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#1
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: David R
The Wall Street Journal had an article today in which it listed a deadball era baseball book as the best baseball fiction novel ever. The book is "You Know Me Al" by Ring Lardner, published by Scribner in 1918. The article says the book is about a hay-in-the-hair pitcher from the Indiana heartland named Jack Keefe, who comes to the big city to make his fortune. The book takes the form of a series of letters home from Keefe to his "Friend Al" Blanchard. |
#2
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Tom Russo
I have read it several times over the years. It's really very good and has some very funny stuff but also gives a glimpse into the life of the busher trying to make good in the big leagues. Incidently, I believe the first edition is 1916 published by Doran but there are many editions out there. |
#3
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Steve
My copy is a Towers books example from 1945. It is a 2nd printing. |
#4
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: boxingcardman
Alan Hager's price guide |
#5
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Joe D.
the SMR |
#6
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Steve
many say the SMR but over the past 60 days i have sold 9k worth of cards and SMR for them was about the same. |
#7
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Andy Baran
The Ring Lardner book is excellent, but I would rate all of the Darryl Brock books (especially "If I Never Get Back"), The Celebrant, as well as several others, ahead of You Know Me Al. Just my opinion. |
#8
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Bob
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#9
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: John S
It's been a while since I read his books, but I do recall enjoying the baseball mysteries of Troy Soos. His stories are set in 1910's. There was a fictional utility player who was central in his books...can't remember his name. |
#10
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Jodi Birkholm
I've mentioned them before, but my favorites in the genre include "The Curious Case of Sidd Finch" (Plimpton) and "Hoopla" (Harry Stein). |
#11
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Steve
John S |
#12
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Bruce Babcock
Like Andy, I go with Darryl Brock and "If I Never Get Back." (Full disclosure - Darryl is a personal friend.) |
#13
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Anonymous
I would probably vote "The Celebrant" #1, but I also like "Shoeless Joe", "Bang the Drum Slowly" and "The Natural", all of which are better than the movie adaptations, especially "The Natural" which has a dark and unhappy ending that works better than the film version. |
#14
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Frank Wakefield
Yes, I've read the Lardner book. |
#15
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Jim Manos
book sounds really good. email is jmanos@columbus.rr.com Thx, Jim |
#16
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Jodi Birkholm
Here's an idea: Would anyone be interested in getting involved in a baseball book exchange? We would have to set some very basic ground rules (nothing valuable to be exchanged, books to be returned within a month's time, etc.), but perhaps in this way we could all enjoy a good read or two for the price of return postage. I have several hundred baseball-related titles, mostly nonfiction. People could post requests for certain books which are out of print, etc. What does everyone think? |
#17
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Andy Baran
I am in agreement with you that The Celebrant was awesome, but I think that that If I Never Get Back was slightly better. This is all opinion. It's like saying that I prefer the Lobster over the Fillet. I think that I like Brock's book better because I am more interested in 19th Century Baseball than in Early 20th Century Baseball. |
#18
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Andy Baran
Since you are a friend of Darryl's, is there any chance that you know when his next novel might be released? I feel like I have been holding my breath for years. |
#19
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Frank Wakefield
Hey Andy... |
#20
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Bob
I guess I am in the minority but having read The Iowa Basball Confederacy by Kinsella, I'd put it and Havana Heat both above the Celebrant and If I Never Get Back, two good books but not the top in the top three in my mind. Shoeless Joe by Kinsella (light years better than the movie, Field of Dreams) is still tops for me. |
#21
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Rob D.
This doesn't come close to qualifying as the best baseball fiction book, but The Universal Baseball Association, Inc., J. Henry Waugh, Prop. by Robert Coover (1968) is a wonderful read, even more so if you've ever been addicted to playing Strat-o-Matic or APBA. You can knock it out in 2-3 days without really trying. |
#22
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Frank Wakefield
So what about The Card, that book of about a year ago? |
#23
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Bruce Babcock
I checked with Darryl Brock and he has no plans to write another baseball novel. The interest from mainstream publishers for baseball-themed books is just not what it once was. At present, he is enjoying spending time with his family. |
#24
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: Matt Goebel
You guys should all read "The Veracruz Blues" by Mark Winegardner |
#25
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: T206Collector
Favorite Fiction: |
#26
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Best Baseball Fiction Book Ever?
Posted By: davidcycleback
"Either one of Pete Rose's Autobiographies" |
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