It's actually called 'Baseball Inside Out: Winning the Game within the Games'. I noticed Amazon doesn't have it quite right either.
A true 'inside baseIt's actually called 'Baseball Inside Out: Winning the Game within the Games'. I noticed Amazon doesn't have it quite right either.
A true 'inside baseball' book, and the stories and historical facts are brief and interesting. It seems to cover the time period from the early 1920's to 1989, explaining how various past major league hitters, pitchers, managers and general managers responded to the demands of the game and each other's personalities when pitching, hitting, motivating and hiring. Along the way of explaining what the players are thinking when up to bat or on the mound, feuds and dysfunctional teams are exposed with obviously insider information, but nothing too horrible. A few famous moments in professional game history, as well as the author's reviews of what he believed were the worst trades in his watching of the game through the decades are fascinating.
It's laid out very concisely and dense with particular information, even if mostly air-brushed. It doesn't mean it is written in Pollyanna-gushing, but dramas are played down. I think the author wanted to explore the mental angles of the game; for example, pitcher tricks used to intimidate or trick the hitter as to what kind of pitch was going to be thrown, and what hitters are thinking when a pitcher who is known to bean hitters is throwing a ball at him 100 miles an hour. I was amazed to read what kind of contracts were signed by the top, but unrepresented, baseball players who were cheated by coaches/managers who explicitly received into their own pockets whatever they cheated the player of.
It's divided into four parts:
Pitchers and Hitters The Manager's Game Clubhouse Chemistry The GM's Burden
I really liked it and found the stories fascinating. ...more
I picked up 'The Ol' Ball Game' on a half price table at a book store. It was strictly a whim. I didn't know if it would be any good, but it is. Oh, iI picked up 'The Ol' Ball Game' on a half price table at a book store. It was strictly a whim. I didn't know if it would be any good, but it is. Oh, it won't be of interest to most, I think. But it's good enough to bring back the feel of the ball park and cracker jacks. A variety of writers contribute chapters reminiscing about great players primarily from the 1920's and 1930's to the 1960's, who for one reason or another did not capture the public's eye for very long (white players who did not make it to the Majors) or were unable to crack the prejudice wall into stardom (i.e., mostly African-American players). In the telling of brief thumbnail biographies a sketchy history of baseball is also revealed. Players and owners and a few scandals are outlined, along with a layman level of descriptions of their statistics. There are no axes ground or in-depth analysis made, these are simply the kind of stories told by men in bars or magazines. I had no idea baseball was played by Confederates and Yankees both in the American Civil War, for instance.
The killer attitude exhibited by most men and some women fans about sports has mostly mystified me. For me, sports mostly are fun, exciting and a wonderful way to get happy, either by attending a game or participating. When I am screaming my head off in the stands, it's partially to support my team, but mostly out of shear JOY! However, after the game, when I'm still feeling up (except after a loss), many of the males around me appear murderous, ready for suggestions to grab tar and feathers, still hollering threats and looking for a reason to do violence - even if their team won! Such reactions put me off sports when I was a little kid. I ended up enjoying the kind of sport I could do alone - walking or jogging.
1995 changed things a bit for me. That was the year my brother loved the Mariners and couldn't find anyone to go with him, so I went to keep him company. The Seattle Mariners were unknown to me, but I quickly found myself getting caught up in the thrill ride of a winning team and great players. I had been forced to play baseball for a grade in school P.E. classes throughout my life, so I knew the rules. What I had been unaware of was how the emotional roar of the crowd could carry me along into the heights of 'winning'.
Later, when my blood had cooled, I began to read occasional newspaper stories in the sports sections more often. Occasionally, I pick up a book about sports. I don't really make an effort about it, though. Baseball is something I enjoy watching sometimes, but only if there is no alcohol. Sport fans still scare me to death. (I will turn down attending a football game, unless it's on TV.) I still enjoy playing sports more than being in the stands, but with my comparatively uncompetitive nature, I never was a top pick for a team, so I never had built any proficiency. But thanks to the 1995 Seattle Mariners, I understand the mania of fans better. ...more
aPriL does feral sometimes
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Books:
sports
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