But as this definitive new biography makes clear, Gehrig’s life was more complicated—and, perhaps, even more heroic—than anyone really knew. Drawing on new interviews and more than two hundred pages of previously unpublished letters to and from Gehrig, Luckiest Man gives us an intimate portrait of the man who became an American hero: his life as a shy and awkward youth growing up in New York City, his unlikely friendship with Babe Ruth (a friendship that allegedly ended over rumors that Ruth had had an affair with Gehrig’s wife), and his stellar career with the Yankees, where his consecutive-games streak stood for more than half a century. What was not previously known, however, is that symptoms of Gehrig’s affliction began appearing in 1938, earlier than is commonly acknowledged. Later, aware that he was dying, Gehrig exhibited a perseverance that was truly inspiring; he lived the last two years of his short life with the same grace and dignity with which he gave his now-famous “luckiest man” speech. Meticulously researched and elegantly written, Jonathan Eig’s Luckiest Man shows us one of the greatest baseball players of all time as we’ve never seen him before.

    Buried beneath these parallel conflicts--one for the soul of baseball, the other for the soul of the city--was the subtext of race. Deftly intertwined by journalist Jonathan Mahler, these braided Big Apple narratives reverberate to reveal a year that also saw the opening of Studio 54, the acquisition of the New York Post by Rupert Murdoch, a murderer dubbed the "Son of Sam," the infamous blackout, and the evolution of punk rock. As Koch defeated Cuomo, and as Reggie Jackson rescued a team racked with dissension, 1977 became a year of survival--and also of hope.

    This collection of writing by world-class writers including Frank Deford, Peter Gammons and Tom Verducci brings together the stories of football's greatest heroes and villains, legendary quests and pennant races.

    Where can fans and fantasy players get this same inside intelligence that’s revolutionizing Major League front offices? Baseball Prospectus. “ The best book of its kind”—Rob Neyer, ESPN.com “ If a general manager hasn’t read Baseball Prospectus, he should be fired for incompetence.”—Michael Lewis, author of Moneyball“ Baseball Prospectus has become the standard by which all scouting guides should be measured.”—Billy Beane, Oakland Athletics General Manager “ I never cease to be blown away by the geniuses at Baseball Prospectus.” —Jayson Stark, ESPN “ The best book for preparing for a rotisserie draft”—USA Today Packed with statistics, analysis, and attitude, Baseball Prospectus is the essential season-long companion for the millions of fans and fantasy baseball players who are looking to understand the inside game. Includes extensive performance analysis of 1,600 players—covering the majors, the minors, top 40 prospects, draft choices, and rookie ball—plus in-depth, insightful essays on all 30 Major League clubs and gimlet-eyed evaluations of their top 50 players. With ballpark-adjusted stats, a deadly accurate system for forecasting a player’s performance, and more, Baseball Prospectus hits it out of the park every year.

    Now with 26, yes 26, World Series titles to their name, the Yankees are baseball's most successful team, and their devoted fans have a multitude of reasons to cheer them on year after year. "101 Reasons to Love the Yankees" is a rousing celebration of the Bronx Bombers, from the days of Hilltop Park to the present, told through historic and contemporary photos, baseball cards, trivia, sports lore, and memorabilia. The book captures 101 highlights of this baseball dynasty: the pinstripes, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Yankee Stadium, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi-isms, Billy Martin, Reggie Jackson, the subway series, legendary closer Mariano Rivera, Derek Jeter, George Steinbrenner, the World Series wins, and more. Also included are ten bonus reasons to hate the rival Red Sox. "101 Reasons to Love the Yankees" is an irrefutable reminder of how the Yankees captured the hearts of past generations, and continue to do the same for the newest generation of baseball lovers.

    Baseball As America is the official companion volume to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's unprecedented national traveling exhibition. Features more than 200 original and archival photographs that bring the game to life on its pages. Perfect for every baseball fan, indeed every American, Baseball As America is a comprehensive panorama of the game America has grown up with.

    With 99 regular-season wins, the Sox brought the second-best record in baseball to the postseason. Only one loss to the Angels prevented a complete sweep in every phase of their postseason play (Division, ALCS, and World Series) to win with an impressive 11�1 record. Believe It! celebrates the White Sox�s championship season, its players, its manager, and its rich history. This book features the writing of Tribune columnists John Kass, Rick Morrissey, and Mike Downey, who provide a narrative of the season and World Series win. There are exclusive interviews with key contributors�Guillen, Konerko, Buerhle, and more�in which they talk about baseball and life with the Sox. And for the statistician fans, the not-to-be-missed numbers behind the season and throughout White Sox history are included. To paraphrase the words of Sox broadcaster Hawk Harrelson, "Put this World Series on the board . . . yes!"

    A biography of the major league baseball slugger Hank Aaron, who finished the 1973 season within a few home runs of breaking Babe Ruth's career home run record.

    Smithsonian Baseball: Inside the World's Finest Private Collections celebrates the abiding passion for our national pastime, as witnessed by the dedication of the sport's most devoted collectors.The first book of its kind, Smithsonian Baseball features revealing stories and lavish photography highlighting 21 of the best private collections of baseball memorabilia in existence. From a rare copy of the first written rules of the game (1848) to Mark McGwire's record-shattering home-run ball (1998), these impressive collections span baseball's entire history. Some of the game's most historically significant artifacts are part of these private collections, yet most have never before been seen by the public. Marvel at the memorabilia as you read about the historical background of the objects and get to know each collector's passions and motivations. Some of the collections are all-encompassing; others focus on a specific era or type of memorabilia -- game-used bats, for example, or folk art, or celluloid pin-back buttons. One collection features only relics and memorabilia from the grand old ballparks of the past; another comprises items from overseas exhibition tours of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the most valuable vintage photographs and advertising displays as well as the most sought-after baseball cards are in these collections, including the famous T206 Honus Wagner, the highest professionally graded set of 1915 Cracker Jacks, and a gem-mint condition 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. A father-daughter collecting duo has an impressive collection of World Series scorecards and programs, dating back to the inaugural series in 1903.The book also includes seven "tips" essays. The hobby's leading experts offer advice on collecting and authenticating artifacts, and show how to build and organize your own impressive 19th-century memorabilia or baseball card collection. Weigh the benefits of having a general collection versus a very narrow one. Find out how to store and display your collectibles. Learn to distinguish between an original first-generation photograph versus a wire photo, a vintage jersey worn at home games as opposed to one worn on the road, a player's game-used bat and one made for retail sale -- and much, much more. It's the perfect gift for any baseball fan, young or old, a baseball collectible in its own right.

    Louis Post-Dispatch. Whether you were there for a first date or the final game, you'll want to share the memories and the history found in this full-color hardcover book.

    A few months after sending a blind application letter to George Steinbrenner, on Opening Day 1992 Matt found himself walking into the legendary Yankee clubhouse. There, amid the chaos and excitement, he was greeted by none other than his idol Don Mattingly — who promptly played a prank on him.Thus began two years of adventures and misadventures, from being set up on a date by the bullpen to playing blackjack on the team plane to studying for an exam at 3 am in Yankee Stadium. Through these often hilarious experiences, and especially through his friendships with the ballplayers, Matt learned priceless lessons about honor, responsibility, and the importance of believing in oneself. A magical tale of what happens to a young man when his fondest dream comes true, Bat Boy wonderfully evokes that twilight time just before adulthood, ripe with possibility, foolishness, and hard-won knowledge.

    This work is a meticulously researched history of professional baseball as told through the stories of the 124 franchises that have comprised the major leagues since 1871.

    . . how integration has come to baseball and how it can be achieved in every corner of the land.”—Jackie RobinsonBack in print for the first time since its initial publication in 1964, Baseball Has Done It is an oral history of baseball and racial integration as told by its greatest players to the man who broke the color line, Jackie Robinson. This one-of-a-kind classic features rare and candid interviews conducted by Robinson with ballplayers who played and lived through the first generation of racial integration in baseball. A who’s who of baseball legends—Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Roy Campanella, Alvin Dark, Larry Doby, Carl Erskine, Elston Howard, Monte Irvin, Don Newcombe, Frank Robinson and Bill White—share the spotlight with players from the Negro Leagues, baseball executives like Branch Rickey and Ford Frick and Jackie Robinson himself to create a diverse look at the effects of integration on baseball and society. Much more than a sports book, Baseball Has Done It is an important document of the struggle for civil rights in the United States, one that speaks to the past while looking toward the future, with the belief that if baseball has done it—achieve integration—the rest of society can too. As Jackie Robinson said, “The ballplayers who have spoken in these pages have told the truth. They reveal that total integration is the only cure for the disease of hatred which is afflicting our America!”This first-ever reprint edition will feature an introduction from the Academy Award-winning director Spike Lee as well as a selection of vintage photographs that were specifically selected for this new edition.

    And there appeared to be little chance that 05 would be any different for the American League franchise and its long-suffering fans. But thanks to resourceful ownership, the ability of general manager Ken Williams to put together a cohesive team, the fiery leadership of manager Ozzie Guillen and player who know how to play the game the right way, the White Sox captured the A.L. Central crown and played almost flawless ball (11 victories in 12 games) in the postseason.The Result: a storybook world title on the South Side of Chicago."The Pride of Chicago" commemorates the White Soxs first World Series championship since 1917 and includes:Foreword by Ozzie GuillenGame-by-game review of 2005 seasonHighlights of the regular seasonDivision, Championship, and World Series stories and photos all in full colorReview of other White Sox title teams

    Instead, the game was dominated by men like Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner, players who sprayed the ball around the park, stole bases and mastered the hit and run. In fact, only one player entered the baseball mythology for his slugging: Frank Home Run Baker. Born in Trappe, Maryland, in 1886, Baker earned his moniker by hitting two game-changing homers in the 1911 World Series. That was the also the first year he led the American League in home runs, with the grand total of 11. Altogether, he led for four consecutive years (1911-1914), though he never hit more than 12 dingers in a single season. Playing third base for the Philadelphia Athletics and the New York Yankees, Baker led the way for the more Ruthian totals to come in the Roaring '20s. His is the story of a young player who at the height of his career risked throwing it all away in a contract dispute with the legendary Connie Mack. It is the story of the deadball era and the transition to the game we know today.

    Written by real experts in fantasy play, it has won league champions for 8 consecutive seasons, a total of 12 titles, and 5 second-place finishes since 1998. It is the first guide to develop sabermetric applications for fantasy league play and includes accurate projections that are fully supported and intuitively logical. Ron Shandler’s Baseball Forecaster is the source used by Major League GMs, the media, and other fantasy services.

    New and key features include: NEW Pitcher Projections, NEW Base Running Analysis, Hitter Projections, Team Efficiency Summary, Player Win Shares, and Manager's Record.

    From the days of Sam Rice and Joe Cronin to Roy Sievers and Harmon Killebrew, the famous and forgotten fill these pages and recall the glory of Washington Nationals baseball.Culled from 12 public and private photo archives, this collection includes dozens of previously unpublished images. Many of the older photographs were locked away in dusty files fir decades until appearing here for the first time. Printer's marks were removed and the detail in the images was revealed through careful restoration. Most of the photographs have been reproduced to near their original size to faithfully record what the photographer saw.These photographs record the changing face of baseball through the century by documenting the evolution of equipment, ballparks, uniforms and batting styles. Players, managers, owners, and broadcasters-they're all here, with captions that bring their stories to life. From the glory days of Bucky Harris to the agony of 1971. From Walter Johnson to Frank Howard and everyone in between.

    But first, make sure they read up on all the best teams in their favorite sport. National League East provides an insightful overview of the Atlanta Braves, Florida Marlins, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and the new Washington Nationals, formerly the Montreal Expos.

    The companion to a major four-year traveling National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum exhibition, handsomely illustrated with pictures of the treasures from the collection.

    Thrilled to see the man who broke major league baseball's color barrier, Robinson's brief appearance fueled a passion for the game among the city's black population. One man, however, saw more than just excitement for a sport. Thirty-year-old Jesse Norwood saw a way to help the kids who would congregate beyond his stoop, lost and hopeless in the segregated South of the 1950s. Though having no baseball experience at any level, he realized he could take the model of the game and build it into a sense of dignity and pride. Here's to You, Jackie Robinson: the Legend of the Prichard Mohawks is the story of a man who transformed a gang of scrawny youngsters into both a team and a genuine force in the community. Norwood emerges as a figure worthy of legend, and his legacy can still be felt today. With a novelist's gift for storytelling, Formichella breathes life into a South long gone and creates a hero's story, sometimes heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking, that begins in a sandlot and ends in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

    A dazzling collection of stories, columns, and player profiles from the award-winning team of Sun-Times reporters. Loaded with dozens of eye-popping full-color photos of the Sox in action, including Contreras, Konerko, Garland, Podsednik, Buehrle, and manager Ozzie Guillen Relive and remember an incredible season not seen in Chicago since 1917, from Opening Day to the glorious final out of the World Series

    His quick arm action makes it look even faster. He throws a slurvy slider from a three-quarters arm angle, and the pitch eats up righthanders.""Prospect Handbook 2002, ..""Mark Prior has everything scouts dream about in a pitcher...Some scouts say they've never seen a 20-year-old pitcher locate his fastball at will like Prior does...Scouts look at him and see the the next Roger Clemens.""Prospect Handbook 2003, ..""Miguel Cabrera's line-drive swing has produced more doubles than homers so far...He projects to hit for both average and power, with annual totals of 35-40 homers not out of the question. He loves to play, doesn't get emotional and constantly works to get better.""Prospect Handbook 2004, ..""B.J. Upton is one of the few players who truly possesses five plus tools. His arm strenght and speed grade close to 80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, and his bat speed is easily a 70. He's a poised hitter with an excellent idea of what he wants to accomplish at the plate, and he's capable of driving the ball to all fields.""- Full profiles of 900 players -- 30 players from each organization -- with career statistics and complete breakdowns of their strengths and weaknesses- Overviews of every major league organization, with a look toward what's ahead for every team- In-depth analysis of the 2004 draft for every team, and grades for the previous four drafts- Rankings of the best prospects in the game and the most talent-rich organizations fromBaseball America experts

    The author explains why that special year proved to be absolutely pivotal for our national pastime and its greatest heroes, as baseball's golden age met its modern era. Every chapter stands alone as a separate vignette, yet all intertwine to convey baseball's magic. Expert commentary, eyewitness reports, and candid facts uncovered through years of research illustrate how the role models of 1939 have stood the test of time as authentic heroes. Gehrig, DiMaggio, Williams, Feller, and Paige stand tall as men of remarkable achievement on the field, while events off the field-the grand opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the debut of baseball on television, and the formation of Little League Baseball-solidify 1939's landmark stature in history.

    It is a sonnet to ta team, the Boston Red Sox, that has been a defining obsession for an entire region of people for more than five generations. The book features a collection fo searing and heartfelt postings from hundreds of fans who wanted to dedicate a Red Sox victory in the 2004 American League playoffs and World Series to some unforgettable peoople in their lives. On the morning of the seventh game of the epic Red Sox - Yankees American League Championship Series, Shaun Kelly, who wrote the book's preface and is a member of the internet message board at SonsofSamHorn.com, began pounding away on his computer keyboard crafting his own particular 'mojo" that he hoped would ultimately defeat the despised Yankees. He originated the "Win it for" thread and urged other members, some 2,000 strong, to do the same - urging the Red Sox to win it for the people who had loved the team through thick and thin.

    This book is organized around life's stages - from youth to old age. It brings you face-to-face with some of the greatest names in sports, including Muhammad Ali, Jack Dempsey, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Willie Mays, and Pete Rose.

    Field a winning fastpitch softball team year after year with the knowledge and insights of a coaching legend! Coaching Fastpitch Softball Successfully provides the guidance and technical expertise you need in order to build and maintain a competitive team, covering every facet of leading a squad on the field and developing a program off of it.

    However, Andy learned to deal with temptation long before he donned his first major league uniform. While still a teenager, Andy committed himself to Christ and a life of purity. With his target identified early on, he has been able to hit the strikezone throughout his life. Andy and author Bob Reccord encourage TruthQuest™ boys to commit now to a life of purity and integrity, not only in sex but in action, thought, and motive.

    Encourage reading with this series of multi-level books designed to capture the imagination of young baseball fans.At the Game joins a family at the ballpark as they reach for a fly ball, pick out souvenirs, and, of course, root, root, root for the home team.

    Admire the spectacular catch and the slide into home plate. This is the great game of baseball! But do you know how the game was invented or which players broke the racial barriers? Read on to learn the history of this favorite pastime.

    Certainly the Detroit Tigers outfielder remains the most controversial. He hit .367 over 24 seasons (1905-1928), won a dozen batting titles, and was the first man elected to baseball's Hall of Fame. But it was his blowtorch personality that set the Georgia Peach apart from all others. Peach: Ty Cobb in His Time and Ours takes readers into the cauldron that was his life--the spikings and assaults, the rivalries and petty jealousies, the never-ending string of battles on the diamond, in the stands, and at home. At the same time author Richard Bak reveals a side of Cobb not generally known--a man who quietly looked after the affairs of down-and-out ballplayers, founded a hospital system and educational foundation that still thrives after a half-century, and who belatedly came to grips with his own soiled legend.

    Robert K. Fitts chronicles the nation’s distinctive version of the sport as recounted by twenty-five of its players. Fitts’s careful choice of subjects represents the experiences of a mix of American and Japanese players—including stars, titleholders, and members of the Japanese Hall of Fame. Informal, candid, and remarkably specific, these recollections describe teammates and opponents, corporate owners and loyal fans, triumphs and frustrations, collectively capturing all the spirit and emotion engendered by the game from decidedly personal vantage points. Throughout, readers glimpse the unique traits of baseball in Japan and discern how the game has evolved since its inception as well as how it differs from its American counterpart.An unparalleled introduction for an American audience, Remembering Japanese Baseball is augmented by photos of its twenty-five interviewees and a timeline demarking milestone moments in the game’s Japanese history. Robert Whiting, author of You Gotta Have Wa! and The Meaning of Ichiro, provides the foreword.

    What had Stengel ever done? His work managing the Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves had been long on personality and remarkably short on success. They thought the Yankees would never be able to compete with the Red Sox or Indians with that broken-down old man in charge. At the All-Star break, the Yankees looked like a banged-up bunch of also-rans, not like a team about to embark on five straight championships. Yet Stengel seemed confident of success. As Steven Goldman explains, people had forgotten that Casey knew how to come back. How did he know? Goldman refutes claims that anyone could have won with the Yankees. Casey knew how to win because of the years of struggle and ignominy, because he’d learned how to manage by running two of the game’s worst sad-sack franchises, because he had learned through failure. To understand Stengel’s formative years, Goldman retraces Stengel’s baseball education in playing for the great John McGraw, from whom he also learned that success permits no room for nostalgia. Goldman follows Stengel through his years with the Dodgers and Braves, his return to the minors, a spat with Bill Veeck, and his success as a businessman away from the diamond. Forging Genius gives insights to Stengel’s irrepressible love of the game and his incorrigible desire to entertain. As Casey put it, “Because I can make people laugh, some of them think I’m a damn fool.” His humor camouflaged a relentless hunger for success, glory, and the respectability he desperately sought. Goldman gives readers an unprecedented vision of one man’s lifelong pursuit of genius on the baseball diamond.

    Over six feet tall, clean cut, and college educated, he didn't pitch on the Sabbath and rarely spoke an ill word about anyone. He also had one of the most devastating arms in all of baseball. New York Giants manager John McGraw, by contrast, was ferocious. The pugnacious tough guy was already a star infielder who, with the Baltimore Orioles, helped develop a new, scrappy style of baseball, with plays like the hit-and-run, the Baltimore chop, and the squeeze play. When McGraw joined the Giants in 1902, the Giants were coming off their worst season ever. Yet within three years, Mathewson clinched New York City's first World Series for McGraw's team by throwing three straight shutouts in only six days, an incredible feat that is invariably called the greatest World Series performance ever. Because of their wonderful odd-couple association, baseball had its first superstar, the Giants ascended into legend, and baseball as a national pastime bloomed.