Review of “Lights, Camera, Fastball”

 Having never heard of the Hollywood Stars before obtaining this book, I was interested to learn more about this team - and this book is a great source of information for them.  Here is my review of “Lights, Camera, Fastball”

REVIEW:

The Hollywood Stars may not have been the most successful minor league team during their 27 season existence existence, despite winning three Pacific Coast League pennants. Where their success came was at the box office, their innovations and their celebrity fan base. This book about the team by Dan Taylor is one of the best sources for information about the team that is not only well researched but also and easy read - only troubled by trying to keep all the names of their fan base straight.

The driving force behind nearly everything that the Stars were noted for can be traced back to the owner of the Brown Derby restaurant, Robert Cobb. Using much of the business acumen that made his restaurants success, Cobb brought int baseball when he purchased the franchise in 1039. His first action was to get many celebrities on board as part owners and/or stockholders.  A sample of these stars make up a Who’s Who of Hollywood at the team - Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Bing Crosby, Gail Patrick and Gene Autry. The last man listed is notable as he later purchased another team based in Southern California in Major League Baseball, the latest team called the Angels.

As for the Hollywood Stars on the field, they usually struggled to find the best players. When it seemed like they finally found the right players, they would often lose them to either major league clubs, a rival team in the PCL or to the military in World War II. However it was not all gloom for the team and when they did win in 1949 for their only championship (the previous franchise with the same name won the 1929 and 1930 titles), Taylor’s writing brings the fans close to the celebration, both in the locker room with the players and all the parties in Los Angeles as their famous fans were celebrating. 

Cobb’s team borough several innovations to the game. Some of them caught on and became staples for the game, both in minor and Major League Baseball.these include televising games, dragging the infield during the fifth inning for a “time out” to give fans time to visit concession stands and the use of batting helmets. They also designed uniforms wearing shorts, which of course didn’t go over as well. It should also be noted that Cobb built a new ball park for the team instead of sharing the Los Angeles version of Wrigley Field, building Gilmore Field and drawing many fans to the games regardless of the Stars record on the field.

With the arrival of the Dodgers, Cobb and his group decided to sell the team instead of moving and operating them elsewhere. When that happened a colorful portion of West Coast baseball ended and this book talks about all aspects of the Hollywood Stars that is such a good read that any fan will want to pick it up.  

I wish to thank Rowman and Littlefield for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.amazon.com/Lights-Camera-Fastball-Hollywood-Baseball/dp/153813862X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=21YQSV5FCJTCC&dchild=1&keywords=lights+camera+fastball&qid=1620519121&sprefix=Lights+camera+fast%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-1

Review of "Boxed Out of the NBA" and new streamlined format

With the arrival of May and the eighth year of "The Guy Who Reviews Sports Books", I am announcing a slightly streamlined format.  I have broken these posts into sections with various bits of information on the book.  Starting with this review, the posts will consist only of the title of the book, the cover and the review.  At the bottom of the review there will still be a link where the information that was in the post can now be easily found by those wishing to learn more information.  So, with that, here is the review of my latest book

TITLE: "Boxed Out of the NBA" by Syl Solbe and Jay Rosenstein

Long before there was the G-league that operates as the NBA's developmental league and even before the ABA that existed from 1967 to 1976, there was the Eastern League for players who for one reason or another, could not play in the NBA.  This book provides an entertaining look at that league that served as not only a de-facto minor league when NBA teams provided players but also as the only avenue in which some players could show off their basketball talent.

The authors, Syl Solbe and Jay Rosentstein, grew up in Pennsylvania watching games from this league and their book waxes nostalgic when writing about the teams, players and coaches.  At times, there are even names mentioned who would be familiar to even casual basketball fans today, such as Jim Boeheim and John Chaney, two legendary college coaches who had success as players in the league.

It must be noted that the league was based mainly in Pennsylvania and as a result, there was a lot of bus travel and games were limited to weekend because like many other players in all of sports at the time, they had to have a primary job in order to provide a living income.  But that didn't detour these players and coaches, many of whom had fond memories that they shared with the authors that makes the book a fun read.  The most depressing part is certainly from the Black players who talk about the quotas in the NBA at that time that teams would place on the number of Black players they could employ and some of the other aspects of "Black" basketball that were believed to be bad for the sport.  Given the chance to prove these critics wrong in the Eastern League, they wowed both colleagues and spectators alike. 

Like most leagues, the lack of funding led to the end of the league, which lasted much longer than anyone had anticipated and even was able to compete with both the NBA and ABA for players in its last seasons to keep on playing.  Readers who have not heard of this league, such as this reviewer, will thoroughly enjoy learning about this basketball league that entertained fans for a few decades in the Northeastern United States.

I wish to thank Rowman and Littlefield for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Boxed out of the NBA: Remembering the Eastern Professional Basketball League: Sobel, Syl, Rosenstein, Jay, Ryan, Bob: 9781538145029: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "One Punch from the Promised Land"

Because I juggle more than one book at a time for reading, it isn't unusual for me to put one down to check out another one.  But it isn't often that I get so engrossed in one that I forget to pick up the old one until the new one is finished.  That was the case with this book on boxing's Spinks brothers as I didn't want to read anything else until I finished this one. Here is my review of "One Punch from the Promised Land"

Title/Author:

"One Punch From the Promised Land: Leon Spinks, Michael Spinks and the Myth of the Heavyweight Title" by John Florio

Tags:

Boxing, professional, championship, biography

Publish date:

August 29, 2013

Length:

288 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Boxing fans of a certain age are certainly familiar with the Spinks brothers, Leon and Michael.  Both won gold medals in the 1976 Olympics and both went on to professional careers in which both of them became the heavyweight champion of the world.  At that time, the title held much prestige in sports as well as boxing.  How both of them got there and their careers and lives after achieving this feat are covered in this excellent book by John Florio.

Rising in the sport out of their poverty-stricken area of the Pruit-Igoe projects in St. Louis, both Leon and Michael achieved success in the sport, although Michael wanted to pursue a profession aside from boxing, as Florio describes well.  This is especially true for both brother's stories when one considers Florio did not obtain interviews with either brother and instead talked to many contacts to the Spinks' as well as extensive research. The result of this is an interesting take on not only the brothers' boxing careers but also their lives before and after boxing.

The divergent paths are well-illustrated by Florio as after the Olympics, Leon wanted to turn pro right away while Michael was not as anxious to do so.  Leon then pulled off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, winning the heavyweight title over Muhammad Ali in only his eighth professional fight in February 15, 1978.  His reign was very short as seven months later, Ali won back the title in the rematch.  Both during and after his reign, Leon was drinking and partying excessively, leading him to some more destructive behavior and trying to schedule bouts with questionable opponents and promoters. 

Michael's path, while more deliberate and also including a light heavyweight title, also included a win over a legendary champion, Larry Holmes.  While Michael had more sustained success during his reign, he also lost the title in a famous bout when he lost to Mike Tyson in June 1988.  Unlike Leon, that was the last fight for Michael, retiring soon after that bout.  While Michael was more careful with his health and money, he too suffered after boxing when he learned that his long-time advisor Butch Lewis had taken much of his winnings. 

However, both brothers seem to be upbeat now, despite the difficulties.  This book was written before Leon's cancer diagnosis, so that part is not covered and at times, the author does seem a little harsh on Leon in his lack of responsibility to account for his issues when he was boxing.  Nonetheless, this is a book that a boxing fan who knows about the Spinks brothers will want to pick up as it is a wonderful read on a pair of famous brothers of the "sweet science."

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/One-Punch-Promised-Land-Heavyweight/dp/0762783001/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=  

Review of "We Average Unbeautiful Watchers"

Thanks to some online reading challenges, a virtual book club I join every week and just getting sick of looking at my bookshelves sagging, I have been trying to read some older books provided to me but for one reason or another (none of them good) never bothered to read.  This one is one of those to try to break that rut - and it turned out better than I thought.  Here is my review of "We Average Unbeautiful Watchers"

Title/Author:

"We Average Unbeautiful Watchers" by Noah Cohen

Tags:

Baseball, Football (American), basketball, history, politics, race, feminism

Publish date:

July 1, 2019

Length:

276 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Most scholarly books on sports topics, no matter what they be, tend to be books that must be read slowly and methodically in order to fully appreciate the research and crafting that the author does to get his or her message across. That is not the case for this book on the expression of sports fandom by Noah Cohen.  While the language is still typical for this genre, it is a book that is fairly easy to digest and can be read much quicker than most of this style. 

I believe the reason that this book can be read easier is the subject matter.  It sounds complicated but the way it is broken down by Cohen, it makes perfect sense.  Fans of sports are more than casual observers – they are writers and creators of stories themselves and by doing so they are building a sense of identity. 

The first two chapters bring this out beautifully when describing baseball stories as ones that may lack some factual items but are rich in narrative and the connection between some football fans and mental illness.  Cohen uses previously produced media – books, movies, blogs and the like – to illustrate how fans are actually just as much a part of sports media as the "writers" who cover athletes and team are.  I especially liked finding new sports fiction titles to add to my reading list and discovering some books I never knew existed, such as "Silver Linings Playbook."  Having seen the movie but not realizing there was a book was a treat – that book may be reviewed here soon.

All the socially relevant topics covered – racism, feminism, identity to name just a few – are all portrayed fairly and opinions are backed up with citations.  A reader may not agree with everything Cohen states, but regardless, that reader will now be much more informed on the subject than beforehand.  These topics and writing style may not be for everyone, but for a different look at sports fandom, this is a book well worth checking out.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying Links:

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9780803295940/

https://www.amazon.com/We-Average-Unbeautiful-Watchers-Narratives-ebook/dp/B07JQG2NGZ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "1962"

It isn't often I will write a review on a book that I didn't like, but this is an exception - and it wasn't the whole book that I didn't like, just wish that it had more baseball.  The other topics made up for that disappointment.  Here is my review of "1962." 

 Title/Author:

"1962: Baseball and America in the Time of JFK" by David Krell

Tags:

Baseball, history, politics, Colt 45s, Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Giants

Publish date:

May 1, 2021

Length:

384 pages

Rating:

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

For both baseball and America, 1962 was an exciting year.  In baseball, the National League pennant came down to a best of three playoff between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants. The league expanded to 10 teams, adding the Houston Colt .45s and the New York Mets.  While the New York Yankees won in the American League yet again, two surprising teams there included the Minnesota Twins and California Angels.  Both of those teams not only surpassed expectations but also had a pitcher throw a no hitter.

As for America, between the changes in entertainment such as television shows and movies, the excitement generated by the young and attractive President and First Lady and the pride the entire country had with the space program, that was producing an optimistic feeling around the nation.  Both of these subjects are blended together in this book by David Krell.

The book would be described better by switching around the words "baseball" and "America" in the title as there is much more information on American events in television, movies, politics, society and space than there is about baseball.  In the introduction, Krell states that he will only write about five teams – the two new National League franchises plus the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees.  The other two mentioned in this review, the Angels and Twins, only had brief mentions because of the no hitters and also because Angels pitcher Bo Belinsky made more headlines on the society pages than on the sports pages because of his marriage to Mamie Van Doren.

Then, when one reads about those five teams, this is mostly a short description of the teams on the field.  Instead, the dialogue is most short biographies about the more important players on those teams. These are all brief, whether the player was a star at the time or a bench jockey – if there was something interesting to share, Krell did so.  A reader looking for writing about the actual play on the field will find the most about that in the chapter on the World Series, and even then there are some games that are covered thoroughly and some get just scant text. 

However, if the reader is looking for material on the other topics, then this book is a treasure trove of information.  I found the most interesting parts on these topics were anything on the space program and the writing on the Belinsky-Van Doren marriage. These and other topics, especially those about President Kennedy or the First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy and her televised "tour" of the White House were the better parts of the book.  Because these were very good, I did decide to finish the book even though I was hoping to read more about baseball.  With a two star rating for the baseball writing and the four star rating for the writing on other topics, I give this one an overall rating of three stars and while I would not recommend it for baseball readers, I do believe that readers interested in other topics that were newsworthy in 1962 would find this book enjoyable.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9780803290877/

https://www.amazon.com/1962-Baseball-America-Time-JFK/dp/080329087X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1618854288&sr=1-1

 

Review of "Bubbleball"

It will be hard to find any sports book that captures the atmosphere of sport and the nation during the coronavirus pandemic than this book about the bubble where the 2020 NBA season was completed.  Here is my review of "Bubbleball."

Title/Author:

"Bubbleball: Inside the NBA's Fight to Save a Season" by Ben Golliver

Tags:

Basketball, memoir, professional

Publish date:

May 4, 2021

Length:

304 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

When the NBA shut down operations on March 11, 2020 after Rudy Goebert of the Utah Jazz tested positive for the coronavirus, the entire sports world, as well as the league, was thrown into disarray.  Amid all the uncertainty, the NBA was working on a plan to try to salvage the season and crown a legitimate champion.  How the league did this is captured in this excellent book by Washington Post NBA writer Ben Golliver.

Usually when an author who is not an athlete or part of the subject inserts themself into a book, I believe that it distracts from the actual topic.  That was not the case for this book, as Golliver's experiences in the "bubble" where all personnel associated with the league's restart – players, coaches, officials, media and others – were housed and worked, was not only enlightening but absolutely necessary to illustrate what everyone was going through at the Disney sports complex. 

Another excellent aspect of the book was how the players responded to the shooting of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake – the most prominent cases of police shootings of Black people.  The social justice messages that were on display on the court, player jerseys and stated by players and coaches were just as much a part of the bubble experience as basketball and virus testing.  The section on the atmosphere and discussion in the Milwaukee Bucks dressing room when they learned about the Blake shooting was especially profound. Because the locker rooms were much smaller than those of NBA arenas and the soundproofing was not as effective, Golliver was privy to information that he normally wouldn't be and as a result, it was a moving section about the Bucks' decision to not play the Orlando Magic that night.

Of course, the basketball writing was very good as well.  He covered all rounds of the playoffs and the completion of the regular season with just the right amount of detail.  He didn't get too bogged down with play-by-play descriptions, but these were more than just brief overviews as well. As well as the prose was written, however, when the Los Angeles Lakers were crowned as the 2020 champions after the Miami Heat surprisingly gave them six tough games in the Finals, much like the players, readers will find themselves glad that the odyssey was coming to end.  Basketball aficionados will love this book for the inside look of life in the bubble while more casual fans will appreciate this look at the strange but completed 2019-20 NBA season.  

I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Bubbleball-Inside-NBAs-Fight-Season/dp/1419755536/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "Cobra"

As typically happens every April, I lag somewhat on my reading when baseball season starts as I watch many of the early games before settling into a routine.  So, when I did find time to read, it was only appropriate to make it a baseball book - the new memoir by Dave Parker.  Here is my review of "Cobra"

 

Title/Author:

"Cobra: A Life of Baseball and Brotherhood" by Dave Parker with Dave Jordan

Tags:

Baseball, memoir, professional, Pirates, Reds

Publish date:

April 1, 2021

Length:

480 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Dave Parker was a hitter many pitchers feared in the 1970s when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.  He and his teammates, most notably Willie Stargell, became known as the "We Are Family" team in 1979 when the Sister Sledge song would be playing while the Pirates were on their way to a World Series title. He has now written a memoir sharing his memories of that team and his baseball career with David Jordan.

Baseball wasn't the only sport Parker excelled in.  A Cincinnati native, he had dreams of attending Ohio State University on a football scholarship and he may have done so had he not suffered a knee injury in high school.  While that limited his effectiveness on the gridiron, he still excelled on the diamond and as a result, signed with the Pirates as a teenager.

His climb through the minor leagues, his eventual call-up to the Pirates and later his performance with Pittsburgh is filled with entertaining stories.  The reader will have a challenge on their hands keeping up with all the nicknames that Parker had for all his teammates – I often had to look back to see who was named what name.  The book does touch on racial issues, but not overtly so.  The most that he mentions this is when he was receiving death threats before the 1979 All-Star game – the game in which he produced what is most likely the moment every fan who saw it remembers.  It did not come at the plate, but in right field when he threw out Brian Downing at home plate, keeping the game tied at that time and giving his National League teammates a chance to win the game, which they did.

There are also sections about his cocaine use – subtle at first during the peak of his playing career.  He talks about that, the later trial of a Pittsburgh cocaine dealer that rocked the baseball world and also some of his time with other teams, most notably his hometown Cincinnati Reds, where he was still productive, even leading the league in runs batted in during the 1985 season.  However, just sections on his time with the Pirates is what makes the book a very good read and those who are Pirates fans or remember Parker from that era of baseball will want to pick this book up.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Baseball-Brotherhood-Dave-Parker-ebook/dp/B08MQ5W6T9/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=