New Reading Material #10 – “Sixty Feet, Six Inches”

Possibly the most interesting book of the bunch, ‘Sixty Feet, Six Inches’ was co-authored by two of the most amazing baseball talents this game has ever seen – Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson.

These guys have done it all – Hall of Fame induction, World Series heroics, legendary status, and now writing of books!!!

Gibson and Feller have come together to offer the reader a unique chance to tell how the game was played from their eyes, their very talented eyes at that!! 

The book’s format is unique in that it looks like a 1-on-2 interview between the writer and these 2 Hall of Famers.  With chapters devoted to pitching mechanics, power hitting, and game play, this looks like a surefire winner to me!!!

New Reading Material #9 – “Big League Trivia”

While its facts and stories may be a little outdated since it was printed in 2006, ‘Big League Trivia’ should lend a big hand toward my being able to continue the ‘Did You Know’ series on this blog.

What I find most intriguing about this book is the oddities section….  I’ve always found that having a ton of useless information stored in your brain is a wonderful thing!!

 

New Reading Material #8 – “You Never Forget Your First”

While the title of this book can be misconstrued to cover several different topics, this book focuses on big league players and their debuts in the major leagues.

Chock full of stories from more than 100 big league players, this book will share their thoughts and feelings as they made their way onto baseball’s biggest stage - the Major leagues.  While some found success quick, some faltered just as fast…

This book has contributions from recent stars like Craig Biggio, Tony Gwynn, Chipper Jones, and Albert Pujols.  I also saw that the table of contents included some of my favorite old-school guys like Jim Palmer and Reggie Jackson.  Based on my first glimpse at the content, this one will be a quick and great read!!!

I also noticed that this book offers the box score from the player’s debut game.  What a great idea!!!

Newe Reading Material #7 – “Together We Were Eleven Foot Nine”

Written by Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer in 1996, this book offers a glimpse into the partnership between star player and manager.

Both Jim Palmer and his baseball manager Earl Weaver had very successful careers.  2 Hall of  Famers, the duo is linked together as they won games, won World Series championships, and fought each other every step of the way.

Before media explosions ruled the sports world, many stories have been left untold.  This one is being told by Palmer and it covers his relationship with his coach for more than the 20 years that their lives were intertwined.

New Reading Material #6 – “Great Baseball Writing”

I sure do hope that the title of this book lives up to its name…

Put together by the team at Sports Illustrated, this book includes the writing of more than 30 of SI’s baseball writers while they covered the sport from 1954-2004.

And while I have let all of my magazine subscriptions expire as the Internet has become my media of choice for sports news and stories, there is no doubt that this book will be an enjoyable read!!!

New Reading Material #5 – “Heart Of The Game”

I have heard more stories about this book and its effect on anyone who reads it than any other baseball book ever written.

Penned in 2009, ‘Heart Of The Game’ tells the story of Mike Coolbaugh and his sudden death on the baseball field after being hit in the head with a foul ball.  Coolbaugh, a father of two with another child on the way, was just 35 years young when his life was taken from him. 

What promises to be a heart-wrenching tale, it is made even more personal as I sit here as a 34-year old man and father of two.  I may need to take my time with this one.  It promises to be a great and hard to read story all at the same time.

New Reading Material #4 – “The Machine”

What can I say?  Actually quite a bit…

I have never gotten into my passion for the 1975 Reds ‘Big Red Machine’.  That will change in 2010 as I plan to make that team a focus of my collecting and blogging during the upcoming year.

Getting this book was a start, and I have so much still that I want to learn about this team, its players, and their incredible success on the baseball field.

Written in 2009, ‘The Machine’ promises to deliver stories and tales about one of the most dominant teams in the history of baseball!!!

New Reading Material #3 – “Open” – Signed Copy Of Andre Agassi’s Autbiography

My wife did great on this one!!!

I followed the careers of Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras during their playing days.  They were my generations version of Connors and McEnroe and they made men’s tennis relevant in the United states during the 1990′s.

I knew that this book was published and released in the Fall of 2009, I just hadn’t made it a priority to get.  My wife took care of that for me and I am suddenly eager and energized to learn more about Agassi and what fueled his well-publicized career.  From being a child prodigy to marriage to Brooke Shields to drug use to marriage to Steffi Graf to retirement from the sport, I hope ‘Open’ lives up to its title and provides an unseen look into the life of one of the most iconic sports figures of my generation.

And here’s the autograph!!!

 SWEET!!!!

New Reading Material #2 – “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader Takes A Swing At Baseball”

Ah, the perfect book for a guy like me.  Tons of baseball facts, stories, interviews, and anecdotes packed into page after page.  Packed with fresh content and published in 2008, this book guarantees that my ‘Did You Know’ series will continue into the new year!!!

 

Books like this are sometimes filled with fluff – I think I did my homework when adding this one to my X-mas list.  Only time will tell but I believe that this bad-boy is filled with fun trivia and stories that I look forward to sharing once I crack it open!!

New Reading Material #1 – “Is This A Great Game, Or What”

Authored by one of my favorite ESPN personalities, this one is sure to be a hit with me.  Written in 2007, Tim Kurkjian offers us a glimpse of what a guy with 25 years of insight in the sport of baseball can only provide.

From first-person accounts, to interviews, to experiences only a reporter can encounter, this books is begging to be the first one I pick up and read…