Review of “The Big Loosh”

After a short respite from reading sports books as I concentrated on other topics, it’s back to sports. To start this resumption, I read this interesting biography on umpire Ron Luciano. Here is my review of “The Big Loosh”.

Title/Author:

“The Big Loosh: The Unruly Life of Umpire Ron Luciano” by Jim Leeke

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  

There is an old adage in baseball that the better umpires do their job, the less that they are noticed. That was not the case for Ron Luciano, an American League umpire in the 1970’s. His journey to become one of the most recognizable umpires of that time is captured in this book by Jim Leeke.

Most notable about Luciano’s early life is that baseball was not his first choice for sports. He was an excellent lineman on both sides of the ball for Syracuse University. He played in the 1959 College All-Star game when that game existed and was a second round draft choice of the Detroit Lions. He eventually landed with the Buffalo Bills in the AFL but appeared in only two games as his time in pro football was plagued with injuries. This was where I felt the book was excellent, with Leeke explaining in good detail how Luciano was really a football player at heart. It was also explained that it was here where Luciano was an excellent storyteller (the truth of these stories was often in question). The story of how Hall of Famer “Big Daddy” Lipscomb contributed to Luciano’s injuries is told wonderfully here.

After his football career ended, Luciano decided to enroll in umpire school and did very well, leading to his assignment in the minor leagues with an eventual call-up to MLB in 1969. Much like players, umpires that make it to The Show have an interesting adventure to get there, and Leeke describes that path for Luciano quite well.

While in the regular rotation for American League umpires, Luciano would often provide fans with a little entertainment, such as making a shooting motion to call a runner out at first base.  This drew a mixed reaction from fans, players, managers and the media. Luciano loved hearing from those who liked it, ignored the critics and also became an umpire who was generally considered one of the better umpires in the American League.

Leeke covers as much ground as he can on that topic and also on Luciano’s career as an author after his time as an umpire was done. After a brief time as a baseball broadcaster for NBC, Luciano had a best selling memoir, The Umpire Strikes Back. He also wrote a sequel to this about other umpires, Strike Two, which didn’t do as well plus two other books. Here, Leeke covers more ground on how well or not well the books did than Luciano’s life. 

Finally, the book has a short section on Luciano’s final years, ending tragically with his suicide by running his car in a locked garage at age 57. Here, there isn’t much material and it felt like the ending of this book came on too suddenly. In fairness to the author, Leeke did state that when he was attempting to learn more about the circumstances of Luciano’s suicide, friends and family did not want to discuss that. Despite this ending, if a reader either wants to learn more about this colorful umpire, it is a fairly short and quick read that is packed with good stories about him.

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Loosh-Unruly-Umpire-Luciano/dp/1496237668/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of "Before They Wore Dodger Blue"

As I mention in the review, I find books about the Los Angeles Dodgers to be among the best baseball books that I read.  This one by Eric Vickery, a former Casey Award finalist, to be no exception.  Here is my review of his book on the 1970 Spokane Indians, managed by Tommy Lasorda and had many future Dodger stars on its roster. 

Title/Author:

“Before They Wore Dodger Blue: Tommy Lasorda and the Greatest Draft Class in Baseball History” by Eric Vickrey

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

The Los Angeles Dodgers have long been considered one of the better baseball organizations in developing players whom they have drafted or signed into good major league players.  In 1970, their AAA farm club, the Spokane Indians, had one of the best crops of players drafted by the Dodgers. This book by Eric Vickery not only describes that season in good detail but also provides interesting stories and facts about most of these players and the manager, Tommy Lasorda.

What strikes me as one of the best aspects of this book is that Vickrey doesn’t limit the discussion to the best players on that team.  While many baseball fans know at least parts of the stories about future All-Stars like Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes and Ron Cey, the other players who may not have been stars or even play much in Major League Baseball get plenty of mentions in the book.  This includes players like pitcher Bob O’Brien, infielder Bart Shirley and pitcher John Purdin. No worries if a reader has not heard of these and other players that weren’t stars – the reader will learn about that player and get a complete picture of what part of the Indians’ success they played.

Of course, the players I mentioned that made up the long-lasting Dodger infield (along with Bill Russell) get plenty of material written about them as well.  Other stars get their fair share of text in the book as well.  The admiration Lasorda had for Bobby Valentine as an up-and-coming star is well documented and it sparked plenty of material for this book, both directly involving those two and the rest of the team’s reaction.

There is also an excellent section on Lasorda and his penchant for public speaking.  Even events that seem ho-hum, such as an injury to a player, can be fun to read.  An example of this is when Bill Buckner had a broken jaw and it was wired shut.  Teammates made many comments about his bad breath.  This was presented in a manner that made me laugh out loud.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, I find books about the Los Angeles Dodgers to be great ones to read, and this one is no exception.  One doesn’t have to be a Dodgers fan to enjoy reading about one of the greatest draft classes in the history of the game – at least since the draft started in 1965.

I wish to thank Mr. Vickrey for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Before They Wore Dodger Blue: Tommy Lasorda and the Greatest Draft Class in Baseball History: Vickrey, Eric: 9781938532948: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “Iron Will”

 This book was one I was not looking for nor was it sent to me by the author or publisher. In the waning days of Black History mont, the local library had a few biographies and memoirs on display of Black people. This one caught my eye and it was an excellent, quick read for 

Title/Author:

“Iron Will: An Amputee’s Journey to Athletic Excellence” by Roderick Sewell II

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: 

The Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii is considered to be the most grueling triathlon and many athletes consider it a great accomplishment to just finish. In 2019, Roderick Sewell became the first double amputee to finish the event. He tells his journey to get to this point in this excellent memoir. 

Born without his tibias, Roderick’s mother Marion made the decision to amputate Roderick’s legs when he was two. This was the start of his journey of perseverance and determination as he was able to get around well on his stumps, per his words in his book. However, to truly allow Roderick to be fully functioning, Marion made the hard decision to give up her job to have this procedure covered by California Children's Services. This was one of the most powerful moments of Roderick’s story. A single Black mother sacrificing everything for her disabled son. 

Roderick discovered the Challenged Athletes Foundation in their town of San Diego and here he learned to play wheelchair basketball. That was when the sports bug hit him and despite his living situation in shelters and lacking transportation, he eventually became a very good swimmer and athlete. His training and living situations brought him from California to Alabama (many of Marion’s relatives lived there) to New York and Hawaii. Roderick always is upbeat in his description of any situation he encounters. It shows that his bond and love for his mother is strong and the sacrifices she made for him. 

There isn’t a lot of discussion by Roderick about his training or competition. There’s enough to follow his athletic journey, especially as he became a good swimmer, but the majority of the book tell of his determination to succeed, no matter what his particular situation may be. A very inspiring book that whether or not one is a sports fan, a reader will be cheering for Roderick and Marion. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Will-Amputees-Athletic-Excellence/dp/1538741563/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 n

Review of "Mickey & Billy"

Ending February with a slew of books - this one being an audio book.  Was surprised that on NetGalley it was only offered as an audiobook after publication, but no matter - I enjoyed listening to this one.  Here is my review of "Mickey & Billy". 

 

Title/Author:

“Mickey & Billy: The Glory and Tragedy of a Yankee Friendship” by Tony Castro, narrated by Matt Godfrey

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Mickey Mantle and Billy Martin were teammates on the New York Yankees during the team’s great run of success in the 1950’s.  They played hard together both on and off the field. While some of their stories have been known for year, this book by Tony Castro does bring some fresh material to their stories, especially that of Mantle.

Mr. Castro is a noted historian of Mantle’s career, having previously published several books on the Yankee legend and at the beginning of this one, he acknowledges his personal relationship with Mantle as well. Given that, it isn’t surprising that the bulk of the book is about Mantle, but there’s good information on Martin as well, especially about his upbringing with his mother.

Without going into too much detail on the stories, as many of them are either well known or as Mr. Castro noted, they are gained from his personal relationship with Mantle. I did appreciate some of the stories from Holly Brooke, a woman with whom Mantle had a relationship even while he was married to his high school sweetheart Merlyn.  I also did enjoy the description of how much Mickey wanted to please his father and how his father’s death in 1951 soon after Mickey’s rookie season was completed affected Mickey so greatly.  Even to the point of marrying Merlyn because he felt his father would not approve of not doing so.

The narration by Mr. Godfrey is also very good and kept me engaged in the book, even if I had found the information elsewhere.  Whether that was from previous books by Mr. Castro or other books I have read on both ballplayers, I found this one to be very enjoyable to listen to and recommend it for any Yankee fan.

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

Link: Amazon.com: Mickey & Billy: The Glory and Tragedy of a Yankee Friendship (Audible Audio Edition): Tony Castro, Matt Godfrey, Dreamscape Media: Books

Review of "A Soaring Season"

 As I work on the never-ending task of catching up on my TBR pile, I pulled out this one that the author sent to me nearly a year ago.  Under the category of "better late than never", I read it as it was a quick and good read on one of the "Cinderella" college basketball teams fans get to see every now and then.  

Title/Author:

“A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 St. Joseph’s Hawks” by Aaron Bracy

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

College basketball has had its share of teams, mainly from smaller schools, go on unbelievable runs during a season to get far into the championship tournament otherwise known as March Madness.  This book by Aaron Bracy tells the story of one of these teams, the 2003-04 St. Joseph’s Hawks.  For those not familiar with the fate of the team, skip this sentence – the Hawks made it to the Elite Eight, losing a heartbreaking game to Oklahoma State 64-62, denying them a trip to the Final Four.

Located in Philadelphia, the Hawks made their run on two future first-round draft choices of NBA teams.  Jameer Nelson and Delonte West were the stars of this team and were the clear leaders.  Nelson was also named as the national Player of the Year in college basketball that season.  However, as basketball is a team game, it also took contributions from many players and coaches.  This is the strength of this book as Bracy did a very good job of not only providing information on every player and coach (and even the mascot) but also ensuring that contributions by them were included in every game summary.

The book follows a very familiar format for books describing one season for a team, no matter the sport or the level (college, pro, amateur, etc.).  The book starts with a cliffhanger scene from the Oklahoma State game, then goes on to give the back story of how they built the team, mainly concentrating on West, Nelson and the head coach Phil Martelli. Then the book goes into the season with a game-by-game account that is typical for this genre, but as mentioned, will go beyond just the stars and provide highlights and quotes from other players as well.  Once the games are completed, there is a wrap up of the season and a “where are they now” section for each of the key contributors.

While this book wasn’t much different than other books that capture a special season, I did enjoy reliving the story of this team that caught the attention of many basketball fans, including myself.  I remember the Oklahoma State game quite well and Nelson lying on the floor after just missing the shot that would have tied the game, then sitting up with his knees up and staring out in disbelief that it was all over.  That was captured in one of the many very good passages on the players by the author.

I wish to thank Mr. Bracy for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: A Soaring Season: The Incredible, Inspiring Story of the 2003-04 Saint Joseph’s Hawks: Bracy, Aaron, Lunardi, Joe: 9781955041430: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Long Game"

With the arrival of the 2026 World Cup to the United States, Canada and Mexico, I wanted to pick up this book to get a good look at the United States' squad.  I got that and a whole lot more from this excellent book. 

Title/Author:

“The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts” by Leander Schaerlaeckens

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Leander Schaerlaekens’ book offers a thorough and engaging history of the United States Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT), tracing its long and often winding journey from obscurity to renewed relevance on the global stage. The narrative begins by framing the USMNT’s early years through the lens of its stunning 1–0 upset over England in the 1950 World Cup—an achievement that stood in isolation for decades. After that moment of international shock, the United States failed to qualify for another World Cup until 1990, a period Schaerlaekens characterizes with precision and clarity.

One of the book’s strongest sections is its examination of that 40-year gap, during which American soccer struggled for identity and stability. Schaerlaekens effectively documents the fragmented nature of the sport during this era: the absence of a formal national program, the collapse of early professional leagues, and the sport’s marginal cultural footprint. His account of how the United States finally clawed its way back to the World Cup in 1990—despite limited infrastructure and minimal global respect—provides essential context for understanding the program’s modern era.

From there, the book offers a detailed, tournament-by-tournament exploration of the USMNT’s growth, challenges, and internal dynamics since 1990. Schaerlaekens blends analysis of on‑field performance with discussion of coaching philosophies, roster decisions, and the evolving expectations placed on the team. These chapters illuminate the difficult decisions and political maneuvering that shape the national team, giving readers a deeper appreciation of the complexities behind each World Cup cycle.

Interspersed throughout are insightful player and coach profiles that enrich the broader narrative. Schaerlaekens highlights the personalities who have shaped the program over the past three decades, while also providing an accessible look into the governance and politics of both U.S. Soccer and FIFA. For a casual fan—especially someone whose interest peaks during World Cup years—these sections offer valuable background on how players are selected, how coaches are evaluated, and how organizational pressures influence the team’s trajectory.

A notable feature of the book is its series of chapters dedicated to contemporary stars such as Christian Pulisic and Tyler Adams. These segments help bridge the historical story with the present and future of the team, offering readers a sense of how today’s core players developed and why they are integral to the United States’ ambitions ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the country will co‑host.

Overall, Schaerlaekens delivers a balanced and comprehensive chronicle of the USMNT. Whether one is a longtime supporter or a casual viewer who tunes in every four years, the book provides both historical insight and forward-looking context. It is an informative and enjoyable read for soccer fans of any level.

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

 

Link: Amazon.com: The Long Game: U.S. Men's Soccer and Its Savage, Four-Decade Journey to the Top, or Thereabouts: 9780593653876: Schaerlaeckens, Leander: Books

Short review - "Baseball in Blue and Gray"

Going away from my usual type of book and format for this review.  This book was one that I found for a reading challenge for my local library.  There's a different theme every month in 2026 for this challenge.  In February, the theme was the 19th century - read a book set in the 19th century.  For sports, that can pose a challenge, but I remembered this book I saw a few years ago.  I skimmed it at that time - this time I decided to read the entire book and it was very good. This is my short review of "Baseball in Blue and Gray."  

Title: "Baseball in Blue and Gray: The National Pastime During the Civil War" by George B. Kirsch

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

While professional baseball began in earnest inn1869 with the Cincinnati Red Stockings, there were plenty of organized teams and (roughly) leagues in the game before that team had its initial season. While there were soldiers playing the game during downtime on the Civil War battlegrounds, this book only touches that aspect of the game briefly. The better description of this book is baseball as a whole during the middle of the 19th century. Even so, this is a good quick read on the sport.

Link: Baseball in Blue and Gray: The National Pastime during the Civil War: Kirsch, George B.: 9780691057330: Amazon.com: Books