I’ve spent the past two Saturday afternoons in Barnes & Noble stores for my book signings. Bookstores are alive and well. It was fun to meet a variety of folks in all age groups wanting to share with me their favorite baseball stories. A 12-year-old girl approached me with a handful of other books that she was going to purchase. I was proud to add mine to her bundle. What better time than now to provide my Top Ten List of favorite baseball books. On your next visit to a bookstore or your local library, check out:

Ball Four, Jim Bouton. This is the only book that I’ve read 2 ½ times. My first attempt was as a 12-year-old boy myself. I was halfway through when my Dad took it from my bedroom and it was never to be seen again. Why? The book was a controversial, tell all, inside story of MLB baseball. It covers pitcher Jim Bouton’s 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots and Houston Astros. Bouton’s book was deemed scandalous at the time it was released in 1970, detailing womanizing, dirty jokes, and rampant drug use in the game. What you don’t hear from the book’s critics is that the book is one of the most thoughtful portrayals of baseball and its players during that era. The 20th anniversary edition (a new print comes out every 10 years) is on my shelf and I’ve read it twice. You will enjoy it.

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, Michael Lewis. If you haven’t read the book, you might have seen the even more famous movie starring Brad Pitt as Billy Beane. Beane served as the Oakland Athletics general manager from 1997-2015. He was in a word, revolutionary. The book illustrates how Beane’s approach took a low budget team to the playoffs in 2002 and 2003. He brought sabermetrics and statistical analysis to the game, replacing old school theories. For Beane, it was all about finding players who could add value to winning games. Hitters should be measured by on-base and slugging percentages, not the traditional batting average, RBIs and HRs. Unfortunately for the Athletics in present day, other GMs have caught up and the A’s low budget operation has left them fledgling in Sacramento and soon heading to Vegas.

Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero, David Maraniss. Of course Clemente’s baseball life was remarkable, highlighted by four batting titles and two World Championships (1960 and 1971). This book tells the story of the man Clemente, someone who led his life with great passion for his family, his native Puerto Rico, and his fans. The author summarized Clemente’s life in these words: “His memory is kept alive as a symbol of action and passion, not of reflection and longing. He broke racial and language barriers and achieved greatness and died a hero. That word can be used indiscriminately in the world of sports, but the classic definition is of someone who gives his life in the service of others, and that is exactly what Clemente did.” If you don’t know the story or even if you do, read this account of Clemente’s life.

From Ghetto to Glory: The Story of Bob Gibson, Phil Pepe. The book hit the shelves in 1968 during the height of Gibson’s HOF pitching career. Just like he dominated the pitching mound, he left no holes barred in this story. Critics marveled at his discussion on how to pitch the great hitters in the game (i.e., Mays, Aaron, and Clemente), and then having to face them the next season. Gibson feared no one. You will find other gems in this book, from his humble beginnings in Omaha, Nebraska, to his World Series pitching greatness. I read the book when I was around ten and devoured the section on how to throw a curveball. I took the lesson to the baseball diamonds where it quickly became my out pitch. My three shoulder surgeries to date are constant memories of how much I loved that pitch and this book.

Shoeless Joe, W.P. Kinsella. Perhaps the greatest baseball movie of all time, “Field of Dreams”, is based on this 1982 novel. The novel tells the story of Ray Kinsella, an Iowa farmer, struggling with the memories of his relationship with his late Dad. One day Ray hears a voice, “If you build it, he will come”. Ray begins to build a ballpark. The author explains that a rift between Ray and his Dad was caused by his Dad’s devotion to the 1919 White Sox and their star player, Shoeless Joe Jackson. A 14-year-old Ray challenges that loyalty, telling his Dad that Shoeless Joe was a criminal. Ray and his Dad never played catch again, something Ray very much regrets. As the new ballpark takes shape, mystical ballplayers begin to appear and play games, first Shoeless Joe and then seven others, all of whom were banned from baseball in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. You know the story from there. If you loved the movie, you will love this book.

Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes, John Rosengren. The book focuses on baseball in the 1930s and 1940s and the first nationally known Jewish athlete, Hank Greenberg. Greenberg’s baseball exploits were outstanding, leading the Detroit Tigers to AL pennants in 1934 and 1935 and a World Series championship in 1935. The story though is how much he endured anti-Semitism along the way. There are a couple endearing tales of his life, one involving Jewish mothers in the Detroit area attempting to set him up with a life partner. Like other baseball stars in this era, Greenberg’s career was interrupted by service in World War II. His military days spanned 45 months, the longest of any MLB player. This book is worth a read and some tears.

Calico Joe, John Grisham. Of all of the Grisham bestsellers, this one is the least known. The story involves a tale through the eyes of a former Little Leaguer who sees his favorite MLB player, Calico Joe Castle, get hit in the head by a fastball. The beanball changes both of their lives. What is interesting about the book is that it threads fact (MLB players) and fiction within the story. You need to bring out your Baseball Almanac to truly separate it all out. I like Grisham books. I loved this one.

Homestand, Will Bardenwerper. I opened my front door recently and found this gem of a book gift from my college roommate. It’s crawling up today’s bestseller lists and I know the reason why. The setting, Batavia, New York, is one that unfortunately many small towns in the U.S. might relate to. In 2020 MLB trimmed down its minor league affiliates to just 120 teams, leaving teams like the Batavia Muckdogs wondering what to do now after 123 years of baseball. Muckdogs ownership embraced the change, and quickly became one of many teams hosting summer leagues for college players. The story has a lot of baseball in it, for sure, but the focus is on the faithful fans who call the ballpark their home. You will see yourself in this story. It’s a piece of Americana.

The Teammates, David Halberstam. Halberstam may be one of your favorite baseball authors with his hit Summer of ’49, but I like this one better. Baseball, like life, is all about relationships. We see in this classic how four great baseball stars and teammates of the Boston Red Sox -- Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, Johnny Pesky, and Bobby Doerr – worked together to win an AL pennant in 1949 and forged a friendship throughout life. When Ted Williams appeared in public for the last time at the 1999 All-Star Game and the players surrounded him with love, I teared. When his three teammates came to his hospital bed in his final days in this book, I wept. This is another wonderful story where baseball is overshadowed by personal perspectives.

Stealing First, Teddy Kremer. I can assure you that this book might not find many Top Ten Baseball Book lists, but it deserves a spot on mine. Teddy has Down Syndrome, and in 2012 his parents won an auction where he could serve as the Reds batboy for one game. On April 18, 2013, he was invited back by the Reds and on that night, Cincinnati pounded seven homeruns. Manager Dusty Baker deemed him the team’s good luck charm, and Teddy quickly found the home dugout to be his home. His relationships with the players are truly touching, especially with Todd Frazier. The book’s title suggests an impossible task, but just one obstacle Teddy has overcome in life. Teddy attended the same high school in Cincinnati as I did. I’m proud to call him a fellow alum.

I hope you might consider another book, the newly published Baseball Bench Coach, to be on your own Top Ten List soon. Enjoy the reading!

Until next Monday,

your Baseball Bench Coach