Baseball Books

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Book SynopsisOn September 28, 1960—a day that will live forever in the hearts of fans—Red Sox slugger Ted Williams stepped up to the plate for his last at-bat in Fenway Park. Seizing the occasion, he belted a solo home run—a storybook ending to a storied career.In the stands that afternoon was twenty-eight-year-old John Updike, inspired by the moment to make his lone venture into the field of sports reporting. More than just a matchless account of that fabled final game, Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu is a brilliant evocation of Williams’ entire tumultuous life in baseball.Now, on the fiftieth anniversary of the dramatic exit of baseball’s greatest hitter, The Library of America presents a commemorative edition of Hub Fans, prepared by the author just months before his death. To the classic final version of the essay, long out-of-print, Updike added an autobiographical preface and a substantial new afterword.

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Book SynopsisSpanning nearly fifty years and featuring hard-to-find pieces, this anthology collects the most essential writings on American baseball, boxing, and more, from the Pulitzer Prize–winning sports journalistWalter Wellesley “Red” Smith was the most widely read sports writer of the last century and the first to win the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. From the 1940s to the 1980s, his nationally syndicated columns for the New York Herald Tribune and later for The New York Times traversed the world of sports with literary panache and wry humor. “I’ve always had the notion,” Smith once said, “that people go to spectator sports to have fun and then they grab the paper to read about it and have fun again.” Now, writer and editor (and inventor of Rotisserie League Baseball) Daniel Okrent presents the best of Smith’s inimitable columns—miniature masterpieces that remain the gold standard in sports writing.Here are Smith’s indelible profiles of sports luminaries, which show his gift for distilling a career’s essence in a single column. Unforgettable accounts of historic occasions—Bobby Thompson’s Shot Heard ’Round the World, Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series, the first Ali-Frazier fight—are joined by more offbeat stories that display Smith’s unmistakable wit, intelligence, and breadth of feeling. Here, too, are more personal glimpses into Smith’s life and work, revealed in stories about his lifelong passion for fishing and in “My Press-Box Memoirs,” a 1975 reminiscence for Esquire collected here for the first time.

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Book SynopsisBaseball is facing a crisis as it is riddled with accusations of steroid and drug abuse, testing, and debates about whether or not records will need to include an asterisk. In attorney David Ezra's new book Asterisk, he explores the public trials of the baseball community and debates questions such as Are accusations of steroid use justified? Or do today's well-trained players, whose teams play in newly constructed ballparks, shatter records because the game has changed?

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Book SynopsisA trip into the world of a Cubs fan, this brilliant collection of photos and insightful essays highlights 15 years with the Chicago Cubs, from the winter Cubs Convention to their springs in Mesa and, finally, to the Friendly Confines during the season. This passionate photo documentary is a must-have for any and all Cubs fans who love to reminisce about past seasons while looking forward to the future with unguarded optimism. Our Team—Our Dream puts the Cubbies and the throngs of fans who flock to Wrigleyville on display in one memorable collection.

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Book SynopsisRelive the historic 2007 Major League Baseball season as the Colorado Rockies put together one of the most amazing hot streaks in baseball history to reach their first World Series ever.

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Book SynopsisFrom Rookie of the Year to two-time Manager of the Year, with three World Series rings in between, Lou Piniella's story is as compelling as the man himself. From a boyhood in Tampa that shaped, in every way, the athlete and person he would become; to his years with the Kansas City Royals, an experience that would teach him about the business of baseball; to his wild years in New York that would give him his first two World Series rings and thrust him into George Steinbrenner's infamous revolving door; his many varied experiences all set him on course to finding his true calling. Sweet Lou brings the story of one of the most intriguing managers in the game to life, relives history with those who were there, and probes the man himself: his great loves, his great losses, and his greatest successes. Author Melissa Isaacson explores Piniella's background, his parents, his friends, and his roots in Tampa that explain not only his hot-headedness but also reveal a very down-to-earth family man. Along the way, she charts his ascension to become the beloved skipper of the Cubs, setting his sights on his sixth pennant and the possibility of leading the Cubs to their first world championship in over 100 years. This is a riveting portrayal of a consummate and controversial larger-than-life baseball personality whose full impact on the game has yet to be measured.

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Book SynopsisFrom hard-working farm boy growing up in post-World War I Van Meter, Iowa, to the youngest All-Star and longest-lived Hall of Famer, sharp-witted Bob Feller distills nine decades of hard-earned wisdom—gleaned from experiences both on and off the diamond—in his new Little Blue Book of Baseball Wisdom, a sequel to his best-selling Little Black Book of Baseball Wisdom. Feller writes tellingly of the stars of his generation, but also shares the essential virtues which made him so successful—life lessons he learned from his father, who, eager to showcase his son's baseball talent, built a "field of dreams" on their Iowa farm when Feller was still a teen, lessons he learned fighting for his country in World War II, and lessons he learned subsequent to his baseball career.

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Book SynopsisPoised to enter the playoffs and make a run at their first World Series title since 1908, the Chicago Cubs boast one of the best records in baseball. Veterans Carlos Zambrano and Ryan Dempster and midseason acquisition Rich Harden anchor a solid pitching staff. With returning stars Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez in the heart of the batting order, the Cubs' depth and balance make them one of the favorites to win it all and send their legions of fans to baseball heaven for the first time in a hundred years.

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Book SynopsisFormer Detroit player Lance Parrish selects the top five Tigers of all time at each position and ranks them in this subjective compendium. Fans may disagree, but they are certain to find his choices interesting, his reasoning for the selections fascinating, and the anecdotes he draws from his years as a Tiger amusing and entertaining. Featured players include Ty Cobb, Harry Heilmann, Charlie Gehringer, Hank Greenberg, George Kell, Willie Horton, and Alan Trammel.

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Book SynopsisWhen Mitch Williams threw the pitch that lost the 1993 World Series for the Philadelphia Phillies, no one could have predicted that his reaction to the loss would win the hearts and minds of Phillies fans across the nation. He stood at his locker for an hour after the game, answering every question, most of which could be answered simply: "I threw a bad pitch." He didn't go into hiding, make excuses, or believe that one loss was the end of the world. Phillies fans, notorious as the toughest in sports, recognized a stand-up guy when they saw one and embraced him as one of their own. Though his successful pitching career is behind him, Mitch is still standing up in Philadelphia and telling it like it is. Straight Talk from Wild Thing is the story of his career, but more than that, it is inside baseball seen from many perspectives: sitting on a 10-hour minor league bus ride, standing on a pitcher's mound, and sitting in a clubhouse, a dugout, and a ranch in Texas, where a man who "retired" at age 32 struggled to figure out what to do next.

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Book SynopsisHaving spent the past four years recording hundreds of training sessions by some of Major League Baseball’s best athletes, the editors of STACK have built a library of grueling workouts, training secrets, and nutritional tips used by America's professional diamond greats. This book gives an inside look at the best workouts, together with instructions and advice from 10 of pro baseball's most prolific and well-conditioned players and their coaches. The pros' training methods are compiled into detailed workout programs, with step-by-step exercise descriptions, that will improve on-field performance in the safest and most effective ways possible. Reader’s will read of actual workouts performed by numerous high-profile MLB players, including David Wright, Derek Lee, Dustin Pedroia, Johan Santana, Jimmy Rollins, Carl Crawford, Justin Morneau, Justin Verlander, and more. The workouts in Baseball Training: The Pros' Guide to Becoming Bigger, Faster, Stronger provide direction on how to improve speed, strength, power, agility, flexibility, and conditioning. Readers will also be inspired by encouraging stories, motivational techniques, and training perspectives behind these athletes' rise to stardom.

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Book SynopsisRespected by his baseball peers and beloved by Chicago fans and teammates, Ernie Banks did everything there was to do in the game he loved. Everything, that is, except play in a World Series. How and why that experience eluded him during one season of particular promise—1969—is a key storyline of this fresh look at one of baseball's legendary players. The life of Banks, who had picked cotton outside Dallas as a youth, ascended from a barnstorming semipro team to the major leagues after Kansas City Monarchs manager Buck O'Neil placed him with the Cubs, is detailed in this biography of Mr. Cub. During his time in Chicago, Banks won two MVPs and received an education far better than the one he received in the segregated schools he'd attended, gaining important life skills while playing the game he was born to play.

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Book SynopsisLong before Shane Victorino gained fame as a Gold Glove center fielder, All-Star, and World Series champion with the Philadelphia Phillies, he was a precocious child on the island of Maui, frustrating teachers with his inability to sit still and tagging along with older boys to neighborhood ball fields. For Victorino, diagnosed at an early age with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, sports became an ideal outlet for his boundless energy. As the first Maui native ever to appear in a World Series, Victorino played an integral role in giving his team, and the city of Philadelphia, a memory for the ages. In Shane Victorino: The Flyin' Hawaiian, readers will find the compelling story of a young man whose persistence and determination helped him overcome obstacles and emerge victorious at the highest level of his profession.

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Book SynopsisDrawn from more than 60 interviews and hours of face time, this authorized biography offers an unprecedented inside-the-dugout look at the manager who guided the New York Yankees to their 27th world championship. Beginning with his childhood in the baseball mecca of Chicago, this book traces Joe Girardi’s rise from a catcher at Northwestern University to his time in the minors, his 15 years in the majors, and his successful career as a manager. As much a character portrait of the man as a chronicle of his achievements, this study reveals the amalgam of influences—the relentless work ethic learned from his father combined with the systematic mind of an engineer, the baseball know-how instilled by the likes of Don Zimmer and Joe Torre, and the heart of his tenacious mother—that combined to propel Girardi to his current stature.

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Book SynopsisWith his familiar shock of white hair an craggy, prematurely aged face and twinkling eyes, Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson was a one of a kind personality beloved by generations of fans not just in the two cities he led to World Series championships, but throughout the baseball world. When he retired in 1995 he was third on the list of all-time winningest managers, have accumulated 2,194 victories in managing the Cincinnato Reds to two championships in nine years and adding another with the Detroit Tigers whom he managed for seventeen seasons.

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Book SynopsisDemonstrating that claiming the most sought-after moniker in baseball is truly an epic journey, this record explores what separates World Series victors from those who come up short. More than 50 current and former Major League Baseball players, managers, and coaches from the last 50 years—all of whom have World Series championships under their belts—are interviewed, including Jack Morris, Lance Parrish, Kent Hrbek, Jim Kaat, and Dave Winfield. Packed with never-before-published stories, this chronicle includes hilarious tales from the clubhouse and dugout as well as inspirational and educational anecdotes. Answering questions such as How are great teams built? How do you keep players motivated when momentum seems to be turning against them? and What are the key qualities that every leader must possess? this investigation illustrates how championship baseball teams offer valuable lessons that can be readily applied to everyday life.Trade Review"A must-read for any baseball enthusiast" and say "you will not be disappointed after reading what each one of these brilliant baseball minds have to say about reaching baseball's ultimate pinnacle." -- Bleacher Report"Worthwhile for readers who thoroughly enjoy a good quote or a deeper looks into what made championship teams tick from years gone by." -- Bugs and Cranks"Baseball players can tell some great stories, and this book is no exception...just the kind of book to stoke excitement for a baseball fan." -- "The Sports Bookie," a sports blog on the Tampa Bay Tribune website

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Book SynopsisSpeaking candidly to veteran sportswriter Mike Shalin for the first time about his often tumultuous career in Major League Baseball, Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd recounts a life that began in the Deep South of Mississippi, and the events that led him toward great heights atop the pitcher’s mound at Fenway Park. As part of a stellar rotation alongside Bruce Hurst and a young Roger Clemens, Boyd served a dazzling array of pitches to opposing batters, most notably during the Boston Red Sox ill-fated 1986 World Series run against the New York Mets; and while he was at once brilliant and focused on the mound, off the field—as he affectingly reveals here—Boyd was unraveled by the personal battles he waged with substance abuse and destructive mood swings. As one of the few African American starting pitchers in the history of baseball, Boyd offers a candid, insightful, and often funny portrait of an athlete with boundless passion for the game, his teammates, and the Boston Red Sox.Trade Review"A must-read for all baseball fans, never mind Red Sox fans." -- Providence Journal"Interesting, amusing, puzzling and at times unsettling... [a] blunt, honest and sometimes painful work." --The Tampa Tribune

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Book SynopsisA firsthand, behind-the-scenes account of the turmoil that pervaded the New York Yankee franchise in the late 1970s, this book discusses George Steinbrenner's purchase and continual rebuilding of the team—alongside a colorful cast of players and businessmen. Not merely a look at the time spent in Yankee Stadium, this chronicle also describes the team's public arguments, practical jokes, drunken excess, self-aggrandizing publicity efforts, and the ups and downs that accompanied the Yankees and George Steinbrenner through the 1970s and beyond.

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Book SynopsisAn insider’s look at the Washington Nationals’ breakout season and their unique strategy to piece together a contending team, this work shows how the team combined once-in-a-generation talent with an experienced manager and a roster of other talented young players to lead the team to the top of the National League East. Anchored by a pair of number one draft picks—the steady, serious Stephen Strasburg and the brash, bold Bryce Harper—the Nationals have been elevated to first place in the National League East. Beltway Boys dives into Strasburg and Harper’s preordained journey to the major leagues and the challenges they faced once they arrived, including Strasburg’s recovery from Tommy John Surgery and Harper’s misperceived persona. Also included are several never-before-told stories about the budding superstars, manager Davey Johnson, and general manager Mike Rizzo, making this the perfect reference for any baseball fan.

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Book SynopsisThe incredible performances of Juan Marichal and Warren Spahn on July 2, 1963, would forever link their names together in baseball history, and this dual biography of these athletes weaves that 1963 contest throughout the narrative in a book that is sure to be a home run with baseball fans everywhere. Even before their epic pitching duel, Marichal and Spahn already had a lot in common. Future Hall of Famers with high-kicking deliveries, they were shaped into winners by character-building experiences in the military. Spahn had been baseball's most winning pitcher in the 1950s, and Marichal would be equally dominant in the 1960s. The Braves' Spahn and the Giants' Marichal began their duel in San Francisco's cold and windy Candlestick Park. Four hours later, the two pitching legends were deadlocked in a scoreless tie when Willie Mays hit a walk-off home run to end the greatest game ever pitched. In between, Marichal and Spahn each threw more than 200 pitches and went 16 innings without relief. Considering today's culture of pitch counts and coddled arms, it proved to be a legendary night that won't be repeated ever again.

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Book SynopsisThis commemorative book on the 2012 American League champion Detroit Tigers provides a visual look at the Tigers’ surprising and eventful road to the World Series. Through the unique words and images of Detroit’s number one newspaper, this celebratory book takes readers from spring training through the exciting American League Central race, to Miguel Cabrera capturing baseball’s first Triple Crown since 1967 on the final day of the season, to the playoff triumphs over the Athletics and Yankees and on to the World Series. Featuring nearly 100 color photographs, this keepsake book is an essential part of any fan’s collection.

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Book SynopsisWhen John Farrell was introduced as the new Red Sox manager in the fall of 2012, he took over a last-place team lacking talent and cohesion. A franchise that once made Boston proud had become an embarrassment. Just one year later, the Red Sox have won the World Series, their third title in a decade. There were many keys to the team’s success: General manager Ben Cherington remade the roster with a series of mid-range free-agent signings. The returning players recommitted themselves, bonds were formed, and beards were grown. The Red Sox never had more than a three-game losing streak and led the majors in runs scored. They regained the respect of Red Sox Nation and lifted a city still reeling from the senseless violence that marred its beloved marathon just as the baseball season was getting underway. With emotions running high and “B Strong” signs cheering them on at Fenway, the Red Sox wrote their own worst-to-first story that brought them to a World Series meeting with who else but the St. Louis Cardinals, the longtime foe who had denied Williams, Pesky, and Doerr in 1946, as well as the Impossible Dream team of 1967, while providing the foil for the lovable “idiots” of 2004. The 2013 season was destined to be just as drama-filled and unforgettable. As in 2004, it would end in victory for the Red Sox. No more curses; in just one season, this was fortune reversed. It’s a journey that transcends sports—a tale of resolve, resilience, and, finally, redemption. And it’s all chronicled in the new, must-have keepsake book by Triumph Books and the Boston Globe, For Boston: From Worst to First, the Improbable Dream Season of the 2013 Red Sox. Relive each dazzling moment of the team’s latest eventful season and incredible playoff run with this special commemorative book—128 pages of award-winning reporting, vivid storytelling, dramatic photography, complete game summaries, and statistics. Plus, look back at the historic importance of this World Series match-up with a special Sox–Cardinals retrospective section that makes this the perfect souvenir or gift for any fan. This has been a season to remember for Red Sox fans, a journey of deep lows and great highs that both underline and transcend the sport of baseball. For Boston offers the perfect way to replay those moments and revel in the triumph of a team and a city that refused to be counted out.

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Book SynopsisThe defending American League champions and favorites to repeat in 2013, the Detroit Tigers are forging a dynasty, and this book chronicles the recent past and looks to the team’s promising future. From Miguel Cabrera capturing baseball’s first Triple Crown since 1967 on the final day of the season to Justin Verlander’s historic 2011 MVP Award and Mike Ilitch’s blockbuster signing of Prince Fielder, it includes the dramatic roller coaster of a season that led to the American League Central title, the Game 5 shutout against Oakland in the ALDS, a sweep of the hated Yankees and another World Series berth. Also featuring an exclusive preview of the 2013 Tigers—including recently signed outfielder Torii Hunter—Days of Roar! commemorates the Tigers’ rise with a full-color book filled with hundreds of photos and winning memories that is sure to be an essential part of any fan’s collection.

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Book Synopsis1989 was a season of both triumph and tragedy for the San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics, still marking baseball’s only cross-Bay series. But 1989 is remembered as much for the devastating earthquake that struck moments before Game 3 of the World Series as it is for the exploits of Mark McGwire, Will Clark, and other stars. In this history, Gary Peterson combines his firsthand observations with meticulous research and new interviews with players, coaches, and broadcasters to offer a fresh perspective of that unforgettable year. From Dave Dravecky’s emotional return to the mound after cancer surgery and his gruesome injury in his next start to highlight-reel performances by Clark, McGwire, Jose Canseco, and Rickey Henderson to Dave Stewart reaching out to rescue workers after the earthquake, Battle of the Bay captures the agony and excitement that surrounded the Bay Area in the summer and fall of 1989.

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Book SynopsisExamining the connection between baseball and our society as a whole, How Baseball Explains America is a fascinating, one-of-a-kind journey through America's pastime. Longtime USA TODAY baseball editor and columnist Hal Bodley explores just how essential baseball is to understanding the American experience. He takes readers into the Oval Office with George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton as the former presidents share their thoughts on the game, he looks at the changes that America's Greatest Generation ushered in, as well as examining baseball's struggle with performance enhancing drugs alongside America's war on drugs. An unabashedly celebratory explanation of America's love affair with baseball and the men who make it possible, this work sheds light on topics such as the role Jackie Robinson's signing with the Dodgers played in the civil rights movement, how baseball's westward expansion mirrored the growth of our national economy, labor strife, baseball families, the international explosion of the game, and even the myriad ways in which movies, music, and baseball are intrinsically tied. It is a must read for anyone interested in more fully understanding not only the game but also the nation in which it thrives.

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Book SynopsisEvery baseball fan knows that Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols are among the best to ever play the game. But how do their high-priced contracts impact their teams’ abilities to compete for a World Series title? Which managers and executives are best at getting the most out of their roster, year-in and year-out? And how does sabremetrics play into all of this? In this book, veteran ESPN columnist Jayson Stark explores these questions and many more. Supplemented with insightful commentary from countless baseball insiders, it gives baseball fans a rare, fascinating glimpse into the why behind the game’s winners and losers.

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Book SynopsisTracing the careers of four instrumental players who turned around the Yankees ball club, this book shares behind-the-scenes stories from their early days together in the minors through the 2013 season, and follows them on their majestic ride to the top of the baseball world. At a time when the New York Yankees were in free fall, having failed to win a World Series in 17 years and had not played in one in 14 years—the Bronx Bombers’ longest drought since before the days of Babe Ruth—along came four young players whose powerful impact returned the franchise to its former glory. They were a diverse group from different parts of the globe: Mariano Rivera, a right-handed pitcher from Panama, who was destined to become the all-time record holder in saves and baseball’s greatest closer; Derek Jeter, a shortstop raised in Kalamazoo, Michigan, who would become the first Yankee to accumulate 3,000 hits; Jorge Posada, an infielder-turned-catcher from Puerto Rico, who would hit more home runs than any Yankees catcher except the legendary Hall of Famer Yogi Berra; and Andy Pettitte, a left-handed pitcher born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who would win more postseason games than any player in baseball history. Together they formed the “Core Four,” and would go on to play as teammates for 13 seasons during which time they would help the Yankees advance to the postseason 12 times, win the American League pennant seven times, and take home five World Series trophies. This book follows these phenoms from the minor leagues to the present, detailing their significant contributions to a winning major league franchise. This 2014 edition updates readers on Jeter’s struggles with injuries and recovery, Rivera’s final season, and Pettitte’s and Jeter’s plans moving forward.

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Book SynopsisAfter 19 seasons in the major leagues, all with a single team—a feat few athletes in today’s modern sport can match—Mariano Rivera closes out his career with the New York Yankees at the conclusion of the 2013 season. New York’s much-loved closer retires as baseball’s all-time leader in saves, ERA, and appearances, and he holds the Yankees’ single-season saves record as well. Few could have predicted when the Yankees brought Rivera up to the majors in 1995 that he would one day hold the record for most career games pitched with a single team. Rivera did much more than lead by example; he powered his team to five World Series championships: 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009. Celebrate Mo’s amazing career with this full-color pictorial keepsake packed with unique images and exemplary writing from New York’s award-winning newspaper, the New York Post.

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Book SynopsisThe 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates advanced to the postseason for the first time in 20 years. Loyal fans who stood by their team through two decades of losing seasons, including late-season collapses in 2011 and 2012, finally have reason to be optimistic. They can celebrate the team’s amazing season as manager Clint Hurdle led Andrew McCutchen, a recovered Jason Grilli, Garrett Jones, and the rest of the Bucs in their attempt to reach the World Series. This full-color pictorial keepsake is packed with unique stories and images from Pittsburgh’s largest daily newspaper, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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Book SynopsisThe perfect travel guide for baseball fans who want to see more of the great ballparks in America’s heartland, this handy guide gives you the tips for best lodging, great restaurants, and local attractions for the Major League and minor league cities and towns that dot the Midwest. With details about every ballpark from Major League Baseball to the Frontier League, this travel companion tells you the best places to sit, the best ballpark food to eat, and the best places to go around town when you are not at the ballpark. From taking in a AAA game with the Iowa Cubs in Des Moines and visiting the Field of Dreams to knowing how to best experience Target Field in the Twin Cities, Baseball Road Trips: The Midwest and Great Lakes is all you need to plan a dream baseball road trip.

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Book SynopsisFor the third time in 10 seasons, the Boston Red Sox are World Series champions. The team’s path to postseason glory—and the celebration that followed—are featured in this special commemorative volume. The book documents the American League Divisional Series, American League Championship Series, and World Series games that led up to the clinching Game 6 victory with action-packed photos, great quotes, and colorful commentary by Globe columnists Dan Shaughnessy, Christopher Gasper, and others, as well as a special introduction by Red Sox manager John Farrell. The photo-driven keepsake also includes the celebratory parade, which captured the passion and excitement of the Red Sox players as well as fans throughout Boston.

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Book SynopsisA countdown of the greatest games of a Steel City institutionWhen slow-footed former Pirate Sid Bream broke the heart of the "Bucco" nation, it was Game Seven of the 1992 NLCS. He slid across the plate in the bottom of the 9th for the Braves, giving them the pennant with a heart-wrenching 3–2 victory. The run began a mind-numbing slide that enters its third decade of sub .500 performances. The curse of Sid Bream was born.Until the surprising 2012 campaign, a generation of Steel City baseball fans had hungered for the Pirates to be involved in an actual pennant race, a goal that even the most diehard could not have imagined. There was a time that it wasn't a far-off dream, but instead an annual right. From 1970 through 1979, Pittsburgh won six eastern division crowns and two national championships. While impressive, the 1970s were only the second-best decade in franchise history. Classic Bucs looks back to the beginning of the twentieth century, the indisputable best decade of the Pittsburgh Pirates, when a young and brash team captured four senior circuit titles and their initial World Series in 1909.During the years between those two memorable seasons, the club won two other world championships in 1925 and 1960, the latter of which culminated in arguably the greatest contest in the history of the game. On a memorable fall afternoon on October 13, 1960, a second baseman known more for his defensive prowess than his bat became the only man in the history of the World Series to end the last game of the fall classic with a home run. The second baseman was Bill Mazeroski, and he smacked a Ralph Terry pitch over the left field wall at Forbes Field to give the Bucs a wild 10–9 victory over the New York Yankees and send the town into hysterics.Incredible moments like this are the inspirations for this book chronicling the 50 greatest Pirate games of all time. Memories of these games are sure to bring a collective smile to the Pirates Nation. Classic Bucs tells the story of this celebrated old franchise to a new generation of Pirate fans, a generation that has been looking for its own Mazeroski moment ever since Bream slid across home plate three decades ago.

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Book SynopsisWho wore it best? Tom Brady or Terry Bradshaw (No. 12)? John Elway or Mickey Mantle (No. 7)? How about No. 2, Derek Jeter or Secretariat? Wayne Gretzky has no peer at 99, but the list is legendary for 32; Jim Brown, Julius Erving, Magic Johnson and Sandy Koufax to name a few. Flush with Sports Illustrated's stunning photography and insights from its top writers, Any Given Number give sports fans the authoritative take on which athlete is the best of the best, No. 0 to No. 99.

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Book SynopsisJam-packed with cool baseball trivia, history-making records, unforgettable moments, and wacky true tales of your favorite games, players and events. This book hits a grand slam right out of the park!A perfect gift for the die-hard fan of America''s favorite pasttime. Baseball is rich in anecdotes about team superstitions (from the black cat that haunted the Cubs to the "Curse of the Babe"), the antics of the superstars, and other facts that come out of left field. Think today''s umpires have a temper? Wait till you read about the 19th century New Jersey ump who pulled out a gun and shoved it in the face of a player who came at him with a bat. Or about the time three Brooklyn Dodger runners found themselves at third base--together. Fans will laugh, they''ll learn--and they won''t put this down!

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Book SynopsisThe perfect gift for the diehard fan in your life or an enviable treasure for yourself, The Ultimate Yankee Book is the most current and comprehensive resource of trivia, people and stories from the team's creation in 1901 to today. Harvey Frommer is a renowned baseball historian and the author of eight books about the Yankees, including The New York Yankee Encyclopedia and Remembering Yankee Stadium. A fountainhead of all things Bronx Bombers, The Ultimate Yankee Book has much new material and combines oral history with stories of legendary figures and epic Yankee feats. Featuring an inclusive timeline, a 150-question Yankee quiz and Yankees by the Numbers, this highly readable book has enough data and facts to please serious baseball trivia junkies. Fans of the Yankees are proud to call their team the greatest of all time-not only have they boasted the most World Series championships and the most players in the Hall of Fame, they're also the most hotly discussed team in the news media, social media and in books. This book gives fans what they love-the best stories and winning data about the Yankees that fuel their pride-all the way up to 2016. This book has 125 photos.

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