Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
From the category archives:
Rick Cleveland’s biography (published by Lemuria Press) of Boo Ferriss, a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox from 1945-50, as glowingly reviewed in the Clarksdale (MS) Press Register. Ferriss, a Mississippi product, won 21 and 25 games in his first two major league seasons, 12 the next year and never in double figures again.
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It took me quite awhile to discern that “W2W4,” a staple of ESPN The Magazine, means “what to watch for.” There. Now you know. So this W2W4 regards Mort Zachter’s upcoming book Gil Hodges: The Man Behind the Miracle, to be will be published by the University of Nebraska Press. Hodges, the powerful Brooklyn Dodgers […]
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The Hall of Fame veterans Committee will announce any decision on Monday, Dec. 8. Players who are under consideration include: SINCE 1943 • Dick Allen • Gil Hodges • Jim Kaat • Tony Oliva • Al Oliver • Vada Pinson • Ron Santo • Luis Tiant • Joe Torre • Maury Wills PRE-1943 • Bill […]
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Mike Lynch, who hosts the always thought-provoking Seamheads.com, penned (keyboarded?) this review of Babe Dahlgren’s biography. The twist? It was written by Dahlgren’s grandson, Matt, who is seeking to exonerate charges that Gramps was on the weed as a player.
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Thirteen years in the making. In 1995, I delivered my first “scholarly paper.” It was at Hoftsra University’s centennial celebration of Babe Ruth’s birth and it was a hoot. I spent three days there, listening to all sorts of presentations, visiting exhibits and finally — nervously — making my own. My topic was “The Books […]
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Cubs’ skipper Lou Pienlla and Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon were named managers of the year for 2008. Pinella published Sweet Lou, written with Maury Allen in 1986. He’s got a new one coming out next year from St. Martin’s/Thomas Dunne. So can it be long before Maddon has one, too? Managers whose teams […]
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From Triumph Books. I guess Three Nights in August doesn’t qualify as an actual biography: Two-time World Series champion Tony La Russa has been one of the most important figures in baseball for the past 30 years, but he has never been the subject of a biography before. Tony La Russa: Man on a Mission […]
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Rapid Robert turned 90 on Nov. 3. Feller was one of those players from “the greatest generation” — including Ted Williams, Warren Spahn, Bob Buhl, Hank Greenberg, Joe DiMaggio and many others — who lost precious years to the service of their country. Yes, some, like Feller and Williams, were on the front lines while […]
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by Fred Glueckstein (iUniverse) This slim volume focusing primarily on Mantle’s first year with the NY Yankees is basic enough. Glueckstein has obviously done his research quite well. Too well, it might appear, as he relishes in relaying the most minute details, such as the full name and birth dates and places of most of […]
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The Kansas City Star published this review of Tom Swift’s biography about the turn of the (20th) century Native American pitcher. The paper also applauds the long-time efforts of the publisher in the pursuite of excellence in the baseball genre: “An unsolicited editorial remark: This book is one of the latest baseball volumes to come […]
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from the Rio Rancho Observer.
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The Negro League star, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000, was born this date in 1901. The Amazon Report on Turkey Stearnes: Turkey Stearnes and the Detroit Stars: The Negro Leagues in Detroit, 1919-1933
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The PBS program’s Web site has been updated and now contains information about the April 21 broadcast, including a video promo, memories from Puerto Rican players, a teacher’s guide, and other items, as well as a chance for visitors to leave their comments. The program will be available for onb-line viewing after the premier. Thanks […]
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Gene Carney wrote this review of the new bio on Eddie “Cocky” Collins. I always found it bizarre that of all the actors John Sayles could have found to portray the second baseman in the film version of Eight Men Out, he chose Bill Irwin, who at the time was known more for his silent […]
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An entry on the BaseballZealot blog notes that PBS will air a documentary on the late Latino star on April 21 as part of its American Experience series. As of this posting, no information as available at the show’s Web site, but keep trying.
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The Hall of Fame catcher turns 54 today. Carter was a “like him, hate him” kind of guy. There are those who said he was too eager to smile for the camera. For me, as a fan of the Mets, he was a savior, one of the tools helping propel them to some quality years […]
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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
* W2W4: Upcoming titles
January 1, 2009
Been receiving some publisher’s catalogs recently. Here are a few 2009 titles to look forward to: >> As mentioned previously, Joe Torre and Tom Verducci have collaborated on the manager’s autobio, coming next month from Random House. >> Bloomsbury will release a behind-the-scenes look at the machinations of baseball’s Valhalla in Cooperstown Confidential: Heroes, Rogues, […]
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