Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
From the category archives:
As in the case of the genius who decided Ross Ohlendorf deserved a raise of $1,586,000 for winning one of 11 decisions for the Pirates last year. Sure, why not. The Pirates would have only won 56 games without his help. According to Wikipedia, that bastion of factual accuracy, “Ohlendorf [who majored in Operations Research […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Because you can keep a TV on your bookshelf: Hot in Cleveland Episode: Sisterhood of the Traveling SPANX (NEW) Joy ends up with a younger man; Melanie tries to catch the eye of a doctor; Victoria gets in cat fight with Melanie Griffith; Elka’s enhancement idea for Grady Sizemore. 10:00 P.M. on TVLAND
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Brooklyn Cyclones give Aguilera second shot at National anthem? From the AP item: Cyclones general manager Steve Cohen [Editor’s Note: MOT?] said in a statement that “when a player makes a mistake, they usually don’t get a shot at redemption, but with a singer, that’s a different story.” Speaking of the Cyclones, they were included […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Congratulations to Robert Alomar and Bert Blyleven, this year’s inductees. Alomar — who was inducted into the Canadian baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 — was elected on his second go-around with 523 (of 581) ballots cast; Blyleven made it in his next-to-last year of eligibility with 463 votes. Look for books on both of […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
They don’t get much more literary than this, which comes from the Hall of Fame’s Time Wiles via Facebook: Happy birthday to one of the first baseball writers, Jane Austen. From Northanger Abbey: …it was not very wonderful that Catherine, who had by nature nothing heroic about her, should prefer cricket, baseball, riding on horseback, […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
The pride of The Greatest Generation died yesterday at the age of 92. Feller was one of the bona fide star athletes who served with distinction in World War II, sacrificing prime seasons away from the game when they might have been able to find ways around the draft; Feller could easily have claimed status […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Harvey Araton published this sweet tribute to these veteran sportswriters who passed away over the last few months. While I didn’t know Mr. Ziegel, I did have the pleasure of making Maury‘s acquaintance and though I didn’t have the same relationship with him as Araton, I did find him very open and charitable when it […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
So if you had a copy of the list of 104 players who allegedly tested positive for steroids, you couldn’t use it.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Bill Conlin was just named recipient for the J.G. Taylor Spink Award, given by the Baseball Hall of Fame for “meritorious contributions to baseball writing.” The long-time beat writer for the Philadelphia Daily News published Batting Cleanup Bill Conlin, a collection of his columns, in 1997 and edited The Rutledge Book of Baseball in 1981. […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
From ESPN’s Richard Durrett at the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, FL: There has been some interest in first baseman Chris Davis from a few clubs, but it’s unclear if that will turn into anything. Fans love/hate the winter meetings. They hope their team can pull off a great deal and get that sexy […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Unfortunately, one incident can define your life. Just ask Bill Buckner. Gil McDougald, who died Nov. 28 at the age of 82, was a solid player for the juggernaut Yankees teams of the 1950s, averaging 14 home runs, 76 RBIs, and .276/.356/.410 for 10 seasons. He was Rookie of the Year in 1951, a five-time […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
And who knows, sometime soon, one just might. The Beckett Blog composed this series of fake Derek Jeter cards, fantasizing about what he would look like in the uniform of all 30 teams. Some look pretty good, but the prospect of others (Jeter as a Met?) are a bit disconcerting.
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
As it pertains to J-E-T-E-R. I really hate this kind of stuff. Both the Yankees Derek Jeter seem to be bordering on the unreasonable as they dicker over a new contract. The Yankees’ corner claim that it’s all business, that Jeter isn’t getting any younger, that he shouldn’t be unduly rewarded for past performance, and […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci considers one of the questions I’ve been wondering about for a long time: Why do teams keep hiring the same old managers rather than give someone new a chance? I’ve often thought of baseball in terms of television shows: you keep getting the same actors in different roles though similar roles. […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
The 16-year veteran died today at the age of 66. Here’s an obituary from the Los Angeles Times; Kirkpatrick played for the Angels from 1962-68. He also played for the Royals, Pirates, Rangers, and Brewers. In 1970 Topps inserted a mini-poster in each wax pack. I had all of them, as I also had the […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
As we observe Veterans Day, I just wanted to put give a shout out to the men and women who have sacrificed in the service of their country. A sampling of the literature on the subject: Ted Williams at War An American Journey: My Life on the Field, in the Air, and on the Air, […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
At least when it comes to Derek Jeter winning the AL shortstop trophy. Not that I’m a Yankees fan, but stop picking on the guy. There have been previous examples of undeserving players receiving awards. Raphael Palmiero won the first-base GG in 1999 despite playing just 28 games there that season. Back in the mid-90s, […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
So much for beach reading. Adult Hardcover Sales Decreased 40% in September Duh! No, really. What are people reading these days? Are we turning into Eloi (and if you don’t know what that is, you’ve perhaps proved my point)?
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
The MLB Network will broadcast Thursday’s Silver Slugger Awards, given to the best offensive player at each position. Why not, they have to do something to fill the time between now and spring training. I would love a marathon movie schedule once a week, bringing back all those movies that don’t get played ad nauseum, […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
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
Behind the Times
February 1, 2011
Not sure what’s going on at the “paper of record” lately. Maybe it’s staff cuts. But here are two stories that appeared recently on the pages of the newspaper that appeared elsewhere some time ago. Gil Meche turned down the last year of a $12 million contract because he knew he wouldn’t be able to […]
Tagged as: Gil Meche, Honus Wagner baseball card
{ Comments on this entry are closed }