Customer Reviews

Sports Illustrated the Baseball Book

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A must for any Baseball fan. The photos in this book are simply amazing. It will make you fall in love again with the game you grew up on.

Sports Illustrated: The Baseball Book proves to be a fantastic photo history of the Major League Baseball. Using some of the greatest baseball photographs ever taken by Sports Illustrated, the book traces the history of baseball from the first decade of the 20th century to the first six years of the 21st. There are short articles scattered among the pages on special events and personalities of the game but most of the book remains a photo feast of baseball history. Also shown are photographs of rare baseball equipments, probably from Cooperstown Hall of Fame collection. Each photographs proves to be clearly marked and explained.

While a fantatsic book overall, I only have two minor quibbles with the book. For one, the photographs are not in any real order. You got modern as well as old photos mixed together regardless of the decade chapters of the book. Articles are that way too. Two, as a Boston Red Sox fan, I was bit surprised that there was very little mention of their 2004 season play-off series which considered by many baseball historians as one of the greatest ever played. Breaking of the curse and all that captured the attention of the entire nation as no baseball event ever has in a very long time. (Entire team was voted as "Sportsmen of the Year".)

Otherwise, a fantastic collection of photos of baseball history that should satisfied any fan of the game like myself for long time to come.

Overall I would say SI did a pretty good job with this book. The photography is awesome and they included several interesting and quirky aspects of baseball to help give a sense of the sport's unique history and personality. I learned quite a few new things and enjoyed seeing other things I had heard about, for example Juan Marichal using his bat as a weapon! Also a good job on baseball's international popularity by including several Latin/South American/Japanese players and their influence on the game.

I have to agree with the reviewer who thought the Red Sox 2004 World Series victory should have recieved more attention (and I don't even like them). This holds true for some other things too, such as the Bay area earthquake World Series, Lou Gehrig's "luckiest man" speech (not only a great baseball moment but a great moment for all humanity, but perhaps too obvious and well-known to be included in this book), and not including Field Of Dreams on the baseball movies page (the father/son relationship theme is so relevant to baseball and it's history in America). Hitting my father in the knees with fastballs in our backyard as he crouched down and caught and I pitched is one of my fondest childhood memories! By the way, Johnny Bench is the greatest catcher of all time because my father told me he was.

Guess I just wanted a bigger book! Baseball history is tough to cover because it has been around a lot longer and so many more games are played. With The Football Book, it was easier to cover everything and SI really nailed it.

Other complaints are that too many pictures from 2000 to present were included and not enough from the 70's, 80's, and early to mid 90's, when baseball was still great and not so profit-driven that core values and purity of the game are compromised for hype in order to look good in an ever increasing commercialized, quick-fix, and sterile society. (whatever that means)

Also detected a slight Yankees bias, but they do deserve the most coverage (DiMaggio, Mantle, Gehrig, Ruth, Maris--some of the classiest and greatest ever!). But Rivera on the all-time team? Ya, one of the great closers, and closing is more difficult than many think, but leaving off pitchers like Nolan Ryan, Bob Feller, and Gibson is just inexcusable. Closers?, we don't need no stinkin' closers.

I recommend buying this book for $19.95 on sale if at all possible.

This is a wonderful book for the avid baseball fan. Being that I only started following baseball about 5 years ago, this book gave a great summary of the rich and interesting history of baseball. The book is organized by decade, with amazing photographs. The best Sports Illustrated writers contribute with many articles.

I BOUGHT THIS FOR MY DAD.WE DONT TALK TO EACH OTHER MUCH.HE LOVED IT, AND NOW WE TALK ALL THE TIME. IT REALLY IS A BEAUTIFUL COFFEE TABLE BOOK. A REAL HOMERUN !!!

My dad is not a heavy reader but loves baseball and he's been around since the 1940's. Great book for him to flip through and look at the pictures and read a small article if he wants to. Aces!

Sent this to my father for Christmas and he loved it. Delivery time was excellent, and price was great compared to the Bookstore.

Love this book! Makes a great coffeetable book and can be a great coversation starter!

I bought this book for my 12 year old nephew. He said his dad has a copy but won't let him look at it. He was so happy to get his own copy. He was showing it to everybody. And..the best part is, Auntie got a big hug from him.

Book that is great for baseball fans. Photos and facts that are good fun for an old man to sit down with.