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216th out of 242 books
—
315 voters
Have Glove, Will Travel: Adventures of a Baseball Vagabond
It was 1982 when Bill Lee was famously booted from the Montreal Expos after he went AWOL in protest of another player’s mistreatment by management. His reputation for antics both on and off the field guaranteed that no other club would pick him up. The Ace from Space had landed on professional baseball’s blacklist, and so it was that one of the most popular major-league pi...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
May 23rd 2006
by Three Rivers Press
(first published 2005)
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A very enjoyable read from perhaps the most liberal, literate, thoughtful, philosophical anti-establishment baseball player of all time (...well, there's always Bouton, too).
The book covers Lee's blacklisting from baseball via clashes with Jim Fanning and the Montreal Expos due to the team's dismissal of a player he felt invaluable to the team. Essentially banned from the major leagues (of America), Bill sets out to find adventures and comraderie in the minor, semi-pro, and extremely UNorganized...more
The book covers Lee's blacklisting from baseball via clashes with Jim Fanning and the Montreal Expos due to the team's dismissal of a player he felt invaluable to the team. Essentially banned from the major leagues (of America), Bill sets out to find adventures and comraderie in the minor, semi-pro, and extremely UNorganized...more
Mar 26, 2013
Bert Edens
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biography-autobiography,
baseball-non-fiction
Even as a fan of Bill Lee, I have to say this book is for the fan who understands that it's all about the game. A player is a player, and they have to find somewhere to play, whether it be in Cuba, Russia, Nova Scotia, Florida, or wherever.
This book details Bill "Spaceman" Lee's travels, literally, from the time he was released from the Montreal Expos for standing up against the manager and GM following teammate Rodney Scott's release to the time the book was written. It details his adventures,...more
This book details Bill "Spaceman" Lee's travels, literally, from the time he was released from the Montreal Expos for standing up against the manager and GM following teammate Rodney Scott's release to the time the book was written. It details his adventures,...more
Bill "Spaceman" Lee is one of the most colorful personalities to ever step onto a baseball diamond and this book perfectly captures that personality in a collection of tales from his days after major league baseball. Lee is a Boston legend not only for his heroics on the field, but also for his uncensored sound bites and wacky behavior. This book, though not dealing with the famous (or infamous) incidents that made Lee such an oddity, gives plenty of evidence of that bigger then life persona.
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They called him "Spaceman" - an opinionated, wise-cracking, irreverent, incorrigible, narcissistic party animal. Bill Lee was major league baseball's redheaded step child - an unapologetic, pot smoking counter-culturist in a tradition bound profession who delighted fans while infuriating baseball's brass with his wild antics and outspokenness. His book, `Have Glove Will Travel', is a perfect reflection of his persona, and whether or not you enjoy it will depend heavily on how much you enjoy Bill...more
Feb 20, 2009
Spiros
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
any one who can't wait for the season to start
The second part of Bill Lee's autobiography (inshallah there will be a third part!) tracks the Spaceman's life trajectory following his blackballing from Major League Baseball. Highlights include his time spent pitching in Venezuela, in semi-pro ball in Ontario, in less than semi-pro ball in far flung regions of Canada, against the Soviet National team, and in futile struggle against superannuated players on several trips to Cuba.
Bill Lee is the only MLBer that Warren Zevon ever wrote a song ab...more
Bill Lee is the only MLBer that Warren Zevon ever wrote a song ab...more
Bill Lee is a hoot. And really funny. A bit heavy on the '60s drugs-are-my-lifestyle, but whatever. This follows him from when he gets cut from the Expos. (According to his story, it was a personality/polotical thing, and then he got blackballed---that's the reason he didn't come back. There's probably some truth to it, and he makes a good argument, but it is just his side. Hey, it's his book; he gets to say what he wants.) Then he sort of maps out his life of trying to play baseball here and th...more
Lee's second effort, in which he describes his post-baseball career and travels, is highly entertaining as well. His attitude is once a ball player, always a ball player, and he will go wherever there is a game, be it Russia, China, Cuba, Venezeula, or Canada. Again, Lee writes with humor and surprising insight about life as an athlete. But unlike The Wrong Stuff, Have Glove Will Travel takes place over many more decades, and lacks the coherence of his first effort. Parts of it are incredible, w...more
A collection of incidents, fun, but they don't add up to more than the sum of their parts
The spaceman writes a quirky book, more anecdotes than autobiography. More than a few laughs and a good philosophy of life buried in here.
Most of the baseball authored books I've read are so dull - Bill Lee had complied his tales in snapshots with his insights and reflections as he travels all over (Cuba, South America, Canada) to keep on pitching in various leagues. The characters he meets he records their stories quickly and with a sharp eye - he's a pitcher but this book shows he's a humorous, profound, writer. Think Bill Bryson goes Gonzo.
This book is so funny. Its about how a Major League Pitcher is blackballed from baseball and it tells of his adventures trying to find somewhere to play from their on out. The author is such a cool character. When asked about mandatory drug testing in baseball he said "Well i've tested all of the drugs but i don't think it should be mandatory." If you like baseball and want to laugh read this for sure.
Lee writes sort of like he pitches -- like a crazy person. He tends to drop threads of stories and forget to go back to them, but the stories he finishes are hilarious and heart-breaking, sometimes at the same time. Not so much a baseball book as a book about a crazy dude who happened to play baseball, but interesting.
My favorite baseball book. Lee renders his wit and pinache and hardheadedness onto the page.
May 21, 2013
Dan Lee
marked it as to-read
Apr 04, 2013
Patrick Mackin
marked it as to-read
Mar 26, 2013
Lee Anne
marked it as to-read
Mar 26, 2013
Charlie Shields
marked it as to-read
Jan 12, 2013
Rich Williams
marked it as to-read
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