Summer Reading List
A listener e-mailed me monday and asked me to recommend my five favorite sports books of all time I'm a voracious reader, right now I'm reading the new Willie Mays biography, and it's pretty good, but it doesn't make my list.
Here it is, in descending order
5. A Walk In The Woods-Bill Bryson
Not a standard "sports book", but it is highly entertaining.
Bryson is a veteran travel writer and decided to walk the Appalachian Trail one summer, but he couldn't find anyone to go with him. That is, until his ne're-do-well high school pal Katz signs on, and proceeds to create problems for Bryson at every step. You'll laugh out loud...seriously.
T-4 North Dallas Forty-Peter Gent
This is one half of a tie for the fourth spot. This book was written in the late '70's and was later made into a pretty fair movie starring Nick Nolte. It is what is known in literary circles as a roman a clef, meaning it's mostly true, but all the names are changed. It's a gripping and often funny tale about the Dallas Cowboys (in the book, the North Dallas Bulls) during the Don Meredith era.
T-4 Semi-Tough-Dan Jenkins
The other half of the tie. This is a novel written by one of the greatest sportswriters ever. It was also made into a (bad) movie starring Burt Reynolds. The book itself is entertaining and made me laugh out loud. It details the adventures of running back Billy Clyde Puckett, his pal receiver Shake Tiller, and the lovely Barbara Jane Bookman, the daughter of the team's owner.
3. From 33rd Street To Camden Yards-John Eisenberg
The former Sun columnist hit this one out of the park, pun intended.
It's a lengthy and leisurely tour through Oriole history, from the first season of 1954 through the nineties.
Written in oral history fashion, it is immensely readable and quite informative as well.
2. Next Man Up-John Feinstein
The veteran author spent a year embedded with the Ravens. Very enlightening portrait of a top-flight NFL organization and the personalities therein. Especially revealing on the relationship between Brian Billick and Steve Bisciotti.
1. Ball Four-Jim Bouton
In 1969, veteran pitcher Jim Bouton finds himself on the roster of the expansion Seattle Pilots. He kept a diary throughout the season, which was the Pilots' only year in the American League (they moved to Milwaukee in 1970), and it's often brilliant, always funny and a perfect portrait of the state of the game in the late 60's.
I was 12 when the book came out in 1970, and it hit me like a bullet, right between the eyes. It's chock full of funny moments. Example: a female fan asked a pitcher in the bullpen if he was married. He replied "Yeah, but I'm not a fanatic about it".
In 2000, the New York Public Library published a list of the most important books of the twentieth century. Ball Four was the only sports book to make that list.
So, there ya go. My all time top five. I can recommend all of these without reservation.
Happy reading!
