Download or read book The Bilko Athletic Club written by Gaylon H. White and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2014-03-06 with total page 327 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the 1956 baseball season in the city of Los Angeles, Mickey Mantle’s pursuit of Babe Ruth’s single-season home run record was matched only by the day-to-day drama of Steve Bilko’s exploits in the Pacific Coast League. While Mantle was winning the Triple Crown in the American League, Bilko was doing the same in the highest of all the minor leagues with the Los Angeles Angels. He led the league hitters in eight categories, and the Angels romped to the pennant. Bilko hit one mighty home run after another to earn Minor League Player of the Year honors and inspire the team’s nickname, “The Bilko Athletic Club.” The Bilko Athletic Club tells the story of the 1956 Los Angeles Angels, a team of castoffs and kids built around Steve Bilko, a bulky, beer-loving basher of home runs.Author Gaylon H. White provides an intimate portrait of life in minor league baseball in the 1950s and gives readers a glimpse inside the heads and hearts of the players as they experience the same doubts and frustrations many face in the pursuit of a dream. The Angels’ unforgettable season unfolds through stories told by the players themselves, as they racked up runs and rolled to a 107-61 won-loss record, finishing sixteen games ahead of their closest competitor. Featuring in-depth interviews with Steve Bilko and twenty-five of his ’56 Angels teammates, The Bilko Athletic Club also includes several photos and is highlighted by never-before-told anecdotes. A fascinating account of a season to remember, The Bilko Athletic Club will take fans and historians of the national pastime back to the golden era of baseball.

Download or read book The Best Little Baseball Town in the World written by Gaylon H. White and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2021-04-21 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Crowley Millers were the talk of minor league baseball in the 1950s, with crowds totaling nearly 10 times Crowley’s population and earning Crowley the nickname of “The Best Little Baseball Town in the World.” The Best Little Baseball Town in the World: The Crowley Millers and Minor League Baseball in the 1950s tells the fun, quirky story of Crowley, Louisiana, in the fifties, a story that reads more like fiction than nonfiction. The Crowley Millers’ biggest star was Conklyn Meriwether, a slugger who became infamous after he retired when he killed his in-laws with an axe. Their former manager turned out to be a con man, dying in jail while awaiting trial on embezzlement charges. The 1951 team was torn to pieces after their young centerfielder was struck and killed by lightning during a game. But aside from the tragedy and turmoil, the Crowley Millers also played some great baseball and were the springboard to stardom for George Brunet and Dan Pfister, two Crowley pitchers who made it to the majors. Interviews with players from the team bring to light never-before-heard stories and inside perspectives on minor league baseball in the fifties, including insight into the social and racial climate of the era, and the inability of baseball in the fifties to help players deal with off-the-field problems. Written by respected minor-league baseball historian Gaylon H. White, The Best Little Baseball Town in the World is a fascinating tale for baseball fans and historians alike.

Download or read book Handsome Ransom Jackson written by Ransom Jackson and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2016-05-19 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Millions of America’s youth dream of playing major league baseball or in a college bowl game on New Year’s Day. Growing up in Arkansas during the Great Depression, Ransom Jackson had no idea that one day he would not only play in back-to-back Cotton Bowls for two different colleges—the first and only player to do so—but that he would also become known as “Handsome Ransom,” all-star third baseman for the Chicago Cubs. He was in Chicago in 1953 when Ernie Banks became the first African American to play for the Cubs. He was in Brooklyn in 1956, the year Jackie Robinson retired. In 1957, Jackson was the last Brooklyn player to hit a home run before the team moved to LA. Jackson’s major league career spanned the entire decade of the 1950s, a time when the landscape of baseball changed dramatically as teams moved to new cities, built new stadiums, and integrated their rosters. Handsome Ransom Jackson: Accidental Big Leaguer is an autobiographical account of Jackson’s fascinating journey from his boyhood days in Arkansas to playing in the major leagues, where many of his teammates were future Hall of Famers. It’s a fun and nostalgic visit to the past, with Jackson sharing such memories as spring training with the Cubs on Catalina Island, befriending a Mafia boss in Massachusetts, batting behind Hank Sauer and getting knocked down by pitchers retaliating for Sauer’s home runs, rooming with Don Drysdale on an historic baseball tour of Japan, and sitting in the dugout in LA with Dodger teammates looking for movie stars in the stands. In addition, Jackson remembers being brought to Brooklyn to take over third base for the aging Jackie Robinson, and quickly discovering that nobody replaces a legend like Jackie. While many of the players from the 1950s are no longer with us, Jackson’s invaluable and timeless stories celebrate the greatness of the game and preserve a sliver of history from the heart of the golden age of baseball. Featuring many never-before-published photographs from Ransom Jackson’s personal collection, including photos of Dodger and Cub greats Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella, Carl Erskine, Ralph Kiner, and Ernie Banks, Handsome Ransom Jackson will take the reader back to an era when baseball was truly the national pastime.

Download or read book Singles and Smiles written by Gaylon H. White and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2018-03-20 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book brings to light the story of a Negro League and Pacific Coast League star, his struggles to make it in the majors, and his crucial role in integrating baseball’s premier minor league. Artie Wilson once was the best shortstop in baseball. In 1948 Artie led all of baseball with a .402 batting average for the Birmingham Black Barons, the last hitter in the top level of pro ball to hit .400. But during much of his career, Organized Baseball passed Artie by because he was black. In Singles and Smiles: How Artie Wilson Broke Baseball's Color Barrier, Gaylon H. White provides a fascinating account of Wilson’s life and career. An All-Star in the Negro Leagues, in 1949 Artie became only the second black player in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the first to play for the Oakland Oaks. Wilson soon became one of the league’s most popular players with white and black fans alike through his consistent play and optimistic, upbeat attitude. In 1951 Artie finally got a chance to play in the majors with the New York Giants, but after batting a mere twenty-four times he urged Giants manager Leo Durocher to send him back to the minors and bring up a former Black Barons teammate to take his place—Willie Mays. While Jackie Robinson deserves all the credit he has received for breaking baseball’s color barrier at the major-league level, this book pays tribute to those such as Artie Wilson who changed the game in the minors—pioneers in their own right. Featuring in-depth interviews with Artie alongside interviews with almost thirty of Artie’s teammates and opponents—including Willie Mays and Carl Erskine—Singles and Smiles imparts a treasure trove of stories that will entertain and inspire baseball fans of all generations.

Download or read book The Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League written by Richard Beverage and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2011-10-10 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Long before the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants brought the major leagues to California in 1958, professional baseball thrived on the West Coast in the form of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). Minor only in name, the league featured intense rivalries, a huge fan base, and such future Hall of Famers as Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams. The Los Angeles Angels won 14 PCL pennants and stood as the league's premier franchise. This year-by-year chronicle of the Los Angeles Angels from 1903 to 1957 includes an overview of the PCL and a wealth of statistical information, including an all-time player roster, a list of important team records, lineups, and attendance information. Based in part on personal interviews with former Angels players, this history offers a nostalgic look back at the PCL and the early days of baseball in the West.

Download or read book The Nasty Bits written by Anthony Bourdain and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2008-12-10 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times Bestseller The good, the bad, and the ugly, served up Bourdain-style. Bestselling chef and Parts Unknown host Anthony Bourdain has never been one to pull punches. In The Nasty Bits, he serves up a well-seasoned hellbroth of candid, often outrageous stories from his worldwide misadventures. Whether scrounging for eel in the backstreets of Hanoi, revealing what you didn't want to know about the more unglamorous aspects of making television, calling for the head of raw food activist Woody Harrelson, or confessing to lobster-killing guilt, Bourdain is as entertaining as ever. Bringing together the best of his previously uncollected nonfiction--and including new, never-before-published material--The Nasty Bits is a rude, funny, brutal and passionate stew for fans and the uninitiated alike.

Download or read book America s Most Distinctive Club the Medinah Athletic Club written by Medinah Athletic Club (Chicago, Ill.) and published by . This book was released on 1929* with total page 8 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Coach of a Lifetime written by Gaylon H. White and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2023-09-13 with total page 291 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The inspirational true story of a high school football coach who motivates and encourages ordinary kids to do extraordinary things on and off the field He’s called simply “Coach.” But Louie Cook of Notre Dame High School in Crowley, Louisiana, is much more than that. He’s a father figure to his players, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or religion; the mentor players can turn to for discerning advice; the man students and parents go to for comfort in challenging times; and most of all, a caring leader with a servant’s heart. Coach of a Lifetime: The Story of Lewis Cook Jr., Legendary High School Football Coach recounts the inspiring, selfless path Cook has traveled as a football coach and, more importantly, as a leader in a small Louisiana town. While other high school coaches have won more games and sent more players to the NFL, none have proven better at developing the raw talents of high school kids from a handful of farming communities and turning them into champions on the football field and in life. The story of Louie Cook is about much more than football. It’s about developing and motivating young people, about putting faith and family ahead of wins and losses, and about building relationships that will last a lifetime. Cook may be one of the winningest high school coaches in the nation, but he will be the first to tell you, “Winning isn’t everything; winning the right way is.”

Download or read book When Baseball Was Still Topps written by Phil Coffin and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2023-12-14 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Card by card--all 572 of the '59 Topps set--this book contemplates the lives and times of mid-20th century baseball. That season was in the heart of a period of turmoil: milestones in integration, franchise shifts to the West Coast, a potential rival league, the major leagues' expansion, and labor issues that included paying young prospects not to play. The cards help tell the players' stories, too. The slugger who had a date with Marilyn Monroe (no, not Joe DiMaggio), and the minor leaguer better known than Marilyn. The nephew of a Black Sox player, and the target of a bribery attempt. The lefty catcher. The pitcher from Mayberry. The only player to pinch-hit for Ted Williams. Strikeout kings and wildmen. Religious stalwarts and hell raisers. The stripper's husband. The coolest socks in baseball. Ballplayers who were also basketball players--including the NBA's No. 1 pick one year. Satchel's Six Rules and Twig's Six Rules. Coot, Rip, Turk, Puddin' Head, Whammy, The Rope and Captain Midnight. Pick any card, and you'll find another engaging tale about baseball.

Download or read book That Night written by Alice McDermott and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2013-11-21 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'A stunning work' Sunday Times 'That Night has universal appeal ... there is a depth of feeling here which is beautifully - and seriously - realised' Independent ______________________ The evocative second novel from National Book Award winner Alice McDermott On a warm suburban night, the sound of lawn sprinklers is drowned out by the rumble of hot rods. Suddenly, a car careens onto a family's neat front yard, teenage boys spill out brandishing chains and leather, and a young man cries out for the girl he loves. Tonight, fathers will pick up snow shovels and rakes to defend their turf, and children will witness a battle fuelled by fierce, true love. This is the night they will talk about and remember as the moment things changed for ever.

Download or read book Left on Base in the Bush Leagues written by Gaylon H. White and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2019-05-30 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There was a time when no town was too small to field a professional baseball team. In 1949, the high point for the minor leagues, there were 59 leagues and 464 cities with teams, two-thirds of them in so-called bush leagues classified as C and D. Most of the players were strangers outside the towns where they played, but some achieved hero status and enthralled local fans as much as the stars in the majors. Left on Base in the Bush Leagues: Legends, Near Greats, and Unknowns in the Minors profiles some of the most fascinating characters from baseball’s golden era. It includes the stories of players such as Ron Necciai, the only pitcher in history to strike out 27 batters in a single game; Joe Brovia, one of the most feared hitters to ever play in the Pacific Coast League (PCL), who had to wait 15 years for a shot in the majors; and Pat Stasey, a mellow Irishman who “Cubanized” minor league baseball in Texas and New Mexico, helping to bring down the walls of segregation. Compelling and timeless, their stories touch on many issues that still affect the sport today. Left on Base in the Bush Leagues provides an entertaining glimpse into a time when baseball was a game and the players were regular guys who often held second jobs off the field. Featuring hundreds of personal interviews with the players, their teammates, managers, and opponents, this bookcreates a colorful tapestry of the minor leagues during the 1950s and 60s.

Download or read book The Berkeley Athletic Club New York 1890 written by Berkeley Athletic Club (New York, N.Y.) and published by . This book was released on 1890 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Tales from the Dugout written by Tim Hagerty and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2023-03-28 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A wild bull on the field, a fly ball caught by a train conductor, a pitcher taking the mound barefoot—Minor League Baseball has been played across the country in cities large and small for more than a century, and there are thousands of stories to tell from it. Tales from the Dugout collects the zaniest Minor League stories. Given its long history, it is no surprise that the game has encountered some bizarre things over the years. This humorous and outlandish collection of stories is sourced from newspaper archives and the Baseball Hall of Fame Library in Cooperstown, New York, and includes a foreword by former MLB All-Star Billy Butler. Whether you're a baseball fanatic or just a fan of sports history, this book captures the spirit of the game. Including: - HOLE IN ONE: In 1942, a Milwaukee Brewers batter hit a low line drive that bounced down the right field line. He rounded the bases while confused Louisville Colonels fielders searched for the ball. They eventually found it inside a gopher hole. - TOO FAR: The Denison Tigers started the 1896 Texas Association season with a pitcher's mound that was 70 feet from home plate. - MONKEYING AROUND: A chimp's escape turned a Southern Association game into pandemonium on July 17, 1909. "Henry the Chimpanzee," the New Orleans Pelicans' official mascot, busted from his cage and chased players around the field. The chimp then went after fans, who ran from him screaming. The game was delayed a few minutes while Henry was restrained. - HEADLESS CRUSHER: A police department in Ohio got a call about a missing head. The Lake Erie Crushers' mascot's head was stolen in 2011, forcing the mascot to miss a few home games. After learning through media reports that police were investigating, the thief returned the head by inconspicuously placing it under the ballpark's tarp. Tim Hagerty has broadcasted professional baseball games for 18 years. He has written hundreds of freelance national baseball articles for Baseball Digest, MLB.com, Sporting News, The Hardball Times, and other publications.

Download or read book Club Book of the Knickerbocker Athletic Club written by Knickerbocker Athletic Club and published by . This book was released on 1899 with total page 72 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Sacha Baron Cohen written by Kathleen Tracy and published by St. Martin's Griffin. This book was released on 2007-12-26 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first biography of the comedic genius behind the cult favorite TV show "Da Ali G Show" and the high grossing—and gross out—smash film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. If the millions of fans who flocked to the blockbuster films Borat and Talladega Nights tuned in to Sacha Baron Cohen's interviews on late night TV hoping to see the man behind the characters, they were sure to be disappointed. Who exactly is this Sacha Baron Cohen, who has everyone from TV personalities to the government of Kazakhstan all riled up? Did he fool all the politicians and luminaries who made such idiots of themselves on "Da Ali G Show" or did it just look like it? Was it the RV-driving Southern good ole frat boys in Borat—Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan who got taken for a ride or were their on-camera remarks fair game? And how did he get a fiancée as foxy as Isla Fisher, the babe from "Wedding Crashers"? Tracing his roots as the soft-spoken son of an English clothier, biographer Tracy follows Cohen's path to Cambridge, where he ditched the idea of pursuing a Ph.D. for an infinitely trickier comedy career. As we wait to see just what Cohen will come up with next, Tracy gets to the man behind the characters—and details the outrageous moves Cohen has made in character as the boorish English hip-hop journalist Ali G, the tender and tactless Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev, and more

Download or read book Nobody s Perfect written by Anthony Lane and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2009-08-19 with total page 784 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Anthony Lane on Con Air— “Advance word on Con Air said that it was all about an airplane with an unusually dangerous and potentially lethal load. Big deal. You should try the lunches they serve out of Newark. Compared with the chicken napalm I ate on my last flight, the men in Con Air are about as dangerous as balloons.” Anthony Lane on The Bridges of Madison County— “I got my copy at the airport, behind a guy who was buying Playboy’s Book of Lingerie, and I think he had the better deal. He certainly looked happy with his purchase, whereas I had to ask for a paper bag.” Anthony Lane on Martha Stewart— “Super-skilled, free of fear, the last word in human efficiency, Martha Stewart is the woman who convinced a million Americans that they have the time, the means, the right, and—damn it—the duty to pipe a little squirt of soft cheese into the middle of a snow pea, and to continue piping until there are ‘fifty to sixty’ stuffed peas raring to go.” For ten years, Anthony Lane has delighted New Yorker readers with his film reviews, book reviews, and profiles that range from Buster Keaton to Vladimir Nabokov to Ernest Shackleton. Nobody’s Perfect is an unforgettable collection of Lane’s trademark wit, satire, and insight that will satisfy both the long addicted and the not so familiar.

Download or read book A Night to Remember written by Walter Lord and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2005-01-07 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A cloth bag containing eight copies of the title.