Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball [Paperback]

George F. Will (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 24, 1991

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning political commentator and longtime baseball fanatic George F. Will--the #1 bestselling ultimate insider's look at the exacting craft of baseball

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In Men at Work, political pundit George Will breaks baseball down, parsing it into essential tasks: hitting, fielding, pitching, and managing. Why do some succeed grandly while others are more apt to whiff? By analyzing the way Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripken, Orel Hershiser, and Tony LaRussa approach the game and do what they do, he finds striking similarities in intelligence, dedication, drive, and desire.

From Publishers Weekly

In this book for the hard-core baseball fan, Will persuades such notables as Tony La Russa, Orel Hershiser and Tony Gwynn to offer details on the finer points of the game. "The author tends to retell well-known baseball history a little too often," said PW. "But as a sports journalist, he shows himself to be a master at enticing players into particularly enlightening discussions."
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; Reprint edition (April 24, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060973722
• ISBN-13: 978-0060973728
• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 5.4 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #99,133 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An inside look into the game of baseball. July 4, 2001

By ROBERT KINGSLEY

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you have ever wondered how the players and managers prepare to do the amazing things we see every day of the baseball season this is the book for you! I have loved the game for my entire life, but I never realized so much preparation goes into every little aspect of the game. George Will covers each part of the game - pitching, hitting, and fielding - by observing and interviewing some of the greats of the game; Hershiser on pitching, Gwynn on hitting, Ripken on fielding, and Larussa on putting it all together.

George Will quoted Wes Westrum in this book - "Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand." This book increased my understanding of the game and as a result has added to my enjoyment of baseball. I see things I didn't see before I read this book - the nuances of the game have become more clear.

I did not believe I could love the game more, but after reading this book, I do! I would highly recommend this book to both students of the game and to newcomers looking to understand the game.

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Will breaks down a complex game into four manageable pieces. October 10, 1997

By [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors as the coaches meet before a game, or how much sign stealing really ocurrs? The answers to these questions and much more about the behind-the-scenes goings on of the great game of baseball are in this magnificent book by the conservative political columnist George F. Will. Will takes you behind closed doors with Tony LaRussa, the best manager in the game. He also takes you to the pither's mound with Orel Hershiser, to the batter's box with Tony Gwynn, and to the shortstop's position with Cal Ripken, Jr. And when he gets you there, he explains every thing that is going on in everyone's head and he does it with stunning detail, and first-hand knowledge that will keep you begging for more after you finish. Will's book is a must have for even the casual baseball fan.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Baseball Gem February 18, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

If you have ever had any doubt that baseball is a slow paced, boring sport that withers in comparison to football, basketball, and hockey, then this book is definitely for you. In it, George Will explains the simple pleasures of baseball and the tremendous perfections in which it involves. He goes into great detail of the managers roles, the pitchers roles, the batters roles, and the fielders roles, focusing mainly on Tony LaRussa, Orel Hershieser, Tony Gwynn, and Cal Ripken respectively, but often throwing in stories of other baseball greats. Will gives tremendous insite of the finer points of the game which should be appreciated by any true sports fan. He shows how baseball is not only a game of physical skill, but of tremendous mental skill, and a little bit of luck. I found this book to be amazingly interesting and insiteful. Already being a baseball fan it taught me to enjoy the game on a whole knew level, the strategic level of it and I highly recommend it to any baseball fan, or sports fan for that matter.

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Simply the best baseball book available... November 15, 2002

By Azim Jessa

Format:Paperback

So insightful and so true, even 10 years after the book was published. A must for any fan of THE GAME.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent February 26, 2006

By David Blanton

Format:Paperback

This is a fascinating journey into the national pastime. George Will writes economically and wisely not only about what the game is, but also what it once was. The evolution of the sport - although that is certainly not the focus of the book - is illuminating for anyone who is interested in how institutions come to change. Will brings a deep explanation to the chief facets of the game - managing, pitching, hitting and defense. Ultimately they groove together to form a gorgeous tapestry of understanding. There's a word for this kind of non-fiction work: indispensable.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent! I read it over and over and never tire of it February 15, 2006

By E. King

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you enjoy the sport of baseball, you gotta read this book. George Will provides insights into the details of baseball by examining the game from the perspective of the Manager, the Batter, the Pitcher and the Fielder. It's wonderful the descriptions of the minute aspects that make the difference between a regular player and someone with the skills like future Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. I've read this book many times, and I never tire of the stories of how this game is meant to be played. You will enjoy the game even more after reading this book.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Very detailed October 29, 1997

By [e-mail]

Format:Paperback

George Will does a great job of detailing great figures in the history of baseball and the changes over the last 100+ years. The section on Tony LaRussa shows the excruciating detail that goes into what appears to be a simple game. His writing style makes the reading a little slow at times, and requires a dictionary always within reach. Still a good book for baseball fans.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Just a fine book about a fine game January 13, 2004

By James W. Susky

Format:Paperback

As Woody Allen's dalliance with Soon Yi ruined his films for many film buffs (especially New York reviewers), George Will's penetrating and often disturbing political commentary seems to have colored Men At Work for some reviewers below. Pay them no mind. Men At Work is a brilliant distillation of the insights of several brilliant Baseball Men who Work very well indeed.

Men At Work is faintly scholarly in tone - use a dictionary if you must (I didn't need one). For us non-scholars, though, if the mechanics of baseball is of interest, this book is for you.

An Example: Tony La Russa outlines nine basic ways to run the double steal - and the defense's proper response to them all. I had no idea! We didn't get this in Little League (on the other hand they don't call it the Big Leagues for nuthin')!

Here's another: An explicit split second analysis of stealing second base - it demonstrates almost beyond doubt that you steal on the pitcher - not the catcher (which perhaps shows that Will is biased against pitchers or in favor of catchers - a form of Baseball Politics?)

Will shows that when Gywnn is (no, WAS) pulling the ball, his timing was off, and why this was true.

Men At Work is not sentimental - if you want the Boys of Summer you won't find it here. What you will find is uncommon insight from some of baseball's best presented by a clearly devoted and talented writer.