Donnie Baseball: The Definitive Biography of Don Mattingly

Known affectionately as 'Donnie Baseball,' Don Mattingly was an example of consistency and greatness at first base for the New York Yankees for 14 seasons. A nine-time Gold Glove winner, the mustachioed defensive ace was a fan favorite on the underachieving Yankees teams of the 1980s and early 1990s. Thus, despite his huge popularity, Mattingly was left shackled with the legacy of being one of the greatest Yankees to never play in a World Series. Nonetheless, he is so revered in Yankee lore that he is honored in the famous Monument Park at Yankee Stadium.

Donnie Baseball Biography Has Perfect Timing
If perfect timing requires some measure of luck, author Mike Shalin should buy a lottery ticket. Shalin's definitive biography of former New York Yankee legend and current Los Angeles Dodgers manager Don Mattingly is hitting stores now. Donnie Baseball: The Definitive Biography of Don Mattingly coincides with Mattingly's first season as a manager. As most baseball fans know, Mattingly assumed leadership of the Dodgers after Joe Torre retired at the end of the 2010 season. Shalin's timing for his biography is so amazing that both the New York Times and USA Today had to write about it. East coast baseball fans and west coast baseball fans may have had little in common for decades - until now, with Yankees and Dodgers fans alike embracing Donnie Baseball. To learn more about Donnie Baseball, please refer to the official page for Donnie Baseball.

Donnie Baseball

Donnie Baseball:

The Definitive Biography of Don Mattingly

By Mike Shalin/Foreword by Joe Torre

 

CONTACT: Bill Ames, Triumph Books, 312.252.1248, b.ames@triumphbooks.com

 

During his time wearing his now-retired #23 for the New York Yankees, Don Mattingly was loved by Yankees fans because of his passion for the game and thrilling batting title chases.  Known affectionately as "Donnie Baseball," Mattingly was an example of consistency and greatness while playing first base in the Bronx for 14 seasons.

 

In Donnie Baseball: The Definitive Biography of Don Mattingly, the exhaustive research of sports biographer Mike Shalin sheds new light on a baseball legend, exposing the Hall of Famer's moxie and lifelong dedication to baseball.  Shalin goes in-depth and follows an incredibly talented and hard-working player who is now continuing his baseball dream by managing the Los Angeles Dodgers.  During his time with the Yanks, Mattingly became one of the most beloved and popular players in the glorious history of the Yankees franchise.

 

Shalin reveals Mattingly's many remarkable accomplishments, including:

 

• Going from a 19^th-round draft choice to the 1985 American League MVP
• Originally struggling for any power but eventually hitting 222 home runs during his career
• Unique insights on the public debates with George Steinbrenner
• His true motivation behind his retirement in 1995
• His thoughts on his young coaching career and upcoming first season as a manager

 

Shalin leaves no stone unturned in this enlightening and comprehensive biography, revealing stories from both on and off the field that have never before been told.  Donnie Baseball: The Definitive Biography of Don Mattingly is a must-read not only for passionate Yankee fans, but for all baseball enthusiasts who want to become better historians of the game.

 

About the author: Mike Shalin is a 35-year sports journalism veteran. The 1976 graduate of Wichita State University started with the wire services in New York in the 1970s, moved to the New York Post from 1980-82 and then spent 22 years at the Boston Herald, covering the Red Sox for 12 years and then Boston College football and basketball before leaving the newspaper in 2005. A Baseball Hall of Fame voter since 1989, Shalin is now a freelancer in the Boston area whose varied duties include working as an official scorer at Fenway Park. He co-authored Out by a Step, The 100 Best Players Not in the Baseball Hall of Fame and Gilles Villemure's Tales from the Rangers Locker Room and has authored several books for young readers. Shalin resides in Easton, Massachusetts.

 

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