You're Out and You're Ugly Too!: Confessions of an Umpire With Attitude [Audio Cassette]

Durwood Merrill (Author), Jim Dent (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1998

Durwood Merill is baseball's most outrageous umpire and one of the most colorful characters in the game. With over 20 years of laugh-out-loud anecdotes and controversial opinions, he makes the call on managers, life on the diamond, and the players.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

After decades of abuse and spittle, Major League umpire Durwood Merrill strikes back with some pretty incisive, funny, and no-holds-barred anecdotes. When his book stays in the game, it's a real hoot, light and folksy; how can you not laugh with a guy who can admit that "Folks around the American League say I've sent a few pitchers to the Hall of Fame before their time because my strike zone tends to swell like George Steinbrenner's ego"? It's his own ego, though, that has him swinging for the seats and coming up short; he's not much of a memoirist. Thankfully, like a good umpire, he keeps his personal interference to a minimum and mostly sticks to business, offering some tough prescriptions for what ails the game, and some solid dissection of the intricacies of his craft. His thoughts on Pete Rose might lead you to believe that Charlie Hustle is the book's title character. -- Jeff Silverman, Sports editor --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Sports fans will enjoy this flamboyant author's uplifting story of his ascent from a simple life as a Midwestern farmboy to one of the big leagues' premier umpires. In a down-to-earth and oftentimes outspoken style, Merrill calls them like he sees them when it comes to his views on major-league players, managers, and the commercialization of our national pastime. Adams Morgan's fast-paced, energetic narration fits Merrill's bold, self-assured personality and conveys his passion for the craft of calling major-league baseball games. Like most sports biographies, this entertaining program should circulate well in public libraries large and small.?Mark Tierney, Charles Cty. Pub. Schs., Waldorf, MD
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Audio Cassette edition.

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Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Dh Audio (April 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0886464625
• ISBN-13: 978-0886464622
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,101,096 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for any and all who love the game of Baseball, July 22, 1998

By 

[e-mail] (Locust Grove, Va) - See all my reviews

This review is from: You're Out and You're Ugly, Too!: Confessions Of An Umpire With An Attitude (Hardcover)

Durwood's Book is without a doubt probably the one of the best books I've read in a long time. His insight on the game of Baseball and the perspective that he gives is truly unique. Being graduate of the same Umpire School that Durwood went to, and Umpiring at the High School and College Level, I know what all Umpires face while trying to do their best. His stories about situations with players and managers made me laugh. He has drawn a lot of heat for what he has written, about the players, managers, and owners, "The Baseball Lords." Why you might ask? Because someone needs to tell the "Real Fans" of baseball what happens behind the scenes. He has such a way to tell his story that is unreal, he fires right back at all umpire attackers that truly don't know their head from a donkey's butt(like Tim MacCarver), and in one moment he'll make you laugh (like his story about his grandson and Nolan Ryan), and the next he'll make you cry (when he talk! s about the death of fellow Umps, Lou DiMuro, Nick Bremigan, & John McSherry, or the untimely loss of truly one of the Greatest Umpires of Baseball Steve Pallermo, or even his work with his home town at Christmas time). You feel for him and everyone around him when he tells the story, you feel the emotion as he prepares to the plate for tonights game. I think it would be a total shame if you don't read this book because you will miss out on the story of one of Baseball's Greatest Ambassadors.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars RIP Durwood, January 13, 2003

By 

Jonah Falcon (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: You're Out and You're Ugly, Too!: Confessions Of An Umpire With An Attitude (Hardcover)

Durwood Merrill just passed away today, after suffering a heart attack last Sunday. Godspeed, Durwood.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars You'll hesitate the next time you "boo" an umpire......., August 15, 2002

By 

E. Vallee "Eddie V." (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: You're Out and You're Ugly, Too!: Confessions Of An Umpire With An Attitude (Mass Market Paperback)

It's a light read, but Durwood is very colorful and sincere in his writing. I felt as if he was my Grandpa sitting next to me telling me these wonderfull stories. You'll enjoy it even if you're not a baseball fan.

If you ARE a baseball fan. You'll hesitate the next time you "boo" an umpire at a game. (but only for a second or two)

:)