The book: “501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read Before They Die”
The author: Ron Kaplan
The vital stats: University of Nebraska Press, 405 pages, $24.95
Find it: At Barnes & Noble, Powells, the author’s blog , a site for the book with essential info, or the publisher’s website
The pitch: On our day-by-day, tear-off baseball desk calendar, we came across a sheet that asked us to match the writers to their works. There was “The Celebrant,” “Damn Yankees,” “Eight Men Out” and “Shoeless Joe” on one side. On the other: W.P. Kinsella, George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, Eliot Asinof and Eric Rolfe Greenberg.

In Kaplan’s list of “501,” three of the four are included. Kaplan admits he mistakenly misremembered to include Kinsella’s “Shoeless Joe” — the only baseball book his wife can ever recall reading, he said. It was a simple mistake. He thought it was already in there because it was so obvious.

We also thought it would be obvious to find the Abbot-Wallop entry of “Damn Yankees” — but we couldn’t because that’s the name of the Broadway play. It was based on the book “The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant” and Kaplan has that duly noted on pages 141-142.

“Giving the original novel an extra kick is the dust jacket drawn by Willard Mullin, renown for his Dodger Bum caricatures for the New York tabloids,” Kaplan writes.

And as it would turn out, there is a book of his work coming out later this summer == “Willard Mullin’s Golden Age Of Baseball Drawings 1934-1972″ (due in August).

Again, thanks for the reference. Otherwise, we’d be lost.

It leads us to circle back to the interview we did with Kaplan to start this series, explaining the nuts and bolts of how his book came together apart from how the reader can find it to be useful. Continue reading →

The book: “The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America’s Game”

The author: Edward Achorn

The vital stats: Public Affairs New York/Perseus Book Group, 318 pages, $26.99

Find it: At Barnes & Noble, Powells, author’s website or publisher’s website

The pitch: If Achorn wrote it, it’s A-league material. In this case, American Association quality. And 130 years to let it all ferment. Continue reading →

Highlights of the week ahead in sports, both here and afar:

THIS WEEK’S BEST BET:

The Kings’ Jeff Carter, left, scores past St. Louis goalie Brian Elliott during the first period a Kings’ win last Feb. 11 in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

NHL PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS:
KINGS vs. ST. LOUIS
Game 1: 5 p.m. Tuesday at St. Louis, Prime, CNBC:
If the Kings proved anything during last year’s out-of-the-blue Stanley Cup run, it’s that home ice doesn’t matter when you’re blindsiding higher-regarded opponents. But these Kings are on the radar this time. Any problem with that?
The Kings may have swept the Blues away in last season’s Western Conference semifinals, and in three regular-season games this year, but St. Louis has rebuilt itself in the last month-plus. Aside from notable trades for defensemen Jay Bouwmeester and Jordan Leopold, goaltender Brian Elliott hit a stride and the team finished on a 12-3 tear. The Kings’ 7-3-2 record in April is distinctly Staples Center friendly – 7-0 at home. That could make the difference here as Kings goalie Jonathan Quick has not come up as dominant in road games (5-9-3) this season.  “We’ve caught a few bounces along the way, but that’s not going to play at all into Game 1,” Quick said. “We both start zero-zero and we’re just going to have to outwork them. They’ve got some big forwards, strong forwards — they go hard at the net, strong on the back end, a couple of skilled guys that can really create stuff on the power play so they got great goal tending.  They’re going to bring similar challenges a lot like the other teams in the top eight are going to bring and I think it’s just going to come down to … we got to outwork them in order to get some wins.”
Game 2 is 6:30 p.m. Thursday in St. Louis, CNBC
Game 3 is 7 p.m. Saturday at Staples Center, NBC Sports Network

DUCKS vs. DETROIT
Game 1: 7:30 p.m. at Honda Center, FSW, NBC Sports Net:
The Ducks may have inexpertly cruised to the Pacific Division title, but they sputtered to a 7-5-1 mark in April and have two equally good, but not hot, goalies. The Red Wings rallied to make the playoffs for a 22^nd consecutive season, winning their last four in a row and continue to get healthier under former Ducks coach Mike Babcock. Goalie Jimmy Howard had two shutouts in that four-game streak, and beat the Kings 3-1.
Game 2: 7 p.m. Thursday at Honda Center, NBC Sports Network
Game 3: 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Detroit, NBC Sports Network

BEST OF THE REST:

MONDAY

MLB: DODGERS vs. COLORADO, Dodger Stadium, 7:10 p.m., Prime:
We see an “I See You” Hanley Ramirez bobble head giveaway in your future during this series against the division-leading Rockies — call it Tuesday (7:10 p.m., Channel 9), on the night that the shortstop claims he could be playing in his first game of the season. How about a game-winning grand slam. Like that other Ramirez guy once did.
The series ends Wednesday (7:10 p.m., Prime)

MLB: ANGELS at OAKLAND, 7 p.m., FSW:
In sweeping away the Angels’ first home series back on April 9-11, the Swingin’ A’s outscored them by a combined 28-11.
The rest of the series is Tuesday (7 p.m., Channel 13) and Wednesday (12:35 p.m., FSW)

TUESDAY

Clippers forward Blake Griffin, left, battles for a rebound with Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph during the second half of Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

NBA PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS:
CLIPPERS vs. MEMPHIS
Game 5: 7:30 p.m. at Staples Center, TNT, Prime:
The team that controls the boards has won each game of the series. Memphis had a ridiculous 45-28 advantage in Game 4, 13-5 on offensive rebounds. Moving forward, they might want to consider just throwing Blake Griffin and Zach Randolph into an octagon to settle things.
Game 6: TBA Friday at Memphis
Game 7: TBA Sunday at Staples Center (if necessary)

WEDNESDAY

NBA PLAYOFFS: EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS:
BOSTON at NEW YORK, 4 p.m., TNT:
Game 5 of the series should spell the end for the Celtics. They put up a better fight than the Lakers.

THURSDAY

ANGELS vs. BALTIMORE, Angel Stadium, 7 p.m., FSW:
The Dodgers have already played the Orioles this season, but the Angels haven’t? To divert attention, the Angels are giving away plaid fedora hats to customers on Saturday (1 p.m., Channel 11).
The four-game series includes games Friday (7 p.m., Channel 13) and Sunday (12:35 p.m., FSW)

FRIDAY

MLB: DODGERS at SAN FRANCISCO, 7 p.m., Prime:
They opened the season with the Giants taking two of three from the Dodgers, with Sergio Romo saving both of them. He’s only blown one save try this season. Nope, just isn’t the same without Brian Wilson.
The rest of the series is Saturday (6 p.m., Prime) and Sunday (5 p.m., ESPN).

SATURDAY

HORSE RACING: 139^th KENTUCKY DERBY, Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., 3:20 p.m., Channel 4:
If common sense is a factor, pull out the wallet for Santa Anita Derby winner Goldencents. The colt trained by Doug O’Neal (who had last year’s Derby winner I’ll Have Another) has more star power having Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino and his recent national title in as a co-owner. Goldencents has also run six times in his career and missed the payoff board just once. Trainer Todd Pletcher may start six in the 20-horse field — including early favorite Revolutionary, with three-time Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel.

BOXING: FLOYD MAYWEATHER vs. ROBERT GUERRERO
6 p.m., MGM Grand Gardena Arena, Las Vegas, Showtime PPV, $59.95 ($69.95 HD):
Pretty Boy Floyd cashes his “Get Out of Jail” card in what’s being hyped as his eagerly awaited return to the ring to defend his WBC welterweight title and 43-0 pro record. Pound for pound, this could get ugly as Mayweather starts a new $200 million, six-deal contract for Showtime. What if the 36-year-old loses right off the bat? He can always go back to “Dancing With the Stars  (Ninth place finish, season five, one spot below Mark Cuban).”

LEGENDS FOOTBALL LEAGUE:
LOS ANGELES TEMPTATION vs. SEATTLE MIST
8 p.m., Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario
The organization formerly known as the Lingerie Football League attains legendary status as the three-time defending champion Temptation will reveal another banner. Temptation QB Ashley Salerno (left), with two rushing TDs, two passing TDs and two conversion runs, led the team to a 31-18 road win in Chicago to open the season. Hut, hut, hike up your bikini bottom.

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL:
NCAA MEN’S FINAL, 6 p.m., UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion:
Defending national champion UC Irvine faces Loyola of Chicago (6 p.m.) and BYU takes on Penn State (8 p.m.) in Thursday’s semifinals to figure out who gets to go this far.

SUNDAY

MLS: GALAXY vs. HOUSTON
8 p.m., Home Depot Center, ESPN2:
The plan is to give out 10,000 Landon Donovan bobble heads (not actual size, right). Even better if he’s on the pitch,  having missed the 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake with a leg problem for the 4-1-2 Galaxy.

According to data on the Baseball Reference.com site, Steve Garvey probably made in the $300,000 a season range when he was playing first base for the Dodgers in the late 1970s, during their back-to-back seasons of winning the National League championship.

According to the final results of a 71-item auction on SCP Auctions in Orange County that ended Saturday night, Garvey saw about $315,000 bid on the sale of some things you’d assume to be in the priceless item category, things stored away for decades but finally allowed to be bought by the public.

For the 10-time All Star, 1981 World Series champion, four-time Gold Glove winner,  two-time All-Star Game MVP, two-time NLCS MVP, 1981 Roberto Clemente Award winner, 1984 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award and deserving to have his No. 6 retired not by the Dodgers but the San Diego Padres, Garvey discovered his 1974 NL MVP award was worth $68,482.

His copy of the 1981 World Series championship trophy went for $39,382.

The bat he used to hit the game-winning homer in Game 4 of the 1984  NLCS for San Diego fetched $21,524.

His 1977 and ’78 NLCS championship rings went for $20,724 each. Gold Glove awards from ’74 and ’75 were a combined $17,000.

The ’78 All-Star Game MVP trophy brought in excess of $8,000, about $2,500 more than the ’74 All-Star Game MVP trophy.

Strangely, neither  matched the $10,766 that came for his 1968 Ogden Dodgers Pioneer League championship ring.

Things you’d think were far more sentimental value to him — like his high school game-worn cap — was a steal for $396.

Warm-up jackets, hats, helmets, gloves and shoes ranged from $1,500 to $4,500. Some other rings of significance went for $2,500 to $3,500.

Watching players sell off their belongings, for whatever reason, by whatever means, has become a disheartening process. One of those items that reflect the shallowness of the whole fleecing procedure was Lot No. 531. That was the 1975 Baseball Writer’s Association of America Di Giovanna Trophy given to him as “The Player Who Most Typifies Dodger Tradition.”

It drew no bids.

By comparison, former Cleveland High standout Bret Saberhagen collected about $311,000 from the auction of 77 items, including his 1985 Cy Young Award ($38,588), ’89 Cy Young Award ($28.991), ’85 World Series MVP Award ($37,610), ’85 World Series championship ring ($73,409). And no one wanted his 1987 AL Comeback Player of the Year plaque. Other things in his collection included signed jerseys from former teammates.

More on the auction: http://catalog.scpauctions.com/catalog.aspx

The book: “Facing Ted Williams: Players From The Golden Age of Baseball Recall The Greatest Hitter Who Ever Lived”

The author: Edited by Dave Heller

The vital stats: Sports Publishing, 306 pages, $24.95

Find it: At Barnes & Noble, Powells, or publisher’s website

The pitch:  Facing Ted Williams today might be so bad. Scary, for sure. But still …

Consider that you’d be pitching against a 94-year-old frozen in time.

Johnny James, a right-handed pitcher for the Yankees and Angels between 1958 and ’61, says that living these days in Scottsdale, Ariz., he often drives by the Alcor Life Extension cryonics facility where Williams’ detached head is still reported to be chilling out in the hopes of being brought back to life years from now.

“I go by it frequently,” James says on page 89. “I always say, ‘Hi, Ted’ when we do because he was my hero when I was a young boy wanting to be a ball player. My wife, of course, thinks I’m nuts and she’s probably right. She usually is.” Continue reading →

Jeremy Affeldt, right, greets volunteers who helped with his “Something To Eat” project to feed those in need recently. (www.jeremyaffelt.wordpress.com)

The book: “To Stir A Moment: Life, Justice and Major League Baseball”

The author: Jeremy Affeldt

The vital stats: Beacon Hill Press, 191 pages, $21.99

Find it: At Barnes & Noble, Powells, author’s website or publisher’s website

The pitch: Jeremy Affeldt gets the save.

Maybe that’s tough for someone in Southern California who’s supposed to consider the Giants a hated rival. But in a short, sweet and succinct autobiography, the San Francisco 33-year-old lefty relief specialist who has landed with the World Champions after trips through Kansas City and Colorado opens up about a religious awakening that will define his legacy more than just trying to strike out Detroit Tigers in key Fall Classic appearances.

From page 133: “I never thought about justice, poverty or other social issues when I was growing up. I once saw a homeless person and told him, ‘Get a job. You’re lazy. take a shower and cut off your beard. Go to McDonald’s and be a janitor. Do something, man.’ I rolled my eyes and walked away. I didn’t have a compassionate bone in my body — not for the kid who was getting bullied, not for the orphan in Africa, not for anyone.” Continue reading →

The book:  “The Baseball Trust: A History of Baseball’s Antitrust Exemption”

The author:  Stuart Banner

The vital stats: Oxford University Press, 290 pages, $29.95

Find it: At Barnes & Noble, or Powells

The pitch: Andy Messersmith didn’t want out of L.A. He just wanted a no-trade clause in his contract so he could pitch for the Dodgers until the end of his career. The Dodgers and owner Peter O’Malley didn’t seem all that sold on giving that up to the pitcher who in 1974 was an NL All-Star and led the league in wins, and then in ’75 had the most complete games and shutouts.

When the arbitration dust settled, Messersmith (along with semi-retired pitcher Dave McNally) was a free man in 1976 — just three years after the Supreme Court had ruled in favor of Curt Flood and his right to refuse a trade, a decision that both Messersmith and O’Malley watched with keen interest.

Messersmith eventually circled back to finish his career with the Dodgers in 1979. But neither he nor the Dodgers got what they really wanted out of the deal. Continue reading →

As it debuted during Wednesday’s Dodgers-Mets game on ESPN’s coverage:

Where a kid on the South Side of Chicago could dream, in 1988. (Photo by Thomas. C. Harney)

The book: “Portraits From the Park: Comiskey Park Photographs, 1973-1990″
The author: Photos by Thomas W. Harney, text by Thomas Nawrocki, Harney and Ed Maldonado
The vital stats: Columbia College Chicago Press, 93 pages, $35

Find it: At Barnes & Noble, Powells or the publisher’s website

The pitch: Any place that would welcome Bill Veeck as a Hall of Fame owner has to be a destination spot on the baseball map.

And any spot famous for burning disco records between games of a double header has to be a historical monument.

What the 67-year-old street photographer Harney manages to capture, save and reprint in this bound album would probably have made Veeck smile all over again. Continue reading →