Walkoffs, Last Licks, and Final Outs: Baseball's Grand (and Not-So-Grand) Finales [Paperback]

Bill Chuck (Author), Jim Kaplan (Author), Jon Miller (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Walkoffs, Last Licks, and Final Outs is the definitive collection of baseball's grand--and not-so grand--final acts. It celebrates the moments that became instant classics--like Carlton Fisk waving fair his home run in the 1975 World Series--and memorializes those tragedies from baseball's ignominious lore--like Fred Merkle failing to touch second base and forcing a 1908 National League tiebreaker.

Features of the book include:

The greatest postseason finishes of all-time

The greatest postseason finishes of all-time

A comprehensive breakdown of every perfect game in MLB history

The last moments of the most distinguished old stadiums

Heroic (and not-so-heroic) endings to Hall of Fame careers

Eulogies and career statistics for ballplayers who passed before their time

Boxscores and linescores for the greatest games ever played

A slew of career statistics, ballpark data, and photographs

Walkoffs, Last Licks, and Final Outs is perfect for trivia heads, fans who want to know more about baseball history, and for those fans wondering where their own memories rank among the great (and not-so-great) finishes of all time. A must-have for any baseball library.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A collection to savor and rediscover for generations. -- Doug Miller, MLB.com Baseball Bookshelf

A terrific collection of untold tales and familiar stories with a new twist! -- Ira Berkow, author and Pulitzer Prize-winning sportswriter

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: ACTA Sports; First Edition edition (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879463422
• ISBN-13: 978-0879463427
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,596,179 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Its What Makes the Game of Baseball Fun to Follow April 17, 2008

By Brian Engelhardt

If you are interested in such things as: (a) that last "Sausage Race" held at County Stadium in Milwaukee before it closed in September of 2000 was won by Bratwurst, or (b) that Clem Labine hit .097 in 1955 with three hits- all of which were home runs, or (c) that Goose Goslin is the only man to have played in all 19 Washington Senators World Series Games- well then this is the book for you.

If you never heard of Clem Labine, or Goose Goslin, or don't know about Sausage Races in Milwaukee- then you can stop reading this, and resume your sad empty life.

Bill Chuck and Jim Kaplan have put together a book for those who savor the history of the game. With it they bring out the in humor and irony in the game the in the same manner that Jason Stark and Rob Neyer in their columns.

Plenty of great box scores from regular season and World Series finales- and lots more. you Chuck and Kaplan massage the game from all kinds of angles - all the ones that that make it the great game that it is to follow.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Walkoff with a Great Book May 3, 2008

By Jim Boyce

As a baseball fan, and a fan of baseball history, thoroughly enjoyed this book. Well laid out and easy to read, you can open the book to any page and just start reading. Includes stories, tidbits, and trivia about the great and not so great endings to pennant races, playoffs, world series, and stadium and career farewells, of famous and not so famous players. Wish it included more! Don't be left standing in the on-deck circle. Step up to the plate and walk-off with a great book - enjoy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful baseball resource May 2, 2008

By Brian A. Reich

I love baseball. I consider Opening Day to be a holiday. October, when the temperatures grow chilly and the playoffs begin, is my favorite month. And I can't think of anything better than visiting a ballpark and taking in a game, no matter who is playing.

So, when I read "Walkoffs, Last Licks, and Final Outs: Baseball's Grand (and Not-So-Grand) Finales" I was in heaven. This book provides all the little tidbits of information you need to relive some of the great (and not so great) moments in baseball history. Open to any page and you'll have a new favorite sports story to tell. And you won't just read it once, you'll pour through the box scores and commentary over and over.

If you are a baseball fan, buy this book. If you know a baseball fan, buy this book for them. And even if you don't like baseball (gasp!), you'll appreciate just how good this book is from the first time you pick it up.