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Twilight of the Long-ball Gods: Dispatches from the Disappearing Heart of Baseball

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... then go ahead and dive in to this collection of columns and articles from Schulian, a gifted writer with a heartfelt passion for the game. The title selection is a reprint from the late-great sports mag Inside Sports, in which Schulian recounts the exploits of the Crash Davises of the world -- players who tore up the minor leagues and put up Sosa-esque numbers but never could duplicate them in "The Show." Schulian, who has since gone on to write successfully for several hit TV shows, is at his best when he's wistfully recalling the Pacific Coast League in the days before MLB went West. A nice, quick summer read best for fans in L.A., Chicago or Baltimore (places where Schulian lived and/or worked).

John Schulian captures the nostalgia that is unique to the game of baseball and its fandom. The characters in this collection of short essays are memorable, and in fact this book is really more about the people of baseball than the game itself. Schulian's style is languid and reflective--he does not capture the tension or thrills of the game on the field, nor does he try to. Instead, the focus of these essays is on the grip that baseball has on its players, front office people (check out the touching profile on my faviorite owner Bill Veeck), and fans. Minor league ball gets its due here, but there is also some coverage of the majors and even a nice closing essay on the place of high school ball in a blue-collar mining town. "Twilight" is not so much a critique of today's game and its excesses, as it is a warm appreciation of its "disappearing heart." Reading this book was kind of like Spring Training for me; a great way to get warmed up for the coming season.

What a welcome respite from the "juiced" headlines of today's game. John Schulian takes us back to the infield grass and the bleacher seats of a sweeter time. Okay, it wasn't always peaches and cream in the bush leagues, a place of "wind-cursed diamonds and cold-water clubhouses," in Schulian's phrase. But there was a love of the game, and Schulian captures the joy and angst of those who played it. This is a winner from the pre-eminent baseball writer of our time.

This collection columns and essays by sportswriter John Schulian (circa 1970's-1990's) earns its place in the pantheon of baseball poetry. Schulian writes movingly about Josh Gibson via his son, the minor-league Hollywood Stars (and LA Angels) of his youth before the Dodgers arrived to supplant them, and Joe DiMaggio's enduring love for Marylin Monroe. There's stories about manager Frank Howard, maverick owner Bill Veeck, youth coaches, minor leaguers, and ex-big leaguers struggling to get back to the show. We follow Russ Mormon and his years in AAA as he struggles for those brief stints in the show - I attended his first game in Chicago against the Tigers. Several people covered have passed since these paages were penned; DiMaggio, baseball clown Max Patkin, Veeck, and pitcher Ken Brett to name a few. Others are no longer a part of the game. No matter. Schulian has the touch, bringing them alive and kindling fan memories with 37 moving pieces.