Review of "Banned"

Having remembered Michael Ray Richardson during his NBA days before he was banned from the league, I was interested in this book to see whatever happened to him when he decided not to return to the NBA when reinstated.  It was a great story - all basketball fans should read it.  Here is my review of his memoir "Banned." 

 

Title/Author:

“Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption” by Michael Ray Richardson with Jake Uitti

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Michael Ray Richardson was an exciting, excellent NBA guard in the early 1980’s before he succumbed to the world of drugs, most notably cocaine. He was one of the first players to receive a lifetime ban from the NBA for drug use, but eventually got clean and was reinstated to the league in 1987.  However, he never returned to the league and instead enjoyed his time playing in Europe and coaching minor league basketball.  His journey is told in his memoir written with Jake Uitti.

Drafted in 1978 by the New York Knicks, Richardson realized his dream and goal of playing in the NBA was going to become a reality. His description of his life previous to this draft was enjoyable to read.  It didn’t have any really shocking parts – was raised by a single mother (although his father was part of his life), saw blatant racism, vowed to make a better life for himself and his mother through basketball and went to college through the game.  The only surprise there might be that instead of a storied basketball school, Richardson became a first-round draft choice after playing at the University of Montana.  He does look back fondly at his time at the school and his youth before that in Denver.

It’s refreshing to read about a person who became an addict accepting all responsibility for their actions and not saying that this was because of situations, people or other issues beyond their control.  He realized that he was the one who gave in to the temptations and did not protest when he received the ban.  In fact, later on, he gives the NBA Commissioner at the time, David Stern, credit for saving his life for taking that action.  It is also clear from Richardson’s words that this wasn’t something that he just discovered after his low point – he knew what he was doing was wrong, but just couldn’t stop.

It's also nice to see two other aspects of Richardson’s life – he takes responsibility for the failure of his marriages (not all of them due to drugs) but makes sure that he remains a father figure for his children. It was also great to read about his time playing in Italy as he became a very popular player there where people still would chant his name when he appeared at a function long after his playing days were over. It was clear that he relished his time there and felt it was the right decision for him to remain overseas instead of returning to the NBA.

Throughout the book, Richardson is upbeat and positive, despite the addiction that ended a promising NBA career.  His story is certainly one that is inspiring and shows that one doesn’t have to take the same path after recovery to make one’s life productive after a bad event.

I wish to thank Skyhorse Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption: Richardson, Michael Ray, Uitti, Jacob, Gervin, George, Lieberman, Nancy: 9781683584902: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review of “Shocktober”

 Another post-World Series book I picked up to wind down the baseball talk for the season as the off season begins. Here is my review of a book on World Series upsets, “Shocktober”. 

Title/Author:

“Shocktober: The Biggest Upsets in World Series History” by Jonathan Weeks

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (good)

Review: 

While the winner of the World Series will be considered to be the “world champions” of baseball, that does not always mean that team is necessarily the best one. Sometimes a team who performed just well enough to get to the postseason will pull off a surprise and defeat favored teams to win the World Series.  This book by Jonathan Weeks tells the story of some of these upsets.

Each chapter follows a format in which Weeks will begin by a short description of each team’s road to the World Series. This includes a short description of their season and, after 1969, the teams’ playoff victories. There are brief notes and stats on each team’s key players. Then Weeks will explain why one team was heavily favored and follows that up with summaries of each game in that World Series. Some of these summaries, including the finale of each one, will be longer than some others.

One can question whether these are the “biggest” upsets, as any book that lists the “best”, “greatest”, or “biggest” will be subjective and readers may disagree with the author’s list. These particular selections are quite accurate and while short, the explanations on why these were considered upsets are good. 

Notice the use of words like “short” and “brief” in this review. That was one takeaway from this book as for each World Series, it felt that while the explanation on being an upset made sense, it just felt like more could have been discussed about each team and season. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable and very quick read that baseball fans should enjoy.

I wish to thank Lyons Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The views expressed are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1493087037/ref=x_gr_bb_amazon?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_bb_amazon-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1493087037&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2 

Review of “Joe Black: More than a Dodger”

I belong to the baseball book club on Goodreads and each season after the World Series ends, we choose a book on the winning team as a group read. This book was our selection after the Dodgers won this year’s fall classic. Here is my review of “Joe Black.”

Title: “Joe Black: More Than a Dodger” by Martha Jo Black and Chuck Schnoffner

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

Say the name Joe Black today to most baseball fans and the response you most likely will get is “Who’s that?” But that wouldn’t be the case back in 1952 when as a rookie he almost single-handedly pitched the Brooklyn Dodgers to the 1952 National League pennant. This book by Black’s daughter Martha Jo and Chuck Schoffner tells of that special season and why it meant so much to the young pitcher.

The book as a whole is pretty standard fare as a biography for a Black baseball player in the early 1950’s. The color barrier had just been broken by Jackie Robison and by 1952, enough Black players were playing in Major League Baseball that the talent level and interest in the Negro Leagues was waning. Having gotten his crack at professional baseball in the Negro Leagues, Black was able to overcome the significant barriers he and his fellow Black players encountered to eventually pitch in the Major Leagues. Unfortunately, he never regained the magic of his 1952 season, gradually getting worse, and was eventually released by the Dodgers in 1957. He did sign with the Washington Senators for 1958 but pitched very poorly for them as that was his last season.

While reading about his baseball career was okay, I liked the chapters on his life outside of baseball better, especially his success first as a teacher and then as an executive for Greyhound Bus. He followed his mother’s advice and made sure to complete his education which paid off for him as it was unusual for baseball players in that era to have a college degree. It also contributed to another chapter in his post-pitching career that I enjoyed reading about. 

Black was hired by MLB to guide players to be successful after baseball, but he grew increasingly frustrated by the lack of attention to this and caring about the history of the game for Black players. This was profoundly illustrated when it was written that future white Hall of Fame players like Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux wanted to talk to Black about topics like the Negro Leagues while a Black player like Vince Coleman had no idea who Jackie Robinson was. Frankly, that is very sad. 

While the book didn’t have much of a “wow” factor for me as far as the baseball goes, it was nonetheless very interesting to read about Black’s life away from the diamond and it makes the title to be a very apt one for describing the man’s life. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Black-More-than-Dodger/dp/0897337530/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3L0E3FQZ7OA61&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.k1EqE-mL-VZaiODe_OB0mtguH9sHtm5jfVj5pMhoxkaSVjWtiuKTlFgTbGcBpbS4u4I_-byDlLNeyt_FWzS9q_c0y-qW2lKSstBmvN_ygZHWsmWB3s7JNuvk-5oDxOIVLMueYb8MoCVpqxsc6xqrxo8bVJUGQz7LTGP47CypGgmDjAgNHWw8eXpC6N9vagtFWFUDAmpPIZrppyASOsqhBh-vxo4U0NUBdXSdVD9DPN8.OeIw0BRfO41-LBAKK26a9ZDyDYXEUxsnw9NjLVO1Uh4&dib_tag=se&keywords=Joe+black+more&qid=1731114034&sprefix=joe+black+more+%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-1 

Review of “The Tiger Slam”

 Like so many other golf fans (and even non-fans), I was mesmerized by the dominance of Tiger Woods in 2000-01. A book will be coming out about this stretch of golf by Woods this December and I was fortunate enough to obtain an advance copy. Here is my review of “The Tiger Slam.”

Title/Author:

“The a Tiger Slam: The Inside Story of the Greatest Golf Ever Played” by Kevin Cook

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: At the dawn of the 21st century, an entirely new generation was becoming entranced with an ancient game, golf. The reason for this surge of interest can be credited to one man: Eldrick “Tiger” Woods. The sheer level of dominance he had over the sport in 2000 and 2001 was punctuated by him winning golf’s four major tournaments consecutively in that time frame. How he did it is captured in this very good book by Kevin Cook.

Cook is an accomplished writer about other sports such as football and baseball and this is his first foray into golf.  He does a fine job of bringing the reader on the course during each of those majors, starting with the 2000 U.S. Open at one of golf’s famous courses, Pebble Beach. From there, the reader and Tiger takes in St. Andrews (2000 Open), Valhalla (2000 PGA Championship) and Augusta (2001 Masters). The level of detail captured in Cook’s accounts of Tiger’s play in these tournaments is the best aspect of the book. When a key shot was made by Woods or one of his closest competitors, Cook gave readers details down to the club selection, spin on the ball, the curvature of the flight and its eventual landing spot. For golf enthusiasts, this level of detail is an excellent feature. 

Cook does a good job when writing about Tiger’s life away from the course or the practice range. For fans of Woods who have read other books on him or have watched documentaries, there won’t be much new information to be gleaned. I fall into this category but there are some elements that aren’t published much. One of those is how much his mother Tida played in his upbringing and his success in golf.  Much has been written and recorded about his father’s role in Woods’ success but little about his mother. 

Cook also touches on the argument of whether this accomplishment counts as winning the Grand Slam since the 4 wins did not come in the same calendar year.  Because of this controversy, many in the media dubbed the accomplishment the “Tiger Slam”, hence the title of the book. Most of the players Cook interviewed (there were many, another plus for this book) and who expressed an opinion on this say that yes, indeed, Woods accomplished the Grand Slam. While I agree with that sentiment, one doesn’t need to do so to enjoy this book on the most remarkable stretch of golf played by one person in the history of the game. 

I wish to thank Avid Reader Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The views expressed are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Tiger-Slam-Inside-Greatest-2000-2001/dp/1668043645/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of “How to Win a Grand Prix”

 While most of my viewing of auto racing is that of NASCAR races, I am learning a lot about F1 racing through books. The best of those books so far is this one by a former engineer and strategist who takes the reader inside F1 teams. 

Title/Author:

“How to Win a Grand Prix: From Pit Lane to Podium” by Bernie Collins

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: While drivers get the glory and attention during Formula One races, there’s a huge team of mechanics, engineers and strategists who compose a team of which the drivers of the cars are just one person. This book by former Aston Martin engineer and strategist Bernie Collins is a fascinating look at the work of these men and women that is vital to the success of any F1 team.

Collins, who is now a broadcaster for Sky Sports coverage of F1, got her start after graduation with McLaren. After describing her early career, she takes the reader to various offices, booths, hospitality sites and the pit wall when describing the many jobs and duties of each worker. Of course, since she worked as first an engineer and then a strategist at her next team, Force India and then Aston Martin, she writes the most about these jobs.

The level of detail the Collins describes for these jobs can seem overwhelming to the new or casual fan of racing. The amount of work these teams do to design and build a car is vividly described in these passages. The same goes for the calculations, data analysis and strategy that she did both in an office and at the track. I felt her writing about this job was the best, as she took the reader along for what her “typical” week would look like, from meetings to the free practice runs to qualifying and finally to race day. Everything from the best laps to pit to tire performance was meticulously planned and described in these chapters. 

When I downloaded this book I expected it to be more of a description of the jobs behind the pit wall during a race. I am glad it was so much more than that as I learned a lot about the inner workings of an F1 team. Even if your preference for auto racing is another avenue like NASCAR or Indy cars, pick up this book and read about the workings of a racing team. 

I wish to thank Quercus for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The views expressed are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Grand-Prix-Bernie-Collins/dp/1529437598/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2U5RO9BCNH9QR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.A-aQ2pQxp8_G-iZVMLr0EBKYLyQoAow3madvmGnpNVOuQLjIkLxqI7iXXC_sBJYN.ua4GIUFIhdsnoNvNBCBztBZ-1iczb9zLyAajPe0MREo&dib_tag=se&keywords=how+to+win+a+grand+prix+bernie+collins&qid=1730414797&sprefix=How+to+win+a+grand+prix%2Caps%2C100&sr=8-1 

Review of "Shadows of Glory"

Just in time for the start of the World Series, I have found a couple of books on that very topic.  Here is the first review of a World Series book for this year, "Shadows of Glory."  (P.S.  this year's prediction - Yankees over Dodgers in 6 games.) 

Title/Author:

“Shadows of Glory: Memorable and Offbeat World Series Stories” by Dave Brown and Jeff Rodimer

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

The history of the World Series can be just as interesting as the history of baseball itself.  One common cliché in baseball circles is that if you watch the game long enough, you will see something you have never seen before.  That was the case for me when reading this book on World Series stories.

I picked that phrase for this book because overall, it was a good read and the stories, while seeming to have the same format, were pretty interesting.  What caught me by surprise was how many of these stories I have read in previous books.  While that would not be a bad thing for a casual or new baseball reader, one who devours baseball books like I do will most likely have read most of these stories elsewhere.  One of them, the story of Nippy Jones of the 1957 Milwaukee Braves and the “shoe polish” incident, was something I read about in a children’s baseball book.

Of course, Jones’ story and all of the others were written for adult readers and the research that went into the stories was very good.  It was great to read about the Negro League World Series in 1942, the St. Louis Browns’ lone World Series appearance in 1944 and others about obscure players who had their best baseball moments in the World Series.  Brian Doyle of the 1978 Yankees and David Freese of the 2011 Cardinals are examples of that kind of story in this book.

I would certainly recommend this book for those readers who have not read many baseball books but loves the game.  The stories are good, the reading is light and easy and it’s a fun trip to some little known World Series lore. 

I wish to thank Lyons Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: Shadows of Glory: Memorable and Offbeat World Series Stories eBook : Brown, Dave, Rodimer, Jeff, Teixeira, Mark: Kindle Store

 

Review of “ImmaKulate”

 I received a review copy of this novel some time ago and it falls into the category of a book that when I finally read, I wish I had done so early. Here is my review of the baseball novel “ImmKulate”. 

Title/Author:

“ImmaKulate: A Perfect Inning, An Imperfect Life” by John A. Marble

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

Even the best athletes at their craft can have demons that haunt them in their careers and their lives. That is certainly the case for Spence Taylor, the main character of this very good baseball novel by John A. Marble. The title comes from the rare pitching feat that Taylor is trying to accomplish at different times in the book.

In 2003, Taylor and best friend and former high school baseball rival Joshua Waters are star players for the Boston Red Sox. Waters is an infielder and Taylor is team’s closer, but they were involved in an incident that has haunted Taylor since it happened 12 years ago. How it affected Taylor’s life and the depths he sunk to are great, and how he overcomes them makes an excellent story.

While reading this, I had difficulty at first determine who the current Spence Taylor was - was it the Hall of Fame worthy fireballer or the person in the broken down trailers who let his health and life deteriorate?  However, once it is understood how the story unfolds and Taylor’s story is clear, it’s hard to put the book down. 

I really enjoyed the baseball passages, which were told through either the Red Sox broadcast crew or from coaches and managers. The latter is especially true for the high school sections. While one should be a baseball fan to truly enjoy the book, anyone who reads this story of love (but not a romance) and redemption (but not a self-help book) will put down fully satisfied after finishing.

I wish to that Mr. Marble for providing a copy of the book. The views expressed are strictly my own. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/immaKulate-perfect-inning-imperfect-life/dp/B0D5X1NM7M/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=