Always an Angel: Playing the Game With Fire and Faith [Hardcover]

Tim Salmon (Author), Rob Goldman (Author), Joe Maddon (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2010 | Series: Always a.

Tim Salmon almost didn t make it to the major leagues. Two devastating beanings in the minors left him with injuries serious enough to daunt the most determined of hearts. What got him through it wasn t steroids or supplements, but fire and faith two characteristics Salmon acquired early in his life. Now, for the first time, he opens up about his hardships growing up and how his grandmother s spirituality set the stage for his remarkable career.

When Salmon became an Angel in 1992, the team was a small-market club still trying to find its legs; by the time he retired, it was one of baseball s elite teams. He recalls the exploits of teammates Garret Anderson, Chili Davis, Chuck Finley, and Jim Abbott, who symbolized the grit and spirit of a team struggling for an identity. Along the way, he also shares tales of the players and coaches who provided comic relief, including the wild antics of Rex Wonder Dog Hudler and the hilarious pranks of jokester Rod Carew and current manager Mike Scioscia.

As eyewitness to some of baseball s all-time greatest moments, Salmon poignantly recalls Cal Ripken Jr. s legendary streak of 2,132 consecutive games from a fresh perspective. He also recalls classic confrontations with some of baseball s most fearsome pitchers Nolan Ryan, Randy Johnson, and Roger Clemens among them.

Salmon s recollections culminate in the team s improbable World Series run, and the series of incredible plays that propelled them to glory. What results is a story not only of personal achievement, but a testament to a team who through determination, cooperation, and inspiration reached baseball s greatest heights.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

For 14 seasons, Tim Salmon thrilled Angels fans with his team effort and all-out play. After overcoming injuries early in his career, he went on to become one of the American League s most consistent performers and in 2002 he helped guide the Angels to their first world championship. He remains a fan favorite to this day.
Founded during his playing days with the Angels, the Tim Salmon Foundation supports local Orange County charities assisting children in need.
Salmon lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, with his wife, Marci, and their four children

Rob Goldman s ties to the Angels go back more then three decades, and include stints as team batboy in the mid- 70s and visiting clubhouse attendant. Goldman played baseball at Mendocino College and graduated with a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Sonoma State in 1988. He has acted in several films including Dances with Wolves, JFK, and Overboard.

His 2006 book, Once They Were Angels: A History of the Team was hailed as the best sports history in years, by the New York Daily News and is considered one of the definitive books on the Angels.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Triumph Books (March 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600783430
• ISBN-13: 978-1600783432
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #96,826 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tim Salmon Fans Should Buy This Book, August 14, 2010

By 

T. Baker (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Always an Angel: Playing the Game With Fire and Faith (Hardcover)

I thoroughly enjoyed Rob Goldman's second book on the Angels. I am a huge fan of Tim Salmon and this book helped me see a different side of Tim that I didn't know much about. In this day and age with so many athletes breaking laws or seemingly having questionable values, I admire the way Tim played the game and his commitment to his faith. I think Mr. Goldman's writing captures both very well with the way he has documented Tim's story. If you're an Angels fan, buy this book. If you're a Tim Salmon fan, buy this book. It's a quick, entertaining read and will give you a peek into the make up of one of the Angels greatest players.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars for Angel fans, August 19, 2010

By 

Richard Chen (Monrovia, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Always an Angel: Playing the Game With Fire and Faith (Hardcover)

There's one little section on Salmon's call-up to the bigs that's probably interesting generally, but otherwise I suspect only Angel fans will like this book. And even then, a lot of stuff I would have liked to have seen gets short shrift. Like in 2001, Salmon had one of his worst years, but I don't recall that he writes much more than that. That year I remember his getting picked off at 3B by the catcher and getting thrown out on the back end of a 3B/2B double steal, both pretty humiliating. Had he written about stuff like that, the triumph of 2002 would have been more moving. He gets a big fact wrong, saying that his homer in game 3 of the ALDS put the Angels up, when in fact it was Erstad's hit right before his that did. And he doesn't mention his victory lap after the ALCS. At the time he said something like, you never know what's going to happen, which is remarkably honest and insightful and vulnerable for an athlete. (I'm writing this from memory, so maybe it's me who's off)

Nevertheless, 5 stars. The book is honest (no false modesty) and generous and insightful enough. Thanks to Salmon for being an apparently good guy, for not leaving for bigger bucks upon reaching free agency, for coming through when it counted most on the field.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A quick, enjoyable read, August 12, 2010

By 

L. Price - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Always an Angel: Playing the Game With Fire and Faith (Hardcover)

While the references to Salmon's religious faith are there, I didn't feel they dominated or got in the way of the many just plain good ol' baseball stories. It is a bit choppy in terms of the transitions from one topic to another, but what sports book isn't that way? The insight into his youth and progression to the major leagues was a part of Salmon's life I was not previously aware of and enjoyed reading. Many fun anecdotes about Salmon's teamates over many years. If you are an Angels fan or Tim Salmon fan in particular, this book is a quick, enjoyable read. I find myself now appreciating Tim Salmon more as a man and the player he was.