Interview with Robert Fitts and additional chances to win a book

This is a first for the blog - two interviews in one week!  This interview is with Robert Fitts, author of "Mashi" and other books on Japanese baseball.  He talks about Japanese baseball, his upcoming book tour and his own baseball experiences.  I thank him for taking the time to answer these questions.

I am also extending the chance to win a copy of the boxing book "Death In the Ring" by George Thomas Clark.  In addition to entering by leaving a comment on the reivew of that book or my interview with Mr. Clark, if you leave a comment here, you can enter to win as well.   If you do comment, but do not wish to enter the drawing for the book, please state so in your comment. Otherwise, enjoy and good luck!

Robert K. Fitts

Questions for Robert Fitts

1.  Why did you decide to write about Japanese baseball and its players?

In 1993 my wife was transferred to Tokyo and we lived there for two years.  The night I arrived in Japan, she took me to my first Japanese baseball game.  The atmosphere was unlike any game I had seen before.  The fans sang fight songs, blew horns, clapped in unison.   The stadium shook.  I fell in love with Japanese baseball that night. Later that year, I wrote a few dozen retired players to ask for their autographs.  To my surprise, these players not only signed but many wrote letters back and some sent me gifts.  How different from Major Leaguers!  I’ve been interested in the history of Japanese baseball ever since.

2.  “Mashi” took a little different approach to illustrating the struggles of a player who was a minority to fit in with his teammates.  Instead of telling about injustices, most of these anecdotes are humorous.  How were you able to approach a sensitive subject with so much humor?

That’s Mashi.  He has a great sense of humor—something every former teammate mentioned when I interviewed them.  He loved his time in the US and focused on the positive rather than difficult experiences.

3. Are you a fan of Japanese baseball?  What are your observations on the game in Japan and do you feel that the quality of play is close to that of Major League Baseball in the United States?

Major League baseball is more aggressive, faster and powerful than Japanese ball.  I feel that the American game in played at a higher level but that one should not dismiss Japanese baseball as inferior.  They produce many, many great players and watching their games can be a lot of fun.  I worry that with many of their stars coming to the US that baseball in Japan will no longer be able to maintain its high level.

4. Tell us about your baseball experience – whether as a player, a fan of a certain team or player, or if you just enjoy writing about it.

I played baseball—poorly – as a kid and for a company team when I lived in Japan.  For a while I was an avid softball player but now just play in a relaxed league.  I’ve been a baseball card collector since I was 10 and that led me to start selling Japanese baseball cards about 15 years ago.  To promote the cards, I started writing about the history of Japanese baseball but soon found that more interesting than selling cards, so I began focusing on writing about 10 years ago.  Mashi is my fourth book on Japanese baseball. 

5.  What future books can readers expect from you?  Do you have any work in progress currently?

I’m working on a story about the early days of Japanese-American baseball.  I’m studying a group of men who immigrated to Los Angeles around 1903 and formed a baseball team.  They barnstormed across the Midwest and hoped to become the first professional Japanese team on either side of the Pacific.  But, things didn’t work out.

6.  Feel free to add anything here that you would like readers to know.

This summer, Masanori Murakami is joining me for a 9city book tour.  We will stop in Chicago, Boston, New York, Rhinebeck NY, Cooperstown, LA, Fresno, San Francisco, and San Jose.  Information on these events will be posted on my web site www.RobFitts.com.  I hope everybody can come out to meet Mashi and have him sign your copy of the book

Interview with George Thomas Clark - and another giveaway!

I wish to express my gratitude to Mr. Clark here before getting to the interview for two things.  Not only for taking the time to answer a few questions about his book "Death in the Ring" but also for his generosity.   He has agreed to give away a copy to a lucky reader of the blog!   In order to enter, either leave a comment at the end of the interview here or on the review of "Death in the Ring."  If you are a boxing fan, it is a book you should read as it is not only entertaining, it is very possible you will learn about a few fighters that you probably didn't know.   The drawing for the book will be held May 11.  Good luck to everyone!

George Thomas Clark

1. Why did you decide to write about boxing history that included some obscure fighters?

Some of the boxers in Death in the Ring may be little known today but almost all were prominent, even heroic, during their time. Peter Jackson, for example, is known only to boxing fans who are interested in history. When he fought more than a hundred years ago in Australia, however, he was a national figure, and his status increased after his first extended trip to the United States and England. John L. Sullivan spent years ducking Jackson, claiming he was defending the honor and purity of whites and after Jackson fought a marathon draw against Jim Corbett, Gentleman Jim never wanted to give him a rematch.

Battling Siki is perhaps the most obscure and tragic figure in this book. He astonished France by knocking out national idol Georges Carpentier but, due to alcoholism and bizarre behavior, was blacklisted in France and had to come to the United States to get good fights. Here he was confronted by tough and talented boxers far more disciplined than he, and he lost more than he won. His drinking worsened and he ended up getting a bullet in the gut in Hell’s Kitchen while still in his twenties.

2. How difficult was it to write stories about boxers in the first person, especially those from the early 20^th century such as Jack Johnson and Jack Dempsey?

It was difficult to write in the first person but probably no more so than the third person. I’m just more comfortable using the first. No matter what voice you use, you have to do a lot of reading, and video watching if available, to learn what the fighter was like personally as well as professionally. Once you know the character, you slowly let him write his own story. There’s a lot of information about Dempsey and Jack Johnson, and good videos, too, so I felt I understood both men in and out of the ring.

3. With the rise in popularity of such sports as mixed martial arts, what do you see as the future for the sport? Will there be another “fight of the century” to draw much attention like the Pacquio-Mayweather bout?

I’m a baby boomer and, like most people through the ages, most attached to the heroes of my youth. My idea of a fight of the century is Ali v. Frazier, Foreman v. Ali, or Leonard v. Hearns or Duran. Manny and Floyd are great fighters, but can anyone really contend that Pacquiao would survive long against Hearns? Using his spectacular right hand, The Hit Man would pulverize Manny. And I think boxer-punchers like Sugar Ray Robinson and Leonard were just as slick as Floyd, and much better sluggers. Floyd would be competitive but he wouldn’t have enough against those guys. I do think Floyd would decision Duran without much trouble. Wilfred Benitez barely got touched by Duran, and no reliable person is going to claim Benitez was as good as Mayweather.

Mixed martial arts will continue to grow in popularity but boxing will maintain a reasonably prominent perch. There’s great artistry in landing and avoiding punches. There’s also great danger, and people are more concerned now about injuries in sports. Even the big daddy, football, has lost more competitors in recent years than any other sport. Basketball is the emerging sport.

4. Tell us about your boxing experience – whether as a boxer, a fan of a certain fighter, or if you just enjoy writing about it.

Like most boxing fans, I slipped on the gloves a few times as a kid, and like most boxing fans I quickly discovered I didn’t like getting hit and returned to the basketball court.

Muhammad Ali is my all-time favorite boxer and probably my favorite athlete and sports personality. No one brought as much drama and excitement into the ring. Ali was so charismatic his pre-fight antics were often more entertaining than many bouts then and now. Sugar Ray Leonard is my second favorite fighter. And despite my misgivings about him against great welterweights, including Mayweather, who I expect to win by decision, Manny Pacquiao is my favorite current fighter. He’s exciting, aggressive, and talented.

5. What future books can readers expect from you? Do you have any work in progress currently?

I just finished a book titled Paint it Blue,  (http://www.amazon.com/Paint-Blue-George-Thomas-Clark-ebook/dp/B00UKXD22A/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8) which explores the lives of painters – Picasso, Van Gogh, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and many others, not all famous, in the same first-person style I used in Death in the Ring.

6. Feel free to add anything here that you would like readers to know.

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao have won many titles and mountains of money. They’ve also been fighting professionally for about twenty years. That’s enough. I’d like to urge both of them to retire. They’re still good fighters. That’s not the point. Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson were still good fighters long after they should have quit. They suffered by staying too long.


You can find out more about Mr. Clark at his Web site:

www.GeorgeThomasClark.com

Winner of "Mashi" and upcoming interviews

The drawing has been held for the hardcover copy of "Mashi."  Using RAT STATS sampling software, all readers who left a comment were given a number, entered on an Excel file, and run through the program.  The lucky winner is #8, Beth K.   Beth, please send me an email (click "Contact Me" for the address if you do not already have it) with a mailing address and your copy will be on the way.  

There will also be an interview posted with the author, Robert K. Fitts, as I have sent him a few questions about the book and Japanese baseball.  As he posted, he will also be out promoting the book.  There was significant interest in this book, so I hope those who want to learn more will be able to attend one of these events. 

I want to thank everyone who left a comment for reading the review and entering.  There will be another giveaway soon, as the author of "Death in the Ring", George Thomas Clark, has generously offered a copy of his book as well.  This will be offered when the interview with him is posted as I have sent him a few questions.  I will promote this here and on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads as well.   So do check back regularly as I hope to be able to continue to host interviews and giveaways.
 

Review of "Death in the Ring"

It has been awhile since I reviewed a book on boxing here, so when I received a review request on a book titled "Death in the Ring", I was not only accepted, but was very intrigued by the title. It doesn't describe the true content of the book - the content was even better than I expected. This is my review of the book. 

Title/Author:

“Death in the Ring” by George Thomas Clark

Tags:

Boxing, history, short stories

Published:

May 6, 2014

Length:

193 pages

Stars: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

This book can be considered a book on the history of boxing as there are stories about many great fighters covering all eras of the sport, from John L. Sullivan to Oscar de la Hoya.  However, to call this is a history book does it a great injustice because the writing style is very unique.

Author George Thomas Clark takes the fighters he writes about and tells stories from their point of view.  It may be about some of their fights, it may be about their families or it may be about life after the ring.  The title may be a bit misleading, as the stories are not necessarily about “death.”  The fighters don’t die in the ring but do have some reflections on their lives and it may be from the grave. For example, one story is titled “Jerry Quarry from Boxers’ Heaven” (this was my personal favorite in the book) and tells about both Jerry and Mike Quarry and their struggles in and out of the ring. 

Another aspect of the book I liked is that the stories were not all boxing legends easily recognizable by all fans. Stories about Tiger Flowers, Harry Greb and Oscar Bonavena are told as well as some about Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey and Muhammad Ali.  One very humorous fictional bout pits Nelson Mandela against Barack Obama that had me in stitches even at Thomas tried to put them in a serious fight.

Most fans love to compare fighters of different eras and wonder what would have happened if they could fight.  Would Joe Louis vs. Joe Frazier be a good fight?  Could Jack Dempsey have defeated Muhammad Ali?  There are plenty of scenarios like these that play out in the fighter’s mind.  Of course, whoever is telling the story will win that fight.

This was a terrific read that I enjoyed from first page to last.  A very unique spin on the history of the sweet science, it is a book that I believe anyone who enjoys reading boxing books will want to add to their library.  

I wish to thank Mr. Clark for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Pace of the book:

I always believe that collections of stories or anthologies are quick reads as the reader can choose to read as many as he or she likes in one sitting and then can quickly pick it back up without losing anything in a story.

Do I recommend?

Yes – all boxing fans should enjoy this entertaining collection of stories. This is especially true for those who wonder who would win matches between great fighters in different eras.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Ring-George-Thomas-Clark-ebook/dp/B00K67OTCC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1430090318&sr=1-1&keywords=death+in+the+ring

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/death-in-the-ring-george-thomas-clark/1119447397?ean=9780991062324

Review of "Mashi" and giveaway

When I received a request to review this book from the author, little did I know what an experience I was going to have.  Most importantly, I loved reading this book and the review will reflect that. Also, I ended up receiving two hardcover copies of the book.  I am holding a giveaway for that copy, with the drawing to be held on Monday, April 27.  To enter, simply leave a comment on this review.  Short or long, even just a greeting - that's enough to have a chance to win a copy of the book.  Then cross your fingers, because you will certainly want to read this one. 

Title/Author:

“Mashi: The Unfulfilled Baseball Dreams of Masanori Murakami, the First Japanese Major Leaguer” by Robert K. Fitts

Tags:

Baseball, history, Giants, Japan, race

Published:

April 1, 2015

Length:

221 pages

Stars: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

Jackie Robinson was not the only baseball player who was a pioneer for his race in the game.  In 1964, a nineteen-year-old pitcher named Masanori Murakami, known as “Mashi”, was sent by his Japanese team to the minor leagues’ class A Fresno Giants.  Later that season, the parent club, the San Francisco Giants, called up the young left-hander as a relief pitcher.  As a result, Murakami became the first Japanese player in the major leagues.  His journey to the major leagues and the subsequent squabble between the Japanese and American clubs is chronicled in this wonderful book by Robert K. Fitts.

This book doesn’t read like the typical biography of an athlete. The reader is taken into the life of Murakami in both Japan and the United States. Mashi’s experiences in the Japanese baseball leagues and its training camps and methods are well researched and written in a manner that will inform the reader as well as entertain him or her. There are many stories that illustrate the passion that Murakami had for the game and yet he never wavered in his loyalty to family, even while pitching in the United States.

The dialogue in the book about Mashi’s experience learning the culture and customs in America reads much differently than that in books about the struggles of African-American players in the early days of baseball integration. While there are a few instances of this type of discrimination documented, the focus is how he interacts with people while struggling to learn English.  There are many more humorous stories about this than ones that will anger or upset the reader.

One of the best ones told of Mashi’s teammates giving advice to him on what to tell the manager when he came out to the mound to take Mashi out of the game.  When manager Herman Franks took the ball, he was greeted by some very colorful language from Mashi.  Immediately Franks realized the prank played by Mashi’s teammates and everyone had a good laugh over it.

However, this baseball story doesn’t have a happy ending for Mashi, as a contract dispute between his Japanese team and the Giants will result in an ugly exchange that became a major sticking point for future opportunities in major league baseball for Japanese players.  The Japanese baseball officials believed that they simply loaned Mashi to America in order to sharpen his game.  Major League Baseball, concerned that the reserve clause would be threatened if they let Mashi return to Japan, claimed that he was under contract with the Giants and therefore was obligated to pitch for them.  Like every other conflict he encountered in his baseball career on both continents, Mashi gets anxious to have it resolved but eventually makes the best of his opportunities, no matter where they occur.

If a reader wishes to learn more about Japanese baseball and the differences in the way the game is run between the two countries, this book is a very good source for that.  If the reader just wants to read a good story filled with humor and inspiration, this book does that too, thanks to the excellent writing by the author. 

I wish to thank Mr. Fitts for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Pace of the book:

The writing style lends itself to be an easy read as it flows very well.  Because I was not familiar with many of the Japanese baseball references, it was a little slower for me so I could learn as much as I could about baseball in Japan.

Do I recommend?

Any reader interested in baseball history, whether in the American Major Leagues or in Japan will appreciate this well-written and well-researched book.

Book Format Read:

Hardcover

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Mashi-Unfulfilled-Baseball-Masanori-Murakami-ebook/dp/B00TJFBWNQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429486653&sr=1-1&keywords=mashi

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mashi-robert-k-fitts/1120736832?ean=9780803255210

TBR Tuesday - Review of "Summer of '49"

This book is one of those that I picked up awhile ago when it was available for a very cheap price and "would get around to it."  It took me nearly three years to "get around to it" as I have had it on my Nook since late 2012, but oh, man was it worth the wait!  Here is my review of "Summer of '49"

Title/Author:

“Summer of ‘49” by David Halberstam

Tags:

Baseball, history, Yankees, Red Sox

Published:

December 28, 2012 (electronic version – original publication date May 1989)

Length:

304 pages

Stars: 

5 of 5 stars (outstanding)

Review:

In 1949, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox engaged in a memorable pennant race that was not decided until the final day of the season.  Because this was in the time before divisions in Major League Baseball, the winner of this race went to the World Series while the loser would have to dwell on falling just short for the winter.  This fascinating season is retold from many different viewpoints in this terrific book by the late David Halberstam.

Originally published in 1989, the title of this book may be a bit misleading to a baseball historian as only the two top teams of the American League that season are discussed.  But HOW they are portrayed is a wonderful read that is engaging, entertaining and sure to bring a smile or two while being read.  Stories on players from both teams are told, mostly about the stars but with some little known-information as well.  Of course, Joe DiMaggio and Ted Williams get the most publicity here, but other such as Ellis Kinder and Joe McCarthy for the Red Sox and Allie Reynolds and Eddie Lopat for the Yankees are discussed.

The crowning achievement of the book for me, however, is that while reading it, I felt like I was back in 1949 even though I had not been born yet.  To get baseball information, I had to read the papers.  The players traveled by train and seemed to be bound together more tightly than teammates of today.  Their personal lives, while still published to a degree, did not seem splashed all over like in today’s social media.  I felt I was transported back to a different time in the history of the game.  Halberstam was well-respected for this type of writing and it is what makes it one of the more enjoyable baseball books I have read on that era of the game.

Pace of the book:

Like other books by Halberstam that I have read, both baseball and other topics, the book grabs your attention and will not let go.  I read this in about four hours on train rides to and from a baseball game.

Do I recommend?

Baseball history aficionados as well as fans of both the sport and Halberstam will enjoy this book.  It simply is another winner by the late author.

Book Format Read:

Ebook (Nook)

Buying Links:

http://www.amazon.com/Summer-49-Yankees-Postwar-America-ebook/dp/B00AFB5N24/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429487026&sr=1-1&keywords=summer+of+49

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/summer-of-49-david-halberstam/1102260280?ean=9781453286111

Review of "The Gospel According to Casey"

A fellow blogger who reviews another genre of books sent my contact information recently to a person representing a publisher of baseball e-books. I am very glad that this happened as this site is a wonderful treasure trove of upcoming baseball books to be publishes as well as some others that have recently been published in electronic format.  The woman who received my information was kind enough to send me this book recently published as well as two ARC's for future reviews.  So, for my first review of a book from summergamebooks.com (www.summergamebooks.com) here is one on Casey Stengel. 

Title/Author:

“The Gospel According to Casey: Casey Stengel’s Imitable, Instructional, Historical Baseball Book” by Ira Berkow and Jim Kaplan

Tags:

Baseball, humor, instruction, Yankees, Mets

Published:

March 28, 2015

Length:

205 pages

Stars: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Casey Stengel is one of those men who was successful in every job he had in baseball, whether playing, coaching or managing. He became legendary with his success as the manager of the New York Yankees and just as legendary for some memorable and funny quotes while managing the New York Mets in their early years.  This book captures not only those quotes, but also tells of his vast knowledge of the game and some of his strategies.

Some of these ideas born from Stengel’s sharp mind are common in the game now.  One of these is platooning players depending on the opposing pitcher.  If the opposing team started a left-handed pitcher, Stengel may change one or more of the players in the starting line-up.  The change would be putting a right-handed batter in a position where normally a left-handed batter would play. This is not uncommon in today’s game for a manager to do this, but it wasn’t back when Stengel was managing the Yankees.  He took this strategy and made it into part of his regular work. He also was one of the early pioneers of selecting certain relief pitchers to finish games. This eventually led to the role of closers in the modern game.

The chapters of the book are broken up into specific topics – one just for memorable quotes and stories, one on pitching, one on hitting and so forth. These come from other sources such as former players who played under Stengel, other coaches and managers or sports writers.  I felt this format was very good as it was easy to read and hearing all of these stories from so many sources illustrated just how revered and respected the man by all involved in the game.  This is a solid book that anyone who enjoys baseball will enjoy reading.

I wish to thank Summer Game Books for providing a review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Pace of the book:

Because the book is a series of short stories or quotes from Stengel or his players, teammates or colleagues, this book is a quick read. It can also be stopped and started again at any point

Do I recommend?

Readers who immediately think of Yogi Berra when it comes to a baseball legend who had some memorable quotes should read this book to discover another quotable baseball legend.  Stengel’s thoughts on the strategies of the game make it a good book for hardcore fans as well.

Book Format Read:

Ebook (PDF)

Buying Links:

http://www.summergamebooks.com/gospel-according-casey-ira-berkow-jim-kaplan/

http://www.amazon.com/Gospel-According-Casey-Inimitable-Instructional-ebook/dp/B00VCI9ZQY/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429482871&sr=1-2&keywords=the+gospel+casey+stengel

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gospel-according-to-casey-ira-berkow/1003216373?ean=9781938545177