Walkoffs, Last Licks and Final Outs


Book Description

Many of baseball¿s most memorable moments come from endings, otherwise known as ¿last licks.¿ But even the most celebrated last licks have aspects fans are not aware of. Indeed, there is no end to the anecdotes, humor and trivia associated with last licks. Some of the final acts described in this book include:Summary and analysis of some of the great postseason finishes, including:¿Bobby Thompson¿s ¿Shot Heard `Round the World¿ in the 1951 playoffs¿Dave Roberts steal of second base in Game Four of the 2004 ALCSA comprehensive list of every perfect game thrown in Major League History and analysis of the most impressive streaks, including:¿Joe DiMaggio¿s 56-game hitting streak¿Darren Lewis¿ streak of 369 errorless gamesGreat last moments in some of the most famous stadiums in history, including Old Comiskey, Crosley Field and the Polo Grounds. Eulogies and career statistics for ballplayers who passed before their time, including Urban Shocker, Roberto Clemente and the recent tragedy of Josh Hancock.Heroic, and not-so-heroic endings to Hall of Fame careers, including:¿Rogers Hornsby¿s career-ending, walk-off grand slam in 1922¿Ted Williams¿ scandalous final at-bat in 1960, a towering home run to center field that ended when Williams refused a curtain call for the 11,000 fans in attendanceContains box scores, line scores, career statistics and photos for some of the greatest games and players in MLB history. A must-have for any baseball library.




The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly: Philadelphia Phillies


Book Description

The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly: Philadelphia Philliespresents all the best moments and personalities in the history of the Phillies. It also unmasks the bad, the regrettably awful, and the unflinchingly ugly. In an entertaining and unsparing fashion, author Todd Zolecki has written a book that sparkles with Phillies highlights, lowlights, wonderful and wacky memories, legends and goats, the famous, and the infamous. You'll relive the rapturous season of the Whiz Kids and the magical 2008 run to the World Series, but also the lows of the historically inept Phillies of the 1930s and the equally historic collapse of 1964. You'll celebrate the incredible majesty of a Mike Schmidt home run, but you'll lament the devastation of Mitch Williams' infamous gopher ball to Joe Carter.




Good Wood: The Story of the Baseball Bat


Book Description

In Good Wood, New York Times contributor Stuart Miller takes readers on a journey through the rich and storied—and occasionally nefarious—story of the baseball bat and those who have made them and swung them. With over 50 photos, Miller reveals the creation, history, and development of the bat, brings readers up to date on modern methods and materials for making bats, and explores the folklore surrounding bats.




Baseball's Memorable Misses


Book Description

Baseball books span the spectrum from the All-Stars to the has-beens but invariably overlook the endless string of things that could have happened but didn't. Baseball’s Memorable Misses fills that void, pointing out little-known facts perfect for both rabid and casual fans. Who knew that Willie Mays never won an RBI crown or that Stan Musial hit the most home runs in one day but never led his league in a season? Nolan Ryan had zero Cy Young Awards despite owning records for strikeouts and no-hitters. Roger Clemens, on the other hand, had a record seven Cy Youngs and two 20-strikeout games but zero no-hitters.There were also zero no-hitters by Greg Maddux, who has more wins than any living pitcher. Players took zeroes and sometimes double-zeroes as uniform numbers. Veteran baseball writer Dan Schlossberg delves into the previously-unknown world of baseball zeroes, exploring everything from Christy Mathewson's zero runs allowed in the 1905 World Series to the three perfect games pitched in Yankee Stadium. This book also reveals that there were zero no-hitters pitched by Pirates at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field even though visiting pitchers did not fall victim to that hex. There have been zero players who hit five home runs in one game but two who have hit five in one day. This is a book of Almost But Not Quite (ABNQ for short) but also a book that suggests baseball's second century can be almost as intriguing as its first. With the help of author Doug Lyons, who wrote the foreword, and celebrated baseball cartoonist Ronnie Joyner, this is also a utilitarian volume, perfect for the living room coffee table or even the bathroom. Like the game itself, Baseball’s Memorable Misses is fun--and perfect for rain delays in season or off-season enjoyment.




Hank Aaron: Groundbreaking Baseball Slugger


Book Description

This title introduces Hank Aaron who has had a great influence on his sport and in his society. Career highlights, battles along the way, and humanitarian contributions are discussed. Aaron's legacy is told through informative sidebars, captivating photos, and engaging text. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. SportsZone is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.




Havana Hardball


Book Description

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.




One-Year Dynasty


Book Description

Relive the games, moves, and players of the hard-hitting team that won the 1986 World Series. Vin Scully called the tenth-inning groundball in Game Six of the 1986 World Series—Mets versus Red Sox—that sealed a comeback, fueled a curse, and turned a batting champion into a scapegoat. But getting there was a long, hard slog with plenty of heartache. After being knocked out of contention the previous two seasons, the Mets blasted through the National League that year. They won blowouts, nailbiters, fights, and a 14-inning game that ended with one pitcher on the mound, another in right field, and an All-Star catcher playing third base. Matt Silverman covers famous baseball players including: Ron Darling, Dwight Gooden, Keith Hernandez, Darryl Strawberry and more. Going beyond the partying and excess, Silverman recounts in this book, step by step, the team’s meteoric rise in 1986, when they captured their first division title in over a decade, shattered the franchise record, and then won it all.




Remembering Yankee Stadium


Book Description

Throughout the 2008 season, each game played at the world’s most beloved stadium brought “The House That Ruth Built” closer to shutting its gates forever. Players envisioned running off the field one last time. Vendors anticipated selling their last bags of peanuts. Fans readied themselves to raise their voices in one final cheer. In Remembering Yankee Stadium, Harvey Frommer—one of the country’s leading baseball authorities—takes us on a journey through the stadium’s storied 85-year old history, from 1927’s unstoppable Murderers’ Row, to Joe DiMaggio’s unfathomable hitting streak, to Maris and Mantle’s thrilling race for the home-run record, to the hirings—and the firings—of Billy Martin, to Derek Jeter’s rise to greatness. The moments and the magic that filled this great stadium are brought alive again through dozens of interviews, a gripping narrative, and a priceless collection of photographs and memorabilia. As the new stadium steps into the forefront, the old ballpark across the street recedes into memory, taking with it the glory and grandeur, the history and heroics, the magic and the mystique of its nearly nine decade-long life. This book captures that time and is at once an album, a keepsake, and a record of its fabulous run.




When the Braves Ruled the Diamond


Book Description

From 1991 through 2005, the Atlanta Braves did something no pro sports team can match, finishing in first place for fourteen consecutive seasons. During that stretch, the Braves paired powerful pitching with potent hitting that produced under pressure. Hall of Fame manager Bobby Cox won with veteran teams, young teams, slugging teams, and several times with teams that emphasized speed and defense. His teams captured on hundred wins in six different seasons. In When the Braves Ruled the Diamond, now newly updated to include a discussion of the team's latest Hall of Fame inductees, former AP sportswriter Dan Schlossberg covers the record-breaking era that transformed Atlanta from the Bad-News Braves to America's Team. With separate chapters on Cox, fabled pitching coach Leo Mazzone, and Hall of Fame pitchers Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz, this book also highlights the contributions of Andres Galarraga, Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Brian Jordan, Javy Lopez, Terry Pendleton, and many more Braves stars. It features year-by-year summaries, Opening Day lineups, and even oddball anecdotes that explain why the fourteen-year streak may never be duplicated. It is the perfect gift for fans of baseball history as well as fans of the Atlanta Braves! Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.




The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All Time


Book Description

The Dodgers have played more than 10,000 games as a franchise. Their 50 greatest games span two coasts and three centuries worth of baseball. They include: • A doubleheader that lasted six and a half innings combined • A single game that featured three teams on the field • A game in which the Dodgers didn’t record a hit – and won • The games in which the single-season and career home run records were broken • Three perfect games and two no-hitters • The longest game in major league history • The first major league game ever televised • A game in which the Dodgers’ pitcher lost consciousness on the field • An exhibition game that drew 93,103 spectators • The first integrated game in major league history The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games features all the best players to don the uniform: Sandy Koufax, Jackie Robinson, Kirk Gibson, Zack Wheat, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Clayton Kershaw, Steve Garvey, Don Drysdale, Pee Wee Reese and more. It also features some of the unsung heroes of baseball history, like Cookie Lavagetto, Vic Davalillo, Sandy Amoros, Al Gionfriddo and Joe McGinnity. For the first time, their performances are laid side-by-side in this account of the greatest Dodgers games ever played. Which game ranks number one?