Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf
If it fits on a bookshelf, it fits here.
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The New York Times is the latest to run a review of James S. Hirsch’s new biography. The upshot: The result is an authoritative if sometimes listless book, one that’s less “Say Hey” than so-so. Like a long out to center field that scores a runner, however, it’s a book that gets the job done. […]
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The Seattle Times gets props for being the first major publication to publish a review on the long-awaited book on the Hall of Famer, the first part of the baseball “trinity” in New York in the 1950s, as immortalized by Terry Cashman’s tune, “Willie, Mickey, and the Duke.” Upshot: “enormously entertaining and wide-ranging biography.” Thanks […]
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Courtesy Sports Illustrated and Barnes and Noble.
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The man considered by more than a few to be the “real” all-time home run king turns 76 today. At the risk of appearing lazy (I prefer to consider it “recycling”) here’s a link to last year’s birthday tribute to Hammerin’ Hank with a list of books about the Hall of Fame slugger. Howard Bryant’s […]
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This week’s best-selling baseball books, according to Amazon.com as of Friday, Feb. 5. Title Rank General Baseball Prospectus 2010 1 Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend, by James S. Hirsch 2 Baseball America 2010 Prospect Handbook: The Comprehensive Guide to Rising Stars from the Definitive Source on Prospects 3 2010 Baseball Forecaster (Ron Shandler’s Baseball […]
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It’s been way to long since a “serious” biography about Willie Mays was published. That’s about to be remedied with Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend by James S. Hirsch, to be published this month by Scribner. Bruce Weber, author of As They See’ Em, wrote this piece for the Sunday Times. Perhaps it’s because […]
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From Newsday, this review of Lew Paper’s book on Don Larsen’s World Series perfect game. Jimmy Scott, of Jimmy Scott’s High and Tight, wrote this review on Satchel, by Larry Tye. Two more sites on baseball cards: The Topps Archives (non-baseball material as well), and another devoted specifically to the 1980 Topps set. The event […]
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A few germane baseball items over the week that I overlooked: In today’s edition, John Klima, author of the recently relased Willie’s Boys: The 1948 Birmingham Black Barons, the Last Negro League World Series, and the Making of a Baseball Legend (Wiley), published this item on how the Yankees blew their chance to sign Willie […]
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In celebration of its 75th anniversary, Esquire magazine is running a series of — and on — “Page 75.” In the September issue we have a chance to recap several baseball stories that have run in the publication over the years including: “The Silent Season of a Hero,” by Gal Talese (July 1966) “What Do […]
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Seems the Yankees and their fans are somewhat upset about MLB’s “Call Your Shot” promotion, in which a fan winning an online contest will choose a spot here he believes Red Sox slugger David Ortiz can park one. “Sacrilege,” they cry, to befoul the final season at the hallowed Yankee Stadium with such heresy. The […]
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The Hall of Famer from Mobile turns 77 (!) today. No need to go into his exploits here. Suffice it to say that he is one of the most legendary players ever to don flannels, a fact that is born out by the number of books written about him, especially for kids; you know a […]
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Whenever a book — especially a sports book — includes the words “best” (or “worst”), “ranking”, or “forever,” you know the author is looking to start an argument. Take John Roengren, for example. His new title on the 1973 season carries the “forever” brand. Granted 1973 was an eventful season. The Mets, still mourning the […]
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is available on Amazon.com,
In my most recent "day job," I was the sports and features editor for a weekly New Jersey newspaper, where I hosted another blog. Busy, busy, busy.
I did a profile piece on the award-winning cartoonist Arnold Roth and he was nice enough to "immortalize" me.
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
* Timing is everything
February 9, 2010 · 2 comments
Here’s to the Class of 2010. And I don’t mean the newest Hall of Famers. How cool is it that this year marks the release of biographies on some of the true icons of the game? The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron, by Howard Bryant The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End […]
Tagged as: Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Willie Mays
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