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Title: Take Me Out to the Ballpark: An Illustrated Guide to Baseball Parks Past & Present by Josh Leventhal, Jessica M. Macmurray ISBN: 1-57912-112-8 Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal Pub Pub. Date: 04 September, 2000 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $29.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.07 (15 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A diamond in the rough
Comment: Take Me Out to the Ballpark captures your eye with its unusual shape, which tells you that you're not just going on for a stodgy history of baseball. Levinthal takes on the task of extolling our ballparks past and present. Of course this is a huge task, which he makes bigger with a smattering of looks at minor league parks and Negro League parks. There is also the unenviable task of trying to give the same space for storied Fenway Park or Ebbets Field and newer places such as SAFECO Field.
How does he do? He does surprisingly well, considering the task. The book is not perfect - Levinthal had to decide what to cull and what to include. Some of it is dry - after a while reading the book I didn't care the center field distance of each park. It is nice to know it's there should I wish to look it up, but it was repetitive after a while. And unfortunately he is writing in the midst of a trend of ballpark changes and construction. So even though the book is only a couple of years old, it suffers telling about some of the fields that are no longer with us now that teams have moved on.
However, beyond that the book is fun. So much attention is paid to the players over the years it's nice to see someone pay attention to the green cathedrals that are so integral to the game. In many ways this book could be a launching pad for someone who wants to read up more on the Polo Grounds or other great fields which are no longer with us. It is good for the curious as an introduction to the breadth of ballparks, as well as the fan, who will enjoy the stats and stories of their most and least favorite parks. A good book to get you into the new baseball season.
Rating: 4
Summary: Great Gift For Baseball Fans
Comment: I consider this to be the ideal coffee table book for any baseball fan. The information contained can be enjoyed by someone with a few minutes to spare or hours of free time, and the diamond shape of the text itself makes it an interesting conversation starter. Opening the book to any page will introduce new facts and information to fans of all levels.
What surprised me about this book is that it is indeed valuable on a scholarly level. From the cover, I expected it to be aimed at new-comers to baseball and/or children, with a lot of flashy (but meaningless) pictures and facts, alongside stats the average fan already knows. I quickly discovered my expectations were wrong. The book provides interesting and insightful knowledge about each ballpark featured. For instance, everyone knows where Cal Ripken broke Gehrig's record, but how many people know the winning pitcher for the 1891 season opener at Cleveland's League Park? (it was Cy Young)
The two most powerful reactions I had to reading this book were an immediate need for the baseball season to begin and my own desire to visit each ballpark featured. This book is as much a promotional guide to the baseball attractions around the country as it is an informative one. So, be warned: reading this book may cause you to plan a very expensive trip in the future.
Rating: 2
Summary: Mantle's Griffith Stadium Blast Erroneously Reported
Comment: This book was a gift that I do enjoy having. But as an old Washington Senator's fan, I attended the Yankees-Senators game in April 1953 when Mickey Mantle became the only player in the 50+ year history of Griffith Stadium to hit a homerun over the leftfield bleachers. This 565 foot blast is considered by many as the longest homerun ever hit in the Major Leagues.
Alas, the depiction of this event in Leventhal's book (page 44) contains 4 glaring errors:
The picture representing the event shows:
1. Mantle batting left-handed. Switch hitter Mantle hit this one batting right-handed.
2. The Senator pitcher shown is a right-hander. Left-hander Chuck Stobbs was the Washington pitcher who actually gave up the blast.
3. The dotted line tracking the balls flight shows it glancing off the right edge of the National Bohemium Beer sign. It actually glanced off of the left edge of the sign.
AND
The caption under the picture states the ball hit the scoreboard in right-center field - its actually WAS the Beer ad sign shown in leftfield.
The above immediately brings in question the accuracy of the other 'facts' contained in the book. But the book does contain some great photos and I think it is a good buy.
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Title: The Ballpark Book : A journey Through the Fields of Baseball Magic by Ron Smith, Kevin Belford ISBN: 0892047038 Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Distributed Products Pub. Date: 06 March, 2003 List Price(USD): $39.95 |
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Title: Ballparks: Then & Now by Eric Enders ISBN: 1571455930 Publisher: Thunder Bay Press Pub. Date: 10 June, 2002 List Price(USD): $20.00 |
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Title: Blue Skies, Green Fields: A Celebration of 50 Major League Baseball Stadiums : A Celebration of 50 Major League Baseball Stadiums by Ira Rosen ISBN: 0609608681 Publisher: Clarkson Potter Pub. Date: 02 October, 2001 List Price(USD): $40.00 |
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Title: Baseball Parks (Sports Palaces) by Thomas S. Owens, Tom Owens ISBN: 0761317651 Publisher: Millbrook Press Pub. Date: September, 2001 List Price(USD): $25.90 |
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Title:The Story of America's Classic Ballparks ASIN: 6302262747 Publisher: Questar Inc. Pub. Date: 29 October, 1991 List Price(USD): $14.95 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $14.95 |
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