He was destined to be one of those rare "high-character " superstars. But in 2001, working his way from the minors to the majors, all of the plans for Josh went off the rails in a moment of weakness. What followed was a 4-year nightmare of drugs and alcohol, estrangement from friends and family, and his eventual suspension from baseball. BEYOND BELIEF details the events that led up to the derailment. Josh explains how a young man destined for fame and wealth could allow his life to be taken over by drugs and alcohol. But it is also the memoir of a spiritual journey that breaks through pain and heartbreak and leads to the rebirth of his major-league career.Josh Hamilton makes no excuses and places no blame on anyone other than himself. He takes responsibility for his poor decisions and believes his story can help millions who battle the same demons. "I have been given a platform to tell my story" he says. "I pray every night I am a good messenger."

    Baseball Prospectus 2008 continues that tradition, bringing together the top young baseball writers and analysts in the business to provide a definitive look at the season to come. Featuring groundbreaking essays on the performance of each of the thirty teams and an in-depth look at every major league player and all the top prospects, Baseball Prospectus 2008 offers the cutting-edge analysis that has inspired nearly every major league team to seek the advice of current or former Prospectus writers. Also included are projections of player stats for next year, as determined by the groundbreaking PECOTA system, which Sports Illustrated has called “perhaps the game’s most accurate projection model.” The most authoritative and entertaining book of its kind, Baseball Prospectus 2008 is as essential to the baseball-watching experience as hot dogs and cold beer.

    Hunger, dirt floors and cinder block houses--life holds anything but promise for these forsaken children. But there is one ray of light. After Mass on Sundays, their priest gathers them around an old radio where they listen to crackling broadcasts of the far away Brooklyn Dodgers. One day, Angel finds an old baseball in an abandoned dirt lot and begins to throw the ball against the wall of a dilapidated shack, only to awaken a factory worker named Cesar Faz. Angel goads the gruff man into a game of catch. He soon discovers that when Cesar was a twelve year-old growing up in Texas, he was a batboy for the San Antonio Missions, and later worked for the St. Louis Browns. A chance encounter with the Mexico City All-Star traveling team inspires Angel and his friends to form an organized Little League team. Their dream: to dress up in actual uniforms and play just one "real game" in the United States. But first they must convince Cesar to coach them. Averaging thirty-five pounds lighter and six inches shorter than their American counterparts, the boys journey to Texas for the first round of the 1957 Little League Tournament. Dragging their reluctant coach with them, they cross the Rio Grande on foot and walk twelve miles through scorching desert to the field in McAllen, Texas--each boy wearing his uniform and carrying nothing more than a change of underwear in a paper bag. With a three-day visa and barely enough money to last that long, they whisper their prayers and start what they assume will be their first and last game. But a different destiny awaits them... Based on a true story, The Perfect Game is a timeless and astonishing tale of faith and the human spirit's ability to overcome all adversity in pursuit of a dream.

    Soon the Yankees will leave the field, fans will file out and the lights will fade. But the lights will never go out on the Stadium that has proudly worn the moniker "The House That Ruth Built.""Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective" recounts the story of this extraordinary American landmark. It captures the creation of a home for the New York Yankees that began in 1923 and was driven by co-owner Jacob Ruppert, who envisioned a ballpark grander than any other conceived at the time. It takes the reader from the field to the dugout, from the press box to the clubhouse, from principal owner George Steinbrenner's office to Monument Park. Every corner of the stadium is revealed.But Yankee Stadium is more than a ballpark. The most iconic moments in history have taken place within its walls: Lou Gehrig's poignant farewell to his team and the fans who would never forget him; epic heavy-weight fights, from Louis versus Schmeling to Ali versus Norton; the 1958 National Football League championship, christened the "Greatest Game Ever Played"; exciting college football games, including the one immortalized by Knute Rockne in which he asked Notre Dame to "win one for the Gipper"; and the unrivaled record-breaking successes of the New York Yankees, from the very first home run hit at the Stadium by Babe Ruth to Alex Rodriguez' 500th.With the unprecedented cooperation of the New York Yankees organization, photographs have been culled from every conceivable source. More than 250 photographs - many never before published - will allow you to walk in the Stadium beside Mantle and Maris, witness the only perfect game in World Series history, and see the Stadium during the stirring 2001 World Series."Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective" is more than just photographs. It is also graced with firsthand accounts of what it was like to be there as history unfolded. Some of the contributors include: George Steinbrenner, Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, former Vice President Dan Quayle, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, Paul McCartney, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown, Don Shula, Sugar Ray Leonard, Frank Gifford, Regis Philbin, Joe Torre, Derek Jeter, Don Mattingly, Roger Clemens, Alex Rodriguez, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Reggie Jackson, and Cal Ripken Jr.It has been said that the shaded outfield of Yankee Stadium houses the ghosts of long-gone Yankee greats - at least that's what the players swear they feel as the long days of summer wane into the heated race for the pennant. Or could it be the knowledge that, within those walls, they will always be measured against the titans who came before them? It is the power of the place that led Sports Illustrated to call Yankee Stadium the greatest venue of the twentieth century. And only here, within the pages of "Yankee Stadium: The Official Retrospective," can you feel what they feel.

    Uncle John’s spirited take on the game takes you deep into that history to paint a detailed picture of where the game came from and where it may be going. You’ll go behind the scenes at spring training, listen in on pitcher’s mound conferences, and meet the players, coaches, fans, and broadcasters who make this the greatest game in the world! Swing for the fences as you read about…Minor league mishapsThe violent history of umpiringThe true story of Lou Gehrig’s heroic rise and tragic fallThe man who pitched a no-hitter while tripping on LSDThe origins of gloves, baseballs, bats, uniforms, helmets, and moreBaseball’s most famous call and how it was saved for posterityThe best and worst teams of all timeAnimals in the outfieldThe birth of Little LeagueThe Abner Doubleday mythAnd much, much more!

    This book provides profiles of 101 ballpark attractions, museum exhibits, statues, plaques, gravesites, shrines, bars, restaurants, and pop culture landmarks that reflect the game’s rich history and quirky lore.

    Louis fan should know. It contains crucial information such as important dates, player nicknames, memorable moments, singular achievements, and signature calls. This guide to all things Cardinals covers the artifact on public display that pays homage to Busch Stadium, the story behind the infamous "kidnapping" of Flint Rhem, and the unforgettable acrobatics of "The Wizard" Ozzie Smith.

    Though the journey to America was filled with obstacles Clemente succeeded in winning the hearts and minds of the Pittsburgh fans.

    The Prospect Handbook is the resource for information regarding the leading minor leaguers throughout baseball, and is a valuable tool for fans, fantasy leaguers, and anyone who wants to know more about the player development process.

    A Yankee Stadium Scrapbook is a touching and unforgettable tribute to “the house that Ruth built.” This timeless classic scrapbook features photos and text celebrating all the great moments and memories throughout the years, including: Babe Ruth’s then-record 60th home run of the season in 1927 Lou Gehrig’s tearful farewell address in 1939 The Babe’s farewell speech in 1948 Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series Roger Maris’s 61st home run in 1961 Celebrations of World Series Championships And more!

    Follow the Giants from their early days at Seals Stadium to Candlestick Park to latest decade led by Barry Bonds, from the World Series in 1962 and 1989 (and the earthquake) to the National League Pennant in 2002. Player profiles include 1968 no-hit hurler Gaylord Perry, and high-kicking Juan Marichal; slugger Willie McCovey, National League MVP in 1969, and of course the great Willie Mays, who hit over 600 career homers with the Giants. Other chapters cover stories such as how in 1963 Jesus Alou joined his siblings Felipe and Matty on the roster, giving the team the first all-brother outfield in Major League history. Join some of San Francisco's famous fans, from Peanut's creator Charles Schulz to Danny Glover, Carlos Santana and Robin Williams, in celebration of this golden anniversary. In addition to the often rare and amazing visual history presented in this book, each chapter features reproductions of Giants memorabilia that will provide fans a complete San Francisco Giants scrapbook. And an audio CD of famous play-by-play radio calls, player interviews and more -- collected here for the first time -- makes this book a lasting pleasure.

    It contains crucial information such as important dates, player nicknames, memorable moments, and outstanding achievements by singular players. This guide to all things New York Mets covers Robin Ventura's 1999 Grand-Slam single, the 1969 shoe polish incident, and the history behind the names and numbers on the left-field wall.

    With Michele's expert guidance and instruction, you'll coach your players to:Master the mechanics of footwork for fielding with hustleSwing for the fences and hit the fastest pitchesCatch the ball proactively and throw it quickly and accurately to its targetDefend the infield and outfield with speed and confidenceRun the bases swiftly and strategicallyRefine fast-pitch skills so they can windmill like MicheleAnd much more

    This superb collection of 60s and 70s baseball images commemorates the sport's finest moments via the lens of legendary sports photographer Neil Leifer Featuring over 300 photos, the book is divided into four chapters: The Game; the Heroes-like Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, and pitcher Sandy Koufax; the Rivalry (infamously, between the Yankees and the Boston Red Sox and the Giants and Dodgers); and the World Series championship.

    Amust-have book for baseball fans obsessed with stats, quick facts, and the age-old debates over who the best players are and why, Baseball's Best 1,000 showcases the lives, legends, and lore of the game's top players, ranked in order. Sportswriter Derek Gentile has pared down the total list of players—tens of thousands of them—to an elite ranking of the thousand greatest, based on criteria including lifetime stats; player durability and consistency; All-Star participation; MVP, Gold Glove, and Cy Young awards; individual statistical championships; personal and professional contributions to the game; sportsmanship; and election to the Hall of Fame. Each entry includes positions played, teams played for, years played, lifetime stats, and a biography of the player featuring his great moments and little-known facts. • New players include Curt Schilling, Mike Mussina, and Manny Ramirez. • Barry Bonds has moved up from Number 19 to Number 6. • Roger Clemens has moved from Number 33 into the top 20. • Dozens of Negro League players are here, as well as rankings of the best Japanese players, women players, and "prehistoric" players (from the time before stats were formally recorded).

    Not only did they master the American League, but with the daring switch of outfielder Mickey Stanley to shortstop for the Fall Classic the Tigers came back from a three games to one deficit in the World Series to defeat the heavily favored St. Louis Cardinals and their Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson in Game 7, becoming only the third team in World Series history to trail three games to one and come back to win. "Sock it to Em Tigers: The Incredible Story of the 1968 Detroit Tigers" celebrates this legendary team like no book ever has, complete with many photos and artifacts from the time. A project of the Detroit chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research, this volume gathers the collective efforts of more than sixty SABR members and friends of the non-profit research society and features profiles of every player, coach, broadcaster, and front-office member connected to that great Tigers squad. Included are Hall of Famers Al Kaline and Eddie Mathews, thirty-one-game winner Denny McLain, World Series Most Valuable Player Mickey Lolich, and beloved broadcasters Ernie Harwell and George Kell, plus Norm Cash, Bill Freehan, Willie Horton, Gates Brown, Jim Northrup, and Dick McAuliffe, the longtime core of a Tigers team that played hard on the field and sometimes off. Forty years later, that team is still the most beloved in Tiger history.

    Enjoy all the traditions of your favorite team, learn the basics about playing baseball and share your passion for America's pastime!

    As a pioneering baseball journalist and author, an innovator of scorekeeping practices and statistics, and chairman of the first rules committee, Chadwick left an indelible mark on the history of the game. This deeply researched biography is the first book-length work on the Hall of Famer, known at the time of his death as the Father of Base Ball. It covers Chadwick's driving role in the symbiotic rise of baseball and sports journalism, and demonstrates how Chadwick helped baseball to become firmly established as an American cultural institution. Appendices provide a selected bibliography of Chadwick's writing and a guide for further research.

    Few in baseball have had their hearts broken and dreams dashed so suddenly as Boo Ferriss six decades ago. Far fewer still have gone on to enrich the sport, and the world around them so much or with such grace." Rick Cleveland, columnist for The Clarion-Ledger and author of Boo: A Life in Baseball, Well-Lived penned those words about Mississippi icon Boo Ferriss.In Boo: A Life in Baseball, Well-Lived, the life of Boo Ferriss and his impact on the sport he loves is chronicled by Mississppi's premier sportswriter Rick Cleveland, and includes a foreword by best-selling author John Grisham.

    The Kansaska Retail Agricultural Products League is dominated by the Red cloud Arrowheads, while the lowly Portis Eskimos bring up the rear. Portis hasn't won a championship in nineteen years. However, this year their hopes rest on a new boss, desperate to win the pennant. His job and his engagement depend on it.

    Jam-packed with historic photos, memorabilia, clippings, and in-depth commentary, Chicago Cubs: Yesterday & Today is a detailed and fascinating snapshot of the history of the fabled franchise. Follow the Chicago Cubs progress from the time they won the very first National League pennant in 1876 all the way through their trips to the postseason in the 21st century. Get up close and personal with the greatest Cubs players, from yesterday s heroes to today s superstars. All the highlights and, yes, the lowlights are here: the superstars, the personalities, the stats, and the superstitions. Visit the ivy-covered walls of the iconic Wrigley Field, with all its quirks and old-time charm. Share the thoughts and memories of Cubs legend Ron Santo in his heartfelt foreword.No team is more beloved, more beleaguered, and more bedecked with an illustrious history than the Chicago Cubs, and this tribute book captures it all.

    Ozzie Smith making a spectacular play at shortstop. Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and Greg Maddux unleashing unhittable pitches. Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron, Carl Yastrzemski, Tony Gwynn, Derek Jeter, and dozens of other baseball stars. And a slew of managers, umpires, mascots, vendors, and young fans as well.They’re all here in Baseball: 365 Days, a colorful, surprising, and even moving panorama of baseball from 1970 until the present day. Drawn from the archives of Major League Baseball, Baseball’s photographs—many never before published—trace the arc of star ballplayers’ careers: from minor-league triumphs to life in the Big Show to retirement and Hall of Fame election. In lively commentaries, veteran baseball writer Joseph Wallace offers anecdotes and stats that help bring these wonderful photos to life.Even the most casual baseball fan will find much here to treasure. America’s pastime has never seemed more alive.

    By focusing on the history, great victories and memorable personalities, the books have an enduring quality that will not go out of date quickly. The text is enhanced with plenty of full color photographs as well as reproductions of vintage trading cards and team memorabilia. Each book presents the history, accomplishments and key personalities of the team. Includes timelines, quotes, maps, glossary and website. This series is Licensed by Major League Baseball and the content consultants include Hall of Fame staff.

    By focusing on the history, great victories and memorable personalities, the books have an enduring quality that will not go out of date quickly. The text is enhanced with plenty of full color photographs as well as reproductions of vintage trading cards and team memorabilia. Each book presents the history, accomplishments and key personalities of the team. Includes timelines, quotes, maps, glossary and website. This series is Licensed by Major League Baseball and the content consultants include Hall of Fame staff.

    Featuring interviews with players, managers, and other baseball professionals, as well as never-before-told stories, Baseball Bits is sure to hit a home run with just about anyone who’s interested in the game. But that’s not all, because beyond the stories and trivia, the die-hard fan also wants the most recent information that affects this season. Inside each book is a password that lets readers log onto a website for up-to-the-minute information only available there. The site is guaranteed to be updated at least once a month—more frequently during the season—to provide readers with everything they need to know about the current season, including: • The latest trades, and how they’ll affect particular Teams • The best players’ current stats • Who is about to break major records

    From the early 1900s to the 1950s, baseball games between mine workers were a small-town phenomenon, each team attracting avid and intensely loyal fans. Talented part-time athletes competed at the amateur, semi-pro and professional levels. Equally competitive were the coal company officials, who often brought in ringers, or players of exceptional ability, giving them easier jobs above ground or a padded pay packet. Based on interviews with surviving players, families of deceased players, and contemporary sources, this thoroughgoing history covers not only teams and leagues but their function within the mining communities of Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia. The book features a special section on African-American mining teams, a coalfield map and many photographs.

    After becoming the shiny new home to the Mets upon opening in 1964, Shea was blessed with two championship teams during its first decade: the 1969 Mets, led by Tom Seaver, and the 1969 Jets, led by Joe Namath. Glamour became part of Shea's legend, too, as rock-and-roll and religious royalty - the Beatles and Pope John Paul II - made pilgrimages to Queens. The light shinned brightly on Shea again in 1986 with the Mets' second World Series win and in 2000 during the storied Subway Series against the Yankees, and it remained a top-tier venue right up until its closing in 2008. Shea Stadium has hosted more than its share of hard-fought games, colorful personalities, and memorable performances and these will forever cement its place in New York lore. This richly illustrated book captures all the fond and fleeting memories of the late, great Shea Stadium and is a must-have keepsake for fans who enthusiastically cheered its never-ending parade of star performers.

    Inspired by Latino greats who paved the way, young men head north in hopes of baseball success—but often find themselves in far different situations. Photographer José Luis Villegas and sportswriter Tim Wendel dramatically reveal the energy, talent, and hard-driving ambition of these determined players, both the few who make it and the many who don’t. Yet this isn’t just another compendium of highlights—it’s a bold and sometimes heartbreaking look at the ups and downs of chasing a dream. The book captures all the flash and glory of being a major-league star at the top of his game...as well as the struggles faced by other hopefuls who have to take a longer, tougher road. For many of these men, the realities of the system—and the tension of illegal immigration—intrude on the dream. Discover what becomes of them, and explore the rich background of baseball and the Latin American world, in Far From Home. With sports interest for the baseball fan...timely issues for the history buff...and great images for the photography enthusiast...it is perfectly positioned for Father’s Day and a must-read for all who love the national game.

    Read along as the Boston Red Sox mascot visits famous landmarks and makes new friends along the way. A great book to share with your young fan! Full color pictures and text Hardcover Made in the USA Approximately 11" x 7.25" Officially licensed MLB product

    The 1976 Cincinnati Reds were one of the last to be considered a dynasty, and this book documents the season of one of the greatest teams in baseball history. During the pursuit of a second-straight world championship in 1976, the Big Red Machine was fueled by all-time hits leader Pete Rose, slugger George Foster, and all-stars Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan, as well as a balanced pitching staff that had seven players notching double-digit win totals. The 102-win regular season ended with a World Series sweep of the New York Yankees.

    Football, basketball, and hockey are played on identical fields, courts, and rinks. Only in baseball does the park define the game.This massive book tries to highlight those differences. It is not a wordy, text-based account of baseball stadiums; nor an encyclopedia telling of their history. Instead, it is a picture-packed look at what makes the current Major League parks, and some of the famous old ones, so special. It highlights what it is like to sit in the stands, stretch in the seventh inning, and watch the sun go down over a cityscape.

    New stadiums in this completely revised and updated edition include Citizens Bank Ballpark (Philadelphia), PETCO Park (San Diego), and the newly renovated RFK Stadium (Washington, D.C.) home to the Washington Nationals. Crammed with the statistics baseball fans love, Take Me Out to the Ballpark will hit a home run with legions of new readers this fall.

    Ordinary club histories proceed year by year to give the big picture. Mets by the Numbers uses jersey numbers to tell the little stories—the ones the fans love—of the team and its players. This is a catalog of the more than 700 Mets who have played since 1962, but it is far from just a list of No. 18s and 41s. Mets by the Numbers celebrates the team's greatest players, critiques numbers that have failed to attract talent, and singles out particularly productive numbers, and numbers that had really big nights. With coverage of superstitions, prolific jersey-wearers, the ever-changing Mets uniform, and significant Mets numbers not associated with uniforms, this book is a fascinating alternative history of the Amazin's. 75 b/w photographs.Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

    The team has amassed the most losses of any professional sports franchise in history, as well as the longest losing streak and the most last-place finishes in the major leagues.The year 1980 was redemption for a miserable, century-old legacy of losing. It was also the beginning of the end for a team that could have been among the very best in baseball throughout the decade. Between 1980 and 1983 the Philadelphia Phillies captured two pennants and a world championship. Legends like Tug McGraw, Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, and Pete Rose led the collection of homegrown products, veteran castoffs, and fair-haired rookies. If they had won another World Series, the team not only would have distanced themselves from a history of losing but would have established a championship dynasty. It never happened.The 1981 season was a watershed for both the Phillies and baseball. A players' strike led to a sixty-day work stoppage. The Phils, who had been in first place before the strike, were unable to regain their winning ways after play resumed. Labor relations between an increasingly powerful Players Association and inflexible owners became more acrimonious than ever before. Player salaries skyrocketed. Old loyalties were forgotten, and the notion of a homegrown team, like the 1980 Phillies, was a thing of the past.Almost a Dynasty details the rise and fall of the 1980 World Champion Phillies. Based on personal interviews, newspaper accounts, and the keen insight of a veteran baseball writer, the book convincingly explains why a team that had regularly made the post-season in the mid- to late 1970s, only to lose in the playoffs, was finally able to win its first world championship.

    Wylie that illustrate practical ways to use statistical analysis and predictive modeling to improve fundraising results. Contains articles that have appeared on the CASE Network and in CURRENTS magazine, plus a new discussion on how to make the most of wealth screening.

    In this book you will find hundreds of photos from The Enquirer archives and the Nuxhall family; Enquirer articles featuring Nuxhall; cartoons from Pulitzer Prize-winning artist Jim Borgman; and a special DVD featuring personal interviews with Joe, provided by CET Cincinnati Public Television.

    A great book to share with your young fan! Full color pictures and text Hardcover Made in the USA Approximately 11" x 7.25" Officially licensed MLB product

    Enjoy all the traditions of your favorite team, learn the basics about playing baseball and share your passion for America's pastime!

    Chapters cover such well-known figures as Ty Cobb and lesser-known topics like the “invisible” baseball played by Japanese Americans during the 1930s and 1940s. A study of baseball in rural California from the Gold Rush to the turn of the twentieth century provides an interesting glimpse at how the game evolved from its earliest beginnings to something most modern observers would find familiar. Chapters on the Negro League’s Baltimore Black Sox, financial profits of major league teams from 1900 to 1956, and American aspirations to a baseball-led cultural hegemony during the first half of the twentieth century round out this superb collection of sport history scholarship. Baseball in America and America in Baseball belongs on the bookshelf of any avid student of the game and its history. It also provides interesting glimpses into the sociology of sport in America.