Baseball S Game Changers

The first book in the new Lyons Press GAME CHANGERS sports series answers the questions: What were the 50 most revolutionary personalities, rules, pieces of equipment, controversies, organizational changes, radio and television advancements, and more in the history National Pastime? And how, exactly, did they forever change the game? Baseball’s Game Changers offers fascinating, detailed explanations along with a ranking system from 1 to 50 that is sure to inspire debate among baseball aficionados. Ranging from each sport’s beginnings to today and tackling on-the-field and off-the-field developments, the Game Changers series offers a history of each sport through their turning-points and innovations. Full-color, and including 30 photos plus pull-outs and sidebars, books within the Game Changers series are important and entertaining additions to every sports fan’s library.

In the spirit of Moneyball, the voice of the Toronto Blue Jays offers cutting insights on baseball Buck Martinez has been in and around professional baseball for nearly fifty years as a player, manager and broadcaster. Currently the play-by-play announcer for the Toronto Blue Jays, Martinez has witnessed enormous change in the game he loves, as it has morphed from a grassroots pastime to big business. Not all of the change has been for the better, and today’s fans struggle to connect to their on-the-field heroes as loyalty to club and player wavers and free agency constantly changes the face of every team’s roster. In Change Up, Martinez offers his unique insights into how Major League Baseball might reconnect with its fanbase, how the clubs might train and prepare their players for their time in “The Show,” and how players might approach the sport in a time of sagging fan interest. Martinez isn’t shy with his opinions, whether they be on pitch count, how to develop players through the minor-league system, and even if there should be a minor-league system at all. Always entertaining, ever insightful, Martinez shares brilliant insights and inside pitches about summer’s favourite game.

Mike Lupica presents the third book in his NEW YORK TIMES bestselling Game Changers series Ben and his friends, the Core Four Plus One, are so excited to play in their town's All-Star Baseball league. But in the first game of the season Ben gets hit by a pitch. It's never happened to him before and it shakes him up. Another player on Ben's team, Justin, is acting really weirdly. Ben's known Justin for a while and they're friendly but he's not one of Ben's closest "boys." Justin is the team's best hitter but his behavior on and off the field is erratic. Ben discovers that Justin's parents are getting a divorce and Justin is thinking about quitting the team. Like good teammates do, Justin helps Ben deal with his issues at bat while Ben is there for his friend while his family is struggling.

Young, rich, and unaware of how seriously hot he is, Brooks Davison is tearing it up as the latest shortstop for the New York Kings, despite his tendency to blush whenever girls scream his name. When a health scare forces his best friend, Kyle Roberts, off the team, no one can stomach the thought of replacing him, especially so close to the playoffs. Until Kyle's sister, Sasha, steps in, convincing management to let her take his place. The idea of signing the first female player in Major League history proves too tempting for the Kings to resist. Nevertheless, Brooks doesn't want any part of it. Sasha is Kyle's little sister, not some sideshow. Yet when Kyle takes a turn for the worse, Brooks promises to do everything in his power to help Sasha win a championship for him. Because there's no way he's letting either of them down. Not now, not ever.

Come along for the second installment in J. Sterling's smash baseball romance that readers are calling, "an unforgettable story that will stay with you for years!"Jack appeared at my door last night after six months of no communication wearing a Mets jersey and holding a dozen red roses. He told me he was sorry, that he loved me, and that he would earn my trust again. It took everything in me to not fall apart at the mere sight of him. I wanted to take him back into my life, but I needed to know that this time it would be forever...In J. Sterling's highly anticipated follow-up to her USA Today bestselling novel The Perfect Game, Jack and Cassie quickly realize that their new lifestyle can often be cruel and unforgiving. Their happiness is put to the test as the past is never truly far behind.How do you stay together when the world's trying to tear you apart?

Americas Favorite Pastime with its foreign taproot evolved into the modern game. Baseball is traced in the 364-page book from its European origins plus much deeper sources. Cultural beginnings, including the rally monkey, hot dog, peanut and anthems provide historical perspective. The American spirit is captured through baseball, beating to the rhythm of the American culture, sometimes as its direction, but most times its reflection. The goodness of the game exists in both its players serving as role models for the youth, with the Yankee Clipper leading the charge, plus inducing positive progressive change highlighted by the 1947color barrier penetration by Jackie. Type and character makeup of leadership in America and baseball is positioned as integral to the cultural socialization process. Christian religious tenets previously employed in traditional America have been metaphorically Billy-Goated out of the field of play. An orchestrated reshaping from its Founding principles using education and media as hypnotic tools promoting secular-humanist ideals and values has fundamentally transformed America into a nation ripe for governance by the New World Order as One Global Family. The readers thought process is directed to answering the question as to what is the American way? The shear ugliness of baseball bore its soul to the American public during the Synthetic Era as characterized by serpentine-type Congressional hearings involving performance-enhancing-drug use. The author boldly declares America to be a nation on some sort of drug indifferent to toxic societal effects and meritocracy interference. Cultural issues including an intellectual history of PEDs, their affects on performance and leakage into the tributaries plus the evolution of the Promethean Project are well documented. Comparisons are made between the sins of Shoeless Joe and Charlie Hustle and the typical Synthetic Era ballplayer. Hazards of playing ball are probed by comparison to perceived dangers of hit-by-pitch and the Iraq War, shark attacks and automobile accidents. Political perspectives are injected into the read using metaphors, baseball-speak and satire.

Shortly after Cleburne landed the largest railroad shops west of the Mississippi, it set its sights on securing a professional baseball team. Against the odds, Cleburne became a Texas League town in 1906. After the first championship, the Railroaders loaded a train and left Cleburne. The town's professional teams would amass two championships, three pennants and several legendary major league players, including Tris Speaker, before disappearing. Despite lacking a professional club, the town continued to field teams at all levels, until the Railroaders made their triumphant return in 2017. Scott Cain shares a century of Cleburne baseball, including the cowboys who gunned down fly balls to intimidate umps, the pro team that played the Chicago White Sox and the city councilman who was a scorekeeper for the Negro Leagues in the 1950s.

A brand new, fast-paced, fully illustrated history of basketball through its flashpoints, innovations, and innovators The third book in the Lyons Press Game Changers sports series answers the questions: What were the 50 most revolutionary personalities, rules, strategies, rivalries, controversies, organizational changes, radio and television advancements, and more in the history of basketball—college and the pros? And how, exactly, did they forever change the game? Basketball’s Game Changers offers fascinating, detailed explanations along with a ranking system from 1 to 50 that is sure to inspire debate among professional and college basketball aficionados. Ranging from the game’s beginnings to today and tackling on-the-court and off-the-court developments, Basketball’s Game Changers offers a history of hoops through its turning-points and innovations. Sportswriter Brendan Prunty breaks down the Bird-Magic rivalry, the 3-point shot, the creation of the NCAA tournament, Air Jordans, Allen Iverson, the WNBA, and even the video game NBA Jam and more! Full-color, and including photos, pull-outs, and sidebars throughout, books within the Game Changers series are important and entertaining additions to every sports fan’s library.