Bits and pieces, Nov. 27

2013 title

Another in an attempt to look over the over-looked news in baseball books. I’ve only just begun listening to the unabridged audio book of Bill Bryson’s newest, One Summer: America, 1927, but if Richard “Pete” Peterson says it’s “a good read for Cards, Cubs fans,” that’s good enough for me. Kevin Baker, who worked with […]

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Hall of Fame announces ballot for Class of ’14

2014 title

Pitchers who won a combined seven Cy Young Awards and position players who totaled three Most Valuable Player Awards are among 19 new candidates on the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot that is being mailed this week to more than 600 voting members of the BBWAA. Pitchers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Eric Gagne, first […]

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Lest we forget: Lou Brissie (UPDATE)

2009 title

The World War II veteran who returned from devastating injury sustained in the service of his country to play Major League baseball, passed away yesterday at the age of 89. Brissie, who earned a Bronze Star and two Purple Hearts, pitched seven seasons for the Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Indians, compiling a 44-48 record with […]

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2014 already?

2014 title

Not quite, but you might as well prepare by purchasing your “personalized” baseball calendar from artists Maggie Lawrence. From her Facebook post: My calenders will be for sale $20 pick 12 images and email me or message me with your selections payment can be through paypal or check http://www.flickr.com/photos/margielawrence/sets/ make sure to get your order […]

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Boston Globe World Series book for 99 cents?

2013 title

Yes, if you subscribe for an eight-week subscription to the digital version of the paper, you can receive a copy of For Boston: From Worst to First, the Improbable Dream Season of the 2013 Red Sox . After the introductory period, the price bumps up to $3.99/week. You cancel at any time but you have […]

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Lest we forget: Al Forman

Lest We Forget

One of the few Jews to umpire in the Major Leagues, Allen “Al” Forman passed away Saturday at the age of 85. I had the pleasure of interviewing Forman in 2006 for a feature in the NJ Jewish News.

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‘Bookshelf’ Review: Becoming Mr. October

2013 title

Okay, technically this isn’t a Baseball Bookshelf since I wrote it for Bookreporter.com. I’m double-dipping here. You can click to the Bookreporter piece (I’m sure they’d love the traffic), or read it below: I do not know Reggie Jackson, so I cannot know what’s in his heart or mind. In rationalizing the publication of his […]

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What took them so long?

"Oddballs"

ABC cancels Back in the Game Back in the Game, starring James Caan and Maggie Lawson, has effectively been cancelled, though all 13 episodes will air. However, no more will be produced, which presumably will make way for Suburgatory to return to the schedule. I might actually go back and watch the rest (after passing […]

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Call for nominations the first annual “What I would add to 501 Baseball Books” award

2013 title

Speaking of awards… The “problem” with a book like 501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read before They Die is that you have to draw the line somewhere to meet the publisher’s deadline. I was allowed some last-minute adjustments to include a handful of books that came out in 2012, but what about this year’s batch? […]

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If everything is incredible, then nothing is incredible

"Annuals"

Or amazing, or unbelievable. There’s yet another batch of “awards” this year from Major League Baseball: The GIBBYs, short for Greatness in Baseball Yearly awards. That ain’t even good English. Please. How many awards can you give already? These seem to duplicate a lot of honors that have been awarded for years: rookies, batters, starting […]

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What a coincidence: Harry Caray

"Oddballs"

I was listening to The Comedy Mixtape, one of my regular podcasts, and heard John Caponera doing a bit about the late and beloved Cubs broadcaster (he also does a pretty good Vin Scully). You can listen to it here, but be warned — it’s hilariously NSFW. The same day, I found this posted via […]

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501 at the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival

501 Baseball Books...

Overdue in posting about my wonderful experience at the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival earlier this month. I was part of the Sports Night panel with Oliver Horovitz, author of An American Caddie in St. Andrews: Growing Up, Girls, and Looping on the Old Course. I will admit to a bit of jealousy as Horovitz […]

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501 Baseball Books: Soon to be an international best-seller?

"Oddballs"

A dozen Frenchmen (French people?) can’t be wrong. Found this on the Facebook page for the Bookshelf: INSOLITE | Ron Kaplan, célèbre pour son ouvrage “501 livres que les vrais fan de baseball doivent lire avant de mourir” et son blog Ron Kaplan’s Baseball Bookshelf, a profité d’un voyage à Paris pour venir visiter les […]

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A freaky Yankees video, don’t ya know.

Baseball humor

This Yankees video trifecta is just too funny. John Sterling’s horrendous home run calls, ridiculous “pop” music background, and questionable editing. And this is a Yankees product! A shande, as my people say. Anyway, enjoy. (Thanks to the folks at Baseball Nation for the story link.)

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This is why I hate going on vacation (Jeter to enter publishing world?) (UPDATE)

"Oddballs"

There’s always a major thing going on while I’m on vacation that I don’t hear about until I get back. In this case it was the “announcement” that Derek Jeter might enter the publishing world when he retires from his playing career. According to a piece in the Nov. 14 NY Times, “Jeter, the Yankees’ […]

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Can I get a ruling?

2013 title

Don’t know if it’s the recent attention paid to poor umpiring or the call for expanded use of video replays, but several books published over the past year or so take up the topic of rules interpretation. These books point out that the official rule book is kind of dry; the “fun” part comes in […]

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Du base-ball

501 Baseball Books...

The day after I got off the plane from my appearance at the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival (Nov. 6), my wife and I got on a plane for Paris (France, not Texas), an extension of our 25th anniversary celebration. We did the usual touristy things, but I also had the opportunity to visit the […]

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Dueling banjos, baseball style

Commentary

Simply put, Baseball is on the downslide vs. Baseball is still the National game. Discuss.

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Video killed the radio star

Broadcasting

Or, in the case, the podcast did. Both of these items relate to the recent World Series. An offshoot of the “National Pastime Radio” tag, this was heard in the “Who’s Carl This Time” segment of on the Nov. 2 episode of Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me: PETER SAGAL: All right, Gary, here is your […]

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Meet me in St. Louis, Louis

501 Baseball Books...

A reminder, I’ll be gone for awhile. Leaving for St. Louis tomorrow for the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival where I’ll be appearing in … SPORTS NIGHT Moderator: Tom Ackerman, Sports Director KMOX RADIO Oliver Horovitz AN AMERICAN CADDIE IN ST. ANDREWS: Growing Up, Girls, and Looping on the Old Course Wait-listed at Harvard, Horovitz […]

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