Favorite Baseball Books

[Buccaneer]

It's that time of year again when I dive into my favorite baseball books, as well as pick up new ones.

Here are my favorites:

I am reading (actually listening to on my iPod) this one now. Vecsey is a NY Times writer and a non-fiction author. So far, it's probably the best book I've read/listened to on the history of baseball:
Baseball: A History of America's Favorite Game, George Vecsey
http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-History-Americas-Favorite-Chronicles/dp/0812978706/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209432895&sr=1-1

In my opinion, Roger Angell is the best baseball writer of all time. Here is his collection of baseball articles he wrote for the New Yorker, covering many decades of baseball:
Game Time, Roger Angell
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Time-Companion-Roger-Angell/dp/0151008248/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209433220&sr=1-2

Probably everyone here has this one, however I think I may like the first edition a little better but both are great:
The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract
http://www.amazon.com/Bill-James-Historical-Baseball-Abstract/dp/0684806975/ref=sr_oe_2_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209433061&sr=1-2

I read this last year for the first time and like Men At Work, this covers the genius of Tony Larussa and Dave Duncan, detailing a nerve-wrecking series between the Cards and Cubs, and the events leading up to it:
3 Nights in August, Bissinger
http://www.amazon.com/Three-Nights-August-Strategy-Heartbreak/dp/0618710531/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209433289&sr=1-1

This one is not linked in amazon but I did enjoy reading this (it's an encyclopedia with anecdotes of anyone associated with the game, from the beginnings to present):
New Biographical History of Baseball, Dewey and Acocella

Another popular Bill James books. This book solidified my Small Hall views:
Politics of Glory, Bill James
http://www.amazon.com/POLITICS-GLORY-BASEBALL-REALLY-WORKS/dp/0025107747/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209433349&sr=1-1

This is by far my favorite fictional sports book ever, really brings the 1869 Red Stockings and their amazing season to life:
If I Never Get Back, Darryl Brock
http://www.amazon.com/If-Never-Get-Back-Novel/dp/1583941878/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209433412&sr=1-1

Probably my top 5 favorite book of all time, a personal favorite that I would take with me on a deserted island. Written in the early 70s, it is also one of the funniest and wittiest books I've read:
Great American Baseball Card Flipping, Trading and Bubble Gum Book, Boyd and Harris http://www.amazon.com/If-Never-Get-Back-Novel/dp/1583941878/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209433412&sr=1-1

What are your favorites?

ps. I am looking for a good book on the 1961 season, specifically the Maris & Mantle HR race.

[Atocep]

Outside of the BP annual and some Bill James stuff, the last baseball book I read was:

Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Blunders: A Complete Guide to the Worst Decisions and Stupidest Moments in Baseball History
http://www.amazon.com/Rob-Neyers-Book-Baseball-Blunders/dp/0743284917/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209434575&sr=8-2

I'm a big fan of Rob Neyer's work, so I really liked this book. It breaks down everything from bad trades, bad managerial decisions, bad manager/general manager hires along with some other things and goes chronologically through baseball history.

[Lathum]

the Curious Case of Sid Fintch

[path12]

Huge fan of the Bill James Historical Abstract (I actually have the yearly Abstracts from 1982 on, plus the Baseball Books or whatever they were called for three-four years after that. I'll also second the Hall of Fame book.

Other than those, another favorite is the Ultimate Baseball Book edited by Robert Creamer, and of course if you can get the Ken Burns series it never gets old to watch.

[Calis]

I'm too lazy for fancy formatting.

My baseball library is pretty slim, but the books not mentioned that stand out to me are Leigh Montville's biography of Ted Williams, and the Ty Cobb one by Al Stump which was one of my favorite biographies of anyone.

I really enjoyed Fantasyland by Sam Walker for a fun book, and right now am reading the Baseball Economist for a more stat-centric book and really enjoying it. Next up for me is The Last Best League(I think), a book following the Cape Cod League for a season, which looks pretty good.

I've had my eye on Crazy '08 for a while now. Anyone read that? I'd like a book focused on a season or portion of a season like that from the turn of the century.

I'm intrigued by that If I Never Get Back book. I'm going to have to look into buying that one.

[ISiddiqui]

One of the best books providing easily accessible and entertaining information on the vast field of sabermetrics research is:

Baseball Between the Numbers by the Baseball Prospectus team
http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Between-Numbers-Prospectus-Experts/dp/B000MKYKB8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209439308&sr=8-10

[Simms]

This is by far my favorite fictional sports book ever, really brings the 1869 Red Stockings and their amazing season to life:
If I Never Get Back, Darryl Brock
http://www.amazon.com/If-Never-Get-Back-Novel/dp/1583941878/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209433412&sr=1-1


Likewise one of my favorite books (in any genre) for many years. (I'm pretty sure you and I have had this exchange here before. :) )

A couple of years ago, I finally got around to buying Brock's followup title, Havana Heat ... although I got it in audiobook format (for ipod). Like If I Never Get Back, it's a really nice blend of historical fact and fiction, as the story revolves around the '11 Giants' barnstorming tour of Cuba.

The narrator for the audiobook is especially good -- a prefect voice for the time period -- and I'd highly recommend it if you like that sort of thing, but I'm sure it's worth picking up in paperback, too.

http://www.amazon.com/Havana-Heat-Novel-Darryl-Brock/dp/B000H2MDG0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209439222&sr=8-1

[SackAttack]

I've read a few good biographies of Sandy Koufax, but my favorite is Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy.

There's one I read in the 4th grade that was about the Dodgers in general, that got me into reading about baseball history. All I remember about it was that it had a yellow and black cover, and it was in paperback. Wish I could remember the name of it so I could try and track it down.

[StLee]

David Halberstam's October 1964, covering the Yankees-Cardinals series, is one of my favorite books ever. It's well worth the read.

[vtbub]

Koufax, as mentioned above.

Steven King's Faithful is pretty good as well.

[Young Drachma]

The Southpaw

[Coffee Warlord]

For more lighthearted stuff..

Jay Johnstone's books are fun reads, as is, if you can find it anymore, Baseball Confidential. (http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Confidential-Bruce-Nash/dp/0671658328/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209479391&sr=8-4)

[LloydLungs]

For more lighthearted stuff..

Jay Johnstone's books are fun reads, as is, if you can find it anymore, Baseball Confidential. (http://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Confidential-Bruce-Nash/dp/0671658328/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209479391&sr=8-4)

Ahhh, I loved Baseball Confidential. I wish there were an updated version.

[CamEdwards]

I haven't read Havana Heat, but as I understand it it's not a sequel to "If I Never Get Back".

The sequel is called "Two in the Field", and while I didn't like it as much as the first book, it's still a good read.

http://www.amazon.com/Two-Field-Novel-Darryl-Brock/dp/1583941886/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209483886&sr=8-2

[Simms]

I haven't read Havana Heat, but as I understand it it's not a sequel to "If I Never Get Back".

The sequel is called "Two in the Field", and while I didn't like it as much as the first book, it's still a good read.

http://www.amazon.com/Two-Field-Novel-Darryl-Brock/dp/1583941886/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209483886&sr=8-2

Sorry ... I didn't mean to imply it was a sequel, just that it was his *next* book. I honestly didn't even know there *was* a sequel to If I Never Get Back until just now. :)

[CamEdwards]

Sorry ... I didn't mean to imply it was a sequel, just that it was his *next* book. I honestly didn't even know there *was* a sequel to If I Never Get Back until just now. :)

And after I went back and re-read what you actually wrote, I'm the dumbass. Sorry 'bout that.

[DanGarion]

Fantasyland was a great easy read. http://www.amazon.com/Fantasyland-Season-Baseballs-Lunatic-Fringe/dp/B000GUJH7G/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209487867&sr=1-1

You Gotta Have Wa is pretty cool if you'd like to learn the history of baseball in Japan. http://www.amazon.com/You-Gotta-Have-Robert-Whiting/dp/067972947X

And I'm still a big fan of Moneyball, but I'm sure it's mentioned somewhere here.

[Draft Dodger]

And after I went back and re-read what you actually wrote, I'm the dumbass. Sorry 'bout that.

I concur that Cam is the dumbass.

I've always liked George Will's Men At Work for the way it explored all of the subtelties and nuances of the the game.

[lungs]

the Ty Cobb one by Al Stump which was one of my favorite biographies of anyone.


I'll second that one. First I read the autobiography which Stump ghostwrote, I believe.

Then I read the biography for a little bit more of an unbiased view of things. It's telling when an autobiography's ghost writer goes back and writes a biography. Cobb certainly wasn't going to make himself look bad in his autobiography, but it was still a good read. You get a bit of an idea what was going through his head.

[Buccaneer]

Simms/Cam, I had not heard of Brock's other books since quite a bit of time had passed. I did see 'Two in the Field' when I was searching for my link and saw that it really nothing to do with the original, despite being a sequel with Sam Fowler. Apparently, he had to write another sequel to get it right?

[CamEdwards]

Simms/Cam, I had not heard of Brock's other books since quite a bit of time had passed. I did see 'Two in the Field' when I was searching for my link and saw that it really nothing to do with the original, despite being a sequel with Sam Fowler. Apparently, he had to write another sequel to get it right?

I don't know who said it has nothing to do with the original, but it does. It's a little less baseball oriented, but it (without getting too spoiler heavy) involves Sam going back to try and find his love interest from the first book (I think her name was Cate?).

[Oilers9911]

Ball Four
Wrigleyville

[Buccaneer]

Cam/Simms, I found Two in the Field in SF while I was on vacation and absolutely loved it. While it did not have as much baseball, I thought it had more suspense. I loved how it picked up where the first book left off, but not in the way one would think.

[SirFozzie]

Ball Four - Jim Bouton
Crazy '08 - (the story of the 1908 season)
The Wrong Stuff - Bill "Spaceman" Lee

[tarcone]

Iowa Baseball Confederacy- WP Kinsella
The Bronx Zoo- Sparky Lyle

I loved "If I Never Get Back".

[MrDNA]

One I've been meaning to read:

Veeck--As In Wreck: The Autobiography of Bill Veeck (http://www.amazon.com/Veeck-As-Wreck-Autobiography-Bill-Veeck/dp/0226852180)

You know Bill Veeck, even if you don't realize you do.

[Simms]

Cam/Simms, I found Two in the Field in SF while I was on vacation and absolutely loved it. While it did not have as much baseball, I thought it had more suspense. I loved how it picked up where the first book left off, but not in the way one would think.

Nice ... I'll try and pick it up.

[Chief Rum]

Glory Of Their Times

(pretty sure that's the title). Book that's been around and still a great read.

[Oilers9911]

Ball Four
Wrigleyville
Glory of Thier Times.

[mattlanta]

Moneyball!

[rowech]

Bill James Historical Abstract
Ocboter 1964
Baseball and Other Matters in 1941
Glory of Their Times

The Fay Vinent oral histories (there are two so far) are also pretty good...along the same lines as Glory of Their Times.

[headtrauma]

Summer of '49 by David Halberstam

[Buccaneer]

Bill James Historical Abstract
Ocboter 1964
Baseball and Other Matters in 1941
Glory of Their Times

The Fay Vinent oral histories (there are two so far) are also pretty good...along the same lines as Glory of Their Times.

I picked up one of those earlier this summer - We Would Have Played For Nothing. It's pretty good, but I still like Angell's interviewing, reporting and musing style better.

[Lathum]

Ken Burns Baseball started tonight on the local PBS station here, I have never seen it and so far am really anjoying it

[SirFozzie]

I want to watch that so much, but they charge over $100 for the DVD set.

[Lathum]

check your PBS affiliate

[Tasan]

I'm not much of a baseball nerd, but I'm a die-hard fan of the sad-sack Texas Rangers. I absolutely loved "Seasons in Hell: With Billy Martin, Whitey Herzog, and the worst baseball team in history" by Mike Shropshire. Very funny, and good behind the scenes stuff. A real easy read because the guy is a newspaper writer mainly.

[Captain2711]

I want to watch that so much, but they charge over $100 for the DVD set.

I netflixed it and then burned it. I watch it all the time. I usually don't go past the 50's, though. The series to me seems to lose a little nostalgia at that point for me.