Out of My League

Typically, I won’t buy a book after watching its author spend the day promoting it online. Typically, I won’t download said book to my phone instead of waiting until the next day to pick it up from a bookstore.

Then again, Out of My League is not a typical book.

Dirk Hayhurst is a minor league pitcher chasing the elusive major league dream. He lives with his grandmother. He dates Bonnie, a music therapist from eHarmony. He diligently climbs the rungs of the Padres’ farm system. And one day, he gets The Call.

It’s a touching story of hard work, success, and failure, but not one made unique by any event Dirk so vividly details. Rather, it’s the way he builds character, humor, and candor into each chapter that elicits both empathy and admiration. You get the feeling that there is nothing you could ask him that he wouldn’t reveal, from the tumult of his family life, to the triumph of his love life, to the struggle of his personal life.

Of course, the stories are pretty wild, too. Dirk invents the Garfoose, a mythical animal that doubles as his Twitter handle and serves as a good luck charm in his career. He gets caught in the middle of a transvestite convention. He boards a plane full of players in Hooters uniforms.

(And really, if the above paragraph doesn’t inspire you to pick up this book, nothing will.)

In one of the most moving parts of the book, Dirk’s loyalty to a major league baseball career is called into question. Despite a lifelong pursuit of the ultimate baseball dream, he is challenged when that dream begins to change shape. “I realized that everyone has their reasons to play,” he says, watching a fellow teammate take the mound. “But whatever those reasons are, to work they have to be able to change, to evolve, just like we do.” Dirk wrestles with the reasons fueling his career from page 1 to page 406 (relax, I’m talking about the Kindle edition), and finally finds peace in a life that encompasses both baseball and family. Of course, to discover just how he makes his peace with this, you’ll have to read the book… and probably the next one he writes, too.

Now, I could write a compelling final paragraph that will have you speeding to the nearest Barnes & Noble, but I’ll make this easy on you. You can purchase Out of My League here. Download it. Read it. And then go follow Dirk Hayhurst (TheGarfoose) on Twitter and tell him how his book has, hopefully, impacted your understanding and appreciation for America’s pastime.

Dec 1

Book Review: As They See ‘Em

How many umpires can you name? One, maybe two?

Let’s say you’re a well-studied baseball fan, and can list up to 25 major-league umpires. Even then, do their names stick in your mind because of their prowess in calling balls and strikes, their precision in determining a foul ball—or do you know their names simply because they hurt your team with a bad call?

In As They See ‘Em, New York Times columnist Bruce Weber puts himself in the shoes of an umpire. Literally. He begins by attending the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring, one of two approved umpiring schools in the U.S.

Everything is tested and re-tested, from the precise position an umpire uses to determine pitches, to his fortitude in the face of opposition from managers, players, and fans. Once a full month of physically and emotionally taxing work concludes, umpires are evaluated by the Professional Baseball Umpiring Corporation (PBUC). Depending on the jobs available, only a few dozen advance to minor league positions.

As Bruce makes his way through the system, he interviews former and current umpires, delves into the infamous fall-outs and poor relations with MLB head honchos, and explains the difficulty of balancing seniority and diversity on the field. He expresses compassion for the plight of umpires—long drives, constant harassment, and tense relationships—while still maintaining a fair attitude towards those who believe umpiring is a flawed part of baseball.

After all, this book is more than a defense of umpires. Bruce certainly covers all the bases, touching on history, recurring conflicts, and unfair practices. Yet he doesn’t leave the book open-ended. Instead, he spends the last chapter detailing a plan for improving the umpiring system—without the use of robots or excessive instant replay (and it has something for statheads to get excited about, too).

In light of the expanded instant replay rules in the new CBA, As They See ‘Em is well worth your time. For any fan of baseball, it’s a must-read.

Oct 8

Playing Ball with the Boys

This is more than a book about the power of women. Author and former ESPN anchor, Betsy Ross, is as passionate about sports as she is about the women who are rising as experts in the sports industry. From Janet Guthrie, the first female driver in the Indy 500, to sports journalist Selena Roberts, Ross provides an in-depth look at the struggles and incredible triumphs of twenty-four women who are too experienced and determined to be dismissed in a “man’s world.”

Here, passion and determination are the key words at play. As Guthrie puts it, “Many motivational speakers are always saying, ‘Well, you can do anything you set your mind to.’ That’s not actually true. You have to have A, the talent, and B, the desire.” These women didn’t exploit their gender to get what they wanted. No one reached the top by whining about being shut out of the press boxes or accepting defeat when an idea or article received criticism based solely on the author’s gender.

In fact, I think the best thing that can be said for each woman is that her drive to succeed was not only fueled by a desire to participate, but also to improve sports. Dr. Michelle Andrews commanded the respect of the Baltimore Orioles as the first female sports surgeon in Major League Baseball. Tina Kunzer-Murphy joined UNLV as assistant athletics director, and eventually became the executive director for the Las Vegas Bowl. And Kari Rumfield rose to the level of general manager for the Florence Freedom, a baseball team in the Frontier League.

There is still much to be done by and for women in the world of sports. I fully believe a day is coming when women will be viewed as equals on and off the field–and it will take all the passion, creativity, and resolution of women like these to make it there.

Apr 9

The Soul of Baseball

Successful sportswriting walks a fine line between reporting and storytelling. To earn credibility, you have to lace your articles with hard facts and straight numbers. To earn your reader’s interest, you need to pepper your pieces with interesting anecdotes or little-known tidbits.

In Joe Posnanski’s book, The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O’Neil’s America, Posnanski gets a behind-the-scenes look at what a ballplayer’s life is like after his baseball career ends. Buck is 94 years old when they make the trip, and surprisingly spry and jovial as they travel from parks to radio stations to elementary schools across the nation.

While Buck hugs adoring fans and captivates young children, Joe steadfastly observes and records his every move. If balance between reporting and storytelling is the key to great sportswriting, Posnanski takes it one step further: he steps back and allows Buck’s story to speak for itself. We hear relatively little of the author’s perspective on Buck’s past or his personal opinion of the legacy the Negro Leagues created. When Joe briefly lifts the spotlight from Buck O’Neil’s trials, triumphs, and endless anecdotes, it is only to praise Buck’s determination, or his boundless joy, or his great love for people.

In fact, this travelogue is really a love story in disguise. Yes, it is about the love two men share for America’s pastime, but it reaches far beyond that. It is about Buck’s love for the Negro Leagues, for his time spent there, for his fellow teammates who deserved a spot in Cooperstown. It is about his love for people, for every child he meets, and every fan who looks up to him. It is about a love for life so profound that even the cruelest moments of racism cannot shake it. If this doesn’t make for compelling sportswriting, I don’t know what does.

Jan 4

A Day in the Bleachers

Cover Image.jpeg In 1954, when the New York Giants reached their last pinnacle of success in the World Series, a man named Arnold Hano sat in the bleachers at the Polo Grounds. Through the four-game sweep, Hano captures the poetry of postseason baseball and the not so poetic feelings of fans in the stands, from the opening pitch to “The Catch.”

As someone who was born well before this series was played, who never knew the New York Giants as a team, and whose knowledge of their history primarily comes from a Wikipedia page, I loved getting a firsthand account of the Series’ opening game. Hano writes with all the composure of a polished sportswriter, but his blind affection for the Giants is obvious throughout the book. Here, readers get the unique chance of viewing players like Bob Feller and Monte Irvin through the eyes of a fan–not a historian or biographer–a fan who called a Dodgers fan an “American League bum,” who didn’t place Mays on his list of best hitters, but called him “the great ball player of our time.”

Perhaps one of the best quotes in the book comes from a long stretch in the third inning of Game 1. You know the kind of stretch I mean: after the thrill of the first inning, when the game is lagging, runs are consistently left on bases, and those final three outs are still hours away. The way Hano puts it, I don’t think I can complain during another game ever again:

“The game was entering that lull period which some people find boring but which I find lengthens the buildup before the crackling climax or climaxes. The longer and more quiescent the lull, the more emphatic seem the climaxes; it is the tightening of the screw, the technique of suspense that is stamped so firmly on all Hitchcock films.

Of course, sometimes the lull extends too far, and the last out has been recorded before any crackling climax can occur. We have then watched what amounts to a dull game. But even within the structure of a dull game, there is so much to be seen–the pitching, the unfolding of defensive patterns, the mobility and unbelievable coordination of a double play–that most lovely of all defensive feats of athletic collaboration. …Routine is surely the wrong word, and so is dull.”

A Day in the Bleachers is finally a book Giants fans can resonate with, whether or not they attended the 2010 World Series. Instead of the bleachers at the Polo Grounds, we had the bay view at AT&T Park. Instead of Sal Maglie and Willie Mays, Tim Lincecum and Edgar Renteria. The sentiment is the same, the pride in one’s team, the superstitious rituals, the failed predictions and whispered “you can do it” comments. And just as we know the early 5-2 win would propel the next three victories in the 1954 World Series, we also know the ending of our own World Series story. Soon, we’ll be seeing A Day at Rangers Ballpark or A Day at AT&T Park on the shelves, and the stories of Cody Ross and Cliff Lee and fans from Texas to San Francisco will join those of Mays, Irvin, and the man who documented that first game in 1954.

Nov 26

Safe at Home

“Put eighteen men on a diamond, and give them some gloves and a bat and a ball, and you have a silly game, but we, as fans, have much more. We have a morality tale, an epic, mythic struggle. We have something to take our minds off our complicated, nuanced, and compromised lives. We have a spectacle. We have archetypes of good and… if not evil, certainly, bad.” -Alyssa Milano

It is difficult to say whether Alyssa Milano’s book Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic should be classified as an autobiography, love story, or how-to guide for burgeoning baseball fans. At first, she delves into the deep love her father had for the Brooklyn Dodgers, as well as the crushing heartache he suffered when they packed up for the sunny shores of L.A. From there, it’s nearly impossible to list all the areas she explores. Statistics. Sports history. Stadium etiquette. Dating baseball fans. Dating non-baseball fans. Women’s fashion at the ballpark.

In a way, the style of the book reflects the woman who wrote it. Alyssa Milano is a Wonder Woman of sorts. She’s enjoyed the spotlight of fame as a well-known actress since her first days on Who’s the Boss? She helps underprivileged children through UNICEF and the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases. A few years ago, she developed a clothing line called Touch, which specializes in stylish, non-pink MLB gear for women. And when she writes about baseball, it doesn’t come across as the emotional, I’m-only-watching-this-game-cause-the-guys-are-hot rantings of a female fanatic, but just as the poetic opinions of one avid baseball fan.

What captivated me most was the way Alyssa treated baseball: as a story. At its finest, she argues, baseball is a tale of heroes vs. villains. It mirrors our lives, it teaches us how to play fairly and how to treat those who bend the rules for their own benefit. Baseball is a love story, from father to daughter, fan to team, and if you’re so fortunate, team to fan. Opening Day embodies the newness of spring and the offseason mimics the loneliness of winter. Baseball is childhood and adulthood, a business and a sport, a contradiction in the best sense of the word. Alyssa takes every element of baseball, from the basics to the technicalities, and reminds us why we love it so much.

(Note: I really need to find books written by female Giants fans. The last three baseball books I’ve read by women authors have pulled for either the Dodgers or the Yankees. If one can’t be found, I’m seriously considering writing it myself!)

Oct 22

Confessions of a She-Fan

Every true “fangirl” knows what it’s like to love her team. For better or worse, through victories and defeats, in regular season and postseason, we wave our rally towels and stick it out in the stands.

No one knows this more than Jane Heller, avid Yankees fan and MLBlogger (for those who didn’t know). Her love for the New York Yankees is a source of joy and constant turmoil as she watches the seasons from her worn-in Barcalounger in Santa Barbara, California.

Until one day, the Yankees push her over the edge and Jane does the unthinkable: she divorces them à la the New York Times sports section. This then prompts her to follow the team around for the remainder of the season in hopes of reigniting her love for the team, despite all they have put her through.

Whether you are a fangirl or just a fan, you’ll be able to appreciate Jane’s do-or-die approach to following the team. Although I admired her courage–facing grouchy ticket-takers at Yankee Stadium, attending games in Boston incognito (choosing personal safety over undying loyalty), and trying every loophole to get past the formidable Jason Zillo–what struck me the most was the lack of returned affection by the Yankees themselves.

Let’s get one thing straight: baseball is a game. A form of entertainment. And not even the almighty Yankees should be slamming doors in their fans’ faces. That being said, this is primarily a story of love and loyalty from a devoted fan to her team. And that is something I know we can all relate to, whether our teams are duking it out in the playoffs or resting up for spring training.

Oct 6

The Only Game in Town

Baseball is about being in the moment. Striking out the last hitter in the ninth, making it to second base, aiming for the bleachers. It’s about winning right now, with every pitch, hit, and steal. And no matter how good you play today, there is always tomorrow to strive for. However, baseball is also about the past. Fans remember tiffs from past decades, grudges between teams are known to survive throughout the century, and today’s star players are preceded by an entire hall of sports celebrities.

Fay Vincent is a man who understands the necessity of keeping baseball’s legends alive. In the first book of a three-part oral history project, he interviews ten big baseball names of the 30s and 40s. The writing style is hardly polished, as the chapters are literally recording-to-page narratives from the players themselves. But that’s precisely what gives the book an authentic air. I felt like I was sitting down with Warren Spahn and Dom DiMaggio, shooting the breeze about returning from the war to play in the major leagues or living in the shadow of Joe DiMaggio.

After all, baseball in the 1930s and 1940s was colored with more than interleague rivalries or the race to the playoffs (amazing, right? And that’s all that’s been on my mind this season…). World War II drove pitchers and hitters from the stadiums to the battlefields. Color lines kept superstars like Buck O’Neil and Satchel Paige locked in the minor leagues. As a 15-year-old, Bob Feller pitched a fastball to his father so hard that it broke three of his ribs. Moe Berg played postseason baseball in Japan–and simultaneously worked as a spy for the American government.

Underneath, though, was the same love and passion that fuels today’s ballplayers. These men speak fondly of their fellow teammates, give homage to the greats of their time, and reminisce about the best plays and games they witnessed on the field. Especially for those who may not have innate knowledge of baseball history, this is a must-read book.

Sep 15

Wait Till Next Year

For every fan who’s sat through an unfruitful September or a disappointing season, this book is for you.

Well, kind of.

Doris Goodwin is a Dodgers fan of the highest degree. She was raised near Ebbets Field, learning a love of baseball from her father, who taught her how to fill out a scorecard while Red Barber announced each pitch, hit, and run around the bases.

Doris also grew up in a time famed for its baseball stars–standing in line for a Jackie Robinson autograph, agonizing over the ‘Shot Heard Round the World’ that filched the pennant win from under the Dodgers’ feet.

Despite her faithful, unrelenting love for the Brooklyn Dodgers, this memoir is more than a catalogue of remarkable games and unforgettable moments. As the Dodgers fought season after season for the World Series, Doris recounts childhood pastimes, her mother’s debilitating illness, and the rocky era of the 50s. Her love of baseball helps her relate to her father, who refuses to divulge the heartbreaking stories of his own childhood. It infiltrates her Catholic upbringing, making her First Confession a list of Dodgers rivals for whom she’d wished benchwarming injuries. And when the Dodgers lift their roots for the sunny West Coast, Doris marks the end of her Brooklyn childhood with the same heavy, bittersweet fondness.

Whether your team is sailing onto the playoffs or sitting on the bench until spring training, pick up Wait Till Next Year for a poignant, uplifting reminder of the satisfaction of loving baseball and the reassurance that, mercifully, there is always next year.

Aug 19

The Baseball Codes

baseball-codes-beanballs-sign-stealing-and-bench-clearing-brawls-the-unwritten-rules-of-americas-pastime.jpeg

Coaches are not allowed to make multiple trips to the mound in an inning with the same pitcher. The official scorer may not rule an error when runners advance on a balk. When a regulation game is called with a tied score, it is a suspended game, not a tie.

There are hundreds of rules in baseball. Any good manager has the MLB handbook more or less memorized, which occasionally results in apt plays by the best know-it-alls (such as last month’s Giants/Dodgers match up, where Bochy pointed out a minor rule violation, forcing Don Mattingly to pull out his pitcher).

Straight from the good ol’ Bay Area, Jason Turbow reveals the unofficial rules of baseball in The Baseball Codes. As if there weren’t enough rules to keep track of already, he highlights some of the most important–and unspoken–ones maintained among major league teams. For example, what happens in the clubhouse stays in the clubhouse. Slide into the bases, even if you have plenty of time to walk. Stop playing aggressively when you’re ahead by a landslide.

This is one great big storybook, chock full of exclusive interviews, fond memories, and historical plays. Turbow handpicks the best myths and legends in the leagues, always making sure to include both sides of a story–whether a pitcher is feeling guilty from striking a hitter in the face, or a manager is spitting fireworks after a nasty shutdown from a rival team.

The Baseball Codes presents baseball at its most thrilling, controversial, and downright dirty. New fans will enjoy learning the intricacies of the game, while old-timers will appreciate the trip down memory lane.

West Coast Fan[girl]

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