Re-review: The Last Best League

July 4, 2014

Last Best League, 10th anniversary edition, TheThis year we mark the 10th anniversary of the release of The Last Best League: One Summer, One Season, One Dream, by Jim Collins, which takes a sentimental look at life in the Cape Cod League, a high level of amateur ball that uses wooden bats as a precursor to professional ball.

TLBL was the inspiration for the film Summer Catch, which was pretty much panned by critics but was as terrible as some other baseball movies.

Da Capo released a 10th-anniversary edition with an afterword that catches up with the principal characters. As Collins points out, “In baseball years, a decade is an eternity.” Ball clubs will not invest resources for players not expected to pan out. Tim Stauffer, Chris Ianetta, and Chad Orvella were the only two who have had Major League careers of any consequence (Colt Morton and Jamie D’Antona had cups of coffee with the Padres in 2007 and 2008, and Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008, respectively).  Some left the game injured, others disillusioned. Hey, life goes on. One way or another, these kids realized it wasn’t in the cards and move don the “Plan B,” as Collins puts it.

Here’s a link to a review I did on the original release.

TLBL is one of my 501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read before They Die.

 

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Tagged as: amateur baseball, Cape Cod League, Jim Collins, The Last Best League

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