On October 15th, 1988, Kirk Gibson hit a walk off home run in game one of the World Series. That homer arguably sparked the Dodgers to a 4 games to 1 defeat of the heavily favored Oakland A's and a World Series championship. But whatever happened to that ball? This is before a bazillion cameras (and cell phones) were at the games, able to catch the flight of that ball from every angle. The single camera footage shows the fans converging in the right field pavilion seats as the ball clears the fence. After that the camera cuts to Gibson rounding second base doing the famous fist pump. Then the dugout erupts as players, led by manager Tommy Lasorda, rush onto the field. The camera never goes back to the stands. To this day, nobody knows what happened to the ball...until now. Experience a fictional account of what may have happened to one of the most famous home run balls ever hit in the history of the Major Leagues. Certainly, it was the most famous home run in Dodgers history. The story blurs the lines between fact and fiction and includes characters both real and imagined. It delves into player superstition, as baseball players are among the most superstitious folks on earth, and possibly hints at the supernatural. After all, if there is a God, he’s probably a baseball fan.

The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a tale of two teams: one the city’s lovable losers, the other a formidable dynasty. The St. Louis Cardinals are the most successful franchise in National League history, while the St. Louis Browns were one of the least successful, yet most colorful, American League teams. Now Richard Peterson has collected the writings of some of baseball’s greatest storytellers to pay tribute to both these teams. His book, the first anthology devoted exclusively to the Cardinals and Browns, covers the rich history of St. Louis baseball from its late-nineteenth-century origins to the modern era. The St. Louis Baseball Reader is a celebration of the many legendary stars and colorful characters who wore St. Louis uniforms and the writers who told their stories, including Alfred Spink, Roger Angell, George Will, and Baseball Hall of Fame writers Bob Broeg, J. Roy Stockton, Red Smith, and Fred Lieb. Here, too, are John Grisham, who grew up a Redbirds fan in Mississippi, and Jack Buck, the most identifiable voice in Cardinal history. Great players—Grover Cleveland Alexander, Rogers Hornsby, Marty Marion, and Satchel Paige—tell their own stories, while Bill Veeck offers an account of his wild ride as the last Browns owner and Whitey Herzog shares regrets about the play that cost the Cardinals the 1985 World Series. From the days of the Gas House Gang to the 1944 “Streetcar Series,” from Bill Veeck’s legendary stunts to Mark McGwire’s pursuit of Roger Maris’s home-run record, the Reader will bring back memories for every fan. It takes in all of the magic of the ballpark—whether recounting the unhittable pitching of Bob Gibson, the slugging prowess of Stan “The Man” Musial, or the sterling glove-work of Ozzie Smith—along with reflective commentaries that tell how Jackie Robinson confronted racism and Curt Flood challenged the reserve clause. St. Louis is a city blessed with a memorable baseball history, and The St. Louis Baseball Reader perfectly captures the joy and heartbreak of its winning and losing teams. It’s a book that will delight current fans of the Cardinals and old-timers who fondly recall the Browns.

"Throughout his life, Litwhiler has passed on to others his knowledge and enthusiasm for baseball. His engaging memoir conveys his passion for the game as he fondly recalls playing with legends like Jackie Robinson and Enos Slaughter, teaching future major leaguers, and his tireless promotion of the game wherever he went. He has truly lived a baseball life."--Jacket.

A captivating and candid memoir from one of the most beloved and colorful figures in Toronto Blue Jays history John Gibbons is one of the most beloved figures in Toronto Blue Jays history. Over 11 years and two separate managerial stints with the team, he endeared himself to fans with his folksy manner and his frequent battles with umpires: “Here comes Gibby!” Winning helped too. Under Gibbons’s management, the Jays made the American League Championship Series in 2015, ending a 22-year playoff drought; then they did it again in 2016. Along the way the team defied odds, won over a nation, and with one iconic flip of a bat produced one of the most iconic moments in MLB history. Now, in his memoir, Gibby shares the story: an on-field career that didn’t pan out, but a managing career that did … eventually. Raised in a military family, he played his first competitive baseball in Newfoundland and Labrador, and, with the family now in San Antonio, Texas, Gibby, a catcher, developed into a first-round draft pick of the New York Mets. While Gibbons only played 18 major league games, he did earn a World Series ring as the 1986 Mets bullpen catcher and knew all the characters from that team, including Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Lenny Dykstra, and Gary Carter. In 1990, Gibby began his journey as a coach and manager. An old teammate, J.P. Ricciardi, hired him to work with the Jays, and he moved his way up the ranks and into the hearts of baseball fans.

Millions of people bowl yet few know much about bowling's rich history. For more than 25 years, J.R. "Dr. Jake" Schmidt has been recounting that history in Bowlers Journal International with vitality and detail. This collection of 90 of his classic articles presents portraits of Dick Weber, Don Carter, Marion Ladewig and other tenpin immortals. Great matches and tournaments are recalled, along with little-known and forgotten stories--the bowling ball that went around the world, the 300 game that took a week to complete, the symphony concert that featured a bowler rolling against pins on stage, the traveling hustler who passed himself off as a German nobleman, the baseball Hall of Famer who won a national bowling championship, and much more.

Canadian-born George "Mooney" Gibson (1880-1967) grew up playing baseball on the sandlots around London, Ontario, before going on to star with the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League. In an era known for tough, defensive catchers, Gibson was an ironman and set records for endurance. He helped the Pirates defeat Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers to win their first World Series in 1909. He played with and against some of the biggest names in the game and counted Cobb, Honus Wagner and John McGraw as friends. He then held numerous coaching and managing roles in New York, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Washington and Chicago--the last Canadian to manage full-time in the Major Leagues.

Gibby and Olivia is a story about two lovers who are separated for seventeen years. During their absence from one another there are marriages, children, careers, divorce, and even death. Yet they never truly forget about one another throughout the seventeen years of their separation. God always has a plan. Each of them experiences heartache and change; each does their best to honor their marriages, raise their children, enhance professional careers, and honor their lives by the Word of God. Author Lee Kronert shares a message of hope, health, redemption, and triumph as Gibby and Olivia takes the reader through a gamut of emotions until all is apparently resolved by a highly unlikely reunion. This story is not only entertaining but uplifting and filled with vital health information and a philosophy of life which reminds us that God is always in the drivers seat.