The SABR Bookshelf: Winter 2015
Here are the SABR Bookshelf listings for Winter 2015.
To get your NEW book listed on The SABR Bookshelf, make sure a review copy is sent to: The SABR Bookshelf, Society for American Baseball Research, 4455 E. Camelback Rd., Ste. D-140, Phoenix, AZ 85018. An e-book file will also suffice; please send the e-book in PDF, EPUB or Kindle/MOBI format to jpomrenke@sabr.org.
To ensure a listing in The Baseball Index — SABR’s online catalog of baseball research materials at www.baseballindex.org — make sure a review copy is sent to The Baseball Index, 4025 Beechwood Pl., Riverside, CA 92506.
Bolded names indicates that the author(s) is a SABR member. Click here for a list of publishers found in the SABR Bookshelf, along with their contact information.
All new SABR Bookshelf listings can be purchased at the SABR Bookstore, powered by Amazon.com. In addition, check out new books published by SABR at SABR.org/ebooks.
The Real McCoy: My Half-Century with the Cincinnati Reds
By Hal McCoy
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orange Frazer Press | $19.95 (sftcvr) | 978-1-9397-1014-7 | Amazon |
- Summary: The J.G. Taylor Spink Award-winning sports writer McCoy, who lost most of his eyesight in the early 2000s, tells his story of returning to coverage of the Cincinnati Reds and the game, plus anecdotes and memories of his feuds and stories dating back to the 1960s.
The Minnesota Twins Through Memorabilia
By Clyde Doepner, Stew Thornley, and Jerry Stebbins
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nodin Press | $29.00 (hdcvr) | 978-1-9356-6668-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: The story of the Minnesota Twins is told through photos of unique memorabilia, including pennants, jerseys, championship rings, ticket stubs, signed baseballs, bobbleheads, and other commemorative items.
Winning on the North Side: The 1929 Chicago Cubs
Edited by Gregory H. Wolf
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SABR | $9.99 (ebook) | 978-1-933599-88-5 | SABR |
- Summary: SABR’s newest e-book celebrates the 1929 Chicago Cubs, one of the most exciting teams in baseball history. Bashing their way to the pennant by crushing their opponents in a high-scoring era, skipper Joe McCarthy’s North Siders were an offensive juggernaut led by future Hall of Famers Rogers Hornsby, Kiki Cuyler, and Hack Wilson.
The National Pastime: Premiere Issue (Replica Edition)
Edited by John Thorn
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SABR | $6.99 (ebook) | 978-1-933599-81-6 | SABR |
- Summary: An e-book reissue of SABR’s 1982 premiere issue of The National Pastime, which included names we think of today as luminaries in the field of baseball history and analysis: Harold Seymour, Lawrence S. Ritter, Pete Palmer, David Voigt, Bob Broeg, and more. With a new preface by editor John Thorn.
Detroit the Unconquerable: The 1935 World Champion Tigers
Edited by Scott Ferkovich
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SABR | $9.99 (ebook) | 978-1-933599-79-3 | SABR |
- Summary: SABR commemorates the 80th anniversary of Detroit’s first World Series champions with a book featuring contributions from over 35 members of the SABR BioProject.
Painting the Corners Again: Off-Center Baseball Fiction
By Bob Weintraub
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyhorse Publishing | $24.95 (hdcvr) | 978-1-6315-8017-8 | Amazon |
- Summary: A follow-up collection of baseball stories from this author and SABR member, told from various perspectives including player, manager, general manager, coach, scout, owner, writer, broadcaster, and fan.
Baseball: It’s More Than Just a Game
By Greg Lucas
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chart House Press | $19.95 (sftcvr) | 978-1-6312-5022-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: This collection by the longtime Houston-based sports broadcaster and SABR member traces the history of baseball through stories and personal memories.
Out Of The Blue: The Kansas City Royals’ Historic 2014 Season
By Matt Fulks
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triumph Books | $14.95 (sftcvr) | 978-1-6293-7118-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: The Kansas City Royals’ historic 2014 season is captured throughout this book, which illustrates the turning points and highlights of their run to Game Seven of the Series and eight-game postseason winning streak.
512
By Ralph Peluso
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solstice Publishing | $26.99 (sftcvr) | 978-1-6252-6134-2 | Amazon |
- Summary: A historical novel focusing on Babe Ruth’s fictional attempt to surpass Cy Young’s career wins record of 511.
From the Babe to the Beards: The Boston Red Sox in the World Series
By Bill Nowlin and Jim Prime
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sports Publishing | $35.00 (hdcvr) | 978-1-6132-1727-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: The Boston Red Sox have won 12 World Series and played in eight. This book takes a look into every Red Sox World Series game and includes player profiles and photos from each game.
Earned Wins
By Andre Lower
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Createspace | $17.79 (sftcvr) | 978-1-5055-7739-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: Lower uses a system that converts a starting pitcher’s ERA into a metric that uses run support and other factors to create a win-loss record that he claims more accurately reflects their performance.
Sports Metric Forecasting: Guides to Beating the Spreads in Major League Baseball, Basketball, and Football Games
By William Mallios
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thinkstock | $19.99 (sftcvr) | 978-1-4990-4273-3 | Amazon |
- Summary: An effort to build a better understanding of oddsmakers’ lines and forecasting patterns as it relates to baseball, basketball, and football betting.
Picker’s Pocket Guide: Baseball Memorabilia, How to Pick Antiques Like a Pro
By Jeff Figler
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Krause Publications | $14.99 (sftcvr) | 978-1-4402-4278-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: This pocket guide gives insight on how to find and buy memorabilia that’s right for you, including practical strategies for valuing items and negotiating deals.
Pinstripes and Penance: The Life Story Of John Malangone
By Michael Harrison
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Book Publishing | $23.00 (sftcvr) | 978-0-9910-0777-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: The story of a young Yankees prospect who battled to overcome personal demons and Mafia influence growing up in Little Italy in East Harlem. A companion to the award-winning documentary about Malangone, “Long Road Home”.
Joe Black: More than a Dodger
By Martha Joe Black and Chuck Schoffner
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Review Press | $27.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-8973-3753-3 | Amazon |
- Summary: Joe Black’s daughter tells the story of not only her dad as a Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher and his life after baseball, but also of the man she grew up with.
Gil Hodges: A Hall of Fame Life
By Mort Zachter
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Press | $34.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-8032-1124-7 | Amazon |
- Summary: Zachter takes the measure of Hodges and the reputation he built as a Marine, a player, and a manager. His research has been extensive and his search for the roots of Hodges’ character run deep.
Big Sam Thompson: Baseball’s Greatest Clutch Hitter
By Roy Kerr
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9708-9 | Amazon |
- Summary: Forgotten today, the Hall of Fame outfielder Thompson was a dominant five-tool player in the 1880s and ’90s. This biography traces his life and career from his childhood in rural Danville, Indiana, to his last days as a U.S. deputy marshal in Detroit, and clarifies his status of one of the greatest players in baseball history.
The Tecumsehs of the International Association: Canada’s First Major League Baseball Champions
By Brian Martin
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $35.00 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9436-1 | Amazon |
- Summary: Martin traces the history of the Tecumsehs amidst the broader story of the International Association, founded in 1877 to challenge the National League. It has never been accorded the status of a major league, but Martin presents evidence that it should be.
Handy Andy: The Andy Pafko Story
By Joe Niese
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chippewa River Press | $25.00 (hdcvr) | 978-0-6923-0642-0 | JoeNiese.com |
- Summary: A biography of a five-time All-Star with the Cubs, Dodgers, and Braves during the 1940s and ’50s, and his rural life of faith and family.
Before the Ivy: The Cubs’ Golden Age in Pre-Wrigley Chicago
By Laurent Pernot
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Press | $16.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-2520-8028-9 | Amazon |
- Summary: Pernot traces the history of the team we today call the Cubs from the foundations in the 1871 National Association through the 1916 pennant race in the National League, focusing on the winning seasons as both Colts and Cubs.
Marvin Miller, Baseball Revolutionary
By Robert F. Burk
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Press | $35.00 (hdcvr) | 978-0-2520-3875-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: Drawing on research and interviews with Miller and others, this is the first biography covering the pivotal labor leader’s entire life and career.
Portrait of a Franchise: An Intimate Look at Cleveland Indians Baseball in the Rockin’ Sixties
By Doug Kurkul
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $9.95 (ebook) | n/a | Amazon |
- Summary: Drawing on extensive research including interviews with numerous players, this book focuses on the Cleveland Indians of the 1960s, from Mudcat to Sudden Sam to El Tiante.
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