Product Description
"Jim Thome: Lefty Launcher" is the first book ever written about the man who has hit 30 or more home runs for four-consecutive seasons, the first left-handed hitter in franchise history to accomplish that feat. Thome also ranks sixth on Clevelands all-time list for career home runs. "Lefty Launcher" details the life of the fan favorite, and how he is very active in the community, distributing toys to area youths at Christmas the last three years. The 29-year-old is a native of Peoria, Illinois, who now resides in Aurora, Ohio. Few major leaguers are more popular than Jim Thome, and his young fans will enjoy reading about his rise to fame in the great American game. "Jim Thome: Lefty Launcher" is another title in the SuperStar Series from Sports Publishing Inc., books designed to appeal to younger readers. Athletes selected for this series are determined not only by their statistics, but also by their character. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Peoria Pride
It was very interesting.I found out that my neighbor from Peoria played little league with Jim Thome in West Peoria.I saw their little league picture in the book-that was neat.

Clinton Miller 8yrs. old ... Read more

Product Description
Do you:
Know who holds the record for the most career stolen bases?
Want to learn how to hit a homerun like Big Papi?
Wonder how Babe Ruth earned his nickname "the Bambino"?

The Everything Kids' Baseball Book, 5th Edition answers these questions and more! Completely revised and updated, it covers all the bases of the game you love, from baseball history and trivia to player stats and the rules of the game. It's a bullpen full of fun, with information on:

• Your favorite players, rookies, and all-stars
• The great players throughout history
• Statistics and newly broken records
• Ballparks around the country
• How to organize a game with your friends
• How to set up a fantasy baseball team

Customer Reviews (2)

Little League Coach
Any child that plays Little League and is a fan of baseball will find this book interesting. The book is full of history of the game, special moments, playing tips,interesting stories, games and puzzles. It is age appropriate for children ages 6-10.

Great starter book
Great introduction into baseball for the enthusiastic 7-10 year olds; these series integrate the logistics, fun facts, interactives and they actually learn.My 3 boys were constantly quizzing each other from the book throughout baseball season! ... Read more

Product Description
Things have been sweet for fourteen-year old freshman fastpitch fanatic Ashley Clarke. She's happy and content as the starting pitcher for her stress-free fourteen and under ASA team. During her time away from the diamond, she's either sprinting down the soccer field, bouncing a basketball, or hanging at the beach with her BFF, Lizzy. But one sizzling summer day, hottie junior jock Andrew spots her at a pizza shop and Ashley's life changes forever. Meanwhile, her friend, Kate, talks her into joining the Crush, an elite sixteen and under team loaded with tough competition. Shortly after playing in her first game, Ashley finds out new Crush teammate Christy not only hates her guts, but is determined to ruin Ashley's future for good. Join Ashley as she struggles juggling sports, school, and a social life. Will Christy and her cronies force Ashley to quit the Crush? Or will she give it all up to spend more time with Andrew? And who's the new guy in Ashley's life complicating things? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fast and Fun
Ashley Clarke is a sports girl through and through. She's a great pitcher for her fourteen and under softball team, and she also plays soccer and basketball. Then her friend Kate persuades Ashley to join a different softball team, this one for sixteen and under. But adjusting to this new team is tougher than Ashley expected, especially because the other pitcher Christy seems to want to ruin Ashley's life. Ashley tries different methods of appeasing Christy but realizes she has to settle for just ignoring her, which is a little tough, considering her hot football-player boyfriend Andrew sometimes hangs out with Christy. Screwball is Ashley's story as she tries to figure out a balance to her life between sports, boys, and not-so-nice girls.

Screwball was a very fun and cute summer read. I really liked Ashley's character; she was a little immature at times but also witty and hilarious. It was interesting to watch her mature through the book, and I did notice it had something to do with the guy she was with. Ashley is a really lovable character because many girls can probably relate to all the "injustices" she faced during her first year of high school, and her coming out the other end just fine made me like her even more. Though I am not a sports or softball fan at all, reading along as Ashley played was really exciting; I could really feel her energy and enthusiasm through each game. You don't even have to understand anything about the game to get into Ashley's story. Screwball was definitely a very enjoyable book for me.

Screwball was a very fast, fun, and easy read. The story is more suited for younger teen girls, but older readers looking for a cute story may enjoy it also. I look forward to continuing Ashley's story in later novels.

National Writing for Children Center's Summer YA Book Pick!
Keri Mikulski brings high school and fastpitch softball to life in her impressive debut novel, SCREWBALL.Sports, romance, rivalry, mystery, and a strong first-person narrative make for a fast-paced story that readers of all ages will enjoy.

This first book in the Ashley Clarke series is sure to leave young girls everywhere clamoring for more tales of Ashley's struggles to juggle school, sports, and a social life in a small beachside community in New Jersey.

A great summer read, whether or not you're into sports!

The Compulsive Reader's Reviews
Ashley Clarke knows what it's like to be under pressure. She's an athlete that plays on three different sports teams during the school year. That, on top of school work and trying to have a social life, keeps her awfully busy. And it only adds up when Ashley gets a boyfriend and feels pressured to spend more time with him, in between dodging Christy, a teammate who seems to hate her without reason. Ashley will have to find a way to juggle everything that's going on, and at the same time stay true to herself--something a lot easier said than done.

This novel speaks sports. Though dense with sports talk, strategy, and suspense, Screwball will appeal to both athletes and non-sports players alike. Ashley is tough, determined, and yet appropriately girly at the same time, making her someone that high school girls especially can relate to. This is one book ideal for the reluctant reader who lives and breathes any sort of sport. You don't need to go to the big game to experience all that fun and excitement--just grab some peanuts and this fast paced and entertaining read!

[...]

Grand Slam
This fun, debut novel is sure to be a "hit" with young
girls from all walks of life.Ashley Clarke feels real and readers will
feel an instant connection to her and the choices that she has to confront.

A sports book for girls!
The author, Keri Mikulski,does a great job of capturing the voice and atmosphere of high school. Her main character has to deal with boys, sports commitments, mean girls,and parents. Finally, a sports book for girls!


Colleen Rowan Kosinski ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Atlanta Braves (Great Sports Teams)
I was very disappointed with the contents and appearance of this book.At the price, there are NO colored pictures, and the pictures that is contains are very small and uninteresting. ... Read more

Product Description
Rob wins a contest to be the Toronto Blue Jays' bat boy during spring training in Florida. He not only meets his baseball heroes, he's one of the team.

When some of the players' equipment mysteriously disappears from a locked cupboard, however, team morale drops and Rob worries he's a suspect. To save his reputation and the Blue Jays' season, he scrambles to solve the mystery.

Baseball Crazy fulfills every fan's dream to work and play in the big leagues. ... Read more

Product Description
The Los Angeles Dodgers are one of the most successful franchises in major league baseball. Having first taken the field representing Brooklyn in the late 1800s, the team has made more World Series appearances than any National League team. (20020301) ... Read more

Product Description
Gives instructions in basic softball techniques. ... Read more

Product Description
Introduces the history, skills, rules, equipment, and big games of baseball. ... Read more

Product Description
Youth Baseball and Softball Handbook for Kids, Parents and Coaches. Many drills to help build a team's speed, coordination, agility and techniques for fundamental Baseball or Softball. It has 300 pictures and illustrations to show how to implement these techniques in training young kids. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes memorable moments in the All-Star Baseball Game, the midsummer matchup between the best players in the American and National Leagues that began in 1933. ... Read more

Product Description
Maximize your softball abilities with Focused for Fastpitch! This collection of 80 drills combines fastpitch-specific drills with mental training, ensuring peak performance come game time.

Drills are arranged by physical and mental skill within each chapter for easy reference and are designed to clearly show the goal, procedure, coaching tips, and variations so that you can put the information to use right away. Favorite drills from top coaches are featured throughout the book.

Focused for Fastpitch provides the tools to sharpen concentration at the plate, stay more alert on the field and on the base paths, and shut out distractions in the circle. Use it to establish a winning game and see tremendous results this season! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

High School and Travel Teams Will Benefit
As the head coach of a junior high fastpitch and also a 14U travel team, I stress the mental aspect of the game, which is believed to be 90% of the game. This book is particularly helpful for travel teams that play numerous tournaments each season. Having your players in top physical and mental condition, whether it is the first game at 8:00am on Saturday morning to the fourth game of the same day at 8:00pm,this book covers how to prepare teams to endure that kind of schedule. Energy utilization, positive thinking, and overall conditioning are addressed, while incorporating softball specific drills to bring out the best in players. I gave this three stars because it applies more to high school and college age girls playing on travel and elite teams. ... Read more

Product Description
Amateur Softball Association,Official Guide & Rule Book Recodified ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good book for new umpires
If you are new to the world of umpireing thisis a great book to read

Excellent!
This book is excellent for umpires. In addition to the Official Baseball Rules (OBR) and updates, this may be the only other rulebook that you want (I have read many of them). The diagrams for proper positioning are handy and accurate. The descriptions of real-world situations and how to handle them is right on the money. The breakdown of rules into topical areas is some of the best that I have seen. A few of the items are dated, but you will readily see that compared to OBR. From my umpiring perspective, this is the only non-rules book that I highly recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
Presents a biography of the St. Louis Cardinal power hitter who broke Roger Maris' single-season home run record in 1998. ... Read more

Product Description
For young or novice players, this is an updated and revised edition of a popular guide to baseball and softball. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (2)

Very Good Book
My ten year old son wasn't eager to read a book about a girl, but he loved it. Great sports story line, but deeper character development than most similar books. I only have sons, but I would imagine that a young female athlete would like it even more. Boost was also a great book by Kathy Mackel.

Good read.
I actually got a 5th grade girl (a softball fanatic, not a reading fanatic) to read and enjoy this book from beginning to end! Cute story line- lots of softball action mixed with preteen girl goings-on. A real find for all the softball players out there! ... Read more

Product Description
Major League Baseball's Opening Day, 1951. Nineteen-year-old Mickey Mantle puts on the New York Yankees' famous white pinstriped uniform. His stomach roils. Sweat beads his brow. Today is his first major league game in front of a near-capacity crowd at Yankee Stadium, and there is one man Mickey doesn't want to disappoint above all others: his father.Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes is the uplifting true story of how a painfully shy teenager from rural Commerce, Oklahoma, became one of the biggest stars in Major League Baseball. While he looked to Joe DiMaggio for inspiration and dreamed of someday playing with that great New York Yankee, Mickey's true hero was his dad.Raised during the Depression, Mickey learned how to catch, hit, and field the ball from his father, Elvin. In high school, Mickey suffered a football injury that revealed a serious bone disorder. He wondered if he would ever play baseball again. But with the support and love of his father, he overcame his affliction and signed with the New York Yankees in 1949. A moving story of Mickey's early years in baseball, from his difficult rookie season to his triumphant return in 1951, Mickey Mantle portrays the everlasting bond between father and son and the making of one of baseball's greatest legends. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A highly recommended sports biography
He was a Yankee at the young age of nineteen. "Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes" is the story baseball legend Mickey Mantle's transformation from a teenager with a serious shyness issue and a bone disorder, through the help of his father. Covering Mantle's legendary career from 1951 onward, "Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes" tells how he became one of the most beloved players whose names are today synonymous with baseball. A highly recommended sports biography, sure to please Mickey Mantle fans and baseball enthusiasts everywhere.

Small Town Kid Achieves His Dream
Mickey Mantle is legendary in the world of sports and he holds many World Series records as well as records for hitting some of the longest home runs. But his initiation into the world of major League Baseball was not without its struggles and this book highlights the many highs and lows of Mantle's first season with the New York Yankees.

Mantle was very young when he began his Major League baseball career and his youth and inexperience led to some struggles at the plate. He was sent back to the minor leagues at one point, mainly due to his tendency to strike out. He had awesome power and was very speedy on the bases. But his tendency to swing the bat hard and fast at most pitches, with the goal of hitting another homer, led to his excessively large number of strikeouts. He was very disappointed in himself, but he worked hard in the minors and was given a second chance. Mantle gives his father part of the credit for convincing him to continue working hard and striving to reach his goal of playing in the major leagues.

Rookie in Pinstripes captures these and other important moments in Mantle's young career and the book helps illustrate how Mantle was feeling at different times throughout his rookie season; including his frustrations with his performance, his love interest with future wife Merlyn, his acclimation to the Yankees and life in a big city, etc. Mickey Mantle was a shy, somewhat backward kid from rural Oklahoma who had no previous exposure to big city culture. He was quite awkward when he arrived in New York City. Only through experience did the naïve Mantle eventually adapt to his new lifestyle and his newfound fame.

Rookie in Pinstripes covers only Mickey Mantle's rookie season. It offers a little bit of biographical information about Mantle so that the reader will have a better understanding about his lifestyle and the many opportunities and challenges it presented. But the majority of the book is spent talking about the rookie season with the Yankees, Mantle's struggles at the plate, his interaction with other players, his relationship with Yankee's manager Casey Stengel, etc. There is also some play- by- play action when the book is talking about some of the more important Yankee games during the 1951 season, as well as the starting lineups for the teams and other important statistics. This play-by- play is brief, but it gets the reader in the right frame of mind. You will feel like you are right there, watching the game.

Rookie in Pinstripes is a pretty good book, but it does have a few faults. The most glaring of all is the book's short length. I realize this book is only intended to cover Mantle's rookie season, and thus it cannot be expected to be extremely lengthy. But some more research and additional chapters would have made this book much more memorable. I also didn't like the book's ending. Suddenly, Mantle learns about the death of his father. He is naturally heartbroken, but the book just ends right there. At the very least, a concluding chapter would have been nice to wrap things up in a proper way.

Overall, however, Rookie in Pinstripes is still a good book for baseball fans of all ages. Mickey Mantle is a giant in the world of Major League Baseball and he has set many World Series records that are not likely to be broken. His rookie season was marked by personal issues, professional problems and, ultimately, triumph in his chosen sport. Yankee fans will love this book most, but casual fans of Major League Baseball will also find some interesting moments in Rookie in Pinstripes. It is a good book about one of baseball's most successful big league players.

Growing determination
Reviewed by Osvaldo Peralta (age 13) for Reader Views (11/08)

Most people know Mickey Mantle as a good-hearted baseball player, but Mickey Mantle was more than that.Mickey Mantle loved to play baseball from a very young age, but he also played other sports like basketball and football.During his high school years, he played on the basketball team.He was an excellent player.He also played football.During one of his football games, he had an accident.When he was taken to the hospital, he was diagnosed with a bone disease called Osteomyelitis- an infection of the bone or bone marrow.This caused him many problems during his life, but it did not stop him from becoming a great baseball player.Mickey started playing baseball with the New York Yankees on April 17, 1951.He had a wonderful career.

I enjoyed "Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes" by Fred Glueckstein.It provides lots of interesting information and details about Mickey Mantle.







Reviewed by Dr. Michael Philliber for Reader Views (8/08)

Most people have heard of the great ball player Mickey Mantle, but few know the story of his rapid rise from obscurity to distinction, and the hurdles he had to overcome to get there and stay there. Fred Glueckstein has masterfully captured part of the famous baseball player's life in his short book "Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes." This book, written for young adults, will be enjoyed by anyone desiring to learn about Mantle's early years, and how he rose from out of the Depression and Dust Bowl to the 1951 World Series.

Though Glueckstein could have written a full biography of Mantle's life, he has intelligently limited his scope to the baseball star's rookie year with the New York Yankees, and all that led up to that formative time. By narrowing his range, Glueckstein has been able to both focus his attention to the important parts of Mantle's early years in Oklahoma, Kansas and his first year with the Yankees, and to provide young adults an easily readable book that will inspire their desire to succeed and never give up.

"Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes" is the story of a young Oklahoma boy whose father and grandfather worked hard in the zinc and lead mines by day, and then at night poured themselves into helping Mickey become a superb switch hitter, able to hit solid homeruns from either the left or right side of home plate. This is the story of a young man who learned that he had a serious bone disease while in high school, and yet never let it stop him. This is a story of a developing success that failed and then overcame his failure to soar high in baseball history. This is a story of a father's encouraging drive and a son's determined love.

In this nicely-bound, well-edited book, "Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes," Glueckstein has pulled together loads of batting averages and other important statistics for the baseball fanatic. And yet the author has also woven in the personal side which makes the story come alive before the reader's eyes. Everything from snippets of personal dialogues, to snatches from his personal letters to his future wife, Merlyn Johnson, the humanness of a Major League Baseball star comes out.

If the reader is looking for an easy, inspiring, well-written book that will encourage both younger and older, then I recommend "Mickey Mantle: Rookie in Pinstripes," by Fred Glueckstein.

"When he showed up, everybody knew it. Mickey had it."

Though I'm a diehard Red Sox fan, I'm a baseball fan first. So when Mickey Mantle: Rookie In Pinstripes came my way it was a must-read, and what a fascinating book it is. Picture it -- a nineteen-year-old kid from Oklahoma signing a contract with the legendary New York Yankees, shaking the alkaline dust of the zinc mines off his cleats to live every boy's dream. What a uniquely American adventure!

Mickey's father, Elvin Mantle, worked tirelessly on his oldest son's baseball training, insisting that he bat from both sides of the plate. Everybody loves a switch-hitter, and if that boy runs like the wind, so much the better. Mickey's natural sports ability went beyond baseball: he was a talented football player in high school, though his career in that sport was marred by severe osteomyelitis after he was kicked in the shin. The osteomyelitis kept him out of the draft; his local draft board called him up three times for an exam, on each occasion finding him 4-F / physically unfit to serve.

The 1951 Yankees were a roster of baseball royalty, among them Joe DiMaggio in his last season; Yogi Berra; and Phil Rizzuto. They were managed by the incomparable Casey Stengel. Mickey was thrown into the deep end of this pool -- and into the outfield though he had always been an infielder. A batting slump earned him a mid-season stint in the minors but he was back with the Yankees to help clinch the American League pennant and score his first World Series hit against the National League's New York Giants -- yes, it was a "subway series" in 1951.

Besides the fascinating intimate details of the great Mickey Mantle, this little book simply crackles with ballpark atmosphere. Author Fred Glueckstein enlightens us on living and travel arrangements, the financial realities, and Mickey's letters to the girl back home. The play-by-plays bring the games to life. Perfectly pitched at its young adult audience, Mickey Mantle: Rookie In Pinstripes offers readers and fans of all ages the chance to spend an amazing summer with one of our greatest American sports legends. I recommend it highly.

Linda Bulger, 2008

Mickey Mantle
The book begins with the excitement following the
opening debut of Mickey Mantle. The team line-ups
are set forth, as well as the Yankee 5-0 victory.

The author has a memorable chapter on Mantle's
formative years which traversed the Great Depression.
His father, Mutt Mantle, knew that a return to heavy
labor in the mines was inevitable for supporting the
family.

The volume contains a series of memorable black/white
pictures.i.e.
o Mickey with twin brothers Ray, Roy and sister Barbara
o the ballplayer with his Uncle Luther Richardson
o Mickey #14 basketball player in high school
o the ballplayer with the Whiz Kids of Baxter Springs,KS
o Mickey with the Joplin Miners
o Mickey with his mother
o the ballplayer at spring training in Phoenix, AZ
o Spring training, Mickey and the coach, Mickey reading
o Mickey and the World Series

There is a very extensive bibliography,end note section
and index. The book would be a splendid acquisition for
the sports enthusiast in your house. ... Read more

Product Description
Penny Farrell is surprised by the sudden change in her teammates on the Hawks softball team. They are playing better that Penny ever thought possible! Stranger still, this new strength brings dramatic change to the girls' attitudes. Penny decides to solve this puzzling mystery. Could it have anything to do with Harold Dempsey, the team's scorekeeper and computer whiz? ... Read more

Product Description

Nineteen baseball Hall of Famers share winning strategies with young players and fans!
In this inside look at the fundamentals of baseball, author and veteran sports writer Steven Krasner asks some of the greatest ball players to ever play in the major leagues to explain the strategies and thought processes behind their winning ways. Each chapter includes an in-depth interview with the athlete, a glossary of baseball terms, anecdotes from the player's career and memories from his youth, as well as advice for getting and maintaining a mental edge during the game.
From Johnny Bench on calling a game and Paul Molitor on bunting to Phil Niekro on throwing a knuckleball and Brooks Robinson on playing third base, heroes of the game offer sports fans a first-rate baseball education using their own big league experiences. More than just a how-to guide for playing baseball, Play Ball Like the Hall of Famers is an intimate look at how professionals do what they do, and how the struggles and influences of their early years informed their later successes. Major League Ball Players featured:
Johnny Bench
George Brett
Rod Carew
Gary Carter
Orlando Cepeda
Bobby Doerr
Dennis Eckersley
Bob Feller
Whitey Ford
Harmon Killebrew
Bill Mazeroski
Paul Molitor
Phil Niekro
Brooks Robinson
Tom Seaver
Ozzie Smith
Don Sutton
Carl Yastrzemski
Robin Yount
Approved by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum!

... Read more