From the spark of ambition to play baseball professionally to the necessity of reinventing life after baseball, the anthropologist and former Minor Leaguer George Gmelch describes the lives of the men who work at America's national game. Twenty-four years after his own final road trip as a minor leaguer, Gmelch went back on the road with ballplayers, this time with a pen and pad to record the details of life around the diamond. Drawing on more than one hundred interviews with Major and Minor League players, coaches, and managers, Gmelch explores players' experiences throughout their careers: being scouted, becoming a rookie, moving through or staying in the Minors, preparing mentally and physically to play day after day, coping with slumps and successes, and facing retirement. He examines the ballplayers' routines and rituals, describes their joys and frustrations, and investigates the roles of wives, fans, and groupies in their lives. Based on his own experience as a player in the 1960s, Gmelch charts the life cycle of the modern professional ballplayer and makes perceptive comparisons to a previous generation of players.

The story of Major League Baseball's shortest-lived team and its quirky characters--from the dugout to the front office. The year 1969 ushered a new Major League Baseball team into Seattle: the Pilots. After many earlier years of successful minor league ball, the city had high hopes for a similar outcome. With plans for a new ballpark and a temperamental but hot-hitting young player named Lou Piniella in the spring training dugout, Seattle was finally getting their shot in the bigs. But the team lasted only one year before going broke and abruptly moving to Milwaukee to become the Brewers. How did that happen? Jim Bouton's popular 1970 book, Ball Four, immortalized the Pilots' colorful cast of clubhouse characters. Inside Pitch goes beyond the gloves and cleats to tell the story of management misfits and administrative mistakes as the team was played into bankruptcy. On the fiftieth anniversary of the team's 1970 bankruptcy and move to Milwaukee, Inside Pitch takes baseball fans on a behind-the-scenes look into the brief and quirky history of the Seattle Pilots from the unique perspective of two young team administrators. They share their recollections of the team's seemingly inevitable collapse and the Herculean efforts to save it by many in the organization. These same young men--who moved to Milwaukee with the team--also reveal some of the administrative hiccups and hilarities during the early days with the Brewers and their new owner, Bud Selig.

One of the greatest pitchers of his generation, Tom Glavine delivered the defining moment of the Atlanta Braves' 1990s dynasty. Glavine took the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium mound for Game 6 of the 1995 World Series and allowed just one hit as the Braves won 1–0 to clinch Atlanta's first, and only, World Series title. Glavine captured the World Series MVP trophy and the hearts of Braves fans forever. In Inside Pitch, the left-hander tells the story that led up to this moment of glory and countless others in a Hall of Fame career that spanned 22 seasons. Glavine provides an in-depth look at the Braves' glory years, including his friends and fellow Cy Young Award winners Greg Maddux and John Smoltz and manager Bobby Cox. Glavine also shares memories of teammates from Deion Sanders to Chipper Jones and of playing for owner Ted Turner. He also tells his own story from growing up in a working-class family, pushing himself to succeed and his decision to turn down a chance to play pro hockey, opting for baseball instead. He describes his 300th win, his election to baseball's Hall of Fame, and his later seasons with the New York Mets before returning to close out his career with the Braves. Fans of the Braves, and of baseball, will love Glavine's book. It is filled with all the drama and inspiration that make the game America's passion.

Gold Medal Winner--Tops Sales World's Best Sales and Marketing Book “Fast, fun and immensely practical.” —JOE SULLIVAN, Founder, Flextronics “Move over Neil Strauss and game theory. Pitch Anything reveals the next big thing in social dynamics: game for business.” —JOSH WHITFORD, Founder, Echelon Media “What do supermodels and venture capitalists have in common? They hear hundreds of pitches a year. Pitch Anything makes sure you get the nod (or wink) you deserve.” —RALPH CRAM, Investor “Pitch Anything offers a new method that will differentiate you from the rest of the pack.” —JASON JONES, Senior Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle “If you want to pitch a product, raise money, or close a deal, read Pitch Anything and put its principles to work.” —STEVEN WALDMAN, Principal and Founder, Spectrum Capital “Pitch Anything opened my eyes to what I had been missing in my presentations and business interactions.” —LOUIE UCCIFERRI, President, Regent Capital Group “I use Oren’s unique strategies to sell deals, raise money, and handle tough situations.” —TAYLOR GARRETT, Vice President, White Cap “A counter-intuitive method that works.” —JAY GOYAL, CEO, SumOpti About the Book: When it comes to delivering a pitch, Oren Klaff has unparalleled credentials. Over the past 13 years, he has used his one-of-a- kind method to raise more than $400 million—and now, for the fi rst time, he describes his formula to help you deliver a winning pitch in any business situation. Whether you’re selling ideas to investors, pitching a client for new business, or even negotiating for a higher salary, Pitch Anything will transform the way you position your ideas. According to Klaff, creating and presenting a great pitch isn’t an art—it’s a simple science. Applying the latest findings in the field of neuroeconomics, while sharing eye-opening stories of his method in action, Klaff describes how the brain makes decisions and responds to pitches. With this information, you’ll remain in complete control of every stage of the pitch process. Pitch Anything introduces the exclusive STRONG method of pitching, which can be put to use immediately: Setting the Frame Telling the Story Revealing the Intrigue Offering the Prize Nailing the Hookpoint Getting a Decision One truly great pitch can improve your career, make you a lot of money—and even change your life. Success is dependent on the method you use, not how hard you try. “Better method, more money,” Klaff says. “Much better method, much more money.” Klaff is the best in the business because his method is much better than anyone else’s. And now it’s yours. Apply the tactics and strategies outlined in Pitch Anything to engage and persuade your audience—and you’ll have more funding and support than you ever thought possible.

One of the greatest pitchers of his generation, Tom Glavine delivered the defining moment of the Atlanta Braves' 1990s dynasty. Glavine took the Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium mound for Game 6 of the 1995 World Series and allowed just one hit as the Braves won 1-0 to clinch Atlanta's first, and only, World Series title. Glavine captured the World Series MVP trophy and the hearts of Braves fans forever. In Inside Pitch, the left-hander tells the story that led up to this moment of glory and countless others in a Hall of Fame career that spanned 22 seasons. Glavine provides an in-depth look at the Braves' glory years, including his friends and fellow Cy Young Award winners Greg Maddux and John Smoltz and manager Bobby Cox. Glavine also shares memories of teammates from Deion Sanders to Chipper Jones and of playing for owner Ted Turner. He also tells his own story from growing up in a working-class family, pushing himself to succeed and his decision to turn down a chance to play pro hockey, opting for baseball instead. He describes his 300th win, his election to baseball's Hall of Fame, and his later seasons with the New York Mets before returning to close out his career with the Braves. Fans of the Braves, and of baseball, will love Glavine's book. It is filled with all the drama and inspiration that make the game America's passion.

Whether you’re asking for a raise, selling but holding your price, ending a relationship, or talking to children about divorce, success is predicated on planned, effective communication. Yet, most people fail to properly prepare their message. A veteran corporate attorney, sports agent, and expert consultant, Ronald M. Shapiro has spent years developing and honing his negotiation techniques. Now, Shapiro shares the bulletproof system of scripting he calls the Three D’s: Draft, Devil’s Advocate, Deliver. Illustrating his methods with fascinating real-life stories and helpful scripts, he walks readers through the process of creating an effective message, preparing for counterarguments, and delivering the results with confidence and grace. Applicable across a broad range of situations, Perfecting Your Pitch empowers us to get the results we want.

Major leagues' most prominent relief pitchers, their role as closer, and how they cope with stress on the mound.