To continue our monthly series of book lists, the Washington Talking Book & Braille Library would like to recommend the following about baseball. Imagine Dave Niehaus is reading this to you.
April 2010 – Baseball: it’s not spring until the first pitch is thrown
Out of Left Field: How the Mariners Made Baseball Fly in Seattle by Art Thiel
Seattle Post-Intelligencer sports columnist chronicles the Seattle Mariners' transition from laughingstock to powerhouse via a change in management and the addition of superstars such as Ichiro Suzuki, Alex Rodriguez, and Ken Griffey, Jr. Also covers the controversies and politics surrounding the construction of Safeco Field. 2003. Cassette Book CBA 7619 Digital Book DBW 7619. Available for download.
The Annotated Baseball Stories of Ring W. Lardner, 1914-1919 edited by George W. Hilton
Twenty four stories told in informal speech laced with humor. Includes six that were later collected in “You Know Me Al” and twelve adventures of Jack Keefe, the pompous White Sox pitcher. Footnotes throughout provide background on the real players and events that are woven into the stories. 1995. Cassette book RC 41266.
Shoeless Joe by W. P. Kinsella
A warm-hearted, humorous novel about the power of dreams to breathe wonder into life. An Iowa insurance agent-turned-farmer hears a voice telling him to build baseball stadium in his cornfield. He does, of course. There, under the glow of lights, he and a motley crew of dreamers work out their redemption through the magic of love and baseball. The movie “Field of Dreams” is based on this book. 1982. Cassette book RC 18921.
Shades of Glory: The Negro Leagues and the Story of African-American Baseball by Lawrence D. Hogan.
Chronicles African American baseball from the nineteenth century until Jackie Robinson broke into the major leagues in 1945. Uses first-person accounts to profile the teams and players. Covers the business aspects of the league. Commissioned by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Foreword by Jules Tygiel. 2006. Cassette book RC 67203 Digital book DB 67203.
The Catcher Was A Spy: The Mysterious Life Of Moe Berg by Nicholas Dawidoff
A biography of Moe Berg who impressed most people with his intelligence rather than his athletic ability yet he stayed with the game, moving into the big leagues and becoming a coach. Suddenly he joined the Office of Strategic Services. Later he used his sports and spy stories to his advantage. 1994. Cassette book RC 39767.
When Women Played Hardball by Susan E. Johnson.
Author Johnson was a 14 year old girl when the All-American Girls Baseball League died in 1954 after a 12 year span. To recreate the spirit of the league that fascinated her she interviewed 26 of the women who played for the 1950 Rockford Peaches and the Fort Wayne Daisies. Their recollections of the 1950 series are supplemented by newspaper accounts of each of the 7 games. 1994. Cassette book RC 39321.
The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglas Wallop
Joe, a middle-aged baseball fan, strikes a deal with Mr. Applegate, an agent of the devil, offers him the opportunity to become the greatest outfielder of all time for Joe’s favorite team, the Washington Senators. Delighted with the prospect of beating the Yankees, Joe ignores the darker eternal aspects of the bargain he struck with the mysterious Mr. Applegate. The musical and movie “Damn Yankees” is based on this book. 1954. Cassette book RC 13822.
Game Time: A Baseball Companion by Roger Angell
Sportswriter Steve Kettmann compiles his favorite Roger Angell baseball essays, spanning 1962-2002. The pieces profile players such as Willie Mays, Bob Gibson, Pete Rose, and David Cone, as well as the various teams and spring training camps that he's studied. Introduction by Richard Ford. 2003. Cassette book RC 58307.
The Yankee Years by Joe Torre and Tom Verducci
Torre's take on managing baseball's New York Yankees from 1996-2007, achieving six American League pennants and four World Series championships. Torre describes crucial games, steroid abuse, his relationships with superstars Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, and disagreements with owner George Steinbrenner and the front office. Some strong language. Bestseller. 2009. Digital book DB 68610.