Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
From the category archives:
A Worldwide Dictionary, 1869-2011, by Richard Worth. McFarland, 2013. 416 pages, $55. What’s in a name? More than you’d think, according to this entertaining reference. In some 400 pages, Worth lists every name of every professional franchise — including Negro and foreign leagues — according to city/town, from Abbeville, Alabama, to Zion, Utah, totaling more […]
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There’s a semi-regular feature on NPR’s Sound Check that examines songs and asks the question, “That was a hit?” That came to my mind when was asked to like the Facebook page for Back in the Game, a new series coming to ABC. Here’s the premise, from the show’s web page: Terry Gannon Jr. (Maggie […]
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As we approach the tragic anniversary , here’s a new book that examines Baseball after 9/11: Six Nights That Helped Heal America, by Patrick Carney. I read the sample via Amazon but couldn’t get a sense of that quality of the book, which is only 31 pages. Still, it’s less than $3, so maybe it’s […]
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A few readers have told me it would be great to have included a checklist in 501 Baseball Books, perhaps something of a detachable nature that would allow them to note what they’ve already ready as well as take the list with them to the library or bookstore for further reading pleasure. Great idea. So […]
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* Lindsey Berra, Yogi’s granddaughter, posted this piece on Allen Barra‘s Mays/Mantle bio on MLB.com. * Speaking of Yogi, this hyper-local site in the Seattle area wants to recommend his book (co-authored with Dave Kaplan), When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take It. * The Thousand Oaks Library (Calif.) will feature Chad […]
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You have to fill it with something… Sure, the beer is $12 but you get to keep the cup! How cool is that? Actually, wouldn’t it be great if you could fish in your pocket, count your change, and ask for three ounces? Hat tip to Ed Achorn , author of The Summer of Beer […]
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Note: This entry is a combination of the official press release sent by the Hall of Fame and my comments/edits. With the release of Legendary Entertainment’s landmark film 42 this spring, the worlds of movies and baseball came together for fans across the globe. The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum will recognize the […]
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* I love a good deconstruction story. Here, author Dayn Perry joyously breaks down a number of baseball cards he recently purchased. * The Columbus, Indiana, Republic posted this glowing review of Doug WIlson’s The Bird: The Life and Legacy of Mark Fidrych. * The Santa Monica Mirror published a profile of local writer Alan […]
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The first big day in this author’s life was getting the final, bound copy of my first book. The next came today, when the first check arrived. Don’t know what I was expecting, but I was hoping for something bit larger. I also received this, from the Baseball Hall of Fame. Pretty cool. There’s […]
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To paraphrase a Groucho Marx line (and with all due respect to the PETA faction), you can’t swing a dead cat (if that’s your idea of a good time) at the annual SABR conference without hitting a baseball writer. While in Philadelphia, I caught up with a few of them (writers, not cats) to see […]
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Jackie Robinson on Life After Baseball, edited by Michael G. Long. Syracuse University Press, 2013. Some former athletes botch attempts to remain relevant after their playing days are over. They offer opinions that, while certainly their right to have and express, do little to offer insight (or interest) as to what kind of people they […]
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But wouldn’t it be soooo cool? And in 3D, no less! Via John Thorn on Facebook via Jonah Keri.
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Been awhile. Apologies. The latest nonsense is a pinched nerve in my throwing arm, which makes typing extremely uncomfortable, hence the dearth of posts lately. But back to business… Ed Sherman was kind enough to invite me to discuss 501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read before They Die for his blog on Sports and Media, […]
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The New York Times ran this article in the front section about trying to find a way to make maple bats more shatter-resistant. I don’t know what David Wright uses, but in the Wednesday night game, his bat broke against his head on a swing. Yikes. He didn’t even get out of the batter’s box […]
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Back from vacation, lots to catch up on. Baseball Reflection’s posted this review of Tom Dunkel’s Color Blind: The Forgotten Team That Broke Baseball’s Color Line. And the rich get richer: Sports Illusrated‘s Extra Mustard blog posted this piece about “Five Baseball Books You Owe It to Yourself to Read This Summer” (plus a couple of […]
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is available on Amazon.com,
In a former life, I was the sports and features editor for a weekly New Jersey newspaper, where I hosted an award-winning bog about Jews and Sports.
I did a profile piece on the legendary cartoonist Arnold Roth and he was very generous in immortalizing me in this caricature.
My article on Sandy Koufax in the 1965 World Series appears in
My article on the later biographies of Babe Ruth appears in
My article on the Mets’ 1969 postseason appears in
Profiles of several Jewish baseball figures appear in
I don’t mean to be rude, but…
August 29, 2013 · 2 comments
Up until the day I received my first check (and the only one for the year. Seems these things come annually, not quarterly as I had hoped), the most-asked question I received was “how is the book doing?” I know the questioner means well and I appreciate the thoughts. But the truth was, until I […]
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