Summer 2023 Titles

<strong>A love letter to the game of baseball from one of America&#39;s foremost scribes.</strong><br /><br />Bob Ryan has scored every baseball game he&#39;s attended, at every level, since the start of the 1977 season. It&#39;s a deeply personal tradition still going strong at more than 1,400 games and counting.<br /><br />The tattered scorebooks he&#39;s filled are worn from age, travel, and countless summer days, but their grids and scrawled symbols tell the stories of milestones, rivalries, rare historic achievements, and more.<br /><br /><em>In Scoring Position</em> captures the incomparable spirit of baseball, with its infinite possibilities and madcap anomalies. Ryan, alongside baseball historian and statistician Bill Chuck, has scoured his scorecard archives for the most singular events—a switch-hitter being hit by a pitch from both sides of the plate in the same game; a player batting for the cycle off four different pitchers; even back-to-back pinch-hit home runs with two outs in the 9th.<br /><br />Featuring some of the game&#39;s biggest names and wildest scenarios, this is a fascinating romp through baseball history, exuding a pure zeal for this sport that fans of all teams will recognize in themselves.<br /><br /><strong>Part of the collection at the library of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, this volume also features reproductions of dozens of scorecards from Ryan&#39;s collection.</strong>

<style type="text/css"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--></style><strong>A timely and down-to-earth guide for parents navigating the difficult decisions and extraordinary pressures of youth sports.</strong><br /><br />Today&#39;s youth sports experience provokes countless questions for well-intentioned parents. How young should kids start playing sports? Should they specialize—and when? What should a parent do when their kid is not getting the playing time they think their child deserves? How do parents encourage children without overwhelming them?<br /><br />And most importantly: how do we ensure our kids both reach their true potential on the playing field, and are well-prepared to be successful in life?<br /><br /><em>Raising Empowered Athletes</em> has answers for every youth sports situation with an overarching goal of not only helping parents raise strong athletes, but nurture great human beings who are empowered to succeed on and off the playing field.<br /><br />Nationally recognized performance coach Kirsten Jones—a former Division I athlete herself—covers wide-ranging topics including the origins of today&#39;s hyper-competitive environment, what to insist on for your child’s earliest sports experiences, club and travel teams, best approaches to family conversations and goal-setting, and the transition to high school sports.<br /><br /><strong>Delivered in a conversational and compassionate style, <em>Raising Empowered Athletes</em> will resonate with parents, coaches, and administrators alike.</strong>

<strong>A heartfelt portrait of Hank Aaron, featuring nearly 40 years of stories plus never-before-told insights from the home run king.</strong><br /><br />When journalist Terence Moore was 12 years old, he treasured his poster of Henry Aaron. Years later, Aaron would sign it for him: &quot;Best wishes to Terry.&quot; Later still, Moore would be named an honorary pall bearer at the home run king&#39;s funeral, staying up late into the night with Aaron&#39;s widow, Billye, to get the obituary just right for the program.<br /><br />Friends and family knew Aaron as quick-witted, hilarious, and fiercely opinionated beyond what was shown in public. With the encouragement of Aaron&#39;s family, Moore now shares this intimate perspective on the baseball legend, the culmination of decades of friendship and correspondence. <em>The Real Hank Aaron</em> captures the icon&#39;s contagious laugh and pointed views, from the depth of his admiration for Jackie Robinson to his true thoughts on Barry Bonds and the steroid era. <br /><br /><strong>Also featuring Aaron&#39;s views on race, politics, media, and sports fandom, this is a charming and illuminating glimpse at the man outside the spotlight.</strong>

<style type="text/css"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--></style><strong>No origin story of the New York Mets is complete without Ed Kranepool.</strong><br /><br />The lefty first baseman known as &quot;Steady Eddie&quot; made his major-league debut at age 17 during the team&#39;s inaugural season and would eventually depart, nearly two decades later, with his name written throughout the franchise&#39;s record books.<br /><br />In this definitive autobiography, Kranepool shares a remarkable life story, including early years playing stickball in the streets of the Bronx, the growing pains the Mets endured as an expansion club, his offseasons working as a New York stockbroker, and of course the miracle 1969 season that ended in an unforgettable World Series victory.<br /><br />He also opens up about the personal miracle which came 50 years after that famous championship: a lifesaving kidney transplant made possible by a Mets fan donor. A month after the surgery, Kranepool threw out the first pitch at Citi Field and boldly offered his services as a pinch hitter. <br /><br /><strong>Affable, open, and brimming with knowledge of the game, this thoroughly New York tale will delight baseball fans in Queens and beyond.</strong>

<div><strong>Fully revised and updated!</strong><br /><br /><em>My First Book of Baseball</em>, a&nbsp;Rookie Book from Sports Illustrated Kids, coaches young kids through the game of baseball with a visual retelling of an actual MLB game--from the first pitch to the game winning hit! Strikes, outs, steals, foul balls, home runs and more are all explained using a fun mix of <em>Sports Illustrated</em> action photography, simple text with engaging graphics, and a full glossary of essential baseball terms and phrases.<br /><br />An illustrated rookie player character also appears on every page, providing fun facts to help the next generation of fans better understand the game. Perfect for beginning readers, <em>My First Book of Baseball</em> is meant to be a shared reading experience between parents and their young minor league rookies before, during, and after the ball game.</div>

<p>In the plainest of terms, baseball scouts are tasked with seeing the future—a distant future, at that. Baseball’s long developmental arc leaves room for plenty of twists and turns on the way to The Show. Some prospects shoot like arrows toward their projected potential, while others fizzle out or chart an unexpected course.</p><p>Joey Votto was a lightly scouted high schooler out of Ontario, Canada. Charlie Blackmon was once coveted for his left arm more than his offensive potential. Mookie Betts “lost interest in the draft” as he went unselected round after round. Jacob deGrom refused to relinquish his role as a shortstop. Lorenzo Cain never even put on a baseball glove until high school—and then wore it on the wrong hand.</p><p><em>Smart, Wrong, and Lucky</em> explores how first impressions measure up to their aftermaths: the draft, years of progression, and for a talented few, major league success. MLB.com writer Jonathan Mayo profiles a diverse range of modern stars and looks at them through the eyes of those who noticed them first as prospects.</p><p><strong>Featuring exclusive interviews with scouts, players, coaches, and more, this fascinating collection of origin stories is an ode to baseball’s endless possibilities.</strong></p>

<strong>A compelling autobiography from one of Detroit&#39;s favorite sons</strong><br /><br />At 15, Willie Horton received his first contract offer to become a professional baseball player. At 20, he smacked his first major-league home run. At 24, Horton stood in full uniform on the hood of his car, in the midst of burning homes and overturned vehicles, and pleaded for an end to the violence of the 1967 Detroit riots.<br /><br />In this new autobiography, Horton shares the fascinating story of his life and career, from growing up in Detroit&#39;s Jeffries Projects as the youngest of 21 children to winning a World Series with his hometown Tigers in 1968. Horton also candidly discusses the opposition he faced as a Black player, his fond memories of Al Kaline, the joy he felt in returning to the Tigers as a front office executive, and the many ways he still tries to give back to Detroit and his community. <br /><br /><strong>By turns heartrending and hilarious, this timely chronicle is an essential contribution to baseball&#39;s written history.</strong>

Baseball is a game of legends. From diamond greats such as Babe Ruth and Willie Mays to Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, this newly revised and updated edition of <em>The Big Book of WHO Baseball</em> is a collection of the 101 baseball stars every fan needs to know, past and present.<br />&nbsp;<br />Featuring the latest MLB photography and the most current information about baseball&#39;s best players, this Sports Illustrated Kids reference book for young sports fans is written in a fun and easy-to-navigate question and answer format. Player profiles, facts, and stats are organized into five comprehensive categories: Champions, Super Sluggers, Prime Pitchers, Cool Characters, and Record Breakers.<br /><br />Completely redesigned to match the modern look of <em>Sports Illustrated Kids</em>, this fun collection of questions and answers will have kids stumping their friends and adult sports fans with their expert knowledge of baseball&#39;s brightest stars.

<style type="text/css"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--></style><strong>Blending personal narrative with practical guidance, <em>Cornfields to Gold Medals</em> delivers well-traveled leadership principles for on and off the court.</strong><br /><br />Coach Don Showalter’s rise to international recognition as a coach can be traced to his time at the helm of USA Basketball’s Junior National Team, where he went 62-0 and brought home 10 gold medals. Yet, for all his international success he remains grounded in the Midwestern values that shaped his character; principles have made him a passionate ambassador for the sport of basketball and one of its great teachers.<br /><br /><em>Cornfields to Gold Medals</em> is an all-American story that takes the reader on Showalter’s life journey through the sport he has coached for nearly half a century. It begins humbly, on a family farm perched atop the rolling hills of southeastern Iowa, and extends to gymnasiums in every corner of the world.<br /><br />Interspersed in this compelling personal narrative are 10 lessons in leadership, strategies Showalter employed throughout his 44-years coaching young athletes. Each is accompanied by key points in how to teach the lesson, and shares effective strategies for readers to implement in daily practice.<br /><br /><strong>Rooted in heartland principles of community, hard work, and service, this essential book offers leaders insight into guiding others and time to reflect on what is truly important.</strong><br /><br /><br /><br /> 

<style type="text/css"><!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--></style><strong>This gorgeously photographed book offers a window into the finest courses in the UK and Ireland, with relatable tips and amusing commentary for the average golfer.</strong><br /><br />Most golfers only dream of playing at St. Andrews, Ballybunion, Turnberry, or Royal County Down. With incomparable history, unique traditions, and ferociously beautiful seaside landscapes, it&#39;s no wonder that the British Isles are home to some of the most celebrated golf courses in the world.<br /><br />Peter Gray, a middle handicapper and weekend warrior, has nonetheless golfed his way around the UK and Ireland and has the misadventures to prove it: from a disaster on the legendary “Road Hole” at Old Course in St. Andrews, to braving gale force winds at Muirfield (characterized by locals as “a spot of bother”), and even being urged to drink an entire bottle of Jameson 18-year-old whiskey after a round at Lahinch to cure a fierce case of the shanks (it worked).<br /><br />Part amusing travelogue, part scenic showcase, <em>Golfing the British Isles: The Weekend Warrior&#39;s Companion</em> brims with the same beauty, character, and sheer fun exemplified by the courses it depicts.<br /><br /><strong>Featuring breathtaking photography from Gary Lisbon alongside insightful commentary and practical guidance, this distinctive book will have golf enthusiasts packing their clubs, booking tee times, and charting their own pilgrimage in celebration of this singular game.</strong>

Mention “The Penguin” to any Dodgers fan and you’re sure to evoke not just memories of the beloved third baseman Ron Cey, but also of the glory years of modern Dodgers baseball, a rollicking run through the &#39;70s and &#39;80s highlighted by the loquacious Tommy Lasorda, Fernandomania, a historic infield anchored by Cey, and an unforgettable 1981 World Series title.<br /><br />In <em>Penguin Power: Dodger Blue, Hollywood Lights, and a One-in-a-Million Big League Journey</em>, “The Penguin” Ron Cey and veteran Dodgers scribe Ken Gurnick take fans on an amazing ride from Cey’s formative years in the Pacific Northwest through his stardom on and off the field in Los Angeles and beyond. <br /><br />As part of the longest running infield in MLB history, six-time All Star and 1981 co-World Series MVP Cey joined Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, and Bill Russell to help the Dodgers triumph after years of postseason heartbreak, and bring the first World Series back to Los Angeles since Sandy Koufax and the Boys of Summer of 1965.<br /><br />Featuring charming stories from Cey’s time in a memorable clubhouse alongside Dodger legends Lasorda, Garvey, and Fernando Valenzuela, with Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín in the booth, as well as tales of the life of a star during a magical time in Los Angeles, <em>Penguin Power</em> is a must-read for fans of an unforgettable era of Dodgers baseball.

<strong>Watching a game of baseball today means witnessing phenomena that would have been novel, if not completely unheard of, not so long ago.</strong><br /><br />Starting pitchers sling 100 mile-per-hour heat for just four or five innings before departing; third basemen often station themselves much closer to second (to say nothing of the shortstop&#39;s whereabouts); home runs and strikeouts dominate at-bats; all while the length of contest tips toward the four-hour mark.<br /><br />There&#39;s no getting around it: the game looks different now. And as Major League Baseball scrambles with rule changes, equipment modifications, labor negotiations, and more, fans are left grasping for the true essence of this beloved pastime among the moving pieces.<br /><br />In <em>The New Ballgame</em>, Russell Carleton (<em>The Shift</em>) deftly identifies and examines the many levers and inflection points that have shaped the game into what we see on the field today. Through a singular blend of statistical analysis, history, and cognitive science, readers will trace the rapid evolution of the modern game while contemplating the sport in an entirely new way. <br /><br /><strong>Blending incisive research with affable storytelling, Russell Carleton delivers a kaleidoscopic view on modern baseball in this welcome, revelatory work.</strong>

An important resource for umpires, coaches, leagues, and serious fans of Major League Baseball (MLB), this handbook lists the dos and don&rsquo;ts of the national pastime. Fully up-to-date, this book contains the official and sanctioned MLB rules and their interpretations per the Playing Rules Committee, the sole group that determines baseball&rsquo;s regulations.

<div><strong>Hop in the Jumble Time Machine as it travels back to 1993!</strong><br /><br />For more than 65&nbsp;years, millions of newspaper readers have delighted in solving the daily Jumble&reg;, which appears in hundreds of national papers and in these puzzle books that offer hours of challenging wordplay and fun. Each page features a series of mixed-up words coupled with a cartoon clue, and one letter from each word is used to form the answer to the puzzle.</div>

<strong>In <em>The Franchise: Chicago Cubs</em>, take a more profound and unique journey into the history of an iconic team.</strong><br /><br />This thoughtful and engaging collection of essays captures the astute fans’ history of the franchise, going beyond well-worn narratives of yesteryear to uncover the less-discussed moments, decisions, people, and settings that fostered the Cubs&#39; one-of-a-kind identity.<br /><br />Through wheeling and dealing, mythmaking and community building, explore where the organization has been, how it got to prominence in the modern major league landscape, and how it’ll continue to evolve and stay in contention for generations to come.<br /><br /><strong>Cubs fans in the know will enjoy this personal, local, in-depth look at baseball history.</strong>