Batting Cleanup Bill Conlin (Baseball In America) (Hardcover)

by Kevin Kerrane (Author)
Key Phrases: infield practice, baseball men, World Series, Connie Mack Stadium, Pete Rose (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Traditionally, the sports pages yield some of the best--and worst--writing found in newspapers. Philadelphians have such reverence for the crisp wordsmithing of Daily News sports columnist Bill Conlin--known to the rest of the United States as "the fat guy" on ESPN's The Sports Reporters--that they'd consider it sacrilege to wrap fish in him. This superb collection, dating back to the '60s, shows why. Conlin leads with his wit, but his passion's never far behind, regardless of which sport he's covering. His "When I'm King of the World" columns are priceless in their pithy commentary and caustic presentation, and his limerick on Monica Seles's grunting might make Edward Lear grunt with envy. If Conlin's not king, a pretender holds the crown.

Review
"For years, sitting next to him on The Sports Reporters, all I got from Bill Conlin was the spit of his opinions in my ear. His writing is far less messy. It's also brash, charming, intelligent, historical, and at times almost elegant. Batting Cleanup is as big as the man himself, and just as impressive." Mitch Albom, nationally syndicated columnist, Detroit Free Press "Bill Conlin should be in the baseball writers' wing of the Hall of Fame." Jerome Holtzman, Chicago Tribune "Philadelphians won't boo this book. They'll buy this book, because Bill Conlin's obviously a brother the City of Brotherly Love loves." Mike Downey, Los Angeles Times "Conlin is not a sportswriter. Rather, he is a talented craftsman who has chosen The World of Perspiring Arts for his text. There is a difference. If there is a Conlin cult, count me in." Blackie Sherrod, Dallas Morning News

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 264 pages
• Publisher: Temple University Press (April 16, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566395410
• ISBN-13: 978-1566395410
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #161,682 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, Greater Writer, July 29, 2007

By	John Omara Jr. "phillies diehard" (philadelphia, pa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As fine a baseball book there could be. Recommended for any baseball fan, and required reading for any Phillies fan, or any fan of Mr. Conlin. Outstanding.

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars best sports book i ever read, September 2, 1999

By A Customer

the story on his son Pete was the most interesting article i ever read. It must have been very difficult for Bill and Pete during the baseball strike. Bill's columns on Fidel Castro were also very interesteing.

3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Yesterday's Newspaper Now A Book?, November 22, 2003

By	Gregory Glading (Polk City, FL) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Welcome to Philadelphia. Welcome to Bill Conlin. The moon has its bright side and its dark side. Philadlephia has the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, and the Art Museum. Philadelphia also has a sprawling gheto, every imaginable industrial polutant, and Bill Conlin. Only owing to his longevity would one even bother to mention Bill Conlin with ubiquitous ghettos,toxic waste, or anything else Philadelphia. Credit Conlin's fluent command of the English language to express an ascerbic wit for his keeping a job in journalism. Unfortunately for him and anyone unlucky enough to read him, his rants are more of a source of amuzement rather than profundity or even annoyance. His political devolution goes from openly punting the traditional (and Corrupt)Philadelphia Democrat machine to now promoting the neo-conservative war mongering of the Bush administration. I may have wet your curiosity, but do you really want to spend your money to read a book by Bill Conlin? If you're interested in the subject matter of Philadelphia sports and its history and affect on Philadelphia's social culture, rather purchase Bruce Kuklik's Shibe Park and urban Philadelphia. Kuklik is an Ivy League professor who presents facts with pin point accuracy. Another alternative is any book by Rich Westcott. Westcott's books also include vivid illustrations and photographs. A liitle known novel that uses the '64 Phillies collapse as its springboard called '64 Intruder will entertain you with writing even more fluid, fluent, and entertaining than Conlin's, all while telling a delightful story. Which ever book you choose, It's a better choice than this Conlin abortion.