About your host

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Greetings, everybody. rothkap0018.jpg

In addition to working as a sports and features editor for a weekly New Jersey publication, I’m also a freelance writer, specializing in book reviews — primarily baseball-related — as well as pop culture. My work has appeared in such publications as Baseball America, New York Sportscene, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Mental Floss, ForeWord Magazine, January Magazine, E Magazine, Irish America, and American Book Review, among others.

I also serve as editor for the Society for American Baseball Research’s Bibliography Committee Newsletter.

Most of the articles on this blog are my own, with other items and reviews of note included for your interest and reference.

Thanks for stopping by. Come back often, and drop a comment in the box.

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  • http://deepcenterfield.blogspot.com Jason P.

    Always wanted to join SABR. Money though is typically an issue for me.

  • * Dan Frank

    Just a question. I have a collection of every Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year issue. The collection is currently on display at Smith Memorial Library at Chautauqua Institution in western New York State and is one part of my overall Franksonian exhibit which contains many more sports artifacts. The quality ranges from fair to good to mint. I also have the first SI issue (8/16/54) and this issue is in mint condition. I have pictures of the display but could take a more formal picture of each if necessary. How can I go about getting this collection appraised so that I can properly insure it?
    Thank you for your assistance.

    Dan Frank

    (RK: If anyone has a suggestion, please email me and I’ll pass along the information to Mr. Frank.)

  • http://www.bobmitchellbooks.com Bob Mitchell

    Hi, Ron. I just discovered your website (it’s great!) and wanted to let you know that you really should have my baseball novel on it! Not that I am prejudiced toward it (which I am, of course), but I will let the record (to use a baseball term) speak for itself: On its front cover is a blurb by Larry King plus other blurbs on the back from Tim McCarver, Chris Berman, Fay Vincent, Marty Appel, Josh Prager, and the like; it has sold nearly 20,000 copies so far, in both hardcover and pb; it is under film option; it is a delightful family story, love story, and baseball story; and it has evoked thousands of e-mails from across the country. FYI, it is titled ONCE UPON A FASTBALL, published by Kensington. It is centered around the Bobby Thomson/Ralph Branca 1951 pennant game and three other unforgettable games in baseball history. In all immodesty, a great read! I do hope you will include it on your website and tell all your loyal fans about it! Many thanks, Bob Mitchell.

  • Shane MacKean

    Dear Mr Kaplan,
    I happened on your website while researching books on baseball which my family might give me for birthday presents.  I’m English, but caught the baseball bug back in ’77 when visiting the States for the first time.  I enjoyed the video of your attendance at a Yankee fantasy camp: I’ve been promising myself an Orioles fantasy camp for years.  I will certainly revisit your site.
    Yours ever,
    Shane MacKean  

  • Anonymous

    Thanks, Mr. MacKean. You might ask you parents for Craig Robinson’s new book, Flip Flop Fly Ball. Like you,, He’s an Englishman who fell in love with the game and tells a great story, supplemented by fascinating “infographics.”

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