From the category archives:

History

NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]

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Next to baseball and books (and, of course, baseball books), I enjoy learning about what goes on behind the scenes in movies. That’s why I enjoy the I Was There Too podcast hosted by Matt Gourley, which features  interviews with actors who may not have been the stars of the films in which they appeared, […]

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Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]

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Bits and pieces, Nov. 18, 2015

November 18, 2015

Been a bit busy lately with the two author events, so I know I’ve fallen behind. You never know where inspiration will come from. According to this public radio story, Haruki Murakami came up with the idea for his first novel, Hear the Wind Sing, as the result of a 1978 pro game in Japan, […]

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I recently created a bit of a stir of Facebook when, after doing some research for new titles coming down the pike, I questioned  the “necessity” for a biography on Mike Torrez. All due respect for the 18-year veteran, he doesn’t seem to have the gravitas of a Hall of Famer. That reminded me of […]

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Here’s guy who takes the admonition “Don’t quite your day job” to heart. Dr. Doug Wilson, a full-time ophthalmologist with a thriving practice, has written biographies about four prominent men — including two Hall of Famers — who nevertheless have slipped under the radar, especially for fans who never saw them player. Wilson’s latest — […]

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NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]

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Bookshelf review: Pudge

November 2, 2015

In case you missed the previous mention, a review of Doug Wilson’s latest baseball bio appears ion Bookreporter.com.

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Missed last week because of vacation. Hey, I’m entitled. Anyway… NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be […]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Fountain — author of yet another book about the Black Sox Scandal — will be the featured guest at the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse in Manhattan on Thursday, Oct. 29, at 7 p.m. to discuss The Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball. The 29th is an off day for the World […]

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NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Since I posted the first of these on a Thursday, which is known on social media as a time of reflection, I thought to make it a regular thing under this rubric. These are kind of fun; it’s like a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. (Actually, I never understood […]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Notice how at this time of year “mainstream” (i.e., non-sports) writers and media in general come up with all sorts of “interesting” features about baseball? Here’s one about the “fine art” of scorekeeping now that the LA Dodgers are in the postseason. W.P. Kisnella‘s Shoeless Joe is listed among “5 books that influenced lives in […]

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But I don’t know how to classify this bit of uber-trivia from Numbers Don’t Lie: Mets: The Biggest Numbers in Mets History, by Ross Cohen with Adam Raider. The chapter for “10” features Tom Seaver’s 10 consecutive strikeouts against the visiting San Diego Padres on April 22, 1970 and comes with this fun fact: Seaver […]

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NOTE: I have been posting these things long enough now that a few have commented that the introductory section isn’t necessary anymore. But I’m leaving it in because, to paraphrase Joe DiMaggio when asked why he played so hard all the time, there may be people who’ve never read the best-seller entries before. So on […]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Get ready, get set, go… This is the time of year when publishers gear up for their quickie season recaps for teams in the hunt for the World Series crown. But it seems that in recent years, you don’t even have to get that far. Maybe the League Championship series are good enough. Or perhaps […]

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Very little grass grows under Lonnie Wheeler’s feet. His second-most recent title, Intangiball: The Subtle Things That Win Baseball Games, was released on August 11 and less than two months later we have Pitch by Pitch: My View of One Unforgettable Game, the third book he has done with Hall of Famer Bob Gibson. (Actually, […]

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