A book about a baseball player. And I want to read it?

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September Swoon: Richie Allen, the '64 Phillies, and Racial Integration

I remember hearing his name a lot when I was growing up. My brother was a fan of his, and apparently my mother talked about inviting him over for dinner, around the time when he was being vilified most severely, or something like that. That never happened though. (I wonder if he would have accepted the invitation?) But the potential dinner invitation to Richie Allen became a part of family lore in its own right.

Anyhow, I might read this, seeing as it isn't primarily about baseball.

― Rockist Scientist, Saturday, 5 June 2004 12:41 (twenty years ago) link

'the catcher was a spy' is a good book about a baseball player, likewise baseball not necessarily the focus

― ron (ron), Saturday, 5 June 2004 17:43 (twenty years ago) link

Rockist, you should check out his autobiography, Crash. It's one of the best baseball books I've read; talks about all the crap he went through. great stuff.

One of my favorite ever baseball photos is this Sports Illustrated cover photo of Allen when he played for the White Sox in the late 70's, he's standing in the dugout in those classic red pinstripe uniforms, juggling baseballs and smoking a cigarette.

― Broheems (diamond), Saturday, 5 June 2004 22:22 (twenty years ago) link

I read a review of "The Ticket Out: Darryl Strawberry and the Boys of Crenshaw," that made me wanna read it. The premise: tracking a great inner-city LA little league team; 20 years later, several members are drug addicts, dead, and Strawberry becomes a colossal disappoint, given many chances to clean up his act, but still a recidivist fuck-up.

― robots in love (robotsinlove), Saturday, 5 June 2004 22:31 (twenty years ago) link

'fear strikes out' is the best baseball book by a baseball player.

― keith m (keithmcl), Saturday, 5 June 2004 22:46 (twenty years ago) link

Keith OTM.

― Broheems (diamond), Saturday, 5 June 2004 22:59 (twenty years ago) link

there was a dual review in the Times today on The Ticket Out and The Bad Guys Won (which is about the '86 Mets). Really wanted to read the latter until I got to the part in the review about how it didn't really spill the beans on who did the craziest stuff...

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 7 June 2004 05:48 (twenty years ago) link

Only baseball book by a baseball player I've read is Ball Four, which is quite entertaining.

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Monday, 7 June 2004 05:50 (twenty years ago) link

I still haven't read that, dammit. Still haven't gotten 'round to reading the Koufax bio my brother got me, either.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 7 June 2004 05:52 (twenty years ago) link

ball four is really, really classic... it's 35 y/o but it holds up extremely well. the most recent koufax bio is okay... a little too gushy.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 7 June 2004 05:54 (twenty years ago) link

wasn't there some controversy re: Koufax bio and possible outing?!?

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 7 June 2004 06:03 (twenty years ago) link

she describes him as a "soft" man, a loner, private... but i think the post dish was just leftovers from the murdoch/koufax beef.

― gygax! (gygax!), Monday, 7 June 2004 06:08 (twenty years ago) link

ah, that's right, thanks for reminding me about the slime at News Corp.

― hstencil (hstencil), Monday, 7 June 2004 06:10 (twenty years ago) link

Anyone read Body Politic by David Shields? Its review in Sports Illustrated seemed interesting even if it was hyper-academic.

― vleeetrmx21 (Leee), Monday, 7 June 2004 16:19 (twenty years ago) link

I like David Halberstam's baseball books - all a little over the top, but right up my "When It Was A Game"/"Field of Dream"/"fuck baseball, I just like the mythos" alley.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 8 June 2004 04:05 (twenty years ago) link

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