Ron Kaplan's Baseball Bookshelf - Latest Comments

Re: How perception changes with age (A personal observation)

Ron_Kaplan — Thu, 10 May 2012 15:18:10 -0000

I hear ya, Kent. I know what a hassle it is to reschedule and find open fields for the games. I'm often amazed at my teammates. I thought I enjoyed playing, but these guys are in three and four different leagues. I don't have that burning desire anymore, I guess.

Re: How perception changes with age (A personal observation)

Kent Morgan — Thu, 10 May 2012 14:35:25 -0000

Tell me about it. I ran a large slo-pitch league for many years and formed and played for a team that is still going after 30 years. I never wanted to have to postpone games and always managed to spot a break in the clouds even if it was pouring rain and there wasn't one. When we tried to open the schedule here in central Canada at the beginning of May we even had to deal with slight snow showers a couple of times. In my last few years of playing I was very much like you and hoped the games would be cancelled in particular if we were scheduled under the lights with a 10:15 p.m. start. Our complex was on the west end of our city and it could be mighty cold and wet with the wind blowing from the northwest. It is a sign of getting older.

Re: And while I’m at it — The Art of Fielding

Ron_Kaplan — Sun, 06 May 2012 14:52:31 -0000

That's why there's vanilla AND chocolate. Funny, but I see a lot of the positive reviews doing the same thing in the other direction: that if you don't agree that it's a great book, then your education is lacking and there's something wrong with you.

Re: And while I’m at it — The Art of Fielding

James Bailey — Sun, 06 May 2012 12:24:13 -0000

Hater. JK. I've seen at least a handful of "what's all the fuss about, this isn't so great" articles. I disagree. I loved it, as you know. My problem with the Atlantic piece was it was so condescending and basically said anyone who liked it was too stupid to know it wasn't any good. This kind of pompous, down-the-nose view is why I hated English majors in college. Fine if someone doesn't like it, but don't insult those who do. People have different tastes, and there's nothing wrong with that.

Re: And while I’m at it — The Art of Fielding

Ochiai — Sat, 05 May 2012 21:26:20 -0000

For what it's worth Ron. I found Taof a true yawner. I put it down and returned to my stephen king
Rob fitts

Re: * Wait, Wait, tell me the truth

azulnaranja — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:18:28 -0000

Ron, here's another connection. With all the (justified) talk of Skowron and the Yankees, he earned his last WS ring with the 1963 Dodgers. Moose drove in the first run of Koufax's then record 15 K gem in the Series opener, and drove in another run later in the game. He had a great Series, although it is hard to understand why Alston put him in the starting lineup in all four games, since he had probably his worst season until the very end of his career. Maybe he was thinking revenge would be a great motivator. He appears to have been correct.

Re: Paging Joe Piscopo

Mark Marin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:48:45 -0000

Brian is the opening act for Jay Leno, when Jay headlines in Vegas. He's a Boston boy, and Red Sox fanatic who wrote this song. Narada Michael Walden produced it, who is best known as the Grammy winning producer of Whitney Houston's, "The Bodyguard" soundtrack.

Re: “Two, four, six, eight; who do we not appreciate?”

Cary Smith — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:21:23 -0000

The Marlins deserve all the attention they are getting. With all the
story lines that the team is creating people are curious about what is
happening with the team. A new garish stadium that has lime green
walls, an exploding volcano in center and fish tanks in the back stop.
New neon uniforms and team colors that has people talking about how good
or bad they think they look. New star players in Reyes and Buehrie
show that management cares about winning and gives a little hope to the
real baseball fans. The loudest mouthed manager in baseball who has
already managed to step on a land mine of controversy in his first two
months on the job. Finally, they have a new team name that is not only
more historically accurate than their former name but will hopefully
bring some pride to the city of Miami because they are no longer
Florida's team. I am glad to see the Marlins getting all of the
attention instead of a team like the Twins. What did the Twins do this
year signed a mid-level player in Josh Willingham and have had the same
boring manager for 10 years and used the same team strategy for the last
25 years. Change is good and interesting.

Re: Let’s take a breath, people (Matt Kemp)

Ron_Kaplan — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:32:10 -0000

Thanks, Robert.

Re: Let’s take a breath, people (Matt Kemp)

giantELF — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:48:12 -0000

I'd love to see theses stats reformatted. Hard to make sense of them. Nice blog BTW. (Go Brewers!)

Re: National Pastime Radio: A bonanza!

Ron_Kaplan — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:51:29 -0000

That's an interesting point, Dennis. Usually the author doesn't read his own work, but who better to know what s/he thinks it should sound like?

Re: National Pastime Radio: A bonanza!

Dennis Anderson — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:54:13 -0000

Hi Ron.
Last year I got an Audible.com subscription and have enjoyed it. This month I picked up "Ball Four," which is read by Jim Bouton. It was just posted on the Audible site.

I've read "Ball Four" several times over the past 35 years, but I got new enjoyment out of this audiobook version. The editing isn't great, but what is outstanding is Bouton's laughter at some stories. He actually cracks himself up. It was like he was rediscovering his work as he was reading it.

It's also heartbreaking when he reads from one of the updates about his daughter's death in an automobile accident. You almost cry along with him as he relives that day and the months after it. Bouton brings "Ball Four" to life — again.

Regards.
Dennis

Re: (Baseball) Books of the Times

Elomke — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:18:44 -0000

I often ask myself what baseball book I'd take to the proverbial desert island. The surprisingly not-named "The Glory of Their Times" would be it.

Re: Contact Ron Kaplan

AJ Barton — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 14:21:25 -0000

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Re: Time begins again (again)

Bill Miller — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 11:55:11 -0000

I just love this old George Carlin video. I'd forgotten about it. And thanks for mentioning my post!
Bill

Re: Hail and Farewell, Chipper Jones

azulnaranja — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:48:57 -0000

I'm going to miss Larry. He made a good villain.

Re: Glove story: An update

Mark Aubrey — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:43:39 -0000

New glove, schmu glove. Here's the latest baseball glove.

Re: Because you can keep a bobblehead on your bookshelf…

Jo Jo — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:37:35 -0000

im going with Pablo Sandoval ever getting that far off the ground.

Re: Baseball Reliquary program honors Bill Veeck

Ron_Kaplan — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 15:57:02 -0000

Absolutely. Someone should get on the White Sox/Indians/Cubs/Orioles (predecessor of the browns) to put some sort of display honoring him in their stadiums.

Re: Baseball Reliquary program honors Bill Veeck

Dennis Anderson — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 14:51:56 -0000

An exhibit like this needs to have a permanent home in Chicago, where Mr. Veeck has his name listed in the phone book.

Re: Lest we forget: Furman Bisher

Rslitman — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:33:34 -0000

Ironically, I was just thinking about him the other day. I subscribed to The Sporting News in the 1970s, and he was a contributing columnist. I'm reading a novel set in what I believe is a ficticious place called Furman County, and the name Furman Bisher came into my head. I had to think hard about where I had heard it before. I remembered that he was based in Atlanta. I think I also once had a library book about the Braves that he wrote.

Re: I’ve been dreading this for a long time: The baseball glove

Strikethree — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:29:23 -0000

I still use my "popper" (featured in Chapter 14 of Strike Three!) 47 years after I bought it! Of course, it's only to play catch with my grandson, who loves to bring out an explosive pop at 50 mph.

Re: I’ve been dreading this for a long time: The baseball glove

Ron_Kaplan — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:09:49 -0000

When it comes to LIFE, Kevin.

Re: Topps must believe “it ain’t cheating if you don’t get caught”

Strikethree — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:39:40 -0000

No, my favorite is using the same team picture years in a row...a practice of the 50s-60s. They wouldn't allow me to publish in my book a composite of the '65-66-67 Indians, which was actually a '64 team pic.

Re: I’ve been dreading this for a long time: The baseball glove

Kevin Graham — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 13:02:00 -0000

Ron,
I played softball until I was 46. I broke my foot while chasing down my last fly ball. That was 7 years ago, and I still have my glove. This post reminded me how much I miss playing. Being mortal sucks when it comes to baseball!!

Kevin G.