When it comes to life, Hollywood gives us an escape. A place to go where things are not the way they are in the world. To forget our problems and get away from life.

When it comes to baseball and Hollywood, we get exposed to a lighter side of the game, usually. A game that is played by boys, admired by women, and embraced by fans. The “behind the scenes” look at our national pastime is generally portrayed as humorous and light-hearted. It becomes what we wish our game really was like. And if that is how our game was, there would be no better manager than Lou Brown.

Lou Brown, the manager of the Cleveland Indians in the first two installments of the Major League movies, was everything you would want your manager to be. He made his leadoff hitter do push-ups for hitting the ball in the air. He made his third baseman do sit-ups for not getting in front of a ground ball. When the same third baseman showed him that it was against his contract to require him to do so and asked what he thought of that, Lou promptly urinated on the paperwork. He stood defiantly in the buff in front of the female owner of the club claiming he was too old to go diving into lockers. He would sneak a personal radio into a hospital just to listen to a playoff game. Most of all, he put together a winning team from a bunch of misfits by delivering speeches that spoke directly to their character. He overcame adversity and forced the world to see him for what he was.

James Gammon, the actor that played Lou Brown, passed away this past Friday after a long battle with cancer. He was 70 years old.

Baseball Digest Classic will remember him as possibly his most famous character he portrayed in his career. Lou Brown deserves a place in every fan’s baseball memories. Our thoughts and prayers are extended to the Gammon family today.

In the world of baseball movies, Lou Brown would manage any fantasy team that I would field. I’m sure he is sitting next to some great players right now and looking down at his Cleveland Indians and wondering why he was not appointed to manage this bunch of misfits too.

But it was one guest in particular, Sandy Koufax, whose presence most inspired Selzer to gather the information for a book about Black’s life.

“I never knew that he was friends with Sandy Koufax,” said Selzer.  “Joe was so humble, he’d never drop names.  But he was close with many, many people.  He was a giver.”

The title — and in particular the subtitle — of Selzer’s new book, Meet the Real Joe Black: An Inspiring Life: Baseball, Teaching, Business, Caring, sums Black’s life up perfectly.  Sometimes forgotten by fans as a pioneer in helping integrate baseball, Black, the 1952 National League Rookie of the Year and first black pitcher to win a World Series game, preached humility and civility above all else.

Selzer, now an attorney living outside of Washington, D.C., recently discussed his new book and Black’s influence on his own life with Baseball Digest.

BBD: Something very striking about the book is the breadth of people you were able to speak to about Joe. What do you think endeared him to such a diverse group?
SS: He had the common denominator of being able to talk to anyone.  He was so giving of himself.  He was the most unselfish person I knew, and so genuine.  That attracts people.  Even when he was a star, he never let it go to his head.

Just look at the people who considered him their friend.  Bill Cosby [who wrote the book's foreword] considered [Black] to be his big brother.  Dusty Baker revered Joe.  Dusty has said that if he had a problem, Joe would call him and solve it.  Joe and his friend Joe Garagiola founded BAT, to help down and out players.  He set up scholarships when he worked as an executive at Greyhound.  He enjoyed giving others opportunities, or showing them the way.  He was so articulate, so bright, such a great student in high school and college.

BBD: The stories of Joe’s interaction with students and players really add depth to the book. Which story do you think best exemplifies Joe’s way with people?
SS:  He called me one day in the mid-70s; he was pleased that i had passed the bar.  But I was struggling — it was a good thing my wife had a good job.  There was no internet, no advertising, so I was having a hard time getting clients.  I would sometimes get rejects from some other attorneys, but it wasn’t going well.  Joe sensed that, and next thing I know, I was invited to speak at “D.C. Salutes Joe Black Night” in 1976.  I rented a tuxedo and brought 400 business cards.  Joe gets up with his booming voice and announces “Steve Selzer was my student at Hubbard Junior High.  He’s now an attorney” — and he cupped his hands so no one could forget — “in Rockville, Maryland!”  After that, I ran out of business cards, I was writing my number on napkins.  Everyone was saying, “if you’re good enough for Joe,  you’re good enough for me.”

BBD: What was the tipping point for you, when you knew you wanted to do a book about Joe, and when did you start to gather material?
SS: I wrote a book in 2000,  By George, Mr. Washington’s Guide to Civility Today, which was based on George Washington‘s 110 Rules of Civility, which he wrote when he was young.  In the acknowledgments, I pointed to Joe Black as a great influence in that direction.  I was taken with him as a teacher, and so pleased that he was willing to mentor me, and I just felt that was so special and exemplary of the things i believe in, and so when he passed away, I stared thinking about it.  At [the memorial celebration] Koufax said he thought I did a good job of capturing Joe.  I thought maybe I could extend his legacy with a book.  I think he’d be pleased that the lessons of his life plus the lessons he gave me would be in a book.  The family gave me pictures and articles.

BBD: Joe Black was one of the first prominent black pitchers, which as you noted gave him an extra disadvantage.  His role as a pioneer isn’t as well known outside the game or by younger fans. Do you know why that is?
SS: I think it’s because he never sought fame or the limelight.  He was happy to be Jackie Robinson’s roommate.  Jackie Robinson, rightfully so, is overwhelmingly the symbol of the era.  Joe was a pallbearer at Jackie’s funeral, he knew the family well, supported the foundation, but he was a very humble person.  He had great confidence in his inner self and also knew he was a good pitcher but also knew that he had pitched his best ball in the Negro Leagues with the Baltimore Elite Giants.  He never did anything to promote himself, he didn’t care about that.  He was concentrating on ways to improve things, to help others.

He also came up in 1952, five years after Jackie Robinson.  When Jackie came up, it didn’t open the floodgates, there were still only a few black players, and Joe was one of the first pitchers.

BBD: Do you think Joe felt like he was mismanaged at all, either from a baseball or medical standpoint, in his career?
SS: Charlie Dressen, who was a stubborn, dictatorial type manager, insisted that Joe needed to develop a third pitch, even though he’d been so successful as a rookie.  He had a great fastball and curve, but Dressen said he needed to do that.  Joe had defects in his finger that kept him from throwing other pitches, but Joe was team man, he listened to the manager, he didn’t want to buck the manager, and he tried to develop a third pitch.  Dressen didn’t realize about the defect, and Joe was completely off by then, and it really ruined his career.  Joe was not a blame type guy — if anything, he blames himself for not protesting.

BBD: How do you think growing up in Plainfield influenced Joe? Did he return occasionally after moving away?
SS: He came back often.  His sister Phyllis [Greer] still lives there, she’s the only one left of the six siblings.  At the memorial celebration, so many teachers showed up, and he hadn’t been teaching for a long time.  He was one that would keep contact.  He loved Plainfield, even though he grew up in the poor part of town, it was a part of him, teaching and coaching.  Plainfield was integrated, nicely mixed, living there you got to know all kinds of people.  It was a good place to grow up in that way. The education was excellent at the that time, and he knew it.

BBD: What do you think is the primary lesson in JB’s life?
SS: The lesson is that if you realize that even though you might be disadvantaged in some respects, that if you make yourself into a person of substance, through education, through learning, to respecting others, then what happens is that you improve your life and the lives of others.

Ed note: Tonight at Nationals Park, prior to Washington’s game against the New York Mets, Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo will present the inaugural Joe Black Award, created to honor an organization or person who is instrumental in promoting the game of baseball in African-American communities.  Greer, Selzer and Blacks two children will be in attendance at the on-field ceremony.

LISTEN LIVE OR DOWNLOAD ARCHIVE HERE

The Baltimore Orioles have the worst team in the major leagues, and Daniel Moroz (CamdenCrazies.com) will give offer his insight on where the Orioles go from here. Conversely, the Toronto Blue Jays keep rolling and Kirk Verner (Examiner.com / Baseball Digest.com) who cover the Jays weights in on the topic. Baseball Digest Assignment editor and Cardinals Content Bill Ivie rounds out the show with St.Louis Cardinals baseball talk. Also, BDL host Mark Healey will be joined on the program by Baseball Digest Fantasy columnist Jay Ferraro.

Every Wednesday from 11:00am-1:00pm EDT, Baseball Digest presents “Baseball Digest LIVE“, a weekly internet radio program that covers the American Pastime from every angle.

Hosted by Baseball Digest Online Editor Mark Healey, each episode features some of the biggest names in MLB and beyond.

Crafted each week by the show’s Executive Producer and BD’s Fantasy Baseball expert Jay Ferraro, listeners of “Baseball Digest LIVE” will hear Fantasy Baseball advice, historical perspectives with interviews of former MLB players and award winning authors, as well as the lowdown the day-to-day action of MLB baseball with the country’s top baseball writers and anaylsts.

Maybe the Mets are on the road. Maybe you just can’t afford Yankee Stadium. Maybe you’ve already been there, done that, and don’t have an affinity (or have an active dislike) for the MLB teams. Maybe you’ve got people traveling with you who don’t love baseball and don’t want to spend $25 or more on a ticket. Or maybe you just want something different.

Luckily, there are two minor league teams and one independent league team in the area, easily accessible by public transportation, which will also get you a little (or a lot) off the beaten track and into neighborhoods most tourists don’t venture into. HopStop can help you figure out how to get there. Keep in mind that all minor league parks prohibit outside food and beverages.

Offered below, in order of ease of travel and proximity, is what you need to know.

STATEN ISLAND YANKEES

Photo courtesy Mallory Zeising

The SI Yankees (known as the “Baby Bombers”) are the class A short season affiliate of that team in the Bronx. They play from June-early September out in Staten Island at the Richmond County Bank Ballpark at St. George, which is literally steps (300 feet) from the SI-side of the Staten Island Ferry terminal. The ferry, which leaves from Lower Manhattan, is free to ride, provides you with one of the best views of Lower Manhattan, and a lovely glimpse of the Statue of Liberty to boot. When your boat docks, walk into the ferry terminal, step outside, turn right, and follow the signs to the ballpark – it’s no more than a three minute walk.

That same gorgeous view you just saw leaving Manhattan will now be your outfield backdrop for the game, no matter where you sit.  I’m not a huge fan of this ballpark – I don’t like the solid light-up outfield wall, and it feels way too high-school-bleacher-concrete to me – but the views are undeniably stunning. Yes, the ferry runs all night, so you can get back to Manhattan at your leisure.

There are the usual between-innings dizzybat and base-running contests but the SI Yankees don’t go overboard on all of that. If you dislike that element of the minor leagues, the experience may be very pleasing to you.

There are restaurants and commerce a short walk away if you’re interested in exploring, but with Manhattan a short ferry ride away, I cannot necessarily say that it is worth your time to do so.

Tickets run $12-$16 and are available at SIYankees.com, but unless the web site indicates that the game is popular, I wouldn’t buy in advance – there’s a box office window closer to the ferry than the will-call window, saving you a hike around the ballpark. Unless the website is telling you that there’s very little ticket availability, you’re better off skipping the service charge and not getting yourself on the SI Yankee email and phone list (it took me months to get off of it. And don’t think that not living here will make you immune).

WEBSITE: siyankees.com
MASCOTS: Scooter the “Holy Cow,” Huck and Red (also cows – hey, that makes as much sense as a moose in Seattle)
PLAYERS OF NOTE WHO STARTED IN STATEN ISLAND: Robinson Cano, Chien-Ming Wang

BROOKLYN CYCLONES

The Brooklyn Cyclones are the A class short season affiliate of the New York Mets (New York-Penn League). They are located out in the legendary Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, on the ocean, with the Cyclone and the Wonder Wheel in the background, and the boardwalk just steps away. It is decidely more of a slog to get out to Brooklyn, I will freely admit; you want a D or an F train and not a N or Q train, but no matter what route you take, it will take about a little over an hour from Midtown Manhattan to get there – Coney Island – Stillwell Avenue is the last stop on all of those lines. Come out of the station (where you’ll be greeted by the Original Nathan’s Hot Dogs), take a right and stroll a couple of blocks down Surf Avenue. MCU Park will be on your left.

The park itself is lovely; admittedly, a soft ocean breeze makes up for a multitude of sins, but it’s an above-average minor league park. I love the walk out to the bleachers. The bullpens are out that way, below the walkway, and beyond the bleachers is a playground and a softball field. The view at night of the Wonder Wheel is nothing short of iconic.  The Cyclones are very popular and sell a lot of season ticket packages, and they work hard to get kids involved in the game – sometimes too involved for my tastes, even for a minor league park – but overall it is an exceedingly well-run and enjoyable experience.

Inside the ballpark is the Brooklyn Baseball Gallery, which honors the history of baseball in Brooklyn. It’s open daily during the season, as well as before and after every Cyclones game. It houses “a unique set of memorabilia including the Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Hall of Fame”.

If you’re heading out to Coney Island, why not make an afternoon of it – the new Luna Park has opened, stroll the boardwalk, stick a toe in the ocean, get a snack at Nathan’s, explore the neighboring Russian enclave of Brighton Beach.  Grumpy New Yorkers (raises hand) will tell you that the ‘old’ Coney Island is gone, as is much of the character, but if you’ve never been there before, you’ll get enough of a sense of it to make the trip worthwhile. It is still very much a slice of real New York.

Tickets run $8 (for GA bleachers to $16 and tend to sell out for big promotion nights, all of which are listed on the web site. They hold 150-200 GA tickets for each game, which go on sale day of game at 10am (and as the website cautions, “there are usually some people already on line”).Get there early to get your photograph taken with the wonderful statue of Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider that’s just to the right of the entrance.

WEBSITE: brooklyncyclones.com
MASCOT:  Sandy the Seagull and Pee Wee
PLAYERS OF NOTE WHO STARTED IN BROOKLYN: Ike Davis, Daniel Murphy, Scott Kazmir, Brian Bannister

NEWARK BEARS

The Newark Bears are part of the Atlantic League Independent League and are across the river in New Jersey.  The Independent League, of course, means that you could find yourself watching former MLB players such as Edgardo Alfonzo, Scott Spezio, Armando Benitez and Daryle Ward. To get to Eagles & Bears Stadium (named after the former Newark Eagles), you can take a New Jersey Transit Train from New York Penn Station to Newark Broad Street Station – the ballpark is literally steps away (you can see it from the train), and it’s a quick 20 minute trip.

If you’re local (or more adventurous), you can catch a Newark-bound PATH train from the 33rd Street or World Trade Center stops. From Newark Penn Station, you grab the $1.50 light rail for a 6-minute ride to the Riverfront Stadium stop; on the way home, you walk the short stroll to Broad Street to get the light rail back – or hop on the next NJT train (see above).

The original Newark Bears were an International League team from 1926-1949. Newark was also home to the Newark Eagles, a Negro Leagues team, who won the Negro Leagues World Series in 1946 and sent 5 players to Cooperstown. There are retired numbers for Eagles players below the press box at the ballpark.

You may remember the Bears when they achieved national acclaim in 2006 for their “Britney Spears Baby Safety Night” where any fan who dressed as a baby or brought a real (or fake) baby got in free.

It is highly unlikely that you need to purchase tickets in advance, but get there a few minutes early early, as the ticketing system is slow as molasses and you could easily miss a half inning while waiting at the box office to make your purchase.

If you choose this as an excursion, keep in mind that you’re going to the ballpark and not to see the sights of Newark, because there aren’t any. Downtown Newark is better than it’s been in years, thanks to Mayor Cory Booker, but it’s still got a long way to go.  Don’t expect to wander the surrounding area (especially on weekends) in terms of food or distraction. Head back to Manhattan – get off the PATH at 8th Street for fun in the Village or 34th Street for fun in Koreatown.

WEBSITE: newarkbears.com
MASCOT: Ruppert The Bear and his sidekick Effa (for Effa Manley – the only woman with a plaque in Cooperstown- who was the owner of the Newark Eagles)
FORMER PLAYERS OF NOTE: Jose Canseco, Rickey Henderson, Jose Lima

–
Caryn Rose is a Brooklyn-based writer and photographer who blogs about baseball travel at All Down The Line and about the New York Mets at metsgrrl.com. She is also on Twitter at @metsgrrl.

In our first installment, we check in with Indians Prospect Insider and their article about a new reality TV series that is in the works.  The Series is called “The Natural” and is being produced by one of the actors from the classic “Bull Durham”.  Enjoy the article and check back with BaseballDigest.com for more insight in the future.

Baseball and Reality TV: A “Natural” Fit

The reality TV circuit has covered just about every genre of the entertainment industry imaginable. From singing and dance competitions, to former rock stars looking for love, to boxers looking to be contenders and so on, just about everything you can think of from an entertainment perspective has been covered.

Everything that is except for one. Baseball.

All that is about to change with a new reality TV show currently in the pipeline which may soon get the green light to start shooting this fall in old Dodgertown, the former spring training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers in Vero Beach, Florida.

The new reality TV show is called “The Natural” and is being produced by 108 Stitches Productions and is the brainchild of executive producer and creator Rick Marzan, who some may know as the actor who played the superstitious first baseman Jose in the baseball classic “Bull Durham”.

“I was in Sweden and my wife and I were expecting our first child, and I was just doing some walking and it was all right in front of my eyes,” says Marzan. “I know the camera and I know baseball. Things have just snowballed and people want to be on board [with the project]. We are happy about it and just crossing our fingers.”

Like its name, the show is about unearthing baseball talent from all across the nation and giving them a chance to showcase their natural abilities and see if they can land them a pro contract and maybe someday become a baseball star.

Read more about The Natural here

MLB National reporter Barry Bloom and Richard Gross of Fanball.com will also join the program to give their take on the happenings of the MLB season.

LISTEN LIVE HERE OR DOWNLOAD ARCHIVE

As always, Mark Healey’s bench coach for the show, Fantasy Editor Jay Ferraro, will discuss who to “pitch or ditch” and who to pay close attention to in the waiver wire abyss.

LISTEN LIVE HERE OR DOWNLOAD ARCHIVE

Every Wednesday from 11:00am-1:00pm EDT, Baseball Digest presents “Baseball Digest LIVE“, a weekly internet radio program that covers the American Pastime from every angle.

Hosted by Baseball Digest Online Editor Mark Healey, each episode features some of the biggest names in MLB and beyond.

Crafted each week by the show’s Executive Producer and BD’s Fantasy Baseball expert Jay Ferraro, listeners of “Baseball Digest LIVE” will hear Fantasy Baseball advice, historical perspectives with interviews of former MLB players and award winning authors, as well as the lowdown the day-to-day action of MLB baseball with the country’s top baseball writers and anaylsts.

A few weeks ago, the marketing manager from the Post Dispatch, Lucas Downs, reached out to the Cardinals online community and asked if we would be willing to try the “App” and let him know what we thought.  We here at BaseballDigest.com are always eager to play with the new toys so we naturally agreed.

Now, I’m a technical guy and have an Android phone myself but, admittedly, I knew someone that was a bit more of a “power user” when it came to Apps.  I reached out to friend and loyal reader Greg Dowler to install the App on his iPhone and let us know what he thought of it.  Here’s what Greg had to say:

I must admit, I couldn’t find too much to quibble with in this app.

When I first looked at it, the buttons appeared to be too close together. Not so–I found the buttons easy to navigate with and I, virtually, never hit the wrong button. The layout is clean and allows one to easily navigate all the latest stories and in any order you so desire.

I get most of my Cardinal news from the Post-Dispatch first, so I won’t even address the quality of reporting or writing. Having said that, I would like to see professionals proofread a little more, though. The “Chatter” button is not one I found much use for, but I am not a Twitter fan either.  I don’t find the pictures that begin some of the stories helpful or an added attraction . Most of the time they just frustrate by taking extra time to download when I am not on WiFi or 3G.

I loved the different categories for position and then further categorizing the various stories according to individual players. The drop menus allowed quick access and the Date/Time stamp on each article was very helpful. I also liked the bold headline until you open the story and then ‘un-bolding’ it so you know you have been there.

On a 1 – 10 rating scale, it gets about a 9.8 from me. This is an app I have already become very dependent on and will continue to use regularly.

Thanks for the opportunity to critique it.

So, there we have it, a solid endorsement from a proficient user of the App.  Looks like the STL Today Cardinals App gets the Baseball Digest seal of approval.

Are you interested in what other websites are saying about the App? Pitchers Hit Eighth reviewed it on his site and Whiteyball gave it a short write up here.

You can download a copy of the App for your device here.
Follow Baseball Digest on Facebook for upcoming details on how to win a free copy of the App for yourself.

Some of the Ballhawks have become local legends, like Moe Mullins and Rich Buhrke, who have thousands of baseballs, many from batting practice, many “gamers,” and even a few grand slams. The film, a labor of love for Diedrich, is a warm-hearted look at the guys – and it’s all men in this assemblage – and their own dedication to hawking, rain or shine, game after game, which for some has gone on for decades.

Diedrich recently spoke with Baseball Digest about the unique experience of making Ballhawks.

BBD: You spent a lot of time with the Ballhawks in putting this film together. Was there any initial reluctance on the part of any of them? Were there some “regulars” that didn’t want to participate?

MD: There had been several attempts by others to do stories on them; guys would come with video, notebooks, and a lot of the the newspaper stories have been focused towards the negative, so they were skeptical when I first arrived. They weren’t going to embrace it if I were just coming in for a day or two and doing a short project. But the more that I showed that I respected their space, that it wasn’t about the darker side of ballhawking, they accepted me, let me into their personal lives. You have to blend into the surroundings, or you’re not going to get the true story. On the last day, one of the guys threw me their mitt, it was kind of a rite of passage. They wanted to see how I played catch. And one of the guys, Ken Vangeloff, called down from the bleachers and said, “Nice Form.”

BBD: How is this a film for more than just baseball fans in general and Cubs fans specifically? If someone says, “Well, I saw Bleacher Bums, how is this different?” what would you say?

MD: For sure it is for more than baseball fans. I tell everyone the story of my wife. She probably is the least likely person to like a sports movie. She went to Indiana during the Bobby Knight heyday, she can’t stand sports. She’s probably biased, but she loves the movie.

I think that it’s because it’s about the Ballhawks themselves. What drew me in is the fact that there has never been a movie made about these characters. If you break down each guy, they’re interesting guys, that I could hang out with on a weekend, although they don’t all have similar backgrounds. They are not just one-dimensional characters, not just guys with nothing better to do.

BBD: Part of the film is that ballhawking was getting pushed out by the expansion of the bleachers. Did the Cubs have any reaction to the project, or how you might portray it?

MD: They were positive. Though they weren’t overly involved, per MLB rules, MLB and the teams have to approve all content, and they did it all in a timely manner. I talked to a couple of guys from the Cubs, and they were very supportive, although they didn’t want to be on camera talking about the bleacher expansion. I think that part of it is painted in a positive light, as unbiased as possible. I think it’s a matter of overcoming another obstacle, that despite it, they are still out there doing it. It’s a delicate issue, but it’s not the easiest thing to keep the ball park up to par.

BBD: Were there a lot of instances where some of the ballhawks took balls away from kids, like “Super Dave” Davison did in one scene? You could hear the kid calling him selfish as he walked away with four or five balls. Did you want to show that side of them?

MD: In that scene, Moe had caught three or four balls in the bleachers, he was throwing them down to Dave to hang on to for him. I think people get frustrated because it looks easy. There is a lot of footage I didn’t put in where Dave or Ken or Andy [Mielke] give away balls to little kids. There’s a shot at the end with a little boy, Dave gave that kid a baseball. The most frustration comes, I think, because the ballhawks are so good, they get most of the balls that are hit out. The assumption is that they are running people over to get balls, but they go out of their way not to do that.

BBD: How did you get Bill Murray involved and was that a difficult process? What is his reaction to the finished film?

MD: It was a very difficult process, but I had time on my side. I made a conscious decision that I was going to have Bill, or I would go with someone else to do the voice over. I was in L.A. on a job, maybe three years into the project, well into the rough cut, out with a few coworkers, and a friend of [Bill's brother] Joel Murray‘s was with us, and mentioned that had been working documentary about baseball, and why don’t we try to get him involved. I didn’t know if he’d follow up, but we talked the next day and a few weeks later I met Joel in Chicago and we had a five-or-six page summary of the movie. They’re both such huge Cubs fans, and I think he understood the quirky nature of what we were doing and appreciated that. There was a bit of divine intervention involved – the night before Bill was supposed to record, I heard that it wasn’t looking good, but he did it, and he so much got the story. The little inflections he used – we couldn’t be happier with the read.

I don’t believe he has seen the finished film. I hope that he does get to see it, but he has so much going on, he may not.

BBD: The local ESPN Radio Broadcaster, Harry Teinowitz, is included almost as a dissenting voice. Did you find a lot of guys like that who are critical of the ballhawks?

MD: I think what i like about Harry is that he presented it in humorous way. The night before, we interviewed him, he asked if we’d mind if he said whatever is on his mind. Yes, I said, I’m not telling you what to say. I didn’t know Harry all that well; I knew he’s something of a comedian, outspoken. I think without Harry’s point of view, it wouldn’t be as good. The fact that he does it in a humorous way is a fitting touch. I really think that a lot of that point of view comes from not knowing the full story of the ballhawks. Maybe he’d reconsider some of the things he talks about. One of my favorite quotes is when one of the bleacher folks yelled down something like, “The only thing sadder than the ballhawks are the guys making the movie about them!”

BBD: The first screening was last month in Athens, Ohio. How was the reaction there? Would you have preferred to premiere in Chicagoland?

MD: If we planned out the ideal situation, the World Premiere may have been in Chicago. But I think that the fact that it screened in Ohio, where there aren’t as many Cubs fans, and it was well received, was pretty cool. Speakeasy Magazine in Athens did a great review, they hit just about every point, they called it a solid watch.

BBD: When and how can people see the film? I see the Chicago premieres are at the end of the month, are there any other screenings planned?

MD: The best place to look is our Website, ballhawksmovie.com. There are another 25-30 film festivals through the end of the year. It’s slated to be one of the premier screenings at the Indy Film Festival in July, there’s a film festival in Chicago in September, Chicago United Film Festival, a few screenings after Memorial Day, hopefully more film festivals along the way.

Jim Mandelaro and Scott Pitoniak have compiled the most comprehensive study of the Rochester baseball club, as their research follows the franchise through its various incarnations in the early years of the 1880′s through 1920′s before the St. Louis Cardinals cobbled up several minor league franchises to establish a player development system, and what would eventually become the norm throughout for major league organizations.

Silver Seasons And A New Frontier is not just a comprehensive listing of the events of the Rochester Red Wings during their tenure at the top minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota Twins.  The story which Mandelaro and Pitoniak put together is a snapshot of baseball history from the perspective of the game played in Rochester, New York. The second edition of Silver Seasons includes the latest point in Rochester Red Wings history as the top minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.

As baseball grew along with the country and the rest of the world, the Rochester Red Wings grew as well. Through the world wars, the Great Depression, and alongside the booming careers of many future baseball Hall of Famers, the Red Wings fielded a steady stream of quality teams.  One such example of their historic ties is the end of segregation in baseball.  Before breaking the color barrier at the major league level, Jackie Robinson played against the Rochester Red Wings while with the Montreal Royals, the Brooklyn Dodgers Triple A affiliate.  Robinson dealt with rowdy fans elsewhere, but as depicted in Silver Seasons, he and the Royals proved to be a draw in games played in Rochester.

Jackie Robinson wasn’t the only eventual Hall of Famer to play in Rochester on his way to the big leagues.   Also in the opposing dugout,  Tommy Lasorda, more famous as a World Champion Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, spent some of his earliest professional days pitching against the Rochester Red Wings in the 1950′s.

There was also a great deal of homegrown talent that reached the majors over the years that included Red Wings appearances by Stan Musial, Red Schoendienst, Earl Weaver, Tom Seaver, and Cal Ripken Jr. along with current major leaguers Jason Bartlett, Justin Morneau and Francisco Liriano to name a few.

Mandelaro and Pitoniak profile the great players that played for the Red Wings and against them, and highlighted the several players and coaches that have come to define the team and the city.  For example, Joe Altobelli had just 166 games as a player in the major leagues and 7 years as a big league manager including his duty leading the 1983 World Champion Baltimore Orioles squad.  Silver Seasons gives readers a great understanding of the man who is known to Rochesterians as “Mr. Baseball”, a nickname earned for his winning ways as a Red Wings player, coach, manager and later on as general manager and broadcast announcer for the club. Another example of this is the Rochester Red Wings career of Luke Easter.  By the time he arrived in Rochester, he was well into his 40′s and on the decline.  However, his propensity for slugging long home runs remained, and his number is one of just three retired by the longest running organization in baseball history.

The remaining number to be retired by the Red Wings, 8,222, is perhaps the largest number to be retired and perhaps the most significant number in their long history. The number represents Morrie Silver and the Rochester Community Baseball company established in 1956 when the St. Louis Cardinals decided to end their relationship with the Rochester Red Wings.  The importance of Morrie Silver and the community involvement to keep the team in Rochester is one of the central themes that Mandelaro and Pitoniak touch upon throughout Silver Seasons. The Silver family remains a presence today, as Morrie Silver’s daughter Naomi is the chairman of the board for the Rochester Community Baseball company.

Silver Seasons And A New Frontier is not just for fans of the Rochester Red Wings, or the St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles, and Minnesota Twins.  It is for all baseball fans, as the story of the Rochester Red Wings cannot be told without including players from dozens of teams throughout more than a hundred years of baseball.

You can learn more about Silver Seasons And A New Frontier and the authors Jim Mandelaro and Scott Pitoniak at the facebook page that is full of information about book signings and interviews related to their book and the Rochester Red Wings. The publisher, Syracuse University Press, also has a website full of information about how you can purchase the book.

Michael Maher can be reached at Happybirthdayredsox@gmail.com.

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But there is another side to the game of baseball.  The nation’s oldest organized sport, baseball players have a level of respect seldom approached by other sports.  This respect is preserved in many “unwritten” rules of the game.  We hear color commentators talk about it, announcers discuss it, and sportscasters refer to it.  Journalists talk about the unwritten rules as we discuss last night’s game and try to make sense of why players react the way they do.

Books and articles have approached the subject in the past, but none quite as well as The Baseball Codes by Jason Turbow with Michael Duca.  Interviewing players, coaches, and alumni of baseball, they cover the “codes” with an in depth look never before seen on the printed page.

Jason and Michael took the time to answer some questions for me about the book, their backgrounds, and their favorite codes.  They will also visit with Jay Ferraro and Mark Healey on Baseball Digest Live on May 19th.

Today, I am happy to share my conversation with the guys.

Bill Ivie, BaseballDigest.com: What’s your background?

Jason Turbow: I’ve written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated.com and Slam Magazine, among many others. For three years I directed the Giants Today section in the San Francisco Chronicle, and frequently contribute to both Giants Magazine and Athletics Magazine.

Michael Duca: Board Chairman, Bill James’ Project Scoresheet; MLB.com GameDay content provider; writer for Total Baseball Daily, Associated Press, SportsTicker, Giants Today; official scorer for MLB.

BD.Com: What brought you guys together for this book?

Michael: A chance meeting in the auxiliary press box at the 2002 World Series led to a friendship and collegial relationship. I eventually shared with Jason the idea for the book, which I’d been kicking around for years.

Jason: The moment he mentioned the topic, I said, “That book has to be written. Like, now.”

BD.Com: I came across your work on “The Baseball Codes” and discovered you have taken the “unwritten” rules of baseball and written them it seems.  Let’s take a few minutes and discuss the book…

What made you write it?

Michael: Hearing so many broadcasters allude to the unwritten rules, but never have the time or format to truly explain them. They are a part of baseball that remained unknowable to most fans, but that truly improve one’s understanding of the game. We wanted to take advantage of our access to players, current and past, to inform and entertain fans who did not have that access.

Jason: There’s no better format to get inside the head of a big leaguer. The unwritten rules constitute the on-field politics of his office, and how he abides by them cuts quickly to the heart of his approach to the game. Understanding what ballplayers expect of each other, and how they enforce those expectations, offers incredible insight into how the game is played.

BD.com: I can see that many players were involved…Walk me through the process of putting this book together…

Jason: The first step was to sit down and figure out the rules that we already knew, which eventually filled up a full page in 8-point type. Next, we took that list to as many ballplayers—current and ex-; managers, coaches, broadcasters and scouts—as we could find, to have them confirm or refute specific rules, add more to the list, and above all tell us stories from their own careers in which each of the rules applied. I spent four years reading more than 200 baseball books and thousands of magazine and newspaper articles, compiling huge amounts of information along the way. Organizing thousands of pages of data (including interview transcripts) into navigable sections was an incredible challenge, but once that was complete, writing the book was a relative snap.

Michael: Getting our heads around the idea. Getting a New York-based agent. Writing a book proposal she found acceptable. Getting a publisher.  Deciding on a conceptual framework for the book. Producing a “generally accepted” list of the unwritten rules. Researching historical incidents. Interviewing close to 200 players, coaches, managers, trainers, GMs, scouts. Writing. Revising. Re-writing. Fact-checking. Cutting 70% of what was written. Finalizing a manuscript.

BD.com: Fans seem to be very happy with the book, what is the general reaction of players?

Jason: I don’t think that the majority of current ballplayers tend to read this type of thing. I gave a copy to Dallas Braden after his mound-crossing incident with A-Rod, simply because he clearly cares about the Code. Other than him, though, I can’t confirm that any current players have so much as seen it.

Michael: But former players love it. Many were interviewed for the book, so they might feel a little sense of ownership, but generally, they are proponents of the Code, and are glad that fans have a way to learn about it.

BD.Com: When it comes to “The Code”, what stands out in your mind as a “favorite” code, if you will?

Michael: My personal favorite is one Dusty Baker most clearly expressed: “The game is not yours to keep, it is yours to cherish and protect and pass forward.” Baseball is America’s first game, one whose origins are shrouded in mythology. It has been around longer on the professional level in this country than football or basketball or hockey or soccer, so there has been more time for social mores and rules of acceptable conduct to have evolved. As a result, like most social customs, it’s codified but not written down — therefore, it has to be understood and passed down from father to son, from coach to student, from veteran to rookie. It’s the only sport where the coaching staff dresses just like the players, making them appear to just be older, wiser versions of the players, rather than “guys in suits,” so this sort of generational learning becomes very natural, and part of the essential nature of the game.

Jason: I like the one mandating that a hitter refrain from swinging at the first pitch after back-to-back home runs. This rule is so quaint that it might not even be recognized any longer, but it gets to the heart of the unwritten rules; a pitcher is clearly struggling, and needs just a sliver of daylight with which to attempt to regain his senses. The Code instructs the hitter to oblige him. While its strategic value is debatable, this is truly sportsmanship at its finest. “You ain’t hitting that first pitch,” said Sparky Anderson, as devout a Code adherent as has existed in baseball in the last half-century. “No, no, no! My God, are you in a hurry to end the game?”

BD.Com: You have based the book around many different situations that have happened in baseball over the years.  There have been a few “code” issues this season.  Tell me, based on your experiences and knowledge of the “code”, how you feel about the following instances -

Barry Zito plunks Prince Fielder in spring training over a walk off celebration from last year

Jason: He had to do it. Fielder (and the rest of his teammates, in all their choreographed glory) clearly exceeded accepted baseball boundaries with their bowling-ball celebration after his game-ending homer against the Giants last September. Guys in the San Francisco clubhouse were ticked off. They didn’t see Fielder again, however, until this March—a perfect time to retaliate, since the games don’t count. If Zito didn’t do what he did, he would have lost respect from his teammates, and he knew it.

On another level of the Code, he went about it the right way, plunking Fielder below the waist. Fielder took it as it was intended, and both parties moved on. Had Zito come anywhere near his shoulders or head, Fielder’s reaction might have been resolutely (and justifiably) different.

Michael: First off, it goes back farther than that. The Giants have had serious heartburn with Prince Fielder since he unneccesarily “blew up” Todd Greene at the plate, effectively ending Todd’s career, when Greene didn’t have the baseball to make a tag play. For that reason, I’m not at all sure that this is over yet, but it was a thoroughly appropriate response in a situation that made it easy to do.

Alex Rodriguez crosses over the mound in Oakland when returning to first after a foul ball

Michael: This is an interesting situation. We had this rule in our original manuscript, but it’s somewhere on our editor’s cutting-room floor. This “code” is so much common-sense based that it’s not even overtly, universally taught. But it’s one of those things where you simply say, “but why, other than to tweak or intimidate, would anyone ever do it?”

If you look in the rule book, a straight line from third base to first passes well behind the dirt of the mound, so any trip up-and-down has to be intentional and “out of his way” for a runner. I agree with David Wells, who said that every player knows this code, and in fact, knows all of them — it’s disingenuous, if not dishonest, of Rodriguez to plead ignorance. We can argue over whether it was wise for Braden to make as big a deal of it as he did, but then again, most of that was at the urging of members of the media. I personally come down firmly on Braden’s side here — if A-Rod had done this in the days of Bob Gibson or Denny McLain, he’d have had to scrape himself up off the grass to get back to first base. A runner has no business on, or near, the pitcher’s mound.

Some have speculated that this stunt will become very frequent with Braden on the mound; personally, I hope it becomes frequent with Yankee pitchers on the mound.  They will correct A-Rod’s behavior and Derek Jeter’s flip remark (“It’s his mound? Did he bring it from home?”) much faster than Braden could — and that, too, is in keeping with The Code.

Jason: The other part of the equation is whether a relative unknown like Braden even has the credentials to call out A-Rod in the first place. Were he trying to intimidate Rodriguez—to take out the big fish in the pond—he would have been entirely out of line. Were he simply trying to inflate his own position in the game’s hierarchy at the expense of baseball’s premier superstar, he’d have been wrong. This, however, was strictly territorial. As a pitcher, Braden was simply protecting his mound—something he has every right to do, regardless of the stature of the guy trying to challenge that concept.

BD.Com: How has “The Code” changed over the years?  Along those lines, did they change because of free agency, the players’ desire, or is there another factor?

Jason: The Code initially developed as a mechanism to ensure that teams which were predisposed toward hating each other did so at the very least with a baseline level of respect. This was in an era when players didn’t jump from team to team, and were rarely friendly with anybody in the opposing dugout. Today, players change organizations every few seasons. They share agents and golf tournaments and vacation spots. Rare is the player who doesn’t have multiple chums in every clubhouse. Such inherent collegiality (and the respect it engenders) decreases the need for any sort of code to enforce it.

Michael: Money, television and “bean counters” running teams. When a team has $80 million invested in a hitter, they don’t want to see opposing pitchers claim the inside part of the plate with brushback pitches. Hitters don’t know how to get out of the way properly any more, either. TV has made it popular, and accepted, for hitters to pimp their home runs, and exaggerate their expressions and reactions to on-field events. Agents may tell pitchers to stay away from hitters they also represent.

All this has led to a watering down of the code, and for respect for the game in general. Players are much more likely to draw attention to themselves than to their accomplishments; umpires are being asked to intuit intent on inside pitches, with the predictable result that they just universally intuit criminal intent and warn immediately, taking away the inside corner and making games longer and duller in the process.

BD.Com: Tell our fans what they can expect from your book and why they shouldn’t miss out on this one…

Jason: This is a look at the ballplayer as he lives and works, and goes a long way toward increasing a viewer’s ability to appreciate any given game. It certainly did for me. Understanding players’ tricks and motivations, and the opposition’s responses to them, unlocks a world of possibility when attempting to decode the action on the field. One of our readers posted a review on Amazon saying that he’s been watching baseball since 1958, and considers himself a student of the game. He also wrote this: “I’ve learned more about the game of baseball in the first 48 pages of this book than I learned in my whole life.” I couldn’t ask for a better compliment.

Michael: The story involving a bullpen restroom, Bob McClure, Reggie Cleveland, Mike Caldwell, and a baby pig is, alone, worth the price of the book. If fans buy the book and read that story, they may wind up knowing more than McClure’s Brewers teammates do about that whole incident.

Bill Ivie is the Assignment Editor and oversees Baseball Digest Classic and St. Louis Cardinals content right here on BaseballDigest.com.  For updates and baseball discussions, follow him on Twitter.

For more discussion on the unwritten rules of baseball, you can follow The Baseball Code on Twitter and visit them online.

Ahh, get over it. You can have your stale chicken fingers. I’m happy to eat fresh, delicious local food that isn’t boring and isn’t going to give me heartburn.

Here are my current favorite foods from around MLB:

1. Minute Maid Park’s BBQ baked potato
2. Taco Combo platter at Citi Field
3. Yankee Stadium’s steak sandwich
4. Safeco Field’s Shishkaberries
5. Primanti’s sandwiches at PNC Park
6. Camden Yards’ O-shaped pretzels
7. Crab fries at Citizens Bank Park

More details about these items, as well as the two ballparks where you should not count on getting anything decent to eat, are available at my ballpark travel site, All Down The Line.

–
Caryn Rose writes about baseball roadtrips at All Down The Line and blogs about the New York Mets at metsgrrl.com. Her weekly podcast, Throwing Like A Girl, is on Sundays at 6:30pm EST and available on iTunes. Follow along as she adds seven new ballparks to her list this year!

She is also on Twitter at @metsgrrl

So who even remembers this franchise, and why should anyone care?

Ted Taylor remembers, and fans who love baseball history should most definitely care. Thanks to Taylor’s new book, The Ultimate Philadelphia Athletics Reference Book: 1901-1954 (XLibris, 457 pps.), this long-forgotten, twice-removed franchise gets new life in a thorough but readable work.

The best feature of the book is the exhaustive biographical listing of what Taylor prefaces as “key front office personnel, major-league players and coaches and bios, where possible, of players who were under contract” but didn’t make it to the big club. The “bios” for many of the players with short careers are really just re-tellings of their statistics, but there a few good notable stories along the way, like Dick Armstrong, the former Princeton star who later graduated from the school’s Theological Ministry; Lena Blackburne, whose claim to fame is having discovered the special Delaware River mud that is used to rub up baseballs to this day; and Joe Hauser, who blamed Ty Cobb‘s “instruction” for his own poor hitting.

Some younger baseball fans may not be aware of the unique history of the franchise owned and managed by Mack. After assembling dynasties in the early 1910s and early 1930s, both times “The Tall Tactician” sold off his stars to “pay the bills,” sinking the team into instant and enduring trips to the bottom of the league. Taylor chronicles these moves, but gives even the players on those last-place teams their due.

This is best illustrated in his entry for George Erb, who played in just two games. Taylor writes that Erb’s “…inclusion here is a tribute to all the George Erb’s who had a pro dream, pursued it, and at least got a ‘taste’ of it.”

Eddie Plank

Collections of lineups, uniform numbers, “one-game wonders,” and other lists enhance the work, as do a few fun items that trivia fans will enjoy such as:

• the last former Philadelphia A’s player to remain with the franchise was infielder Joe DeMaestri, who played with Kansas City until 1959. The last to compete on a major league roster was Vic Power, who retired in 1965 as a member of the Angels
• Babe Ruth played one Spring Training game with the A’s in 1925, going 0-for-3

Numerous historical photographs also fill the book, highlighting mostly individual players, some more accomplished than others. While a lot of the information included can be found on Websites like baseballreference.com, mere lists of statistics can’t match Taylor’s fascination with this long lost team that comes through on every page.

Host Mark Healey, the Online Editor for Baseball Digest will discuss the first few days of MLB’s 2010 season with Jay Ferraro, BD’s Fantasy Baseball writer and BDL executive producer.

LISTEN LIVE OR DOWNLOAD ARCHIVE HERE

Also appearing on the show is author Josh Pahigian, who will discuss his latest book, The Seventh Inning Stretch: Baseball’s Most Essential and Inane Debates.

Dan Loney, the former longtime voice of the Double-A Trenton Thunder, and current on-air talent for the Wall Street Journal Radio Network and Temple University, will join the program to talk about a myriad of subjects; the Phillies-Mets blood feud, the hundreds of Yankees-Red Sox prospects he’s interviewed through the years and more!

LISTEN LIVE OR DOWNLOAD ARCHIVE HERE

This week on “Live From Mickey Mantle’s”, author Mike Shropshire will discuss his book “The Last Real Season: A Hilarious Look Back at 1975 – When Major Leaguers Made Peanuts, the Umpires Wore Red, and Billy Martin Terrorized Everyone”

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW HERE

Charles Sollars:  This trend of the batting practice hat being new every year or two is a cool idea in concept but the problem is that most of these hats are just ugly. I guess they have to be ugly to match the batting practice jersey which is a whole other article by itself. So, for now lets focus on the hat.

Bill Ivie: I disagree, I think it gives a fresh look to a franchise without them having to change their look and really irritate the purists.  It gives fans the opportunity to find something fresh and new without losing the traditions they love.

Sollars: These things are everywhere, from the ballpark to malls!  People will buy them, which means New Era will make a new batch next year.

Ivie: What is the problem with other people wearing these hats? Why are you so worried about what other fans wear?

Sollars: If people keep buying these ugly things one day soon in the near future wool hats will be a thing of the past and that is just something that I can’t stand to think about. There is something classic about a fresh wool New Era on opening day. Then there is the comfort of a ten year old wool hat that team doesn’t even wear any more. The classic wool hat should be left alone. If the boys want to wear a bp hat give em two wool hats.

Ivie: Wool hats aren’t going anywhere.  But the batting practice hats are cooler in the summer heat.  They breathe better and they still hold the traditions of the old designs mixed with today’s styles.

Sollars: If the thought of wool being gone is fine in your book lets take a closer look a the bp hat. First of all why is there NASCAR like piping on these hats?  Secondly why do some teams have a wedge of color on the bill? These hats just look someone ran out of material.  To say I am a Yankee fan is the furthest thing from the truth but the fact that the Yankee hat has something on it other than the white NY is just wrong in my book.

Ivie: These are some of the features that I love about the hat.  The piping gives a three dimensional feel and adds depth to the hat.  Catch up with the times, my friend, everything is high def, why not our hats?  The two-tone look incorporates the teams two primary colors better than the old style’s secondary color barely visible on the primary.

Sollars: Then if you happen to turn one of these ugly things around what is up with the half circle around the MLB logo?

Ivie: I think it’s just style, and I like the fact that my MLB logo does not always have to look the same.

Sollars: I will give New Era some credit there are three hats that I do not hate (Cardinals, Braves, and Tampa Bay Navy Blue). The other 30 hats can be added to the next disco night fire. Yes, there are 33 hats because the Rays, Tigers and Yankees all have home and away versions.

Ivie: Ok, you got me there, more than one hat per team is only ok if everyone has one.  Either there is two hats per team or there is one, but three extra hats is a little strange.

Sollars: While we are on the subject lets also state that the red flag logo hats are ugly as well but they are honoring men and women that keep this land free so we will give them a pass.

Ivie: I agree they deserve a pass due to the men and women they honor.  But I think it was a classy way to honor those men and women.

Sollars: The solution to the ugly batting practice hat is simple.  Teams should allow players to either have a mesh flex fit or wool version of one of their game hats as option one.  Option two would be a throwback cap.  Finally, if New Era and MLB say that the hats have to be different so that they can sell more hats, then please just keep the hats to no more than two colors, one for the bill and one for the panels.  Unless the team wants to do two white panels on the front.  This will keep us all from having to wear piping or zig zagged color patches.

Ivie: I love the idea of throwbacks, jerseys or hats.   I will also admit that I agree, this is a marketing ploy for MLB and New Era to sell more hats.  But when it comes down to it, I think the players should have the freedom to wear anything with the team logo on it before game time.

What is your opinion of the Great Hat Debate?  Visit the post on the bleachers and vote in our poll.

The Reel Hardball team, PJ Moynihan, Brett Rapkin, and Erik Kesten have three outstanding films under their belts: Cobb Field: A Day at the Ballpark, Holy Land Hardball, and Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey. Each film explores the depths of the sport where others only skim the surface. Impressive locations and great interviews lead the way to stellar production value that will have you enjoying every minute of these films.

This summer you can catch the Reel Hardball team at a stadium near you as they visit minor and amateur league ball parks to screen their films. As great at these films already are, I can only imagine that watching them from an actual ballfield will enhance the experience. Watch for the tour schedule at the start of the 2010 MLB season on the Reel Hardball website. If you can’t make it out for the summer tour, be sure to check out the MLB Network where the films will be screening during this baseball season.

“We were excited to work with a distribution partner that afforded us the opportunity to deliver quality films about baseball directly to those most likely to enjoy them. It was a perfect fit,” says PJ Moynihan.

For a complete list of show times please visit the link below.

http://mlb.mlb.com/network/schedule/

For more information on Reel Hardball please visit: http://www.reelhardball.com/index/

Jay Ferraro is the Executive Producer of Baseball Digest LIVE and Gotham Baseball LIVE. He is also a columnist for Baseball Digest ,Baseballdigest.com, and Gothambaseball.com. You can reach him at Jay_Ferraro@Juno.com , follow him on Twitter here and add him on Facebook here.

To Vincent’s great and lasting credit, unlike most management officials, he has not let his position of former baseball commissioner blind him to Miller’s impact on baseball. Vincent has long supported Miller’s candidacy for the Hall, both in speech and in writing. And he has included him in his latest book with such notable players as Tom Seaver, Juan Marichal, Ozzie Smith and Cal Ripken.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

Their stories, told by authors Marty Appel (MUNSON: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain) and Judith Testa (SAL MAGLIE: Baseball’s Demon Barber) will join Mark Healey on Baseball Digest LIVE to talk about their award-winning books.

Also joining the show will be former big league pitcher Dick Drago, who pitched in the majors from 1969-1981 with the Royals, Red Sox, Orioles, Angels and Mariners. Baseball Digest LIVE’s Executive Producer and Fantasy Editor Jay Ferraro will also be on hand, discussing the Baseball Digest Fantasy Baseball leagues, as well as promoting the debut of his new show, the re-launch of “Gotham Baseball LIVE”!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN LIVE OR TO DOWNLOAD ARCHIVE

            Of course! 

            All the fat kids play catcher because there are no good pitchers in Little League, so the first thing you want to do in order to nullify that is to insert the kid with the most surface area to block pass balls.  I spent two years fielding unsuccessful and erratic pitches in the dirt, diving left and right, and occasionally ten-hopping a ball to second base on a steal attempt.  I earned the nickname “The Magnet,” because very often the ball would ding me in the groin, the shin, the arm, the shoulders.  There were more foul tips into my catcher’s mask than in the 110 year history of Major League baseball. 

            I left Little League not wanting to play baseball ever again.  And I didn’t.  I refused to try out for Babe Ruth and when I did try out for my high school team, I was more than embarrassed by my poor showing.  I blamed my coach for the longest time for not putting me at the sexy position of first base or shortstop.  At least there I could’ve developed some confidence, and who knows, I might have lost fifty or sixty pounds.  What I really should have been mad at was the lack of education there was about the catcher position itself.  There were no books about catching, no videos, or afterschool specials.  I believe Johnny Bench had a book out in the 70’s, but they were never in-depth.  Most of them spoke of catching as a metaphor for life, like catching was a Zen-Buddhist state of being.  Repeat after me, “I am one with the glove.  I am one with the glove.  Ohhhm.”

            And I never did find a book solely devoted to catching until I came across The Art of Catching: The Secrets and Techniques of Baseball’s Most Demanding Position, by former Major League catcher, Brent Mayne.  He discusses not only the “art” of catching, but the responsibilities of the position, accompanied with a deep well of knowledge for the history of the game as well as high hopes for its future.

            At first glance it might appear to be akin to that of a “How to…” type book.  It’s not, and I can’t stress that enough.  If it seems structured, well, that’s because it is.  He starts us off with a brief introduction which automatically draws young readers in by stating that baseball is seriously lacking good, fundamental catchers.  The first words of the book, “Two hundred million Americans, and there ain’t two good catchers among’em,” is a quote by the great Casey Stengel.  At the beginning of each chapter you’ll find quotes by not only Hall of Fame players and managers, but from some history’s greatest teachers, such as Leonardo Da Vinci and Bruce Lee.

            Mayne makes us feel at home with his personable yet authoritative language.  He doesn’t try to lord over the fact that he is the professional, but rather uses it to assure you his methods are coming from experience and proven results. 

            The Art of Catching is like a well designed house – sturdy at the bottom, which allows you to build and build.  And in doing so he aptly teaches his lessons while keeping our interest.  In fact, we grow along with him and his chapters, as each one is a building block to becoming a good, solid catcher.  He even starts with the idea of “the foundation” in Chapter 2.  And while there are 12 chapters, covering everything from Stances to Plays at the Plate, the purpose isn’t to complicate, but to simplify. 

            Everything in this book is to make it easier for YOU to become the best catcher you can be.  Technique is stressed in every line and he makes it very clear that poor technique in practice is what you will take out with you to every game, which is probably why I never made it as a catcher or even a ballplayer. 

            The same could be said about attitude.  The tone and voice of the narrative is friendly and always positive, yet quick to be humble if the moment calls for it.  Being a good fundamental catcher allows for a sense of pride and confidence that one wouldn’t have otherwise.  Mayne wants you to do well.  He wants you to exceed in every way possible, which is why he so meticulous in each chapter.  The deeper he goes, the more you learn about catching and the game.      

            The book then lends itself to expand into different aspects of baseball, as the catcher is essentially the eyes and ears of the baseball diamond.  Mayne understands this as a 15 year veteran and along with the fundamentals of the game come the intangibles which are obviously cultivated through experience, but can be bridged quickly by good technique and what he refers to as anticipation.

            A catcher with excellent anticipation is a well prepared one.  He studies his pitcher during bullpen sessions – their tendencies, the speed and spin of their pitches.  He devotes a chapter to Blocking and says that, “a ball should, in effect, be blocked before each pitch is ever made.”  This is the crux on which the book seems to pull its wisdom from.  It’s similar to Sun Tzu’s Art of War, in which a key principle is that “every war is won before it’s fought.”  Again, it all goes back to preparation and HARD WORK, something young kids seem unwilling to compromise towards.  Even Mayne admits that he didn’t start out as a catcher, but he worked alongside his father to in a way, revolutionize the way the position was taught and executed on the field. 

            He makes the game accessible and the “art” of catching more of a paint by numbers than a course in Neo-Expressionism.  Mayne wants it to be fun and educational – a seemingly lost art form in itself.  And while professional baseball is about money, he goes farther to express the want for more showmanship and entertainment.  Baseball after all is entertainment.  And why shouldn’t we enjoy ourselves? 

            The Art of Catching gives us fire to a stove that hasn’t been burning for years.  He presents the opportunity for anyone interested in baseball the chance to excel at a specific position, and have the assurance you’re doing it the proper way.  In a time when less and less kids are active in sports and come from single family homes, it is important for a book like this to be in print.

            You know, Brent Mayne is the only catcher during the twentieth century to pitch and win a game.  And at the risk of sounding trite, it’s not a stretch to say he delivers one right down the middle with this book, to which I would suggest receiving with both hands, in a good stance, never forgetting to enjoy yourself.       

 Stephen Okawa is the College Baseball Editor for Gotham Baseball and the Co-Executive Producer of Gotham Baseball LIVE. You can contact him here, or follow him on Twitter and add him on Facebook.

Listen or download the interview here