Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
From the category archives:
I have given major props to the L.A. Daily News‘ Tom Hoffarth for his thoughtful month-long series of baseball book reviews. Today’s the last day, so here’s his “whole freakin’ list” which lists and links all 30 titles. He was also gracious enough — self-promotion alert — to mention The Bookshelf in his wrap-up. Thanks […]
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Time to play catch-up: From a rival site about baseball book reviews, this piece on Hammerin’ Hank, George Almighty and The Say Hey Kid (another of those books that uses words like “greatest” and “forever” in its title). An oldie, but good: this review of The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, by Douglass Wallop, […]
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The 19th-century answer to George Steinbrenner. From Nine. This is a PDf version of the original. Sorry for the inconvenience, but you probably have to scroll down a bit. van-der-ahe-review1
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The Hall of Fame pitcher was born this date in 1921. Spahn was one of those stars who enjoyed success at an advanced age. After making his debut in 1941, he spent four years in the military during WW II. Apparently, there was no rust upon his return. He won 21 in 1947, his first […]
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Recently came across this piece I did for ForeWord Magazine in 2004. Titles include The Baseball Necrology: The Post-Baseball Lives and Deaths of over 7,600 Major League Players and Others Busting ‘Em and Other Big League Stories The Baseball Filmography: 1915 through 2001 Reel Baseball: Essays and Interviews on the National Pastime, Hollywood and American […]
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Born this day in 1887, McCarthy, one of the few managers in the Hall of Fame, led the Yankees to eight pennants and seven world championships. he also led the Chicago Cubs (one pennant) and the Boston Red Sox. The Amazon Report on Joe McCarthy: Joe Mccarthy: Achitect of the Yankee Dynasty
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The 49-year-old Eisenreich, a .290 hitter who played for several teams over a 15-year career, was perhaps more famous for dealing with Tourette’s Syndrome than his accomplishments on the field. His inspirational story is included in several books about the Phillies, for whom he played from 1993 (their pennant-winning season)-1996, as well medical books on […]
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First Salon, now Slate. Is anyone besides me old enough to remember the Quaker cereals Quisp and Quake? Same as Cap’n Crunch, only different shapes and cartoon characters. Anyway… Greg Spira contributes this thoughtful column on why so many American players are born in August, citing John Holway’s 2000 book, The Baseball Astrologer. Upshot: Since […]
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The Hall of Famer, Class of ’39, was born this day in 1852. The Amazon Report for Cap Anson: Howard Rosenberg has done an exhaustive study of Anson, compiling a four-volume biography. Cap Anson 1: When Captaining a Team Meant Something Leadership in Baseball’s Early Years Cap Anson 2: The Theatrical and Kingly Mike Kelly: […]
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in 1929, the Yankees become first team to wear digits on uniforms. Numbers are assigned based on the order in the lineup thus Earle Combs wore #1, Mark Koenig #2, Babe Ruth #3, Lou Gehrig #4, Bob Meusel #5, Tony Lazzeri #6, Leo Durocher #7, Johnny Grabowski #8, Benny Bengough #9, and Bill Dickey #10 […]
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The Boston ace who won the Cy Young in 1967 for leading his team to their first pennant in 30-plus years turns 66 today. I can still see his picture, shirt undone as he joins teammates in celebrating the pennant clincher. Unfortunately he suffered a broken leg in a skiing accident and was never the […]
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in 1955, Chuck Tanner hits a home run in his first major league at bat for the Milwaukee Braves. He would have another 20 in his eight-season playing career. (Thanks, NationalPastime.com.) His son, Bruce, pitched in 10 games for the White Sox in 1985. Seems like he could have used him over in Pittsburgh, where […]
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In 1913, in a game which features President Woodrow Wilson throwing out the first pitch, Washington’s Walter Johnson gives up an unearned run in the first inning of the home opener but will not yield another for 56 innings. The Senators beat the Yankees, 2-1. (Thanks to NationalPastime.com.)
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MLB’s “police officer” turns 62 today. Watson‘s claim to fame was scoring the one millionth run in Major League (i.e., NL and AL) history. He enjoyed an 18-year career, spent mostly with the Houston Astros, with a few seasons with the Red Sox, Yankees, and Braves. The Amazon Report on Bob Watson: Survive To Win
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In 1969, the Seattle Pilots score all of their runs in the first inning to win their major league debut over the Angels, 4-3. See the table of contents here. More about the book.
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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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There’s a lot of material that’s fallen by the wayside as I try to keep this blog fresh with the latest in baseball book publishing information. But in the words of the revered philosopher, Regis Philbin, “I’m only one man!” So I’m using this space to try to catch up. Some of the items might […]
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in 1969, Ted Williams makes his managerial debut in front of President Nixon and a crowd of 45,000 at Washington’s RFK Stadium. ‘Tricky Dick’s’ Senators are defeated by the Yankees, 8-4. (Thanks nationalpastime.com) Williams was the subject of a 1970 book, What a Baseball Manager Does, by Roy Hoopes.
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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 have been remiss
April 21, 2008
these last few days, the aftereffects of a dislocated finger suffered during a softball game with my new team, which I can also use as an excuse for my poor typing of late. (Thanks to those who have written out of concern.) This does, however, open the door for a couple of related reviews and […]
Tagged as: disabilities, injuries, Senior baseball
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