the prose of co-writers Steve Wolf and David Conrads, and lets O'Neil attack injustice without losing effectiveness via stridency.

Buck O'Neil gained fame from the "Baseball" documentary by Ken Burns, and at this writing remains a board member for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City well into his 90's. This is a readable look at the Negro leagues by one of its most charming members.
Queen of the Negro Leagues : Effa Manley and the Newark Eagles
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A Queen Who Reigned Supreme
  • A glimpse into Negro Baseball
Queen of the Negro Leagues : Effa Manley and the Newark Eagles
James Overmyer
Manufacturer: The Scarecrow Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1578860016

Book Description

There was no one like Effa Manley in the sports world of the 1930s and 1940s. She was a sophisticated woman who owned a baseball team. That her life story has remained unchronicled can only be attributed to one thing: her team, the Newark Eagles, belonged to the Negro Baseball League.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A Queen Who Reigned Supreme.......2007-03-13

Effa Manley was seemingly yet another "lost" pioneer in Negro Leagues Baseball before being posthumously honored in 2006 with induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. She was part of a class of players and executives selected by a special committee chaired by former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent.

But a plaque for the only woman inducted in the Hall of Fame barely touches the surface of an oftentimes controversial life. Author James Overmyer does an excellent job in piecing together a story that is as interesting as any you will read.

Compared by some as the George Steinbrenner of her day, Effa Manley and her husband, Abe Manley, operated the Brooklyn/Newark Eagles and were major figures in the behind-the-scenes operations of NLB.

She was relentless in her battles with other owners, players and sportswriters to make NLB a viable professional sport and business. Effa Manley was also a civil-rights advocate, who led several successful protests in Harlem for equitable job opportunities at white-owned businesses.

She was also critical of how NLB was beholden to white booking agents - who oftentimes became club investors by advancing struggling team owners money for percentages of ownership - and the white Major League Baseball teams to utilize stadiums.

It was at the height of the Eagles greatest success, a 1946 championship, where even Effa Manley's passion and business acumen could not save the league. During that championship season, Branch Rickey had started a new league to compete against NLB. That league lasted only one year, but it was a major opening move against NLB that presaged the future.

And when MLB - through the Brooklyn Dodgers and Rickey - began to integrate its league through the signing of Jackie Robinson, it opened up a raid on NLB rosters, with the best players being signed to contracts with little or no compensation to the NLB teams.

Though Effa Manley successfully challenged Rickey on his attempt to sign (steal) Monte Irvin, the die had been cast. It was an end of an era when the Manleys divested themselves of the franchise that had mounting financial loses.

The final chapter (Appendix A), Effa's Competition: The Other Owners of Black Teams, is a nice summary of the personalities, egos and conflicts that are comparable with the maneuverings and manipulations within any pro league.

This is a story of triumph, as a woman demanded and grudgingly gained respect in a male-dominated sport, sought through protest equality in a racist-dominated society & worked tirelessly to the end for the recognition NLB truly deserved.


5 out of 5 stars A glimpse into Negro Baseball.......2006-08-27

One of the better books giving insight into the challenges of running a Negro Baseball team. The players were banned from playing with white players. This book gives an insight what the tough challenges the owners faced. Some of the owners of Negro League teams were white just like Effa Manley. That did not help them at all. It is interesting to see her problems because she was also a woman in a man's sport. An excellent read to give you insight on the history of the game.
Satch & Me (Baseball Card Adventures)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A baseball fan's novel
  • Book for baseball lovers
  • Satch and Me
  • My son wants to read these!!
  • The Best of the Baseball Card Adventures
Satch & Me (Baseball Card Adventures)
Dan Gutman
Manufacturer: Amistad
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060594918
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Book Description

"You wanna know who threw the fastest pitch ever?"

Many baseball players claim that Satchel Paige was the fastest pitcher in the history of the game. Stosh and his coach, Flip Valentini, are on a mission to find out. With radar gun in tow, they travel back to 1942 and watch Satch pitch to power hitter Josh Gibson in the Negro League World Series. They soon learn that everything about Satch is fast -- whether it's his talking, driving, or getaways. But is he really the fastest pitcher who ever lived?

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A baseball fan's novel.......2007-06-19

Dan Gutman has definately written another awesome adventure book. I thought this book had a different twist than the other books, though.

Summary:
Joe Stoshack goes back in time with his friend Flip to see if Satchel Paige was really the fastest pitcher ever. While back in time, they see that life was still hard for Negroes. They befriend Satchel Paige. However, for an adventure novel....Flip finds some romance while back in time....

5 out of 5 stars Book for baseball lovers.......2007-05-15

In the five star story Satch and Me there is a young 12 year old boy named Joe Stoshack. He plays on a little league baseball team coached by an old man named Flip Valentine. While playing one of the games there is a player nicknamed "Mutant Man" who sparked an idea for Joe and Flip to travel back in time to try to find the fastest pitcher in baseball. Flip had already borrowed a time clock from the high school coach so they used Joe's baseball card powers to travel back in time.

On their way they meet a waitress that becomes there very good friend. Also the boys almost get sent to jail for counterfeit money because they have money from the future. But the waitress gives the boys enough money for bus tickets to travel up to were Satch's team is playing. Finally they find out at the end if he is or isn't the fastest pitcher in baseball. They then no the secret of the fastest pitcher in baseball.

5 out of 5 stars Satch and Me.......2007-03-04

Satch and Me is a great sciencefiction book out of Gutman's series of "and me" books. If your child is a sports maniac you should get him or her the series. It was one of the best series I ever read.

5 out of 5 stars My son wants to read these!!.......2006-11-04

My 12 year old son refuses to read much of anything these days. He is very into sports and I discovered this book is one that he WANTED to read. The book is apparently quite exciting and engaging because he actually asked me for the others in the series!
I only wish there were more!

5 out of 5 stars The Best of the Baseball Card Adventures.......2006-07-14

My son and I both really enjoyed this latest baseball card adventure by Dan Gutman. Not knowing anything about the Negro Baseball League, I found the history fascinating. Satch, as portrayed by Mr. Gutman, is a wonderful, larger-than-life character. My son was blown away by a surprise ending. We both felt this was the best of Mr. Gutman's books.
Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Excellent History
  • A Good Narrative
Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball
Lawrence D. Hogan
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 079225306X
Release Date: 2006-01-31

Book Description

Celebrating African America's contribution to our great national pastime, this comprehensive, lively history combines vivid narrative, visual impact, and a unique statistical component, to recreate the excitement and passion of the Negro Leagues. Packed with stories, biographical essays, scores of archival photographs and other evocative artifacts, it is an important contribution to sports history and a wonderful tribute to the players and teams who wrote a unique chapter in the annals of baseball and American culture.

National Geographic is proud to present this compelling volume, compiled by a who's who of authorities on the subject. Drawing on years of research, Shades of Glory traces the history of black baseball from the 19th century to the first great teams, such as the Cuban Giants, and on to the era of the vibrant barnstorming teams from the East Coast, Chicago, and Cuba. The unparalleled Rube Foster started the first Negro League in 1920, with such dominant teams as the Chicago American Giants and the Kansas City Monarchs. Pittsburgh soon produced two of the greatest teams of all time, the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords, featuring such stars as Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and many more. Their superb brand of baseball rivaled the best of the major leagues until the historic signing of Jackie Robinson by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Shades of Glory chronicles a bygone era of black baseball and the stars who were shadowed by racial prejudice, but now shine forth in all their sparkling brilliance.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Excellent History.......2006-08-02

There have been only a few books written about the history of black baseball, a glaring error which Shades of Glory helps to correct. Before I read this book, I had no idea of the number of various independent black baseball teams that existed in the late 19th century. Nor did I know of various players who stood out in Black baseball over the decades it existed. Yes of course I knew of Satchel Paige (who I got to see pitch when I was a young teenager), Cool Papa Bell, Buck O'Neill, Josh Gibson, but I learned about so many others through sidebars this book provides. It also provides a detailed history of the few blacks who played in organized baseball before the color line became so rigid. The history provided in this book is very good and details the independent teams that came and went in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the attempts to organize and maintain leagues, how Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier affected black baseball, and how his doing this effectively put an end to black baseball (which I'm sure was at the same time exciting and bittersweet to all Negro league ballplayers). I also enjoyed reading about the migration of blacks from the south to Northern cities like Chicago and how that helped further along black baseball in the Windy City.

The stats of various black baseball stars at the back of the book were pretty good, considering that league statistics, standings and even box scores of Negro league games were not always available and remain difficult to track decades later.

One small disappointment I had was there was no mention of black baseball on the West Coast. There were several West Coast black semi pro teams that barnstormed through the first part of the 20th century. There was even a West Coast Negro League (West Coast Baseball Association) that played in 1946. The league champion Oakland Larks later barnstormed after the league folded. I was surprised that there was not even a cursory mention of this team in the book, since one of their pitchers (Lionel Wilson) later became a judge and then mayor of Oakland, California.

Other than this minor issue, I felt this book very well described the "rise and fall" of black baseball.

4 out of 5 stars A Good Narrative.......2006-03-15

Shades of Glory is a very good narrative history of Black Baseball. It includes pre-segregation players such as Moses Fleetwood Walker, the Heyday of the Negro leagues and the teams that continued to play after the color barrier was broken. The book is thorough and I think will help people understand baseball's place in Black society of the time. I found only one weakness - For the real sports statistician, the book is disappointing for its only brief section on players stats.
Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars: Umpiring in the Negro Leagues & Beyond
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars: Umpiring in the Negro Leagues & Beyond
  • A must read!
  • Memories From Behind The Plate
  • Ruling over Monarchs, etc.
Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars: Umpiring in the Negro Leagues & Beyond
Bob Motley , and Byron Motley
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1596702362

Book Description

The Kansas City Monarchs. The Chicago American Giants. The St. Louis Stars. The Newark Eagles. The Birmingham Black Barons. The Homestead Grays. The Cuban X Giants. For over 50 years, they were the Yankees, Cardinals, and Red Sox of black baseball in America. And for over a decade beginning in the mid-1940s, umpire Bob Motley called balls and strikes for their games, earning the opportunity to work with such legends as Satchel Paige, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, and Willie Mays. Today, Motley is the only living Negro League arbiter, and Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars is his revealing, humorous memoir.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars: Umpiring in the Negro Leagues & Beyond.......2007-03-27

A must have book on baseball history, and what the Negro Leagues went through.
It's an amazing life that unfolds as you turn the pages. Hard to put down as
each chapter will leave you wanting more.

5 out of 5 stars A must read!.......2007-03-26

It's great to focus on some great moments in history. Bob Motley has lived an incredible life. Well worth reading and admiring!

5 out of 5 stars Memories From Behind The Plate.......2007-03-14

With a triple-play of anecdotes, humor and history, former Negro Leagues Baseball umpire Bob Motley and co-author/son Byron Motley present a unique perspective of the game from behind the plate and calling balls & strikes.

Motley, the last living umpire from NLB, worked games for more than ten years, starting in the mid-1940s. He had a flamboyant style which is captured in the photographs.

There are sections on established stars like the legendary Satchel Paige, young players who ultimately reached iconic status in Major League Baseball like Ernie Banks, Willie Mays and Henry Aaron, and trail-blazing females Connie Morgan, Toni Stone and Peanut Johnson.

"Nothing compares to the sound of an oncoming Satchel (Paige) fastball," recalls Bob Motley.

There are diamond gems like NLB players were the first to wear batting helmets. Willie Wells wore an old coal miner's hat to the plate because he was tired of getting hit in the head with errant - or aimed - pitches.

As enjoyable as Ron Luciano's The Umpire Strikes Back, the Motleys show that one of the game's most famous arbiters also oversaw a wealth of great memories that makes for a great read.

5 out of 5 stars Ruling over Monarchs, etc........2007-03-09

I absolutely love this book. I happen to know the author, and that makes it even more special to me.
Negro League Baseball
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Beautiful
  • Negro League Baseball
  • Touching Thoughts from Mays and Great Photos
  • lucky one
Negro League Baseball
Ernest C. Withers
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810955857

Book Description

Long before blacks gained entrance into major league baseball, some of the greatest athletes ever to play the game were performing remarkable feats in the Negro Leagues. Fans today look back on the legendary Negro Leagues with reverence and awe, yet there has been woefully little visual documentation of the leagues' history. This treasure trove of images by Ernest Withers, the unofficial team photographer for the Memphis Red Sox, captures the peak of Negro League action through the years of groundbreaking integration, as well as the community in which black baseball was played.

Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron are among the superstars portrayed in 150 photographs, reproduced in stunning duotone plates, introduced by baseball legend Willie Mays, and accompanied by an informative text by Daniel Wolff. From pictures of Indianapolis clown King Tut, the baseball equivalent of a Harlem Globetrotter, and pitcher Charley Pride, who went on to become a country/western singing star, to shots of visiting celebrities and ballplayers relaxing at local clubs, these astonishing photographs evoke a long-gone era and form an essential visual archive of a near-mythological aspect of baseball history. AUTHOR BIO: Ernest C. Withers has photographed the African-American community for more than 50 years, documenting the struggle for civil rights, the black social world, and the Negro Leagues. He lives and works in Memphis. Daniel Wolff has published poetry, short stories, and critical writing on photography, as well as a biography of Sam Cooke, You Send Me. He lives in Nyack, New York. Willie Mays, the baseball Hall of Famer, began his career in 1948 with the Negro Leagues and went on to play in 24 All-Star games and participate in four World Series.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful.......2007-02-28

This is a beautiful book with over 150 photos of Negro League Baseball players, each with a concise, informative, interesting synopsis of the picture and player. For any baseball fan, photography fan, and student of African American life, this is a wonderful book.

Reviwer: Bob Kellemen is the author of Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction, Spiritual Friends, and Soul Physicians.

4 out of 5 stars Negro League Baseball.......2007-01-12

Facinating insight into this era of Baseball . The marvellous photographs effectively communicate many aspects of the time . Accompanying essay very informative and has wet my appetite to learn more about the history of the Negro League.

5 out of 5 stars Touching Thoughts from Mays and Great Photos.......2005-02-25

The foreward in this book is particularly touching, as it comes straight from the source, Willie Mays, a Negro League and MLB legend. It is a perfect complement to the wonderful photos of this great era from Mr. Withers.

5 out of 5 stars lucky one.......2004-12-23

I was one of the lucky ones that got to view this book before it went to print. I'm a professional sports writer and was impressed with not only the text that goes with this book, but some of the pictures that are within its covers. Baseball is my passion and there are certainly plenty of great images in baseball history ("The Catch", Maz's home run, Fisk's HR, etc.), but this provides a different light to both professional baseball and the Negro Leagues. Withers provides a perspective and view on the lifestyle, mannerisms and actions of the Negro Leagues that I've never seen before. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who's interested in baseball history.
The Bat Boy And His Violin (Aladdin Picture Books)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • TAZ Tight boy and his violin
  • A wonderful story on many levels
  • Story about a time of prejudice and how people change.
  • Story about a time of prejudice and how people change.
  • Brought tears to my eyes and a warm feeling to my soul.
The Bat Boy And His Violin (Aladdin Picture Books)
Gavin Curtis
Manufacturer: Aladdin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0689841159

Book Description

Reginald loves to create beautiful music on his violin. But Papa, manager of the Dukes, the worst team in the Negro National League, needs a bat boy, not a "fiddler," and traveling with the Dukes doesn't leave Reginald much time for practicing.

Soon the Dukes' dugout is filled with Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach -- and the bleachers are filled with the sound of the Dukes' bats. Has Reginald's violin changed the Dukes' luck -- and can his music pull off a miracle victory against the powerful Monarchs?

Gavin Curtis's beautifully told story of family ties and team spirit and E. B. Lewis's lush watercolor paintings capture a very special period in history.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars TAZ Tight boy and his violin.......2006-02-09

The reason I could call my review Tight boy and his violin because He was the bomb. I meen like he was the bat boy and he had it good because if you wer at my school C.L.A.S you couldent be no bat boy or a water boy . My school cause it self C.L.A.S because it stands for CULTURE AND LANGUGE ACADEMY OF SUCESES se THE C IS CULTURE AND THE L IS LANGUAGE AND THE A IS ACADEMY AND S IS FOR SUCCES. But yeah some of the other books chek me out like darnell rock reporting or this one oh yeah thats it.

5 out of 5 stars A wonderful story on many levels.......2000-10-16

This book has so many themes superimposed on one another, but they are all presented within the context of a wonderful story about a boy who just wanted to play his violin.

Set among the context of the Negro League era, Reginald's father decides one summer to make him bat boy for his team. The team is down on its luck, and Reginald's heart isn't in this assignment, but everything comes together for him and the team one day.

The history of the era as gently portrayed in the travels of the players is presented for young readers. The story of being true to yourself, and of parents learning to accept that in their children, is here as well. Above all else, the story of Reginald and his journeys with the ball players is a story of hope and triumph among the community in a time that was not always seen as one of hope. Along with all of this, the illustrations of E. B. Lewis capture these themes beautifully.

5 out of 5 stars Story about a time of prejudice and how people change........1999-06-26

Reginald's father is the manager of a baseball team in the Negro league. Reginald would rather play his violin than anything else. His dad signs him up to be a bat boy. Reginald plays his violin for the team which starts them on a winning streak. Shows insight into world of music impact and Negro ball players.

5 out of 5 stars Story about a time of prejudice and how people change........1999-06-23

Reginald's father is the manager of a baseball team in the Negro league. Reginald would rather play his violin than a else. His dad signs him up to be a bat boy. Reginals plays his violin for the team which starts them on a winning streak. Shows insight into world of music impact and Negro ball players.

5 out of 5 stars Brought tears to my eyes and a warm feeling to my soul........1999-04-09

My son and I absolutely loved the story and illustrations. We can't wait for Gavin Curtis to write his next book, and for E.B. Lewis to illustrate his next book. Continue to keep up the high standards for children's books. We love to read! Reading is one of my most favorite things to share with my son who will be 5 in July. Thank you again to the both of you for a book well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Black Diamond
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Black Baseball's Best's Beginnings
  • Black Diamond
  • Baseball, America, and racism.
Black Diamond
Patricia & Fred Mckissack
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:
  1. Negro Leagues: All-Black Baseball (Smart About History) Negro Leagues: All-Black Baseball (Smart About History)
  2. Satchel Paige Satchel Paige
  3. Josh Gibson: A Life in the Negro Leagues Josh Gibson: A Life in the Negro Leagues
  4. The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues
  5. Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams

ASIN: 059068213X

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Black Baseball's Best's Beginnings.......2006-11-28

Black Diamond by Patricia C. McKissack and Fredrick McKissack, Jr


It's mainly a book about baseball, but it tells you all about how baseball affected black's rights and treatments. You learn about the ways that fans and other players mistreated black players, even on their own team! They were somehow able to beat racism, and get black players into Major League Baseball. That lead to more black respect and freedom, eventually helping give blacks as much freedom as everyone else. I recommend this book to anyone who likes baseball and learning about black history. One of the best parts is that it is never, at any point, boring. This is also a great book for anyone 10 to 14 years old that likes learning about our country's history, or baseball's history. I completely recommend it.

4 out of 5 stars Black Diamond.......2002-11-22

My book is about baseball. I read tha the baseball starte at 1820's, and when it start only white player weard allow to play it but the blaack players could not play baseball with white players because they weard been raises with them. A lot of cuban people weard playing with whith people with no problem. The white people hate the black people because they weard all different colors. The black people made a team that was call the Negro Baseball League, and there was the American Baseball League. the black people wanted to play in the white league they had to do a lot of stuff to get into the white leage wich was realy hard. They had to go alldoway to cuba to change their names and their social security and everything else they had to do to get to the american league. The book is preaty sad and happy at the same time.

4 out of 5 stars Baseball, America, and racism........2001-03-08

The story of race relations in American history is one of lost opportunity. This concise history of the Negro Baseball Leagues for young adult readers illustrates this basic point. The book discusses the names, dates, and circumstances of the major figures and events of the flip side of American baseball history. Legendary names such as Josh Gibson, "Cool Papa" Bell, and Satchel Page are just a few of the remarkable players who made important contributions to the game. Among others, they played for teams with names such as The Homestead Grays, The St. Louis Stars, and The Kansas City Monarchs. The book also tells the story of owners and managers, such names as Negro National League founder Rube Foster and the tough as nails woman owner of the Newark Eagles, Effa Manley spring to mind. The book also briefly explains how the infamous Jim Crow tradition brought about the Negro Baseball saga. In 1947, major league baseball was sucessfully integrated and that spelled the doom of the Negro Baseball leagues. The text includes an ample number of photographs. To assist younger readers, and for easy reference purposes, a player profile and time line section is provided at the back of the book. Underlying the historical text, there is the theme that segregated baseball mirrored the nagging problem of racism in America. A sense of fair play and even-handed justice demands that talent, skill, and just plain style should be celebrated, regardless of race. To do otherwise cheats everybody of a rewarding experience. Imagine if the great players of the Negro Baseball Leagues had the chance to play (with or against) the great players of the major leagues. Consider the void created by lost opportunity. ;-)
Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues
  • The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues
  • The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues
  • Negro Baseball Tour de Force
  • The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues
Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues
John B. Holway
Manufacturer: Hastings House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:
  1. The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues
  2. Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams

ASIN: 0803820070

Book Description

Using entire new sources of data, John B. Holway has produced the most authoritative work yet on the subject of the Negro Leagues.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues.......2001-12-15

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire histroy. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

-Sports Columnist, Kansas City Star

5 out of 5 stars The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues.......2001-12-15

"The food industry has Emeril, the political pundits have O'Reilly and the Negro Leagues has Holway. Artfully wrote by the premier expert on Negro Leagues history."

-President, Legends of Sports

5 out of 5 stars The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues.......2001-12-11

"To appreciate any sport, you must learn about its entire history. And you can't truly appreciate baseball without learning about the Negro Leagues. Begin with this book."

As submitted to Hasting House on Dec. 10, 2001 via e-mail

5 out of 5 stars Negro Baseball Tour de Force.......2001-12-07

This is a fine overview of the contributions made by black ball players from the mid 19th Century to the more well known players of the 20th. I judge baseball books on how they contribute to the overall understanding of their subject matter. This book stands among the others, including Only the Ball Was White and Larry Lester's pictorials on the Negro Leagues in Chicago, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.

5 out of 5 stars The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues.......2001-12-06

". . . statistics that prove the greatness of the Negro League players. Now, we can truly call baseball the National Pastime."

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