Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
From the category archives:
The Red Sox Hall of Fame second baseman turns 93 today. As my people say, ken ahora. Doeer was a nine-time All Star and one of the subjects of the late Dave Halberstam’s 2003 bittersweet book, The Teammates: A Portrait of a Friendship. Also born this date, John McGraw — the Billy Martin of his […]
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Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane was born this date in 1903. According to Baseball-Reference.com’s “Bullpen” section, Cochrane earned his nickname because of his competitive nature and fiery temper. Mickey Cochrane: The Life of a Baseball Hall of Fame Catcher, by Bevis, 1998.
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Gil Hodges was born this date in 1924. While compiling my list of books about Hall of Famers, I couldn’t help but ask why some of these guys were in while someone like Hodges was out. Praying for Gil Hodges: A Memoir of the 1955 World Series and One Family’s Love of the Brooklyn Dodgers, […]
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Intro: As previously stated, the recent election of Robert Alomar and Bert Blyleven got me to thinking: how many Hall of Famers have had books written about them or penned their own stories. Here are the results. Again, this is not an all-inclusive list; almost all juvenile titles have been omitted. * * * Rube […]
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Daniel “Rusty” Staub turns 67 today. Rusty Staub of the Expos, by Robertson, 1971. Hello, Mr. Met!, by Staub, 2006 (juvenile). Few and Chosen: Defining Mets Greatness Across the Eras, by Staub with Pepe, 2009. Also born this date, Hall of Famer Phil Niekro, who turns 72. Knuckle Balls, by Niekro with Bird, 1986. The […]
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Busy day yesterday, so I didn’t have a chance to post these. Billy Beane, the inspiration behind Michael Lewis’ Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, turned 49 yesterday. Denny McLain, the last 30-game winner and one of baseball’s “bad boys,” turned 67. He released I Told You I Wasn’t Perfect in 2007 (as […]
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Baldwin, a “journeyman” pitcher in the 1960s-70s, turns 73 today. He published his memoirs, Snake Jazz, in 2008.Nothing sensationalistic here — no drugs or sex — just an honest, sentimental look at a young man’s journey through a brief section of his life. Dr. Baldwin has gone on to some major accomplishments, post-baseball. He earned […]
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Intro: As previously stated, the recent election of Robert Alomar and Bert Blyleven got me to thinking: how many Hall of Famers have had books written about them or penned their own stories. Here are the results. Again, this is not an all-inclusive list; almost all juvenile titles have been omitted. * * * Ben […]
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The Hall of Fame pitcher was born this date in 1871. The name was most appropriate: He completed 314 out of 381 game starts, averaging 24 wins over a relatively brief career of 10 years, including back-to-back 31+ seasons. And he didn’t even begin his big league career until age 28. Toss out an 8-8 […]
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Intro: As previously stated, the recent election of Robert Alomar and Bert Blyleven got me to thinking: how many Hall of Famers have had books written about them or penned their own stories. Here are the results. Again, this is not an all-inclusive list; almost all juvenile titles have been omitted. * * * Ryne […]
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The top baseball books, according to Amazon.com as of Friday, March 18, at 4 p.m. Title Rank General Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game, by John Thorn 1 The Extra 2%: How Wall Street Strategies Took a Major League Baseball Team from Worst to First, by Jonah Keri […]
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Legend has it that Lloyd Waner and his brother Paul, aka “Big Poison” — both members of the Baseball Hall of Fame — received their nicknames not because they were so lethal at the plate — which they were — but because simply because some Brooklyn fans couldn’t pronounce the word “person” according to the […]
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The Bookshelf topic on the March 14 Internet broadcast of What’s on Second was some events in baseball history that are marking milestone anniversaries in 2011. Among them: Hank Greenberg’s 100th birthday Hank Greenberg: The Hero Who Didn’t Want to Be One (Jewish Lives), by Kurlansky Hammerin’ Hank Greenberg, by Sommer Joe DiMaggio;’s 56-game hitting […]
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Bobby Bonds, Barry’s daddy, was born this date in 1946. Good genes: Papa won three Gold Gloves and was a three-time All-Star. Bobby Bonds, Rising Superstar, by Sullivan, 1976
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Kirby Puckett, the Hall of Fame outfielder for the Minnesota Twins, was brn this date in 1960. Books on Puckett include: Puck! Kirby Puckett: Baseball’s Last Warrior, by Carlson, 2001 Be the Best You Can Be, by Puckett, 1993 I Love This Game!: My Life and Baseball, by Puckett, 1993
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Dock Ellis, perhaps baseball’s trippiest pitcher, was born this date in 1945. Here‘s the entry I posted upon his untimely death in 2008. And a Robin Williams homage to Ellis’ most impressive feat: pitching a no-hitter while on LSD. The pitcher collaborated with the eminent Donald Hall on Dock Ellis in the Country of Baseball […]
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Ballplayers have had their careers cut short for all sorts of reasons. Jackie Jensen, a three-time All Star and 1958 AL MVP, couldn’t deal with the fear of flying. He averaged 21 home runs and almost 100 RBIs over nine full seasons in an 11-year career, spent mostly with the Red Sox. He retired in […]
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Intro: As previously stated, the recent election of Robert Alomar and Bert Blyleven got me to thinking: how many Hall of Famers have had books written about them or penned their own stories. Here are the results. Again, this is not an all-inclusive list; almost all juvenile titles have been omitted. * * * “R” […]
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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
