Download or read book Spring Training written by Dan Shaughnessy and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 2003 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Before the purpose-pitch that zips inches from the batter's head, before greenfly autograph-seekers stalk hotel lobbies, before thousands of fans stand up and boo in 50,000-seat stadiums, before the proverbial dog days of summer and the pressure-packed moments of October . . . there is sweet spring. The long hello. Baseball's early season. The words spring training have long held special power over baseball fans. They signal the arrival of fresh air and sunshine after a long winter devoid of bare feet and box scores. The chance to see the game up close and personal, in beautiful slow motion. No other sport undergoes this slow, glorious unfolding. And no other book captures baseball's rite of passage in all its magic. Come on a wild ride through spring training's many attractions and peculiarities, from Florida to Arizona, the National to the American League, the dugouts to Section D. Glimpse retirees in Hawaiian shirts singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," million-dollar players taking it easy on the field and in the bars, young rookies flashing their skills, grizzled vets going through the motions, wide-eyed children dressed from head to toe in their favorite team's garb. It's all here, from Alligator Alley to Cactus Way, sit-ups to sunblock, home runs to hangovers -- a lively tribute to America's favorite pastime in its purest, most wonderful form.
Download or read book Spring Training written by William Knowlton Zinsser and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With a new Introduction by the author, this book vividly brings to life the unique once-a-year relationship between Bradenton, Florida, and its adopted team, the Pittsburgh Pirates. 25 photos.
Download or read book The Cactus League written by Emily Nemens and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Named a Best Book of 2020 by NPR and Lit Hub. A Los Angeles Times Bestseller. A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice "In The Cactus League [Emily Nemens] provides her readers with what amounts to a miniature, self-enclosed world that is funny and poignant and lovingly observed." --Charles McGrath, The New York Times Book Review An explosive, character-driven odyssey through the world of baseball Jason Goodyear is the star outfielder for the Los Angeles Lions, stationed with the rest of his team in the punishingly hot Arizona desert for their annual spring training. Handsome, famous, and talented, Goodyear is nonetheless coming apart at the seams. And the coaches, writers, wives, girlfriends, petty criminals, and diehard fans following his every move are eager to find out why—as they hide secrets of their own. Humming with the energy of a ballpark before the first pitch, Emily Nemens's The Cactus League unravels the tightly connected web of people behind a seemingly linear game. Narrated by a sportscaster, Goodyear’s story is interspersed with tales of Michael Taylor, a batting coach trying to stay relevant; Tamara Rowland, a resourceful spring-training paramour, looking for one last catch; Herb Allison, a legendary sports agent grappling with his decline; and a plethora of other richly drawn characters, all striving to be seen as the season approaches. It’s a journey that, like the Arizona desert, brims with both possibility and destruction. Anchored by an expert knowledge of baseball’s inner workings, Emily Nemens's The Cactus League is a propulsive and deeply human debut that captures a strange desert world that is both exciting and unforgiving, where the most crucial games are the ones played off the field.
Download or read book Havana Hardball written by César Brioso and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2015-10-13 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In February 1947, the most memorable season in the history of the Cuban League finished with a dramatic series win by Almendares against its rival, Habana. As the celebration spread through the streets of Havana and across Cuba, the Brooklyn Dodgers were beginning spring training on the island. One of the Dodgers' minor league players was Jackie Robinson. He was on the verge of making his major-league debut in the United States, an event that would fundamentally change sports--and America. To avoid harassment from the white crowds in Florida during this critical preseason, the Dodgers relocated their spring training to Cuba, where black and white teammates had played side by side since 1900. It was also during this time that Major League Baseball was trying its hardest to bring the "outlaw" Cuban League under the control of organized baseball. As the Cubans fought to stay independent, Robinson worked to earn a roster spot on the Dodgers in the face of discrimination from his future teammates. Havana Hardball captures the excitement of the Cuban League's greatest pennant race and the anticipation of the looming challenge to MLB's color barrier. Illuminating one of the sport's most pivotal seasons, veteran journalist César Brioso brings together a rich mix of worlds as the heyday of Latino baseball converged with one of the most socially meaningful events in U.S. history.
Download or read book Sandlot Stats written by Stanley Rothman and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2012-11-01 with total page 587 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sandlot Stats uses the national pastime to help students who love baseball learn—and enjoy—statistics. As Derek Jeter strolls toward the plate, the announcer tosses out a smattering of statistics—from hitting streaks to batting averages. But what do the numbers mean? And how can America’s favorite pastime be a model for learning about statistics? Sandlot Stats is an innovative textbook that explains the mathematical underpinnings of baseball so that students can understand the world of statistics and probability. Carefully illustrated and filled with exercises and examples, this book teaches the fundamentals of probability and statistics through the feats of baseball legends such as Hank Aaron, Joe DiMaggio, and Ted Williams—and more recent players such as Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, and Alex Rodriguez. Exercises require only pen-and-paper or Microsoft Excel to perform the analyses. Sandlot Stats covers all the bases, including • descriptive and inferential statistics • linear regression and correlation • probability • sports betting • probability distribution functions • sampling distributions • hypothesis testing • confidence intervals • chi-square distribution Sandlot Stats offers information covered in most introductory statistics books, yet is peppered with interesting facts from the history of baseball to enhance the interest of the student and make learning fun.
Download or read book This Is My South written by Caroline Eubanks and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2018-10-01 with total page 369 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: You may think you know the South for its food, its people, its past, and its stories, but if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that the region tells far more than one tale. It is ever-evolving, open to interpretation, steeped in history and tradition, yet defined differently based on who you ask. This Is My South inspires the reader to explore the Southern States––Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia––like never before. No other guide pulls together these states into one book in quite this way with a fresh perspective on can’t-miss landmarks, off the beaten path gems, tours for every interest, unique places to sleep, and classic restaurants. So come see for yourself and create your own experiences along the way!
Download or read book Blackout written by Chris Lamb and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chronicles the story of Jackie Robinson's first spring training during 1946, a time when America was struggling with racism and segregation, as well as with the impact of the Second World War, documenting the player's ordeal on and off the field, the reaction of the black and white communities, the influence of the press, and Robinson's own determination and anxieties.
Download or read book Driving Mr Yogi written by Harvey Araton and published by HMH. This book was released on 2012-04-03 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A warm, sentimental look at a baseball icon” (The Tampa Tribune). Driving Mr. Yogi is the story of a unique friendship between two New York Yankees legends—a pitcher and catcher—who share rides, meals, and a bond that transcends the twenty-five-year difference in their ages. The story begins in 1999, when Hall of Famer Yogi Berra is reunited with the Yankees after a long self-exile, the result of being unceremoniously fired by team owner George Steinbrenner fourteen years before. A reconciliation between Berra and the boss means that Berra will once again attend spring training. Retired-pitcher-turned-pitching-coach Ron Guidry knows the club’s young players will benefit from “Mr. Yogi’s” encyclopedic knowledge of the game, just as Guidry had during his playing days, so he encourages his old mentor to share his insights. In Yogi, Guidry finds not just a personable dinner companion or source of amusement—he finds a best friend. At turns tender and laugh-out-loud funny, and teeming with unforgettable baseball yarns that span more than fifty years, Driving Mr. Yogi is a universal story about the importance of wisdom being passed from one generation to the next, as well as a reminder that time is what we make of it and compassion never gets old. “Funny, revealing, and surprising . . . Anything that brings new Yogi Berra stories is a good book.” —MLB.com “Lovingly documented . . . You’ll find yourself wishing it ain’t over till it’s over.” —Parade magazine
Download or read book Uncle Robbie written by Jack Kavanagh and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hall of Fame member Wilbert Robinson began his career as a catcher. As a Baltimore Oriole in the 1890s the hard-nosed but congenial receiver joined John McGraw, Wee Willie Keeler, and other greats on the roughest team of the game’s toughest era. He went on to make a reputation with McGraw’s New York Giants as a great developer of pitchers. Subsequently he took over the Brooklyn Dodgers, quickly turning them into pennant winners and gradually becoming the borough’s beloved Uncle Robbie.
Download or read book Gil Hodges written by Mort Zachter and published by U of Nebraska Press. This book was released on 2015-03 with total page 542 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In descriptions of athletes, the word "hero" is bandied about and liberally attached to players with outstanding statistics and championship rings. Gil Hodges: A Hall of Fame Life is the story of a man who epitomized heroism in its truest meaning, holding values and personal interactions to be of utmost importance throughout his life--on the diamond, as a marine in World War II, and in his personal and civic life. A New York City icon and, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, one of the finest first basemen of all time, Gil Hodges (1924-72) managed the Washington Senators and later the New York Mets, leading the 1969 "Miracle Mets" to a World Series championship. A beloved baseball star, Hodges was also an ethical figure whose sturdy values both on and off the field once prompted a Brooklyn priest to tell his congregation to "go home, and say a prayer for Gil Hodges" in order to snap him out of the worst batting slump of his career. Mort Zachter examines Hodges's playing and managing days, but perhaps more important, he unearths his true heroism by emphasizing the impact that Hodges's humanity had on those around him on a daily basis. Hodges was a witty man with a dry sense of humor, and his dignity and humble sacrifice sometimes masked a temper that made Joe Torre refer to him as the "Quiet Inferno." The honesty and integrity that made him so popular to so many remained his defining elements. Firsthand interviews of the many soldiers, friends, family, former teammates, players, and managers who knew and respected Hodges bring the totality of his life into full view, providing a rounded appreciation for this great man and ballplayer.
Download or read book Free Byrd written by Paul Byrd and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2008-07-01 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cleveland Indians pitcher paul Byrd gives an honest account of how he has kept his faith in God despite all the trials and temptations associated with the Major league Baseball lifestyle. Paul Byrd has experienced many struggles, victories, and life lessons both on the diamond and off. Throughout his life, the one thing that has kept him focused on walking clean is the glimpses he has received of God's goodness. He addresses the issues he has faced -- such as the temptation to cheat while pitching, the unhealthy desire to cheer against fellow teammates so he could benefit from their failure, and his personal battle with pornography. Byrd gives readers Major League insight into the lifestyle of top-tier baseball players while showing how, even through a struggle, he was able to pick himself up and continue to believe and trust in a God who deeply loves us all. Paul's focus remains on the people we relate to every day and the significant conversations and interactions we can have with those we love, learning to build them up rather than tear them down. In Free Byrd, readers see how Paul's life was changed through the lessons he was taught, and how he discovered a freedom he never imagined through a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. And, most importantly, he invites everyone to experience the same transformation.
Download or read book Under the March Sun written by Charles Fountain and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2009-03-04 with total page 334 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is nothing in all of American sport quite like baseball's spring training. This annual six-week ritual, whose origins date back nearly a century and a half, fires the hearts and imaginations of fans who flock by the hundreds of thousands to places like Dodgertown to glimpse superstars and living legends in a relaxed moment and watch the drama of journeyman veterans and starry-eyed kids in search of that last spot on the bench. In Under the March Sun, Charles Fountain recounts for the first time the full and fascinating history of spring training and its growth from a shoestring-budget roadtrip to burn off winter calories into a billion-dollar-a-year business. In the early days southern hotels only reluctantly admitted ballplayers--and only if they agreed not to mingle with other guests. Today cities fight for teams by spending millions in public money to build ever-more-elaborate spring-training stadiums. In the early years of the 20th century, the mayor of St. Petersburg, Florida, Al Lang, first realized that coverage in northern newspapers every spring was publicity his growing city could never afford to buy. As the book demonstrates, cities have been following Lang's lead ever since, building identities and economies through the media exposure and visitors that spring training brings. An entertaining cultural history that taps into the romance of baseball even as it reveals its more hard-nosed commercial machinations, Under the March Sun shows why spring training draws so many fans southward every March. While the prices may be growing and the intimacy and accessibility shrinking, they come because the sunshine and sense of hope are timeless.
Download or read book Baseball in Pensacola written by Scott Brown and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2013-03-05 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Western Gate to the Sunshine State boasts an epic history of hardball, dating back nearly to the beginning of the sport. Sunshine, loyal fans and pristine beaches have attracted baseball's best athletes to Pensacola--from stars like Babe Ruth and Ted Williams to the Blue Wahoos, modern-day affiliate for the Cincinnati Reds. The city is home to major-league teams during spring training, minor-league teams during the season and baseball fanatics year-round. Whether it's following big-league icons or cheering high school future stars, Pensacola's love affair with baseball runs deep. Team up with local author Scott Brown as he details the area's greatest moments in America's oldest pastime.
Download or read book The Football Thesaurus 2e written by Jesse Goldberg-Strassler and published by August Publications. This book was released on 2021-07-27 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Field generals throw back-shoulder passes to vertical threats, working off the bump and run. Penalties were originally signaled by horns, not flags. Tailbacks follow the big uglies to paydirt for a touchdown. Football is a sport with its own lingo and jargon - a colorful patois that's developed over the years and millions of games, college and pro, with today's broadcasters developing their own descriptions of America's Game. In The Football Thesaurus, a fascinating compendium of football terms, Jesse Goldberg-Strassler - broadcaster, storyteller, talker, voice - explains what football terms mean and how they came to be. Whether it's a discussion of how Doug Plank was the inspiration for Buddy Ryan's 46 defense or why legendary Chicago Bears owner/coach George Halas referred to a football as a cantaloupe, Goldberg-Strassler's book succeeds both as a football reference and a history of the game. "Football is the country's favorite sport, the heartbeat of most every town, community, and metropolis," Goldberg-Strassler says. "We watch it, we breathe it, and - above all else - we talk it. The Football Thesaurus is filled with all the ways the game is talked, from the casual jargon of the armchair quarterback to the barking cadence of the signal-caller in the shotgun." The Football Thesaurus comes from the author of The Baseball Thesaurus. The Baseball Thesaurus has been an Amazon bestseller and is currently in a third edition. Professionals in the sport agree: "Sports fans have their own unique language. The Football Thesaurus delves into the terms that have helped turn football into America's Game. I've always been fascinated by the words used to describe the action on the field, Jesse not only provides the terminology but also the context. A terrific resource that will be a part of my preparation for every new season." - Ian Eagle, broadcaster, CBS Sports "A fabulous read, whether as a refresher for the die-hard fan, a scroll for the football historian, or as a foundation to learn about the game itself. Jesse hits many of the fine points that make the game unique. I imagine if aliens ever came down and asked what football is, I'd give them this text and then slowly back away, cowering in fear." - Adam Amin, broadcaster, ESPN "For the casual fan, The Football Thesaurus weaves the basic concepts of the game with entertaining stories from Army's Lonely End to Michigan State's Little Giants," Goldberg-Strassler says. "For the 12th Man, the Thesaurus collects every type of technique and play imaginable, sharing how to differentiate between a stalk and a trap block, a jet and an orbit sweep, and a flare and a banana route."
Download or read book Baseball Fantography written by Fantography LLC and published by Harry N. Abrams. This book was released on 2012-04-01 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Baseball Fantography is a celebration of baseball through the eyes of fans via photos they've taken of players, ballparks, and related subjects over the past nine decades, along with essays, sidebars, and quotes. The project originated when the author discovered an old 1960s snapshot of himself as a teenager with his idol, Roger Maris, at Yankee Stadium. Realizing that he couldn't be the only one with these hidden photographic gems, he began collecting baseball photos taken by fans. The book contains more than 250 never-before-published images (Roberto Clemente, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter, Josh Hamilton) in chapters on subjects like ballparks, spring training, broadcasters, dugouts, and baseball cards, and features contributions from baseball aficionados and notables like Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, a 35-year veteran Topps baseball photographer, and a former president of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Praise for Baseball Fantography:"The never-before-published shots are cool, offering a new look at the familiar." --New York Post
Download or read book Baseball in Florida written by Kevin M. McCarthy and published by University of Michigan Press. This book was released on 1996 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of Florida baseball encompasses greats, as well as outstanding college ball, the Negro Leagues, women's teams, and the minor leagues. You'll also read about baseball camps, old-timers' leagues, and even movies and novels about baseball.
Download or read book My 1961 written by Andy Strasberg and published by . This book was released on 2021-04-26 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
