1 comments about Jackie Robinson: Between the Baselines.

1. This is the only Robinson biography I've read that tells me about the ballplayer and athlete - the others either try to turn him into a saint or a political figure. This book, while not ignoring his role or his image, places that in perspective and sticks with the story of what he actually did, rather than indulging in hagiography. And the revelations about what he actually did are startling.

No comments about The MacPhails : Baseball's First Family of the Front-Office.

No comments about Memories of The Mick: Baseball's Legend.

5 comments about Eddie Mathews and the National Pastime.

1. I can't begin to count the number of baseball biographies I've read over the years, but I do know that this is one of the best I've ever read. Most baseball biographies are long on facts and short on feel. For example, you will get a sense of what it was like to play hard and drink even harder with Johnny Logan, Burdette, Buhl, Spahn, and all the guys that made up the Brave family. You will learn how Frank Robinson bit off more than he could chew when he slid in with spikes high, and how Mr. Tough Guy Mathews was dragged from a fight like a baby by the unusually strong Gil Hodges, and you will learn another side to Davey Johnson when he was a player. These are the kinds of stories you don't get with the usual biographies, each more nondescript and sugar coated than the next. This is not an easy book to find, but it's worth the trouble.



2. I now have nearly 1,000 books in my baseball library, so I've read my share of ballplayer biographies and autobiographies.

   Mathews has a reputation of being somewhat hard-nosed and unlikeable, but it hardly comes across here. He's forthright and honest in telling tales of both his positive exploits and negative habits. I came away with a higher regard for Eddie, who unfortunately remains baseball's most invisible 500-homer man.

   If you grew up with baseball in the 50's-60's, you could do far, far worse than reading this one. I also recommend John Roseboro's autobiography for fans of this era.




3. I'm only 44 years old, yet fondest memories when growing up on the northwest side of Milwaukee were going to Braves games at County Stadium their last two years (1964-65) prior to moving south to Atlanta. Eddie Mathews was the idol of every eight or nine-year old in Milwaukee who had any interest in the game of baseball. I knew back then he was a hit with the fans (while not necessarialy so with the press), and this book reinforced my memories. Two sports memories that flash in mind daily involve Eddie Mathews. The first involving a game I attended at County Stadium in 1965 with the score tied in the ninth inning and two runners on with two out and Mathews stepping up to the plate. There as an eight-year old, I said to myself he is going to win this with a three-run homer. One pitch later, he did just that! The other involved his last game ever when he played third base in the 4th game of the 1968 World Series and went 1 for 3 against Bob Gibson (almost 2 for 3 had he been five more feet to the left of the right field foul pole when he knocked a Gibson fast ball over the right field roof of Tiger Stadium). This book is beautiful -- an absolute must for those having vivid memories of the Milwaukee Braves as I have. Word of caution: the book is highly addictive and the reader will find it to be nearly impossible to put it down. A true sports classic written on a classy, frank, and honest human being. Eddie Mathews with his book is indeed "UNFORGETTABLE"!



4. It was over 5 years ago that I met Eddie Mathews at a local restuaurant in Santa Barbara, California. I had heard so many stories about Eddie and how tough he was, but when he invited me to sit at his table and talk about the old families that he knew and I grew up with, it was a wonderful 4 hours of memories. This book tells of the Real Eddie Mathews and his love for the game of baseball and of course the Brave fans that were so supportive of the team! I enjoyed every minute reading the book and it was well followed in the sequence of his career. Eddie Mathews is what baseball is all about, a kid who wanted to win and be the best he could be in the Major leagues! I asked my cousin, Ted Williams of the Bo Sox if he knew of Eddie Mathews? Ted was very complementary about Eddie and said, " they ( Management ) knew he was going to hit 500 home runs for the Braves orgainztion and he did just that." On February 18th 2001 Eddie Mathews was laid to rest. The Baseball World Lost A True Baseball Player of the Game. Beleive me, " Only a handful like Eddie Mathews " This book is a fine tribute to the life Eddie Mathews in the National Pastime. Signed, MAHerrera



5. A VERY INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF A VERY UNDERRATED PLAYER IN EDDIE MATHEWS. EDDIE PLAYED IN THE SHADOW OF HANK AARON, SO HE DIDN'T GET THE TRUE CREDIT HE CERTAINLY DESERVES. HE DOES A GREAT JOB OF DESCRIBING LIFE IN THE 50'S TO THE 60'S WITH THE BRAVES. THE STORY IS SIMPLE, FACTFUL, AND HONEST. EDDIE'S CANDID APPROACH IS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND REFRESHING. HIS EXERPTS ABOUT BOB UECKER ARE HILARIOUS. HIS ADMISSION WITH ALCOHOL IS VERY OPEN BUT DISTURBING. I LOVE THIS BOOK. A MUST READ.

No comments about Ichiro: The Making of an American Hero.

No comments about Bottom of the Ninth: An Oral History on the Life of Harry 'The Hat' Walker.

No comments about Dravecky: A Story of Courage and Grace.

No comments about Baseball Legends (Educational Card Games).

5 comments about Godzilla Takes the Bronx: The Inside Story of Hideki Matsui.

1. I just finished reading this book and I have to say in all honesty that this is one of the most poorly researched books I've ever read in my life.
   
   Basically, this book covers everything that happened to Matsui in the 2003 season with the Yankees. There's the usual game-by-game detail and the usual quotes from the Yankees praising Matsui. The author also talked to former Yomiuri Giants stars Warren Cromartie and Darrell May so they are quoted a couple of times throughout the book.
   
   My problem with the book is that it didn't offer any new insight into Matsui. If you read the newspaper or watched the sports news at all in 2003 you basically know the whole story before you read the book.
   
   Not only that, but there were numerous errors throughout the book that showed that the author has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to Japanese baseball. For example, on pg. 2, the author claims that "Matsui used to receive standing ovations in Japan even when he struck out." Say what? When did that ever happen?!?! I watched tons of Giants games when Matsui was here and I can honestly say that I have NEVER witnessed this.
   
   On pg. 27, the author claims that in Japan, "if two teams are deadlocked after nine innings, the game was over." Say what again? Games used to end in ties after 12 innings, but now they go on longer.
   
   On pg. 40, it says that Darrell May went 10-8 for the Royals in 2002. As a Royals fan, I can say with confidence without looking it up that he didn't come close to that in 2002. He was something like 4-11 that year.
   
   Darrell May's quote about Shinjo appears on pg. 44... and the same quote appears verbatim on pg. 131. It's deja vu all over again!
   
   This is the best one: on pg. 98, it says, "Matsui and (Ichiro) Suzuki played against each other in Japan just once, during an exhibition called the Nippon Series in 1996." I guess the Nippon Series must be the equivalent of the exhibition World Series in MLB...
   
   On pg. 166, it says that Matsui batted .333 with 4 RBI in leading the Giants to a four-game sweep of the 2003 Japan Series. Hello! This book covers Matsui's 2003 MLB debut season! Could it be a typo? Apparently not. On pg. 173, the author writes the same thing! Unbelievable!
   
   On pg. 194, the author writes that Cromartie started a fight in 1987 against the "Junichi Dragons." It's the Chunichi Dragons! I was fully exasperated by this point in the book.
   
   Finally, the author make several condescending remarks regarding Matsui's interpreter, Roger Kahlon. He harps on the fact that Kahlon's translations of Matsui's comments are brief. He mentions this about 3 times throughout the book. As a friend of Kahlon's I did not appreciate this. Interpreting is not easy but the author gets off on the fact that Kahlon may have liberally interpreted some of Matsui's comments. I'd like to see the author try to interpret for someone day in and day out.
   
   This book is for kids aged 9-15. This is not a book for adults. I don't recommend this book to anyone.
   
   The author should've used a good proofreader to save himself some embarrassment...



2. I think it is natural that Godzilla get to be parson written by many books. In second year as NY Yankees, he blashed up his potensial ability:the homerun over 30, almost 3.00 average and over 100 RBI. I have tought it was natural that he extended hisself figure. Because he got many beseball title in Japan: the homerun king over 50, MVR, RBI king....
   
   But I did not think that he get to be the fourth batter of Yankees. Certainly he was the fourth batter in Yomiuri Giants Tokyo, however Japanese think that the skill gap between Japanese baseball and MLB is clear. I think so too. But in the second year, he obtained the fourth batter in Yankees, the top team over the world.
   
   U.S.A people may think why Japanese are excited to Japanese major leaguers. I think that Japan is a island country enclosed in the sea, additionaly a single race nation unlike U.S.A.
   
   But the truth Godzilla's wonderful things is not only his baseball playing ability, but also his nice character and pesonality. I hear that he is very popular with U.S.A children. I think that he is loved by children because of his truth personality. I think that the men that can see through the truth goodness is children rather than adults because they have pure mind. In fact he have done many charity activity, besides, he have done the activity personally, not public: the donation for intellectual disorder men, the donation for the victims of the Hanshin big earthquake(Hanshin Daishinsai).
   
   And he never refuse the press interview even if whether that is Japanese media or foreign media. He take the interview every day neverthless his lost game or no hit game.
   
   in old days when he was high school student, he advanced to high school baseball championship(Koukou Yakyuu). In those days, other highshool students was fear for Matsui's incredible power hitting, and his opponent team gave him the consecutive intensional five walking, it was natural that his team lost the game. The ordinaly person will be very angly. But after the game, his face was very calm and he said such[I can understand the motive of the opponent team, and If the team did not the intensional walking, I that exist now will not exist(at that time he played as Japanese professional player).
   I think that he have great personality.
   
   Thank you for reading poor writing.



3. I purchased this book, because my husband and I are both Yankee fans. and have been following the Yankees for many many years..

   This book - has all the qualities of becoming a best seller.. The writing is excellent. and the author.. Jerry Beach, captures Hideki Matsui, in ways.. that we, as Yankee fans..just want more and more info on this very valuable player.. I would hope to see a second book, on this player, as his career with the NY Yankess continues..

   I give this book(as does my husband) a 5 STAR Rating.. It's a great book.. and we have both thoroughly enojoyed it..

   Jerry Beach, is an author to follow.. because his writing style.. made this book a GREAT READ!!!!




4. This is a great book
   It should not be classified as a biography.
   You screwed me on a school report.!!!!!



5. As a loyal Yankee fan that was present for Matsui's historic performance on Opening Day 2003, the final game of the World Series, and many games in between, I highly enjoyed this book. Jerry Beach does a very good job of making the many unforgettable moments of Matsui's first year in pinstripes come to life.

   Dubbed Godzilla by his adoring fans back home, Matsui's signing with the N.Y. Yankees was international news. Beach's book takes us step-by-step through what it took to make such a deal happen, how fans and industry insiders on both continents took the news, and the subsequent season that had more ups and downs than your average roller coaster.

   Whether you're an avid Yankee fan, a fan of the Japanese phenom, or just a baseball fan that enjoys a good baseball book, this one is the one to get.

1 comments about The Illustrated History of Mickey Mantle.

1. The sports world needs a definitive photo book about Mantle. This isn't it. The photos are very poor reproductions of familiar images found clearly reproduced in other books. Here, they look like 50th generation copies. I returned the book without reading it but noticed that a sequence of Mantle's great catch in Larson's perfect game is described as a catch against Boston! Schoor, a quality writer, should be ashamed of allowing his name to put on this disaster. Charging $36 for this work is a crime.