5 comments about This Copyrighted Broadcast.

1. I had been a Cincinnati fan for years when I moved to the bay area. So it was natural to gravitate towards the Giants. As I recall they had a terrible team when I started listening (including the hilarious Crazy Crab ) during 1984.
   
   I haven't started the book yet but I can't wait. Hank was simply one of the cleverest announcers I've ever heard. I think anyone who spent any time listening to him and his excellent sense of humor will always know they aren't getting all they could out of a broadcast by any other announcer. (Even those supposedly brilliant "Hall of Famers" who may have announced for the Reds).
   
   Just reading some of the excerpts from the book brought his brilliantly cagey style back to mind.



2. I am a lifelong Giants fan and remember listening to Hank as a kid. His wonderful voice, and passion for the game motivated me to buy his book and I was not disappointed. The stories he told brought back so many memories of my childhood, and some wonderful insight as well. I actually knew the disclaimer word for word and could do it in his voice.

   Readers will be particularly touched with the chapter on his daughter who was born with Down Syndrome.

   Way to go Hank, and thanks for bringing back some wonderful memories. (Even freezing at Candlestick)




3. Those that remember Hank Greenwald from his days as a Warriors and Giants broadcaster will enjoy his book tremendously. You can quickly tell that he deals with the written word as well as he did with the spoken word. The first night I read the book, I stayed up until 4 a.m. reading. There are a multitude of subjects he covers, all with wit, charm and personality. He not only has in-depth writing of his early years at Syracuse University and the East, but also his family, life in Australia, study of General MacArthur, the later years in the Bay Area with both the Warriors and Giants, and some general feelings about baseball. His dry wit, so common on his broadcasts, is quite evident throughout the book and may only be matched by his son Doug, now doing baseball in California. Greenwald retired from baseball broadcasting in 1996, to the chagrin of many, and now enjoys retirement life after a long and illustrious career. For anyone who listened to Hank on KNBR radio over the years, or for those who enjoy reading about sports broadcasters in general, this book is truly outstanding reading.



4. If you like sports and are a Bay Area native, you have to read this book. Hank does a comical, complete review of early days with the Warriors and of course, the Men in Black (not the Raiders). He is really funny and a down to earth serious person as well.

   Having discovered that the book had been banned, I naturally wanted to read it more, wondering what he could have said to anger the team's management that he faithfully and honestly served for all those years. Turns out it wasn't THAT much of a big deal. Just a few lines here and there. But it sure makes the Giants ownership group, at least half of it, sound like sourpusses, as well as a few others.

   But Hank is not the type to dwell on negatives. He is far too funny, plus he and his wife have raised 2 children, which make you able to separate the important things from the nonsense real quick.

   I am happy that I got to listen to Hank all those years of my youth, but even more happy for Hank that he seems to be living life on his terms. It is the gift that Bay Area sports fans would want for somebody like him after all that he has given us.

   Buy it, read it, pass it to a friend. Hank, if you're reading this, we miss you.




5. As somebody who grew up in the Bay Area listening to Hank, this book was a nice re-acquaintance with one of the friendliest, most genuine voices in baseball. This book has plenty of chuckles and it makes you feel like you know a little bit more about somebody who most Giant fans regard as a friend.

1 comments about Now Pitching, Bob Feller: A Baseball Memoir.

1. The basic facts are simple enough ... Bob Feller was born two months after Ted Williams, eight days before the Armistice ended WWI. Possessor of a blazing fastball, "Rapid Robert" broke into major league baseball at 17 in 1936, Joe Dimaggio's rookie year. Feller pitched for the Cleveland Indians, ending his career the year Mickey Mantle won the Triple Crown (1956). Feller enlisted in the U.S. Navy December 9, 1941, the first player to do so. He returned to the Indians in late 1945 after serving 44 months. He threw 3 no-hitters, and 12 one-hitters.
   
   Bob Feller is a humble and honest man, and his story shows it. The book begins with critical comments on television's influence on baseball circa 1990. He writes of his boyhood in Van Meter, Iowa, and pitching in the big leagues before graduating from high school. His anecdotes about barnstorming bring Satchel Paige to vivid life. Feller does not gloss over his first wife's illness, or his strained relationship with Jackie Robinson. I imagine he is greatly dismayed by today's steroid abuse allegations.
   
   He calls on current players to contribute more to baseball's pension plan. When Feller played, salaries were much lower. Many big-leaguers worked in the off-season to supplement their incomes. Over the last thirty years, free agency and escalating TV contracts have made mediocre players millionaires. Feller is not jealous. He seeks a fair shake for many aging and retired former ballplayers in danger of being forgotten by the system.
   
   Baseball autobiographies abound. I rank Feller's with Hank Aaron's "I Had a Hammer" and John Kruk's "I Ain't an Athlete, Lady..." among the most memorable. Highly recommended.

1 comments about Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators: The War-torn Career of an All-star Shortstop.

1. This book is a good read for those interested in baseball history. There are a lot of facts and figures about professional baseball in the 30's and early 40's. My interest in the book was personal. I grew up in the same town as the Travis's and knew Mr. Travis's oldest son, Tony. He and I were in the same high school graduating class (Jonesboro, Georgia, H.S., class of '61). I have been in the Travis home and found, just as the writer found, that Mr. Travis was a quiet and humble man. I did not know until later in my life the extent of his baseball career. I did find the history interesting, but I was more interested in the man rather than the baseball player. I recommend the book to baseball fans, and/or those who live or have lived in Clayton or Fayette Counties, Georgia.

No comments about Gabby Hartnett: The Life and Times of the Cubs' Greatest Catcher.

No comments about Babe Ruth: A Biography (Baseball's All-Time Greatest Hitters).

5 comments about Just Call Me Minnie: My Six Decades in Baseball.

1. MINNIE MINOSO FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE OUTFIELDER DOES A GREAT JOB TELLING US HIS LIFE AND CAREER IN AND OUT OF BASEBALL. MINNIE WAS A VERY GOOD AND COLORFUL PLAYER WHO GAVE HIS ALL ON THE FIELD. AS A CHILD I REMEMBER MINNIE AS A MEMEMBER OF THE CLEVELAND INDIANS AND HOW POPULAR AND WELL LIKED HE WAS BY THE FANS AND MEDIA. MOST OF MINNIE'S GLORY DAYS WERE WITH THE WHITE SOX. THERE ARE MANY INTERESTING PARTS INCLUDING LIFE IN CUBA BEFORE AND AFTER CASTRO TOOK POWER AND TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM THE CITIZENS OF CUBA. MINNIE LEFT CUBA AND MOST OF HIS FAMILY REMAINED. MINNIE HAS GONE THRU A DIVORCE AND OTHER THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN LIFE. BUT HIS POSITIVE OUTLOOK AND LIKE ABLE PERSONALITY MAKE THIS BOOK A GREAT READ FOR ALL BASEBALL FANS AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO SAW MINNIE PLAY. HIS NAME MAYBE MINNIE BUT THIS BOOK IS MAXI.



2. 
   The title certainly tells it. "Just Call Me Minnie" is the biography of Orestes "Minnie" Minoso. He was a major league outfielder, mostly in the American League, from 1949-1964 and one of the most exciting players of his generation. This reviewer is old enough to remember that when Minnie came to bat, fans sat up in their seats. He made things happen! JCMM is an enjoyable story. It follows Minnie's baseball life from his early years in Cuba through his Major League years, to the ups and downs of his later years. The golden years are those with the exciting "Go-Go" White Sox from 1949- 1957. It helps that the story's time frame encompasses what is arguably the big leagues golden years. Those would be 1946-1960. WW2 was over, pro football was still relatively undiscovered and expansion had yet to dilute the talent base. JCMM is the American League counterpart to Robin Robert's recent-and recommended- "My Life in Baseball". The core of JCMM is solid Hot Stove League. Minnie is a fine storyteller. The tone is positive. He does not attempt to settle old scores or tell tales out of the locker room. There are obvious hard feelings toward a former manager, Al Lopez, but the reader is left to imagine the complete story behind them. There are a few nice, if self-serving, tributes from the likes of Ray Boone, Lou Boudreau, Bob Feller, Jim Landis, Ferris Fain, Cal McLish and Jim Landis. Those baseball fans in the amazon community who can remember those guys will enjoy JCMM. There are some weak points: Minnie's later years are less than compelling and a bit too many pages are devoted to Minoso family travails. Left mostly unexplained are Minnie's various comebacks. For the record, he is the oldest player to appear in a major league game. Finally, and to the distress of this reviewer, there is no statistical composite of the Minoso career. Since baseball is so numbers-obsessed, this omission is strange indeed. Despite these objections, JCMM is a safe choice for hardcore fans of baseball's "golden era". Both White Sox fans and Chicagoland natives should take a close look at this offering.



3. What a great book thats interesting and easy to read. You get to look behind the scenes and see the real life of a professional athlete. True life experiences that Minnie remembers vividly from over six decades of experience. From his childhood days in Havana to his present day life with his family in Chicago, this is a wonderful story that can put a lump in your throat one line then have you laughing the next. A book worth adding to your collection!



4. I grew up on the south side of Chicago and remember when I sat in left field thinking how it would be to meet Minnie. My dream came true after reading this book, I felt I knew him all my life. The respect he gave the fans and the respect we gave him is rare in baseball today, this was the thrilling days of "Go Go" when we as fans had a real life hero, and that hero is Minnie Minoso in the past and forever in the future we will never forget him. This book is the type of book that takes you back to the past and the memories of great players. It's the type of book you can read time after time after time.

   Thank You Minnie




5. "Just Call Me Minnie" ranks as one the best baseball autobiographies I've read. It's very rare that an individual with such vivid recollections and interesting stories ever gets around to writing them down. Minnie Minoso succeeds in delivering this unique perspective of baseball, from pre-Castro life in Cuba all the way up to his goal to play Major League Baseball at age 70. Minoso gives the reader a glimpse of the sport that is entertaining, exciting, and eclectic. Although only 205 pages, this is not a book to be read in one sitting. Instead, it's easier to read it in "doses", letting the stories fully sink in. The patter is similar to those of Buck O'Neill's and Satchell Paige's, except that Minoso seemingly has never retired! Minoso's first-hand accounts of the Negro Leagues (from a non african-american), Major League Baseball, (remember the "Go-Go" Chicago WhiteSox?) are priceless, especially in the present tense. If you can get past Minoso's constant lobbying for a shot to play MLB in his 70's (the only thing missing is a postcard to send to the commissioner), this is a must read for any "real" baseball fan. Who knows, if he ever gets his chance, you can say you read it in this book first!

2 comments about Harry Wright: The Father of Professional Base Ball.

1. It seems impossible that in the rich history of baseball writing, never before had anyone written a biography on Harry Wright, a man whose contribution to the game prompted his admirers to call him the father of professional baseball. Christopher Devine provides the most in-depth factual account of his life to date, and in doing so, re-introduces us to one of the first great baseball men in America.



2. As the author of the July 2003 Cap Anson 1: When Captaining a Team Meant Something: Leadership in Baseball's Early Years (Tile Books), I was excited about recently coming across a copy of Mr. Devine's book. Anson and Wright were parallel figures in 19th-century baseball. Wright was a captain (player)-manager and later a bench manager, while Anson was almost entirely a captain (player)-manager. The difference was big, as the captain but not the bench manager, into the early 20th century, had the power to argue with the usually lone umpire. If you were a captain-manager, you pretty much had free reins. Because of that, and the existence of some original correspondence in the 1870s but not the 1880s, the first half of Wright's career is presented more authoritatively than is his second half.

   Wright was someone people could like (and Devine presents him accordingly) while Anson liked to stir things up such as by making bold assertions. Devine's book is like a nice walk in the park, with lots of pretty scenery ('Arry even does some bicycling). Devine uncovered some new details about Wright's family, including some new photographs, apparently with the help of a direct descendant.

   Wright also was an early innovator, such as in seeing that his players had good off-the-field habits and worked on physical conditioning. Anglophiles will appreciate his Victorian gentlemanliness.

1 comments about Ted Williams: A Portrait in Words and Pictures.

1. For many Ted Williams remains a mystery wrapped in an enigma. This well written and nicely crafted book does much to untangle the mystery, intrigue, and controversy that seems to orbit Ted Williams to this day.

   Williams, like Ruth, was both wonderfully flawed and wonderfully talented. This book reveals both with honesty and candor.

   It has been said that in learning about others we find ourselves. I found this to be the case here. For example, which is not specifically a book about and for adult children of alcoholics Ted Williams definitely was one (in his case, the son of a religious addict). If you find yourself on the recovery path you will find much to glean from here! I found myself in this book time and time again. Perhaps you will too. Now if only I could HIT like Williams...

   And on top of everything else it's a Baseball book with photos and stats galore! What more could you ask for?

   I adored this book and believe that you will too!

3 comments about Harry Hooper: AN AMERICAN BASEBALL LIFE (Sport and Society).

1. I suppose that when your subject was notoriously known for being boring and bland, it would be a monumental effort to write without getting caught in the web. Sadly, and despite Paul Zingg's best efforts, This book only solidifies the obvious...Harry Hooper, although a very good ballplayer, was also a very boring ballplayer. This was a difficult read because interest was so sporadic. Lets face it, Hooper is boring and so is the book. No fault of the author, moreso it is the subject.



2. Very informative and very interesting account of the life of Harry Hooper (my great-grandfather). This book helps put into perspective just how significant Harry's life was for the development of baseball in America. It was full of lots of facts that brought to life the greatest baseball players in the early 20th century. It is more than just baseball, but an account of one man's life. I would recommend this book for anyone who is a baseball fan.



3. Very informative and very interesting account of the life of Harry Hooper (my great-grandfather). This book helps put into perspective just how significant Harry's life was for the development of baseball in America. It was full of lots of facts that brought to life the greatest baseball players in the early 20th century. It is more than just baseball, but an account of one man's life. I would recommend this book for anyone who is a baseball fan.

1 comments about How Far do You Wanna Go?.

1. Inspirational story by a reluctant baseball coach and mentor who helped 16 inner-city kids avoid the streets and succeed in sports and life. Tru Dixon is not perfect but he is honest, caring and willing to give of himself. When you read this book you will feel like doing something good today!