Books published by publisher Summer Game Books

For many of us, baseball is a way of life. It can also help us live the life we strive for. EVERYTHING I KNOW I LEARNED FROM BASEBALL is the first book ever to use the fundamentals of good baseball as building blocks for a life of happiness, fulfillment, and success. Philip Theibert, motivational speaker and third-generation baseball coach, has crystalized a lifetime of baseball experience and love for the game into 99 essays in 9 areas of focus that will inspire you to be the best you can be. The pieces are supplemented by more than 40 quotes from well-known baseball personalities and others. THE LIFE STRATEGIES WINNING LINEUP 1. Attitude 2. Preparation 3. Focus 4. Character 5. Discipline 6. Cooperation 7. Courage 8. Growth 9. Independence Great for both kids and adults to instill values and establish a positive and productive mindset. Let the keys to winning baseball help guide your pursuit of a winning life--personally and professionally, with your family, in relationships, and more. You may even learn a thing or two about baseball along the way.

For many of us, baseball is a way of life. It can also help us live the life we strive for.EVERYTHING I KNOW I LEARNED FROM BASEBALL is the first book ever to use the fundamentals of good baseball as building blocks for a life of happiness, fulfillment, and success.Philip Theibert, motivational speaker and third-generation baseball coach, has crystalized a lifetime of baseball experience and love for the game into 99 essays in 9 areas of focus that will inspire you to be the best you can be. The pieces are supplemented by more than 40 quotes from well-known baseball personalities and others.THE LIFE STRATEGIES WINNING LINEUP1. Attitude2. Preparation3. Focus4. Character5. Discipline6. Cooperation7. Courage8. Growth9. IndependenceGreat for both kids and adults to instill values and establish a positive and productive mindset. Let the keys to winning baseball help guide your pursuit of a winning life--personally and professionally, with your family, in relationships, and more. You may even learn a thing or two about baseball along the way.

Is it an ironic coincidence or natural development that perhaps the second greatest gambling scandal in baseball history occurred a mere six days before the start of the 1919 World Series?On September 25, 1919, a seemingly meaningless game was played between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians, a game that should have faded to a tiny line item on MLB s historical ledger.But Hubert "Dutch" Leonard had other ideas, and nearly seven years later he presented letters written by Ty Cobb and Smoky Joe Wood implicating them in the fixing of and wagering on that game, setting off a chain of accusations, denials, resignations, player transactions, and a power struggle at the top of baseball s power hierarchy that would change the game forever.Baseball Gods in Scandal is three stories in one, and author Ian Kahanowitz tells them all with the art of a storyteller and the precision of an historian:--The pervasiveness of gambling and crooked dealings in the early days of baseball, all the way through to the Black Sox Scandal--The relationship between the affair s complex protagonists Cobb, Tris Speaker, Smoky Joe Wood, and Dutch Leonard with detailed profiles and ample color from baseball s rough-and-tumble Dead Ball Era--The epic battle for control of the game between the long-time Czar of Baseball, Ban Johnson, and the game s new sheriff in town, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who cared not to share even a whiff of power with anyoneCapping off the book is a never-before-published interview with Smoky Joe Wood (told to Lawrence Ritter for The Glory of Their Times) in which Wood recounts a vastly different version of the affair from his original testimony.It is safe to say that had Wood testified to this version originally, the fates of Baseball Gods Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker may well have turned out very differently.

On a torridly hot August day in 1920, Ray Chapman was struck and killed by a Carl Mays fastball, in what was and remains the only on-the-field fatality in the history of major league baseball. The drama of Good Guy Chapman versus Bad Guy Mays is a wrenching human tale. Add to it an intense pennant race, the meteoric ascension of Babe Ruth to baseball supremacy, the banning of the Black Sox for throwing the previous year's World Series, and the story grows to one of the most fascinating and compelling in the annals of baseball history.Mike Sowell's brilliant account of the events of 1920--meticulously researched and mellifluously written--captures all the intensity of the moment of the Chapman beaning and the entire incredible season. Only a writer of Sowell's power and skill could do justice to such a tale, and the result is one of the most highly respected and widely acclaimed baseball books ever written. The Summer Game Books edition is the first and only eBook of this classic, and features an exclusive new epilogue by the author, with 25 years of perspective, during which time the legends of Mays, Chapman, and Chapman's replacement, Joe Sewell, have only grown.

Is it an ironic coincidence or natural development that perhaps the second greatest gambling scandal in baseball history occurred a mere six days before the start of the 1919 World Series? On September 25, 1919, a seemingly meaningless game was played between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians, a game that should have faded to a tiny line item on MLB s historical ledger. But Hubert Dutch Leonard had other ideas, and nearly seven years later he presented letters written by Ty Cobb and Smoky Joe Wood implicating them in the fixing of and wagering on that game, setting off a chain of accusations, denials, resignations, player transactions, and a power struggle at the top of baseball s power hierarchy that would change the game forever. Baseball Gods in Scandal is three stories in one, and author Ian Kahanowitz tells them all with the art of a storyteller and the precision of an historian: --The pervasiveness of gambling and crooked dealings in the early days of baseball, all the way through to the Black Sox Scandal--The relationship between the affair s complex protagonists Cobb, Tris Speaker, Smoky Joe Wood, and Dutch Leonard with detailed profiles and ample color from baseball s rough-and-tumble Dead Ball Era--The epic battle for control of the game between the long-time Czar of Baseball, Ban Johnson, and the game s new sheriff in town, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, who cared not to share even a whiff of power with anyoneCapping off the book is a never-before-published interview with Smoky Joe Wood (told to Lawrence Ritter for The Glory of Their Times) in which Wood recounts a vastly different version of the affair from his original testimony. It is safe to say that had Wood testified to this version originally, the fates of Baseball Gods Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker may well have turned out very differently.

EVERYTHING I KNOW I LEARNED FROM BASEBALL is a collection of inspiring and amusing life lessons drawn from the baseball and softball diamonds. The author, a third-generation baseball coach, creates a "Life Strategies Lineup," with nine keys to finding success and happiness: ATTITUDE, PREPARATION, FOCUS, CHARACTER, DISCIPLINE, COOPERATION, COURAGE, GROWTH, INDEPENDENCE. The book also includes over 40 inspirational quotes from well-known baseball personalities and others.Perfect for coaches, baseball moms and dads, and young adults who want to get back to what is really important about the game that means so much to them - good sportsmanship, doing one's best, cooperation, and teamwork. The parallels between life and baseball are clear to those who enjoy the game, and this book uses the fundamentals of good baseball and softball to help ballplayers and parents map out a path towards success and happiness both on the field, and more importantly, at school, at the job, and at home and in relationships.

The only thing believable about the story of Tony Conigliaro is that it happened. He grew up in the shadows of Fenway Park, and smashed a long home run in his first at bat there at the age of 19. He led the American League in homers at age 21, and at 22 become the youngest player in AL history to reach 100 home runs.Then, as a key member of the 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox, disaster struck in the form of a fastball to the face. Tony C's season was over; he was fortunate his life was not. He sat out 1968, but worked his way back to a huge season in 1970, with 36 HR and 118 RBI. But things were not right. His vision was deteriorating. In the winter of 1970, the Red Sox dealt him to the Angels. Did they sense a problem, or was the ego of megastar Carl Yastrzemski the catalyst?By 1972, Conigliaro was out of baseball. He couldn't see. But he wouldn't quit, and he fought his way back again, making the 1975 Red Sox - their next World Series team - as Designated Hitter. But the devastation from that beanball was too great, and Conigiaro by June of 1975 he was forced to retire again, this time for good.Nevertheless, Tony C. remained immensely popular in Boston. He turned to announcing and opened a successful restaurant. But then, in the winter of 1982, while driving with his brother, Conigliaro suffered a heart attack. He slipped into a coma from which he never emerged, lived on for years in a vegetative state, until finally passing away in 1990.TONY C., by Boston sportswriter David Cataneo, takes readers through the incredible life and tragic demise of the iconic Red Sox player, from his early years as the brash hot shot, with "Ted Williams confidence," to his success on the field, and then through the injury, the elation of a second life, and the horror of his deteriorating vision.Tony C. also covers in depth the thrilling off-the field life of the slugging right fielder. Conigliaro had no shortage of female companionship, nor did he ever back down from confrontations with Yastremski or any of his other teammates, He was also known to battle with his unyielding and sometime seemingly unfeeling manager, Dick Williams.Tony C also had a successful run as a pop singer in the mid-1960s, and when his career as a slugger fell into doubt, he pursued a career in karate and tried to make it as a pitcher, showing some success on that front.No other book on Tony Conigliaro matches this one for its detail on the incredible highs and lows of his career as a ballplayer, or his wild and at times desperate life away from the game. And no other book provides a more intimate look inside the head and heart of the beloved and tragic character known simply as “Tony C.”

Baseball teen star blogger Matt Nadel has written a thorough and accessible book on the biggest stars, greatest games, and most amazing feats in baseball history. Richly illustrated, the text includes bios of the all-time greats; the history of classic ballparks and the game's great franchises; a section on the Negro Leagues, Japan, and women's baseball; and the expert lowdown on stolen bases, perfect games, triple crowns, and even baseball uniforms! Amazing Aaron to Zero Zippers is the go-to resource for anyone looking to learn everything important about the history of America s greatest game, and learn it in a fast, fun way. Filled with incredible, classic photos from the official Baseball Hall of Fame Archives, it is a primer for beginners and developing fans, and a treat for long-time devotees who will love having so much essential baseball knowledge all in one convenient place.

Few writers know more about pitching, and few pitchers know more about writing than Pat Jordan. Suitors of Spring is a collection of eight of Jordan’s essays about pitchers and pitching, originally published in Sports Illustrated. From the cultivated genius of Tom Seaver, to the irresistible wisdom of Johnny Sain, to the tragic mystery of Steve Dalkowski, the fastest pitcher ever, Jordan’s portraits show us, simply and hauntingly, that wins and losses have more to do with a pitcher’s heart and mind than his velocity and location.

Bums is the intimate story of one of the most beloved franchises ever, told by the men who lived it, and brilliantly compiled by the master of baseball oral histories, Peter Golenbock. From the building of Ebbets Field through those first dismal decades; to Durocher and Rickey and the building of an all-star lineup; to Jackie and Pee Wee and Gil, Duke, and all the others; to the pennants and that world championship. Read about the Brooklyn Dodgers as you've never read before. No schmaltz or phony nostalgia, just the real story from the real men who lived and played through the magical years in a bygone time. There is pride and pain in the players' memories, and a bittersweetness that comes from being good, and at times great, but not as great as they hoped and expected to be. Bums is a true baseball classic, considered by many to be the best history of the “Trolley Dodgers” this side of Boys of Summer. The book includes dozens of interviews and anecdotes, great photos, plus a special focus on Jackie Robinson’s breakthrough to the major leagues. Winner of the prestigious Casey Award for best baseball book of 1984. Despite countless books on the Dodgers that have followed, none top Golenbock’s.

Go deep inside the game with Seamheads.com founder and SABR stalwart Mike Lynch. Amazing stories about the players, managers, and owners that will educate and fascinate even the most ardent students of the game. From “cup of coffee” cases--some tragic, some incredible--to owners who make Marge Schott look like a saint--to tales of some of the strangest lives and careers ever seen in big league baseball. •What was behind the mysterious death of Astros’ ace Don Wilson?•Who collected over 3000 hits and 300 homeruns—in the minor leagues?•Why did Gary Carter, the Expos’ greatest player, get exiled from Montreal?•What is so cool about Virgil Trucks, other than his name? •Why was 19th Century Hall of Fame star Bill Dahlen known as “Bad Bill”?BUH: The People is part secret history, part scholarship, and 100% baseball fun.

Leroy “Satchel” Paige was a man of many words—boastful, brash, bitter, wise. Maybe I’ll Pitch Forever is Paige’s story in his own words. It is unadulterated Satchel, as pure as knee-high smoke over a book of matches. Satchel Paige is an American icon. It’s hard to imagine a more dramatic life than his—from troubled kid, to young Negro Leagues star, to world-famous entertainer, to pioneer of the Major Leagues—a daredevil, showman, athlete extraordinaire. Paige played on dozens of teams, threw hundreds of no hitters, and had thousands of wild adventures—many of which actually happened! Some legends assign men their proper place in history. Others distort or exaggerate their worth. And once in a while the legend falls short; the man is greater than his accumulated history and acclaim. One such man is Satchel Paige.Maybe I’ll Pitch Forever brings us up close to Satchel Paige. But part of him remains out of reach—evasive and enigmatic—a step ahead of the owners, the women, the opposition—inevitably beyond us. We will never fully grasp the legend or the man, never catch up to his fastball. In that way, Satchel Paige will pitch forever.