Wrapping up the latest version of the annual spring baseball book review series, here’s how we decided it best shakes out: Top exit velo: Day 28: “The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw And the Burden of Greatness” by Andy McCullough, along with an array of baseball player bios. Day 9: “Schoolboy: The Untold Journey of a Yankees Hero” by Waite Hoyt and Tim Manners Day 25: “Baseball: The Movie” by Noal Gittle and “Mike Donlin: A Rough and Rowdy Life from New York Baseball Idol to Stage and Screen” by Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz Day 10: “Frank Chance’s Diamond: The Baseball Journalism of Ring ..read more

“Perfect Eloquence: An Appreciation of Vin Scully” The author/editor: Tom Hoffarth The forward: Ron Rapoport The contributors: Broadcasters — Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Jaime Jarrin, Joe Davis, Joe Buck, Jessica Mendoza, Ross Porter, Bob Miller, Ken Levine, Matt Vasgersian, Tom Leykis, Jim Hill, John Ireland, Ken Korach, Brian Wheeler, Mike Parker, Josh Suchon Baseball execs — Bud Selig, Peter O’Malley, Derrick Hall, Josh Rawitch, Tim Mead, Ned Colletti, Fred Claire Players in the media — Orel Hershiser, Steve Garvey, Eric Karros TV executives/media cohorts — Andy Rosenberg, Jeff Proctor, Tom ..read more

“The Wizard of College Baseball: How Ron Fraser Elevated Miami and an Entire Sport to National Prominence” The author: David Brauer The publishing info:University of Nebraska Press; 224 pages, $29.95 To be released June 1 The links:The publishers website The authors website At Bookshop.org; at Powells.com; at Vromans.com; at TheLastBookStoreLA; at Skylight Books; at {pages: a bookstore}; at BarnesAndNoble.com; att Amazon.com The review in 90 feet or less USC’s Rod Dedeaux, left, and Miami’s Ron Fraser. Photo from University of Miami Libraries Digital Collection. College baseball’s two late, g ..read more

“The Last of His Kind: Clayton Kershaw And the Burden of Greatness” The author: Andy McCullough The publishing info: Hachette Books; 368 pages; $32; released May 7, 2024 The links: The publishers website; at Bookshop.org; at Powells.com; at Vromans.com; at TheLastBookStoreLA; at {pages: a bookstore}; at BarnesAndNoble.com; at Amazon.com The review in 90 feet or less Fifteen years after it came out, the documentary “Bluetopia: The L.A. Dodgers Movie” found its way to our BluRay machine for a trip down memory lane recently. Released in 2009 as a way to celebrate the franchise’s 50th year in So ..read more

“Leave While the Party’s Good: The Life and Legacy of Baseball Executive Harry Dalton” The author:Lee Kluck The publishing info:University of Nebraska Press 392 Pages; $39.95; released June 1, 2024 The links:The publishers website At Bookshop.org At Powells.com At Vromans.com; at Walmart; at BarnesAndNoble.com; at Amazon.com The review in 90 feet or less Once upon a time, this contract that Nolan Ryan signed to join the Angels, and also signed by GM Harry Dalton, was offered at auction. Thirteen members make up the league of unfortunate gentlemen who agreed to serve as general manager for th ..read more

“The Baseball Vault: Great Writing From the Pages of Sports Illustrated” The publishing info:Triumph Books 496 pages; $30 Released April 9, 2024 The links:The publishers website At Bookshop.org At Powells.com At Vromans.com At TheLastBookStoreLA At {pages: a bookstore} At BarnesAndNoble.com At Amazon.com The review in 90 feet or less Artificial Intelligence and Sports Illustrated got together for a discrete hook up recently, and the tabloids had a field day. So did the moral arbiters at our non-profit member station Public Broadcasting Service team. “Sports Illustrated is the latest media com ..read more

“Baseball: The Movie” The author:Noah Gittell The publishing info: Triumph Books, 304 pages, $30 Released May 14, 2024 The links:The publishers website; the authors website; at Bookshop.org; at Powells.com; at Vromans.com; at {pages a bookstore}; at BarnesAndNoble.com; at Amazon.com “Mike Donlin: A Rough and Rowdy Life from New York Baseball Idol to Stage and Screen” The authors:Steve Steinberg Lyle Spatz The publishing info: University of Nebraska Books, 368 pages, $39.95 Released May 1, 2024 The links: The publishers website; The authors website (Steinberg); the authors website (Spatz); At ..read more

“Shadows of Glory: Memorable and Offbeat World Series Stories” The authors:Dave Brown Jeff Rodimer The publishing info:Lyons Press 314 pages, $26.95 Released April 2, 2024 The links:The publishers website The authors website At Bookshop.org At Powells.com At Vromans.com; at {pages a bookstore} At BarnesAndNoble.com; at Amazon.com The review in 90 feet or less George Steinbrenner got into a scuffle with the two Dodgers fans in an elevator at the Hyatt Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles during the 1981 World Series. Broke his land. Left the two lads cowering and running away. The fans were razzing ..read more

“Shakespeare and Baseball: Reflections of a Shakespeare Professor and Detroit Tigers Fan” The author:Samuel Crowl The publishing info:Ohio U Press / 1804 Books Pages; $21.95 Released March 19, 2024 The links:The publishers website At Bookshop.org At Powells.com At Vromans.com At TheLastBookStoreLA At Skylight Books At {pages a bookstore} At BarnesAndNoble.com; at Amazon.com The review in 90 feet or less Daniel Bard prepares to pitch in the ninth inning for the Boston Red Sox against the Houston Astros on April 25, 2013. Two days later, he was sent to the minors, his career seemingly over. (AP ..read more

“Lion of the League: Bob Emslie and the Evolution of the Baseball Umpire” The author:Larry R. Geralch The publishing info:University of Nebraska Press 432 pages; $39.95 Released May 1, 2024 The links:The publishers website; at Bookshop.org At Powells.com; At Vromans.com; At {pages: a bookstore}; At BarnesAndNoble.com At Amazon.com The review in 90 feet or less Angel Hernandez is easily the most recognized and well-known umpire in all of MLB. For a professional that professional itself in anonymity, that is a bad thing. pic.twitter.com/E0kPRUp654 — James E. Clark 3 (@EVT_JClark) April 17, 2 ..read more