Sports Collectibles

Posts tagged ‘Vintage Baseball’


Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal of baseball is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four markers called bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond. Players on one team (the batting team) take turns hitting while the other team (the fielding team) tries to stop them from scoring runs by getting hitters out in any of several ways. A player on the batting team can stop at any of the bases and hope to score on a teammate's hit. The teams switch between batting and fielding whenever the fielding team gets three outs. One turn at bat for each team constitutes an inning; nine innings make up a professional game. The team with the most runs at the end of the game wins.

Baseball on the professional, amateur, and youth levels is popular in North America (particularly in the United States), Central America, parts of South America and the Caribbean, and parts of East Asia and Southeast Asia. The game is thought to have originated in England some time before 1755, as noted by William Bray, a lawyer from the period whose diary historians have recently authenticated. The consensus of historians is that it evolved from earlier bat-and-ball games, such as cricket and rounders. Baseball was then brought to North America by British and Irish immigrants. This is contrary to the popular belief that the game was invented in North America during the eighteenth century. However, by the late nineteenth century, baseball was widely recognized as the national sport of the United States. The game is sometimes referred to as hardball in contrast to the very similar game of softball.

In North America, professional Major League Baseball teams are divided into the National League (NL) and American League (AL). Each league has three divisions: East, West, and Central. Every year, the champion of Major League Baseball is determined by playoffs culminating in the World Series. Four teams make the playoffs from each league: the three regular season division winners, plus one wild card team. The wild card is the team with the best record among the non–division winners in the league. In the National League, the pitcher is required to bat, per the traditional rules. In the American League, there is a tenth player, a designated hitter, who bats for the pitcher. Each major league team has a "farm system" of minor league teams at various levels. These teams allow younger players to develop as they gain on-field experience against opponents with similar levels of skill.

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Tin Sign - Babe Ruth Baseball - No Fear Tin Sign - Babe Ruth Baseball - No Fear

Tin Sign - Babe Ruth - No Fear - MADE IN THE USA! Quality heavy gauge metal has rolled edges for added strength and pre-drilled holes in each corner for hanging. Measures SIZE 12.5"W x 16"H.

Babe Ruth Pinch Hit - Retro Tin Sign Babe Ruth Pinch Hit - Retro Tin Sign

Tin Sign "Babe Ruth Pinch Hit- Retro" Metal sign 16" X 12 1/2" - holes punched in each corner with folded edges. Nostalgic, Collectible, Reproduction, and Brand New.

Baseball (Vintage Art) Photography Art Poster Print by Bruce Curtis, 16x20 Baseball (Vintage Art) Photography Art Poster Print by Bruce Curtis, 16x20

AllPosters.com is the world's #1 seller of posters, prints, photographs, specialty products and framed art. We're dedicated to bringing our customers the best selection of high quality wall décor that is perfect for their home or office...

Movie Classics: Melody of Dreams Movie Classics: Melody of Dreams

BRIGHT DOUBLE NEON CLOCKS with a color neon tube on the outside and a white neon color tube in the inside, with tin sign advertisement inside! Chrome finish metal case, 12v adapter included and the clock is battery operated...

Abbott and Costello Old Time Radio Abbott and Costello Old Time Radio

his unique old time radio CD collectible features 3 digitized reels of classic Comedians Abbott and Costello radio broadcasts and over 76 minutes of total running time on 1 CD. Episodes included are; Nylon Stockings, Visit to a Sanitarium, Christmas Party...

Gene Autry Old Time Radio Gene Autry Old Time Radio

This unique old time radio CD collectible features 2 digitized reels of classic Gene Autry radio broadcasts and over 73 Minutes of total running time on 1 CD. Episodes included are; Murdock the Rustler, How Gene Found Champion...

Blue Mountain FB075391B Cooperstown Nostalgic Baseball Prepasted Wall Border Blue Mountain FB075391B Cooperstown Nostalgic Baseball Prepasted Wall Border

Reviews

I love my boys room. The border went on easily and looks great. We had never put up any kidn of wallpaper before.

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PEANUTS Charlie Brown DOORSTOP door stop WEDGE snoopy PEANUTS Charlie Brown DOORSTOP door stop WEDGE snoopy

Pick the perfect door in your home to display this delightful Peanuts doorstop. Wonderful for a kids room, sports room, or anywhere you need the company of this charming fellow! Propping open a door, this cutie encourage a fresh breeze and adds flair to your decor...

MLB Vintage World Series Films - New York Yankees: 17 Championship Seasons 1943-2000 MLB Vintage World Series Films - New York Yankees: 17 Championship Seasons 1943-2000

Reviews

Not only did I never receive the product, the MLB Vintage World Series Films of the Yankees, the seller has never yet responded to my email query about its non-arrival.

Yes...THE BEST OF THE BEST ...what more needs to be said about the greatest sports franchise in sports history. All the great players , all the great plays from 1943-2000. Non believers and Yankee haters take note...buy, watch and enjoy these DVD'S...they are baseball history..they are baseball at it's finest...Joe D, The Mick, Yogi, Reggie, Jeter and a cast of other greats have made and will continue to make great baseball history for as long as baseball is played...It's to bad films from the other 10 New York Yankee World Series Wins do not exist...would love to have had those included....A GREAT BUY !!!!!!!

Whether you are a Yankee fan or not these videos contain rare footage of the Yankees 17 World Series wins from 1947 to 2000. You will see rare footage of Shibe Park, Ebbets Field, The Polo Grounds, Crosley Field, Original Milwaukee County Stadium, and of course, old Yankee Stadium before the renovations. These are complete highlights of each of the 17 Series wins. If you were to purchase these individually you would pay several hundred dollars. The quality is very good considering the age of the original broadcasts. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching these classic games from the past. They are a must for avid historical baseball fans who would like to add to their collection. The 1958 World Series on are broadcast in color.

Amazon had the best price and availability for this item. Shipping was fast and on time too! We are excited to watch it!

I am a huge fan of the New York Yankees. I remember watching every single inning of the World Series in 1996, 1998, 1999, and 2000 but wasn't born for any of the prior ones. That's what makes this collection so great, I can relive the favorite moments I was around for and see for the first time the highlights that I wasn't around for. The four most recent championships are absolutely fantastic and I could watch them over and over. The earlier ones are great because you get to watch the Yankees win the world series but the presentation isn't as good. The narration is a little boring and the footage is a little grainy so it makes the older World Series a little less cinematic. Diehard Yankee fans like myself don't need that sort of thing because the footage and the games speak for themselves but a casual fan might find them boring. This is definitely a great gift idea, I probably would have asked for it had I not already purchased it for myself!

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Covering five DVDs, 12 hours, and a span of 58 years, Vintage World Series Films: New York Yankees is a sweeping time capsule of the history of the Bronx Bombers, and of baseball itself. These are the official films produced by Major League Baseball to summarize each year's World Series, and that means 17 films for the Yankees between 1943 and 2000 ranging from a brief 22 minutes (1943) to over an hour each (the later series)...

MLB Vintage World Series Films - Los Angeles Dodgers 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981 & 1988 MLB Vintage World Series Films - Los Angeles Dodgers 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981 & 1988

Reviews

This video contains all the World Series that the Dodgers won since moving to Los Angeles. This is great for Dodger fans. As a Yankee fan I was most interested in their two confrontations in 1963 and 1981. Both were very memorable to me. The Yankees also played the Dodgers in the 1977 and 1978 World Series but the Dodgers were on the short end of those series, so they are not included. In 1959 the Dodger won in only their second year in Los Angeles. They beat Al Lopez's White Sox in 6th games. This was the beginning of the Koufax and Drysdale Dodgers but the pitching hero was a reliever named Larry Sherry. Casey Stengel's Yankees only lost the American League pennant twice in the 1950s and both times it was to a team managed by Al Lopez. First the Cleveland Indians with the pitching of Feller, Wynn and Lemon in 1954 and then to the White Sox in 1959. In 1954 the Indians amassed an amazing total of more than 110 wins in a 154 game season and so a Yankee team that won as many games as any in the 1950s lost out. 1959 was the only bad year that the Yankees had under Stengel and they finished a distant third that year. In 1963 the Yankees still had Mantle and Maris and Skowron, Howard and Berra. They were the defending World Champions but got swept by the Dodgers in the series due to phenomenal pitching. Mantle did hit his 15th World Se3ries home run off Koufax in game 4 to tie a record that Babe Ruth held at the time for most World Series home runs. Three of the games were pitchers battles with Ford battling Koufax twice and Bouton against Drysdale. But the Dodgers were able to win each game. A young Al Downing picthed the other game. 1981 was another interesting year. It was a strike year with a split season where there was a playoff in each league between the teams that won each half season. I think Cincinnati had a better overall record than any team in the National League but because of the peculiar format they didn't even get into the playoff since their record in each half was not the tops in the league. It was Fernando Valenzuela's rookie season and the popular Mexican was the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young award winner. The excitement due in part to the large Mexican-American population in the Los Angeles area led the media to refer to this as Fernando mania. He was able to lead Lasorda's Dodgers to a victory over those Yankees that Tommy's team couldn't achieve in 1977 or 1978. The 1988 Dodgers were the team led by Orel Hershiser and Kirk Gibson. They beat a strong Oakland As team. Gibson was unable to play in the Series but in the nonth inning of game 1 the Dodgers had the tying run on base with two outs. The As had brought their ace reliever Dennis Eckersley into the game. Lasorda decided to pinch hit with Kirk Gibson. Gibson hobbled up to the plate and if he hit a long "extra base" hit he would be lucky to make it just to first base. Amazingly, Gibson made contact with a fast ball and somehow got the leverage to hit it into the right field seats at Dodger Stadium. Jack Buck was calling the game for the national network on radio and was so stunned that he uttered the famous line "I don't believe what I just saw!"

Having grown up a Dodgers fan, the '81 and '88 championships are part of my youth. However, I had never seen much footage on any of the other championships that they won after moving to LA. With the exception of the '65 series, every game is shown in detail. 1959: Dodgers beat the White Sox in six - Only their second year in Los Angeles, this team has been compared to the Amazing Mets because of the unlikeliness of their season. It shows the bridge between the Brooklyn Dodgers (Duke Snider, Johnny Podres, etc) to the '60's Los Angeles Dodgers (Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax... including Koufax's first postseason start.) The credits show the narrator as "Vince Scully"... the familiar voice of the Dodgers for more than 50 years. 1963: Dodgers beat the Yankees in four - Ahhh... to sweep the Evil Empire (even on video) is sweet! Scully is back (now known simply as Vin) to walk us through the four game pitching demonstration. The first game saw Koufax break a record for most strikeouts in a World Series game (15) and the Series as a whole showed a grand total of four Yankee runs. 1965: Dodgers beat the Twins in seven - This is the one series that seems to be missing footage. Both game 2 and game 4 are rolled up into one single replay from the respective game with a very brief overview from Scully. Probably the most interesting thing about this series is the fact that both the Dodgers and Twins brough their Game 5 pitchers, Sandy Koufax and Jim Kaat, respectively, back for Game 7 on two days rest. For the Dodgers, that meanst skipping Drysdale's start... a HOF'er in his own right. Even more incredibly, Koufax pitches a complete game shutout! 1981: Dodgers beat the Yankees in six (at the time, it was only the second time that a team had lost the first two games and then won the next four) - This series recap shows more than just a scoring / highlight replay of the games. For the first time in the series of videos, the producer attempted to "set the scene" and provide some drama to the storyline. While I think all of these recaps are taken from their original productions, it does show the differences in how the game was marketed in the late 50's / early 60's versus the 80's. The other nice feature is that is does show some very limited highlights from both the Dodgers and Yankees earlier playoff series (including Rick Monday's dramatic homerun against the Expos). From a series perspective, it showed games that I had seen in the original broadcast, which brought out a flood of, "Oh yeah... I remember that!" feelings. From Ron Cey's diving catch of a foul bunt and doubling the runner off first in Game 3 to Cey getting hit in the head with a pitch in Game 5 to the controversial decision to remove Tommy John after four innings in Game 6 (just prior to the flood gates opening), the moments are there. It also included three straight one-run victories by the Dodgers while playing in front of their home crowd. 1988: Dodgers beat the A's in five - What can be said about this series that hasn't already been said? Obviously, Game 1 is one of the all-time classics in World Series history. Jose Canseco's second inning grand slam became the A's only runs of the game (and, ironically, Canseco's only hit of the series). From that point on , Dodger relievers held Oakland in check and the offense got just enough to set up Kirk Gibson's dramatic homerun in the bottom of the ninth. Games 2 and 5 showed the mastery that was Orel Hershiser that season (he ended up as the winner of the World Series MVP, NLCS MVP, and the Cy Young winner for that season.) This truly was the little team that could.

For a long time I have been wanting to find some footage of the old Dodger teams playing but MLB have made it hard to see it but this DVD has a lot of what I was looking for.

After wearing out my VHS versions, MLB productions have finally put their WS films on DVD. As al ifelong Dodger fan I wish they had also included the 1955 WS. Also why haven't they made all of the other MLB team Series available. Still need the Mets, Tigers, Braves and Indians I think. But the quality is still there on the new DVDs ans having them all in one package is great for a baseball lover like me. Also think MLB productions should put out more box sets of famous series like the 88 or 91 or maybe a playoff package like the 86 playoffs or the the 2003. Anyway if you love baseball like me you should pick these up

Over the years, I bought all those World Series videos for the Dodgers that now go for $50-$100 apiece on auctions, Amazon and elsewhere. Now they are all available in all their glory on this two-disc DVD set. No special music or extras here (which would be welcome), just the tapes transfered to DVD with narration by Vin Scully throughout except for the 1988 Series narrated by Bob Costas (complete with the puns but without the Gatorade drenching he got after the game where he said the Dodgers had the worst team in Series history on the field). Since I have the original tapes, I was able to make a direct A-B comparison with the DVD set and the quality is very similar. No disappointments here but remember the old shows done in the late 50's and early 60's aren't up to par technologically with the later shows. Still it's a welcome set to those who have been searching for those VHS tapes of Dodger World Series Championships. Go Blue!

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All the glory and classic moments of the Los Angeles Dodgers World Series Championships from 1959 to 1988 are digitally preserved in this one-of-a-kind two-disc DVD collection.This DVD features the official vintage World Series? films of the Los Angeles Dodgers? World Championships from 1959, 1963, 1965, 1981, and 1988...

MLB Vintage World Series Films - Cincinnati Reds 1975, 1976 & 1990 MLB Vintage World Series Films - Cincinnati Reds 1975, 1976 & 1990

Reviews

You don't have to live in Cincinnati to enjoy this bit of history. The '75 game may go down as one of the best ever! Just a great piece of nostalgia for baseball fans

I was a big fan of the Reds in the 70's. This DVD is a major disappointment. It is full of too close shots of players swinging the bat and Joe G. telling you what happened - you don't actually see it. Most of the game shots are of a player running or swinging the bat. Very few actual plays are shown. Most home runs are shown with a close-up of a player swinging and then a cut to the outfielder looking over the wall. It almost felt like they didn't have the real game action and were cutting the story together from clips they had. All in all it doesn't capture any of the excitement of the 75 series. One of the best ever. 76 is much of the same.

I was a big fan of the BRM when I was a tyke. I almost gave this a 4 because it does not do that team justice: they were one of the greatest teams ever, and frankly, at the very end of the original era in baseball: as the new series "The Bronx is on Fire" shows, the very next year, free agent reality created the age of the team of hessians. There's a sense in watching this of not really getting how these guys were so good that they just completely blew out the Yankees in 1976. Having grown up through the 75, Gowdy 'we was robbed' nonsense (that apparently cost him his job, and Snyder doing it on the news in NY), it was good to see them frame the series as a great battle and quote Fisk even as saying he was honored to play in Game 6. It is great that quality stuff like this is available for so little money. I am going to look for some stuff that is more in depth, though.

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The 1975 Fall Classic matched the Reds against the Boston Red Sox in a seven-act performance that enthralled the nation. After an extra-innings defeat in Game 6 the night before, the Reds trailed 3-0 in Game 7, but like true champions, they battled back to win the game and take home the series...

Vintage Postcard of Convertin Ad with Man (Dyspeptic Patient) Eating Hot Dog at Baseball Game (Heartburn, Indigestion, Bloating, Gas) Vintage Postcard of Convertin Ad with Man (Dyspeptic Patient) Eating Hot Dog at Baseball Game (Heartburn, Indigestion, Bloating, Gas)

This postcard features a man eating a hot dog at a baseball game and says "MEET THE DYSPEPTIC PATIENT." The text printed on the back of the card says: "The dyspeptic patient on CONVERTINTM can indulge in 'forbidden' foods like hot dogs - just for the pleasure of it...

Children's Tea Set (colors may vary) Children's Tea Set (colors may vary)

Reviews

When i rec'd the package, it was in a box exactly the same size as the box the tea set came in. There was no bubble wrap and no fragile sign on the box. If the seller would send me a yellow and a green plate, it would perfect!

Bought this to replace one that has seen many tea parties! It is large enough to actually drink from and is perfect for my 4 year old granddaughter. It could, of course, chip if not treated gently, but seems to be very sturdy. We prefer the ceramic versions to those of tin or plastic, and believe that adds to the authenticity and makes it even more special to her.

I was very impressed with this tea set. The colors are much brighter than the picture shows. It's really a very nice set. It's glass, so breakable, but that's what I was looking for. I also wanted a tea set that would be for boys and girls as it was for my grandchildren. It was exactly what I wanted & more!

We liked them very much. The only problem is that one of the sets came broken.

I loved this set! My daughter immediatly started to play and we set up some animals and began our first tea party...and then "clank!". I realized...oh my god it's glass! My 3 yo is playing with a glass tea set! Within the week, 3 of the plates were broken. The quality is great..but I recommend this for tea partiers 7 yo+ only! There are some nice plastic sets out there for littler tea partiers and I recommend you go with those! I give it a one star for durability.

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13 piece porcelain tea set. Ages: 8 And Up

50 Original Unopened Packs of Vintage Baseball Cards (1986-1994) - Look for rookie cards, hall of famers, special inserts, and more!! (PACKS ARE FUN TO OPEN) 50 Original Unopened Packs of Vintage Baseball Cards (1986-1994) - Look for rookie cards, hall of famers, special inserts, and more!! (PACKS ARE FUN TO OPEN)

Reviews

I gave the package of baseball cards to my nephew for Christmas. He was very excited about the gift. It was a big hit with him.

I loved this...spent hours going over all the cards. Pulled Bonds, Rookie Ken Griffey Jr., and several other "I hope i pull that" cards. Excellent purchase that I just bought for the third time. Highly Recommend.

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In these packs, you'll have a chance to pull rookie cards of Barry Bonds (1987), Ken Griffey Jr (1989), Frank Thomas (1990), Chipper Jones (1991), Shawn Green (1992),Derek Jeter (1993), Alex Rodriguez (1994), and many others.

Girls Jive Vintage Baseball T-Shirts Girls Jive Vintage Baseball T-Shirts

60/40 Rayon Cotton. Nailheads. Waterbased ink. Foil. Scalloped lace detail at raglan.

Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks

Reviews

Zack Hample's book is enjoyable and informative, and it makes for a great read in preparation for Opening Day. I have been a casual fan of the sport for many years. Recently, something has clicked and I have found the sport to be much more engaging and enjoyable. I'm looking forward to the upcoming season more than I have in many years. Watching Baseball Smarter includes some things I already knew, and many things that I didn't. It includes very basic information for the person who knows next to nothing about the game (e.g. what a force out is) but also deals with more obscure information and even a bit of trivia (e.g. at which stadium did "The Wave" first appear?). I also enjoyed the Baseball glossary at the back of the book, which included such terms as 'worm-burner,' 'meatball,' and 'human rain delay.' After reading this book, I understand more of the strategy and intricacies of the game. I recommend this book whether you're a new fan to the sport, or a long-time follower of America's Pastime, as it will deepen your appreciation for all that happens on the field.

Zack Hample knows his baseball and both novice and the seasoned follower will gain from these pages. Yet, he did not target his reader, and that's where I feel he "dropped the ball". Someone new to baseball will appreciate most of the basic stuff that he so carefully describes, and then get bogged down by the heavy and thick technical elucidations. And someone with a decent knowledge of the game can truly expand his command of the sport (as a fan) yet suffer with all the triviality directed at the newby. If one could only foretell when to read and when to skip, the book would be more enjoyable and, of course, a sweeter read.

buy this book. Like a bad student paper, Hample comments on basic Baseball fundamentals. Why would anyone publish this? In my opinion, this book is fradulent in purpose and execution. Make the "smarter" choice--pass it by.

I'm a deeply professed baseball geek, sabremetrics aficianado, and obsessive baseball watcher. I bought this for a quick read through and a help for my darling girlfriend, who struggles to understand what I'm talking about when I reference "Old Abner," an eephus, or some of the finer points of baseball rules. As a baseball geek, I got a little out of this. Some of the anecdotes were interesting, and I learned a handful of things I didn't already know. On that basis, I'd rate it 3/5 stars for the serious baseball geek. My girlfriend, on the other hand, rates it 5 stars, and I rate it 5 stars on that basis - as now she understands me! She went from being passe toward baseball to actually enjoying the games, and occasionally trying to keep score herself. This book is a great success to help the layman understand what us obsessives are talking about!

This review is of the Kindle Edition. In the statistics section, there are numerous arithmetic formulae. For some reason, the author or typographer chose to use the ÷ symbol rather than the now-more-prevalent /. Unfortunately, in the Kindle edition (perhaps due to OCR?) nearly every ÷ has been replaced by a + instead. This really screws up the math. There's another spot, when talking about pitcher stats, where the G (for games played) is rendered instead as a 6. These don't strike me as typos -- they seem like they have to be OCR errors, as though Amazon had scanned & then poorly-proofread a physical copy of the book. I don't understand why the publisher couldn't provide Amazon with a fully proofed soft-copy of the book. As far as the content goes, it's enjoyable to read. On my iPhone, the glossary is very difficult to use, but that's not the author's fault (it would have been nice to have every instance of a glossary term actually linked to the glossary rather than just italicized, but since Amazon couldn't even get the proofing done properly, I know that's too much to ask). I do agree with the reviewers who state that it's neither for true beginners nor for deeply serious geeks. It's too disorganized, and assumes familiarity with a wide range of concepts more advanced than just the basic field positions & game-play, to really be for beginners. But it doesn't go into nearly enough depth or arcane depth to be more than passingly amusing to a deeply serious geek.

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Whether you’re a major league couch potato, life-long season ticket-holder, or teaching game to a beginner, Watching Baseball Smarter leaves no territory uncovered. In this smart and funny fan’s guide Hample explains the ins and outs of pitching, hitting, running, and fielding, while offering insider trivia and anecdotes that will surprise even the most informed viewers of our national pastime...

The Complete Game: Reflections on Baseball and the Art of Pitching (Vintage) The Complete Game: Reflections on Baseball and the Art of Pitching (Vintage)

Reviews

...that I struck out against his younger brother in high-school. Or that his father was a source of irritation to our coach, barking at the ump from behind the screen during that Wachusett/St. John's h.s game in April, 1984. He also wouldn't know that as a "purist" I found this read to be a refreshingly unorthodox take on the baseball "genre." What a decent change-up, actually. And even though Ron's imprint around central Mass. in the 80's could have led to the impression that he'd "gone N.Y.," this book grounds him as workmanlike professional. From this pov, his voice read a bit like an expression of shared, regional roots. And yes, in his most salaried prime, I once saw Ron drive past me on Sherman St., Alameda in his exquisite convertible. At the time I thought: What a gulf between us, 6 years and all his acclaim. But as I finished the book last night, just as he concluded his stand-up work opposite the difficult Chip Carey for the Twins/Yanks series, all I thought was that a certain "Wustah" sensibilty held sway. Oh, and the charm of it all was the abundance of very revealing game-of-baseball insights -- as opposed to MLB gossip -- for readers no matter where they're from!

Ron Darling's retrospective of what was going on inside the head of one of baseball's most cerebral performers over the course of 9 innings of various games is something any true fan of the game will relish. I loved it. Darling had a successful career as a big league pitcher, and much of that came from his mental approach to the game. Darling recalls with wonderful clarity some of his memorable moments on the mound, as well as in the broadcast booth, which give great insight into the complexities a pitcher faces when performing his task. Certainly, the thought process a hitter goes through while trying to solve the mysteries of the pitches being hurled in his direction would be even more daunting. Trying to outfox the pitcher is even more confounding that the pitcher's task at hand; still, Darling tried his hardest to make sure he was using his mental capacities to their fullest to accomplish his mission. His narrative made for a very enlightening and engaging journal. After completing this book, I couldn't help but think of Yogi Berra's great quote about the complexities of our national pastime when he said, "90% of baseball is half mental!" How true.

Ron Darling, a leader of the 1986 World Champion New York Mets, takes us inside the mind of a pitcher in different tough situations from his career, and also from what he has observed about other pitchers in his capacity as a Mets television commentator. He shares with us the mistakes and his triumphs he and other pitchers made. For baseball fans, who want more than a ESPN knowledge of this great game, this book is a must. Ron Darling is so smart; he has chosen these situations well and has obviously done a lot of thinking about their significance. I particularly enjoyed his discussion of a spectacular pitcher's battle he waged against Frank Viola while an undergraduate at Yale. In a baseball era still dominated by the home run, Ron Darling reminds that the pitcher still is the most important player on the field.

This is the best baseball book I've ever read. Darling's unique perspective is fascinating. I also watched both Ron Darling and the New York Mets play most of the examples he used therefore putting everything on a higher level. In particular is his discussion of his state of mind before and after he talked to his father on the field at Fenway Park during the 1986 World Series. Met fan or not, I highly recommend this book.

The Complete Game by Ron Darling (Mets, Expos, Athletics) is not an exposé of his time in baseball. No drinking stories, no locker room antics, no confessions of steroid usage. What you do have is a philosophical look at his time pitching, detailed pitch-by-pitch replays of games and his thoughts and decisions during them. It is written in a highly conversational style (especially if you have listened to Darling doing commentary on TBS), and Darling has an almost photographic memory for his actions and thoughts in the games he details here. As far as baseball books go, this is more like The Head Game (Roger Kahn, 2001), and not Money Ball (Lewis Michael, 2003). There aren't any secrets to pitching, just an an erudite commentary of Darling's career in the game. You won't become a better pitcher from reading this, but you will get a better insight into the nature of what might be the hardest position in baseball.

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World Series champion, former All-Star, and award-winning television analyst Ron Darling gives readers a inside look at one of the most demanding and strategic positions in all of sports: the pitcher. Drawing on vivid situations from his playing days for the New York Mets and the Oakland Athletics, and from moments he has observed as a broadcaster, Darling offers an engaging look at the art, strategy, and psychology of pitching...

The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg

Reviews

It is largely an understatement to use any one word to describe Morris Berg. Part of what makes his story so unique is it is part novelty act, part fraud. Had Berg not been back-up catcher in the major leagues, his story probably would not have been published in numerous books. Yet the some true elements of the story make it very interesting. Berg was a back up catcher that generally preferred not to play toward the end of his career. He seemed to enjoy the camaraderie of the game to actually playing. As his playing days drew to a close, his skill in language opened new doors to him. At this point, many of the events of his life are open to debate in terms of their level of truthfulness. It can be confirmed that Berg was in Europe during World War II researching Germany's work on the atomic bomb while working for the ancestor of the CIA. After he returned, he lived the life of a vagabond. Giving the impression that he was involved in spying was more important than actually functioning. More than his early life, Berg evolves into a fraud. It is difficult to ascertain how many languages Berg actually spoke. In fact, it is remarkable research is available to provide a somewhat cohesive picture of Berg's life. When it is tough to like the man behind the story and hard to confirm parts of the story, it is hard to fully endorse the book.

Bought this book for a gift; apparently, it's a great read for the young adult in your life!

Maybe I am too young to appreciate Moe Berg but halfway through the book I wasn't sure I even liked Moe Berg anymore or cared about reading more about him. Its storyline seems intersting enough but eventually you begin to question what is true and what is hear say. A fried of mine said he loved it but then again he is atleast 55 yrs old and was more familiar with the people (baseball players) involved. The book or should I say the material got dry, boring and had me thinking "I just don't care anymore" I couldn't tell if Moe Berg was full of BS, the people the author spoke with, or if I was just expecting too much to actually get any concrete answers as to what he was really doing. Bottom line if you find the book at a library book sale for $2-$5 (as I did) then yeah go ahead, if not just leave it alone.

I heard about this book from an old veteran at a Veteran's Day function. It is all I expected and more. Moe Berg was a supremely intelligent man, a baseball fanatic, and an enigmatic person. A genuine page turner

I'm giving up on this book about 3/4 of the way through it. That's a rarity for me, but this one is a bit of a slog and I've grown weary. I finally realized what my problem is with it: From the title (no doubt a take-off on "Catcher in the Rye") I assumed that Moe Berg was a catcher WHILE he was a spy. In fact, he was a catcher and THEN a spy (other than one over-blown incident where he furtively filmed in pre-war Japan). And to be honest, he wasn't even much of a spy--he never went behind the lines, wasn't incognito, etc. The true story of the book is what an eccentric character Moe Berg was. The thing is, as charismatic as he was, I'm sure I would have been as spellbound as everyone else he met. Ultimately, though, he comes off as a tragic, pitiable man, living on past glories and the generosity of others.

Average Rating:

The only Major League ballplayer whose baseball card is on display at the headquarters of the CIA, Moe Berg has the singular distinction of having both a 15-year career as a catcher for such teams as the New York Robins and the Chicago White Sox and that of a spy for the OSS during World War II...

Mizuno Men's 9 Spike Vintage G5 Mid Baseball Cleat Mizuno Men's 9 Spike Vintage G5 Mid Baseball Cleat

Reviews

Mizuno is reliable and the original in baseball. The cleats are good. The shoe runs a hair larger than most with the mesh. The only thing, I did not know that the shoe had micro fiber on the sides instead of full leather. Better than a mid shoe, runs like a high top with support. Free shipping was great also and for the price, great shoe !!

Average Rating:

Stay one step ahead of the competition in the Vintage G5 cleat from Mizuno. Offered in a versatile mid-height profile and constructed in lightweight synthetic leather and with metal cleats, this lace-up won't trip you up or slow you down...

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