Tales from the Dugout : The Greatest True Baseball Stories Ever Told [Paperback]

Mike Shannon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 11, 1998

Batter up--here comes the most memorable collection of anecdotes about the national pastime ever assembled. Tales from the Dugout brings together never-before-told stories from baseball personalities such as Roger Maris, Ken Griffey Jr., Pete Rose, Phil Rizzuto, and Gaylord Perry in this illustrated, one-of-a-kind compendium.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If baseball from a fan's perspective is the answer to a lazy summer day, then Tales from the Dugout is the answer to lazy days the rest of the year. Pick it up and open to any page and you'll find the delightful yarns, quotes, foibles, and folklore that wrap the grand old game like so much twine around the innards of a baseball. Bobby Brown, Yankee third baseman of yore, explains why teammate Yogi Berra had such an unconventional strike zone; an unassuming North Carolina pitcher named Jimmy Hunter reveals the truth behind his nickname, "Catfish"; and major-league prankster Ken Griffey Jr., in a rare turn of the tables, plays the April Fool. With more than 150 anecdotes from America's national pastime, this memorable collection is the perfect antidote to rainouts and winter blues.

From Library Journal

The latest from prolific sportswriter Shannon is a very entertaining digest of more than 100 lesser-known stories about baseball legends past and present. Some hilarious, some heartwarming, all the anecdotes will be of interest to fans. Patrick Cullen adeptly conveys the diverse personalities that have shaped the game and woven it into the national fabricAfrom the fiery temper of Oriole's manager Earl Weaver to the good-natured personality of Ken Griffey Jr. A welcome addition to sports collections in public libraries.AMark Tierney, Charles Cty. Pub. Schs., Waldorf, MD
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (January 11, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809229501
• ISBN-13: 978-0809229505
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #716,947 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mike Shannon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine(www.spitballmag.com), established in 1981, and the author of 16 baseball books. A life-long Willie Mays and S.F. Giants fan, he was given the 2009 Tony Salin Memorial Award by the Baseball Reliquary. A graduate of Bishop Kenny High School (Jacksonville, FL), N.C. Wesleyan College, and Xavier University, Mike lives in Cincinnati, OH with his wife, the beautiful Kathleen Dermody Shannon, and their five grown children: Meg, Casey, Mickey, Babe, and Nolan Ryan. He also writes a monthly column on baseball collectibles for Reds Report and has covered the Hall of Fame Inductions in Cooperstown, NY every year since 1986 with his best buddy, baseball writer Mark Schraf. Mike has never met a baseball fan he didn't like!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A funny and uplifting history of the game of baseball, January 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tales from the Dugout (Hardcover)

The short but full snippets of stories are wonderul! This is one of those books that you begin reading and wonder how you got through with it so fast! It is a book that can apply to all ages of fans.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good, May 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Tales from the Dugout : The Greatest True Baseball Stories Ever Told (Paperback)

I went to the bookstore looking for a good, humorous baseball book with all true stories. Guess what? I found the right book. Tales from the Dugout was a great book, there are tons of great short little stories that you could tell others about. One that is stuck in my head is the story about the fight between the Philly Phanatic and Tommy Lasorda, I thought that was pretty amusing. I think its a great book for 14 years and up, I plan on buying Tales from the Outfield, his second book anytime soon.......

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Could have been much better, April 1, 2004

By 

"boenn" (Boulder, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tales from the Dugout: The Greatest True Baseball Stories Ever Told (Audio Cassette)

Shannon's research is great, and his love of the sport comes through, but simply put the stories included aren't anything special. Anyone who has grown up listening to and loving our national pastime has certainly heard many stories much better than the ones here.

Shannon explains that his intent was not to repeat old anecdotes, but to write a book full of new ones. It's a noble goal, but unfortunately it results in a collection of mediocre and mostly uninteresting stories.