In recent days Ron Kaplan, writing for Bookreporter.com, offered a summary of several new baseball books. Here's the link. Baseball fans also may wish to bookmark Kaplan's website, Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf.
I hope readers will mention their favorite baseball reads. I've previously posted on two of mine here and here.
On a somewhat related note, today is my father's birthday. Some of my fondest childhood memories are from attending St. Louis Cardinals baseball games together. At one of these games in the 1960's I took my Rawlings glove down to the nearby third-base railing at the visitor's dugout and got an autograph from a member of the San Francisco Giants pitching staff. Little did I know that Gaylord Perry was a future HOF'er. The autograph didn't last very long, as my glove and I had too many summertime adventures through the years in Warrenton, Missouri. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Dad! Thanks for introducing me to our national pastime (and for living near a great baseball city!).
Jim Bouton, Ball Four. Without a doubt. I still laugh out loud.
Posted by: Jeff Lipshaw | April 07, 2010 at 12:08 PM
Lots of good memories in the Old Bush Stadium with you, son. Saw Bob Gibson and Juan Marichal pitch and Orlando Cepeda and Willie McCovey hit. Saw the likes of Curt Flood, Lou Brock, Mike Shannon, Dal Maxvill and Julian "Hoolie" Havier!
I think one of the best ones I've read recently was Ernie Harwell's "Talkin' Baseball"
Bob Zinnecker
Posted by: Bob Zinnecker | April 07, 2010 at 10:22 PM