Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
From the category archives:
Every now and again we have someone who brings up the question: Did Babe Ruth actually “call” his home run in the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs? Many say no, some, like this gentleman, swear he did. Who’s to say? Grainy film of the event make it difficult to tell with absolute certainty. […]
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Is it just me, or has there been a surprisingly small amount of outcry from baseball traditionalists (aka, old folks like me), objecting to the use of instant replay in baseball? MLB instituted the practice this week, using it primarily for home runs. Seems someone high up on the food chain was tired of too […]
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It may surprise you to hear that I hate the post-season. Let me rephrase. I hate the post-season when the non-baseball “fans” pop out of the woodwork to get involved. Where were they in April and May? I especially despise those celebrities whose faces are shown in every other shot (“Oh, and there’s Sarah Jessica […]
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Mariotti, an “the opinionated and polarizing sports columnist” who frequently made White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen the target of his antipathy, has resigned from the Sun-Times. In a city with a strong sports journalism tradition, Mariotti was regarded as one of the leading columnists and certainly the most provocative. With a style that relied on […]
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According to a press release from Major League Baseball, limited replay review begins Aug. 28 in three series: Minnesota at Oakland, Texas at Los Angeles and Phillies at Chicago. The rest of the teams will begin on Friday. The statement announces that Instant replay will apply only to home run calls — whether they are […]
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Fans of sports talk radio in the New York area — and I am not one — are mourning the “loss” of their favorite team from WFAN. Mike (Francesa) and the Mad Dog (Chris Russo) had been together since 1989, annoying the hell out of me on the rare occasion that I would listen to […]
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Ya gotta start ’em young. The youth of America, as Casey Stengel would say.
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I was stunned when I read the news that the comedian/actor — he was the star of Mr. 3000 — had died at the age of 50. At the risk of sounding maudlin, the older I get, the more aware I am of those dying around me, especially when they’re younger than I. There are […]
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This article from Forbes reflects the tremendous increase in fan interest and, thereby, profits to be had in the minor leagues. There’s also a link to a slideshow about the 20 “best” MiLB teams.
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Damn right! An outraged reader in Eureka, Calif. sounds off on the National Pastime. You can read the original offending article here. The newspaper offers the disclaimer “Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of The Eureka Reporter or its staff.” But it was written by a staff reporter so so much for trying to […]
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The son of the legendary Harry Caray died at the age of 68. How sad it must be to go through life know as an extension of someone else, “the wife of,” “the partner of.” Skip was the long-time voice of the Atlanta Braves. The Amazon Report on Skip Caray: Roomies: Tales from the Worlds […]
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This “conspiracy theory” article comes from The Nation. And I don’t mean that as a negative. Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not trying to get you. Many other respected sources believe Miller has been “punished” with exclusion for his role in increasing expenditures on the part of the owners. According to writers Peter […]
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An article from the New England-based Seacoastonline.com reports that a film about Ari Alexenberg, a 45-year-old Boston man who played in the first (and perhaps only) season of the Israel Baseball League last year, is in the works. When Steve Sanger, of Portsmouth-based Sanger Communications, heard of Alexenberg’s story, he knew he had to meet […]
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From a post originally posted following the All Star Home Run Derby contest: By the way, can we get some love for Hamilton’s pitcher, Clay Council, age 71? From Bleacherreport.com prior to the contest: Several years ago, Josh Hamilton made a promise to his American Legion batting practice coach back while he was still in […]
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From the OttawaCitizen.com: Longtime baseball writer and former Ottawa Citizen staff writer Bob Elliott is a nominee for induction into the writers’ wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009. According to the London Free Press, ”Elliott is one of three writers nominated for the J.G. Taylor Spink Award and induction into the writers’ […]
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What’s the difference between A-Rod and the Bambino? The way they have been treated by the media. In Ruth’s day, what happened behind bedroom doors (usually) stayed behind bedroom doors. That is not longer the case. Photographers and reporters hang around, just waiting for the opportunity to take an embarrassing picture. But according to this […]
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In today’s New York Times — and with the closing of both new York stadiums after the 2008 season — Nick Bunkley writes about the demolition of Tiger Stadium in his “Detroit Journal.” As the last game in the old Michigan ballpark drew near, Tom Stanton wrote about growing up an intergenerational Tigers fan in […]
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“Canseco not the first slugger to strike out in the ring,” from ESPN.com.
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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
* Nickling and diming and dollaring the reader
September 4, 2008
Pay for the preview privilege? Apparently Sports Illustrated thinks its entitled, raising the price for their specials by a buck, from $4.99 to $5.99, according to this item. Come on, does any serious fan still get information from the printed page? Of course, there are those who are more interested in the thoughtful prose that […]
Tagged as: Sports Illustrated
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