No comments about Ken Griffey, Jr (101 Little Known Fact about).

2 comments about Hideki Matsui: Sportsmanship, Modesty, and the Art of the Home Run.

1. The term "hagiography" was coined for this book. It was absolutely glowing about Matsui in a fawning and sort of obsessive way. I don't know if it's due to cultural differences or what, but this reads like a Junior High School girl's diary entries, without the "LOLs." One of the author's quotes sums up this biography's tone: "For Hiroko [the author's wife] and me, middle-aged and childless, the appearance of Matsui in our lives was magical. It was as though a sprite had breathed a kind of radiance into us." Come on, get a grip, Shizuka.
   
   Not to mention, the book's title should have been "My Life as an Obsessive Matsui Fan." This was more of an autobiography of author Shizuka Ijuin than a biography of the Japanese Yankees slugger. I will never regain the time I lost learning about Ijuin's wife, dogs, frustrated baseball ambitions, and literary accolades. Matsui is mostly mentioned as the guy at the other end of the dinner table from Ijuin.
   
   All accounts I've read of Matsui portray him as a decent and charitable human being, which is why I risked my hide reading about a Yankee from Red Sox country: he is a philanthropist without ulterior motives, donating mostly anonymously (until later discovered); he has a tireless work ethic; he respects both his native Japan and the United States, visiting Ground Zero in a snowstorm his first day in New York; and he in general embodies the modesty that Japanese are traditionally known for. However, this stuff was touched upon so briefly and shallowly in this book. Did you know that Matsui earned a first-degree black belt in judo and won a citywide sumo tournament as a youngster? Or that he credits his tremendous professional restraint to a severe public slapping he received from his junior high school coach for throwing a bat in anger at an opposing pitcher who intentionally walked him? No? Well, you wouldn't have learned it from reading this book, either. It omitted these and other stories from the biography while describing the temperaments of the author's wife and dogs.



2. This book wasn't very informative. While I did learn some stuff about Matsui, most of it I already knew. I thought it was going to go into detail about his childhood, playing with the Giants, and coming to the Yankees. It sort of glossed over all of those, not really exploring any one thing in depth.
   
   The author knows Hideki personally, and therefore spends a lot of time talking about himself. While some of these stories are interesting, most are not. Ijuin's narcissism gets old after a while. If you've been waiting for a good Matsui biography to come out, keep waiting.

5 comments about Celebrating 70: Mark Mcgwire's Historic Season.

1. Relive Mark McGwire's historic 1998 assault on the single season home run record with this magnificent book overflowing with full-color photos and amusing anecdotes. "Celebrating 70" charts the slugger's season, home run for home run, and features a bevy of information - complete with pictures - including the date of each long ball, the distance, and which pitcher was christened with the dubious distinction of yielding one of Big Mac's clouts! Along the way, you can read a brief summary for each game McGwire applied his trade. The pictures have been well chosen, conveying the emotion of each moment. The text matches the shear exuberance of the images, and Jack Buck's forward is simply splendid.



2. Relive Mark McGwire's historic 1998 assault on the single season home run record with this magnificent book overflowing with full-color photos and amusing anecdotes. "Celebrating 70" charts the slugger's season, home run for home run, and features a bevy of information - complete with pictures - including the date of each long ball, the distance, and which pitcher was christened with the dubious distinction of yielding one of Big Mac's clouts! Along the way, you can read a brief summary for each game McGwire applied his trade. The pictures have been well chosen, conveying the emotion of each moment. The text matches the shear exuberance of the images, and Jack Buck's forward is simply splendid.



3. The 1998 baseball season was truly one of the most magic in recenty years, thanks in part to the "home run battle" between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. This book chronicles their achievement which I suspect will grow to legendary tones in the years to come. The sportmanship between these two hereos was evident all season long, and the book reflects that.

   Perhaps it was fitting that McGwire should wind up in a city that is a true "baseball town," and one that could truly love and cherish his accomplishment. I remember watching the game on TV where McGwire broke Babe Ruth's home regular season home run record and even the Cub players stood and applauded him. This book remembers that.

   It starts off with pictures of McGwire and a nice foreword by Jack Buck, the longtime St. Louis Cardinals' broadcaster. There's also a brief story about Maris and Ruth, the men McGwire chased for most of that long summer. And then the home runs. Each page is devoted to a description of each one; the date, the opposing pitcher, the final score and so on.

   Reading through each page brought back all those wonderful memories of the 1998 season for me. This book is a wonderful treasure and keepsake to celebrate an incredible baseball season by one man.




4. For the strongman from Pomona, California playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Summer of '98 was one long victory parade. A reminder of seasons past & a celebration of baseball future. He became a national hero & role model with class. He gave baseball back its luster. In this large, glossy, colorful homage to one fabulous boy of summer - the team of writers, photographers, designers & editors has given us a memorable, collectible, hit-by-hit, play-by-play story of a modern grand adventure. What a gift!



5. It was a fabulous book which relived all of the excitement of the homerun-record chase of the 1998 baseball season. The photographs are excellent and the text is very well-written as well. The exact distance, pitcher, count, inning, and stadium are given for every one of "Big Mac's" homers, with at least one picture for each. Not only does it cover McGwire's homers, but it also covers the homeruns of Sammy Sosa. The introduction by St. Luis Cardinal announcer, Jack Buck is nice too. Overall, Celebrating 70:MARK MCWIRE'S HISTORIC SEASON is a must-have for any baseball enthusiast.

No comments about Sunday at the Ballpark.

No comments about Baseball Legends Card Game (Authors Series Card Games).

No comments about I Never Had It Made.

No comments about Safe at Home: A Memoir of God, Baseball, And Family (Sports and Religion).

1 comments about Mickey Mantle: My Very Best Friend..

1. For the true Mickey fan a chance to hear about the person when out of the public spotlight. Great stories that will make it seem that you were Mickeys friend to.

3 comments about The 500 Home Run Club: From Aaron to Williams.

1. THIS IS A VERY GOOD ACCOUNT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE 500 CLUB. EACH PLAYER IS PROFILED BRILLIANTLY. THEIR CARRERS ARE WELL TOLD AND A READER GETS AN APPRECIATION FOR EACH MEMBER. THE AUTHOR DOES A GOOD JOB ON THIS BOOK. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TO ANY FAN WHO WANTS A LOT INFO ABOUT EACH MEMBER OF THE 500 CLUB.



2. In baseball every pitcher dreams of winning 300 games in a career for power hitters it is the mark of 500 home runs that drives them to excel. This book, The 500 Home Run Club, takes you inside baseball?s exclusive fraternity that only has 15 members.

   Watch baseball history come alive as you read about the power of Harmon Killebrew of the grace of Henry Aaron. Watch baseball?s magical wizardry in the story of Babe Ruth, or the trials faced by Jimmie Foxx. See how Ted Williams missed 5 years and still hit 521 home runs.

   The game covers some many different eras, from early baseball with Mel Ott, to the 50?s with Yankee great Mickey Mantle to the 80?s with the raw power of Mike Schmidt of the Phillies. So many of the true legends of this game are here in this book.

   You?ll also read what other players had to say about these 15 great hitters, all of which are in Baseball?s Hall of Fame. For the serious and true baseball fan in your life grab copy of this book, you won?t be disappointed.




3. I think that this book by Bob Allen and Bill Gilbert is an excellent book to read and see the many and the few(which ever way you want to see it)great hitters who have been lost in all the Babe Ruth and the Hank Aaron Home Run Derby. This book goes into detail about the life and careers of all of the 500 home run hitters. Do you remember the name Eddie Matthews or Mel Ott because they both hit 500 home runs. And how about Harmon Killebrew, second only to Babe Ruth in American League home runs. I don't think that Willie McCovey gets the credit that he deserves for hitting as many home runs as Ted Williams. I for one am glad that these two guys wrote this book to let you know how great of hitters these guys really were.In conclusion I feel that any real baseball fan should go out and get this book to remiss about the old times of baseball.

1 comments about It Takes a Team: Mike Cameron.

1. Great inspirational all ages book by Seattle local favorite Mike Cameron. I would recommend it for any young sports fan.