Review of “Get Your Tokens Ready”

To my fellow American friends, I hope your Independence Day weekend has been safe and fun. And what would be more appropriate that reading a book on America’s Pastime, baseball? This book takes a look at the two New York teams leading up to their match-up in the 2000 World Series.

Title/Author:

“Get Your Tokens Ready: The Late 1990’s Road to the Subway Series” by Chris Donnelly

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: While I usually do not consider the title of a book in the thoughts of whether or not I wish to read it. But the title of this one certainly caught my attention. I did recall that Michael Kay, broadcaster for the New York Yankees, exclaimed this catchy phrase when the Yankees clinched the American League championship in 2000, setting up a World Series against the New York Mets in what would be dubbed the “Subway Series.”

Author Chris Donnelly, who has penned two other books on New York baseball, does a nice job with this one as well. Starting with the first regular season game between the Mets and Yankees, Donnelly takes the reader inside the stands, dugouts, locker rooms and front offices of both the Mets and Yankees leading up the Yankees becoming the kings of New York baseball for at least that time. 

Donnelly spares practically no one from either club during the period of 1997-2000 from getting at least a mention in the book. From Mets pitcher Dave Mlicki to Yankees utility man Luis Sojo, Donnelly spans these four seasons with great detail about the two New York clubs both on and off the field. These two players were chosen because the bookend this period covered in the book - Mlicki was the winning pitcher in that first ever 1997 interleague game between the two New York teams and Sojo drove in the winning run in game 5 of the Subway Series to win it for the Yankees.

There is not a lot of extra material in the book such as short biographies or side stories. Practically every word has some connection to the performances on the field or activities by the front offices to improve the teams. The closest story that can be considered to be a side bar would be that of Mlicki, whose outstanding performance in that 1997 game is the subject of a few short chapters interspersed between the longer ones on the two clubs.

It was mentioned in the book, as well as the media at that time, there there would likely be little interest outside of the New York metropolitan area in the Subway Series. Without being quite that harsh, this is a book that would certainly appeal to fans of the Yankees or Mets but might not hold the interest of fans of other teams. Or, if a reader is a baseball historian or just one who likes books that concentrate on the game (I fall into this category), then they should check it out as well.

I wish to thank the 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/Get-Your-Tokens-Ready-Subway-ebook/dp/B0DJS15B2C/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of "Ant"

Having been a fan of the Minnesota Timberwolves since their debut season of 1989-90, of course I wanted to read this book.  Not only because of the subject matter, but also because of the author, who has been a very good beat writer for the team the last 7 years.  Here is my review of "Ant." 

Title/Author:

“Ant: The Incredible Journey of NBA Rising Star Anthony Edwards” by Chris Hine

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Anthony Edwards has propelled both himself and his team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, into levels of fame and prosperity that neither had ever occupied before.  However, for Edwards, his personality and approach to relationships with people and how he handles them have not changed drastically since he was a young boy.  This book by Timberwolves beat writer Chris Hine takes an in-depth look at Edwards’ path to where he is today.

The first section of the book focuses primarily on Edwards’ outstanding performance in a different sport, football.  While he eventually switched to basketball, the lessons learned in football on how to handle adversity, how to interact properly with coaches, teammates and other people in general, and who he can trust and not trust. The latter especially came into good use as Edwards’ star took off in basketball during his high school days. It should also be noted that he was often described by people who knew him well and were interviewed by Hine as one who was an “old soul” (a term used several time) because he would be asking inquisitive questions and say statements that just were not expected to be spoken by someone at a young age.

When writing about Edwards’ college and professional career (all 4 seasons in the book with the Timberwolves), Hine followed the same pattern of writing about Edwards’ interactions with people, whether coaches, teammates, his “inner circle” or other similar people important in his life. Even well after they passed away, his mother and grandmother were still important influences in his life.  While many, including myself, may remember the pictures of those two women next to him when the Timberwolves made Edwards the #1 pick of the 2020 NBA draft, it is noteworthy to see how much he still values their wisdom and guidance.

While there is some writing about the action on the court, especially during the Timberwolves’ 2024 run to the Western Conference Finals (the last season the book covers), this book focuses much more on Edwards the person instead of Edwards the basketball player and as a result, readers should learn a lot about the young man who is becoming one of the iconic faces of the NBA today.  This is true no matter how closely the reader follows the Timberwolves, the NBA or basketball in general.  

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

Link: Ant: The Incredible Journey of NBA Rising Star Anthony Edwards: Hine, Chris: 9780063438958: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Death of a Racehorse"

I used to follow horse racing more closely but the recent scandals, deaths of horses and general overall lack of enthusiasm about the sport compared to others has made me follow it less and less.  Nevertheless, I was intrigued by this book by its title - the book was not quite what I expected but still a good read.  

Title/Author:

“Death of a Racehorse: An American Story” by Katie Bo Lillis

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Horse racing has been rocked by scandals involving drugging and doping the race horses and the deaths of some of these thoroughbreds. The death of Medina Spirit, the horse trained by well-known trainer Bob Baffert and whose Kentucky Derby win was taken away when testing revealed a banned substance in the horse’s system.  That was the start of this in-depth look at the world of horse racing by Katie Bo Lillis.

The title of the book and the first chapter made me think that this was going to be a compilation of sad stories of horses who had to be euthanized for one reason or another due to their participation in races. That turned out not to be the case at all as Lillis, a journalist who used to work in the racing industry, exposed both the therapeutic and performance-enhancing use of various drugs in horses that run in the sport.

The book also took a critical look at training methods, the horse racing industry as a whole and the various degrees of interest by the federal government in their investigations of criminal activity in the sport.  An example of this would be the consideration of wire fraud charges if illegal substances were sold across state lines using electronic technology (phone, email, texting, etc.) and money exchanged hands.  There are many people involved in these stories, not just the big names like Baffert. 

It was also interesting to learn new knowledge about the industry.  One example that was a recurrent topic in the various chapters was the need for a full complement of horses to run in each race for an event to turn a profit. This is so that there are more betting options for gamblers, resulting in a higher purse for the track.  It makes sense after reading this, but it is something that I was never aware of.

At times, the book does get very detailed, especially about the drugs used in the sport.  It felt at times I needed a pharmacology degree to understand these nuances, but despite this, it is a book that is very informative and one that would be enjoyed by readers of all levels of interest in horse racing.  

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

Link: Death of a Racehorse: An American Story: Lillis, Katie Bo: 9781668017012: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “J.D.

As I have noted before, when I am riding on a bus or train to a sporting event, I like to have a book with me about that sport. I listened to the audio version of this book on the bus to the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono this past Sunday and I learned a lot about a driver in which the only thing I knew about him is that he was killed in a race in 1991.  Here’s my review of “J.D.”

Title/Author: “J.D.: The Life and Death of a Forgotten NASCAR Legend” written and narrated by Brock Beard

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

J.D. McDuffie was a NASCAR driver/owner who certainly loved what he was doing in the sport.  He was a dying breed - a single car team owner who was also the driver.  Because of this, he often had less sponsorships, funds for parts and employees and other luxuries that well-financed motorsports teams have (for current teams like that, think Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing).  This book by Brock Beard tells a great story about the man, his love for racing and his tragic death on the road course at Watkins Glen.

 

Beard, who also narrates the audio version (I listened to this version), had access through interviews with family members, former drivers and crew members and even the small-time sponsors who gave McDuffie at least a little extra money and some decals on his no. 70 blue car.  This gave the book some very interesting stories on McDuffie, both as a person and as a determined racer.

While McDuffie never did win a race on NASCAR’s highest level, then called the Winston Cup Series), he nonetheless won much respect from nearly everyone involved in the sport and that comes through in the writing as well. No matter how poorly McDuffie did in qualifying or in a race, one could be assured he’d try again the next week. He did qualify for the pole position once and was running well when he had that crash in Watkins Glen that ended his life.

But that life was fulfilling, doing what he loved to do and with a loving and supporting family. Because of this, it isn’t a stretch to call him a “legend” as the book’s subtitle does, because there are way to be a legend outside of just winning races, and McDuffie showed us how that can be done. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/J-D-Second-Brock-Beard-ebook/dp/B099QJKSXD/ref=sr_1_3?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.sDQ2l7eqy4Dkif1HWJ2p5fYnvv9Z3RumcxaEUgqiWJKGM_zk7RBgEHEXHYa_LOlmIr5fQP0mZYHxFqgOimkuoN96DEvfnZu0-d02NWsS3inCjuRCWSzhkJ4Yg-h4xLBKTSx-wfPUL7Qx5NOxI2fAu0Kk2zK8LmEGRPcpiva3QC1t5PA7IWNkpcnQMmNmWTweszDqE30l0X2694QikYbdgfc0h73xJc_cbV1xfOlIRa0.jYD2id5cCWy-ZVfZ_SpiLJIQFWQ7DD3dQoPdYDDS47w&dib_tag=se&keywords=J.d&qid=1750760379&sr=8-3 

Review of "The Players' Coach"

Having read this book as part of a Goodreads challenge, I found this to be okay.  There was a lot of name dropping by the author as well as some great stories, and some may really enjoy them.  Here is my review of "The Players' Coach."

Title/Author:

“The Players’ Coach: Fifty Years Making NFL’s Best Better – From Bradshaw, Manning, Brady and Beyond” by Tom Moore with Rick Stroud

Rating: 

3 ½  of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

Tom Moore is a person who would be considered a football “lifer.” He proclaims himself to be one in this memoir co-written with Rick Stroud.  Even though he never was named as a head coach of any team, college or NFL, one cannot say that he has not had a successful and interesting career.

Moore shares many stories about himself as well as some of the great players that he has coached.  After getting his first college coaching job at Iowa after graduation, he went on to be an assistant at several colleges, including a rival of Iowa, the University of Minnesota (a place where he considered becoming a head coach before they hired Lou Holtz in 1984).  From there, he transitioned to the NFL in 1977, becoming an assistant to Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Chuck Noll.  After a successful stint in Pittsburgh that included two Super Bowl victories and a promotion to offensive coordinator, he held similar roles for several other NFL teams, including the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, New Orleans Saints (he talks very little about his time there in this book), Indianapolis Colts, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  He won two more Super Bowls – one with the Colts, one with the Buccaneers, and coached in another with the Cardinals.

With a resume like this, it naturally follows that Moore has coached some of the greatest players in this era of football and three of them are in the subtitle.  He has good stories about each one of them, and even better stories about some who were very good but not at the legendary level of these three.  There is a great story on Vikings wide receiver Jake Reed on the assistance Moore gave him when it was discovered a vision problem was hindering his ability to catch passes.  Moore also has kind things to say about his quarterback in Detroit, Scott Mitchell.  When Moore talks about some of these players, those are the best sections to read.

Unfortunately, the rest of the book didn’t hold my interest as much as these stories as the talk about his moves, the X’s and O’s and other parts of his career just didn’t seem to have the same level of enthusiasm and intangibles. I use that word for this description – just like when an athlete has something extra that can’t be described so it is said that person has “intangibles”.  In this case, those chapters and sections LACK those “intangibles” to make them must-read areas.

That aside, any reader with an interest in a football coach with a lengthy and successful career despite never holding a head coaching position will want to read this book.  If nothing else, read it for some good stories on some of the legendary players in recent NFL history.

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

Link: The Players' Coach: From Bradshaw to Manning, Brady, and Beyond: Moore, Tom, Stroud, Rick: 9781635769852: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “The Front Runner”

While I cannot say I am a big track and field fan, I do recognize the name Steve Prefontaine and knew that he is considered a legend in the sport. It’s hard to believe he’s been gone 50 years - and was very glad to be able to obtain a copy of this book. Here is my review of “The Front Runner.” 

Title/Author: “The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine” by Brendan O’Meara

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Steve Prefontaine holds an almost godlike status in the sport of track and field. This despite the fact that he did not win a medal of any type in the one Olympics event in which he competed as Olympic medals are usually the standard by which the legend of a runner will be set. This book by Brendan O’Meara, published 50 years after his tragic death at age 24 in a car accident, does a fantastic job of describing WHY “”Pre”, as he was called by his many fans, attained such status and also delves into his short life in great detail. 

Prefontaine’s early life was marked by divorce and abuse but there was a special bond between him and his half sister Neta (he also has a full blooded sister Linda) in which Neta protected the younger Steve. When Neta left home, Steve started running and from that time Steve was a running machine. In junior and senior high school, Steve very rarely lost a race, was maniacal about his training and his goal and was brash enough to announce what records he’ll break and what he will do (strategy) to accomplish this. 

It helped that aside from travel for international meets, Steve’s residence his entire life was in Oregon, a state where track and field is as important a sport as football is in Texas or basketball is in Indiana. His high school career, as well as that at the University of Oregon, is covered in great detail by O’Meara. This is aided by the many fascinating stories that friends, teammates and opponents of Prefontaine shared. 

It should also be noted that Prefontaine was the first star athlete featured by an upstart shoe company making mostly running shoes with a new name: Nike. Long before Michael Jordan, Phil Knight realized the power that a star like Prefontaine would bring to sales and O’Meara gives the reader a good portrayal of that aspect of Prefontaine and the start of the Nike brand with its famous “swoosh.” It’s called that because it’s the sound of a runner passing by others.

The one Olympics event for Steve, the 5000 meters, was and still is considered both a triumph and a defeat. The latter, of course, because he finished fourth and out of medal contention. But given his strong running that briefly gave him the lead and the will to exert himself so much when his body was not cooperating was considered to be greatness seen and upon reflection, he took that view away. This is in line with the training and runs he would do regularly. The description of these is another excellent aspect of the book.

Readers already knowledgeable about Prefontaine, whether old enough to have seen him or through hearing stories about him, might be familiar with much of the material, but not matter one’s knowledge or fandom of “Pre”, this is a book that is well worth the time to read about a runner whose name still represents greatness 50 years after his death. 

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063348969/?bestFormat=true&k=the%20front%20runner&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_de_k0_1_12&crid=3BSE1L97VG3QD&sprefix=The%20front%20ru  

Review of "Skipper"

Even though hockey and basketball are having their championship games currently, my to-do list is filled with baseball books.  Therefore, with maybe an exception or two, there will be a lot of baseball books reviewed here in the next few weeks.  For my latest review, this was an excellent book on baseball managers. 

Title/Author:

“Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter and Always Will” by Scott Miller

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

With the increased use of analytical data in baseball today, there has been talk that the importance and role of the manager of a major league baseball team has been reduced. This book by Scott Miller provides reams of excellent information on that leader, both in the perspective of “old school” and “new school.”

While reading this book, I came across with the sense that Miller was truly objective with his writing and opinions.  He never came across as a grouchy old man that can’t accept the use of analytics to influence in-game decisions, but he also never was dismissive of the authoritarian era of the manager when skippers like Earl Weaver and Tommy Lasorda had total control over the players (on the field) and the decisions made affecting the games on the field. 

That does leave a reader to wonder just how Miller feels about the current status of a manager, but to me, that’s a good thing. That means the reader will need to absorb all of the information, stories and records that Miller provides and come up with their own conclusion. Why Miller doesn’t share much in the way of opinion is known only to him, but while that may not appeal to some, for me it is one of the strengths of the book.

The range of stories is also fascinating plus Miller uses some actual game scenarios to illustrate how the role of the manager has changed. The best example of this to me is shown in his interviews with Tom Kelly and Kevin Cash in two of the more well-known pitching situations in World Series history.  Kelly, considered to be one of the better “old school” managers, had to decide whether to remove Jack Morris in game 7 of the 1991 World Series after he had thrown nine shutout innings. Morris was not going to leave the game without a fight and told Kelly “I can pitch.” Kelly then replied “Oh, hell, it’s only a game.”  Morris pitched a 1-2-3 tenth inning and then the Twins win in the bottom of the tenth. 

Cash, on the other hand, is more known for a move that didn’t work.  Following the plan that was developed between him and the baseball operations department (a department that never existed in Kelly’s time), Cash came out to remove starting pitcher Blake Snell with one out in the sixth inning. Snell at that point had only allowed two hits and struck out nine batters.  But after a single by Austin Barnes of the Dodgers brought up Mookie Betts and the top of the batting order, Cash did not want Snell to face the Dodger lineup a third time.  The bullpen couldn’t hold off the Dodgers offense as Los Angeles went on to win the game and the World Series.

The reason I highlight these two highlights is that they perfectly illustrate the range of time that this book covers, the types of managers highlighted (there’s great information on Terry Francona, Dusty Baker and Gabe Kapler as well, just to name a few) and the unique situations these leaders faced with their clubs.

Also, it should be noted that Miller had an excellent chapter on the lack of Black managers throughout the time covered and the difficulties encountered by those who had a job to find that next managerial position.  The grace in which Baker and Gaston handled those situations makes for wonderful reading.  After this chapter, while I already had great respect for Dusty Baker and his accomplishments, my respect for him grew even more as this revealed what kind of person he truly is.

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

Link: Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter and Always Will: Miller, Scott: 9780306832703: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “A Basebll Gaijin”

Just like the story of this book’s subject, Tony Barnette, my adventure with this book was interesting. The author was kind enough to send me a copy and when I started reading it, I just wasn’t getting into it. With an Audible credit available, I let the author know that I would try the audio version instead and it turned out to be a good choice. Here is my review of “A Baseball Gaijin.” 

Title/Author: “A Baseball Gaijin: Chasing a Dream to Japan and Back” by Aaron Fischman, narrated by Brian Nishii 

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  While many baseball fans may not recognize the name Tony Barnette as a relief pitcher for the Texas Rangers, his story of how he became a member of the team’s bullpen from 2016 to 2018 is one that will inspire any reader or listener of this book. Author Aaron Fischman does a terrific job of telling Barnette’s story of his time in the Japanese team and his determination to make it to the major leagues. 

Whether one reads the book or listens to Brian Nishii’s very good narration (I did the latter), Barnette’s adventures in Japan are quite interesting. When Barnette struggled as a starting pitcher - enough to be released by the Yakult Swallows, a team in Tokyo, he still didn’t let that deter him. In a move that isn’t common in Japanese baseball, the Swallows took him back and he responded by posting some incredible seasons out of the Swallows bullpen. It was enough to catch the attention of the Rangers, who signed him and immediately put him in the bullpen, becoming a 32 year old rookie pitcher.

The book, while an excellent recap of Barnette’s career in Japan and Texas, is a very good biography of Barnette and a good introduction to Japanese baseball for those who are not not familiar with their customs and traditions as there are differences between Japanese baseball and their American counterparts. The chapters on Barnette’s life off the field, especially when his daughters were born, are also good. I particularly enjoyed the stories on the adjustments to life in Japan that his wife Hillary made as the life of a baseball wife in Japan can be even more challenging than it is in the US.

Lastly, I enjoyed the information Fischman provided about other baseball gaijin from the US on how they adjusted to playing in Japan. The most interesting stories of these was whenever the home run record for one season by Sadaharu Oh was threatened by a foreign player, Japanese pitchers refused to throw strikes to those batters, ensuring that Oh’s record would be safe. This happened to Randy Bass, Tuffy Rhodes and Alex Cabrera. Oh’s record was finally broken by a Swallows teammate of Barnette’s, Wladimir Balentien, in 2013.

If a reader wants an inspiring story about a pitcher who never gave up on his dream and went to a foreign country to keep it alive, then they will want to pick this one up. 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Baseball-Gaijin-Chasing-Dream-Japan/dp/B0D7N3KTZP/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8 

Review of “Homestand”

Finishing up a great month of reading with a book about baseball in a small town that lost its minor league team but is still enjoying baseball. Here is my review of “Homestand.”

Title/Author: “Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight For the Soul of America” by Will Bardenwerper

Rating: 3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: 

Batavia is a Rust Belt town in western New York that like many of its brethren, has seen better days economically. Many of its small businesses have been shuttered although there is still some activity. For many years the town had a minor league baseball team, the Batavia Muckdogs. Then they lost that team in 2020 when Major League Baseball contracted 42 teams, one of which was the Muckdogs. 

However, the town did not completely lose baseball as a local couple purchased a team in a league of teams composed of college players on summer break, located it in Batavia and kept the name Muckdogs. This book by Army veteran and baseball fan Will Bardenwerper not only chronicles the 2022 Muckdogs season, but it also is a story of a small town, its residents and the fans who made the trek to Dwyer Stadium. 

These stories of people are excellent and the best parts of the book, both for the reader and to show the best of Bardenwerper’s writing. Whether it was two middle aged ladies who don’t consider themselves sports fans yet attend every game, an elderly couple raising their great-grandchildren while enjoying summer nights at the ballpark, the town’s curmudgeonly playwright (who is a Mets fan like the author) and even the stories about Barderwereper’s own family (especially his six-year old son Bates), a reader will feel like they are at Dwyer Stadium or in one of the town’s establishments. The portrayal of Batavia and its team will tug at the reader’s heartstrings.

But those are almost negated by the repetitive and frequent mentions by Bardenwerper about baseball’s current economic model and use of statistical data. It got to the point where I thought I should play a drinking game while reading and take a drink every time he mentioned that MLB eliminated more than 40 minor league teams. He also was frequently criticizing current economic and business principles on “efficiency” and use of technology. These were interspersed within the chapters on the town’s people or the Muckdogs games. That interrupted the nice flow of those great stories. These topics were important to the message Bardenwerper was saying, but they would have been better had they had their own chapters. That may have also reduced the repetition of several points made.

Those issues notwithstanding, this is still a nice look at baseball in small town America. Yes, it may not be professional or affiliated with MLB, but the people still enjoy it, the players are pitching and hitting and at least a small piece of the American experience that the author is lamenting is dying at least has some life in Batavia, New York. 

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Homestand-Small-Baseball-Fight-America/dp/0385549652/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0