Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic

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Safe at Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic

by Alyssa Milano, Joe Torre (Foreword by)

3.53 of 5 stars 3.53 · rating details · 123 ratings · 30 reviews

Alyssa Milano is in love; she has been for some time. But the object of her affection isn't the subject of tabloid gossip or an actor; in fact, it isn't even a guy. It's a game, a game of nine innings that uses a ball made of leather and cork. A game called baseball.

Now in Safe at Home, Alyssa Milano, the mind behind the bestselling sports-clothing line Touch, tells the st...more Alyssa Milano is in love; she has been for some time. But the object of her affection isn't the subject of tabloid gossip or an actor; in fact, it isn't even a guy. It's a game, a game of nine innings that uses a ball made of leather and cork. A game called baseball.

Now in Safe at Home, Alyssa Milano, the mind behind the bestselling sports-clothing line Touch, tells the story about her lifelong obsession with baseball, revealing what the game has meant to her and why everyone should take a chance on nine innings. Like it does for so many of us, Alyssa's baseball story begins with a father. A native Brooklynite who scorned the Dodgers for abandoning the city he loved, her father was reunited with the team when he and his young daughter moved out west for a fledging TV show called Who's the Boss. It was then that Alyssa learned one of the fundamental truths of the game: No matter where you are, no matter how old you are, baseball connects you to your past.

As it turned out, the Dodgers were just the beginning. More than simply a book about the Dodgers, Safe at Home offers a view from the bleachers unlike any other, as Alyssa gives a fan's perspective on the heart-ache, headache, and joy that make every baseball season worth following. From arguing about the importance of baseball history to appreciating the quiet months of the off-season to criticizing Major League Baseball's response to the steroid scandal, Alyssa intertwines her thoughts about the game with stories from her life, bringing an intelligent, wry, and entertaining female voice to the world of baseball writing.

Throughout all the shifts in Alyssa's life--the madness of growing up a child star, having to navigate life's most awkward phases in front of the cameras--baseball has been her one constant, a distraction that was always welcome. Whether you're already a fan or you need some convincing, Safe at Home makes a compelling case for why baseball is and always will be America's game. The end result is a unique and unexpected book that is equal parts memoir, manifesto, and love letter to our national pastime.(less)

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published March 24th 2009 by William Morrow & Company (first published March 20th 2009)

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Feb 14, 2012 Ashley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: autobiography-memoirs, sports

I absolutely adore baseball and I tend to adore just about any book about baseball (see Bases Loaded and The Baseball Codes) so I fully expected to adore a book about baseball written by the always-cute Alyssa Milano.

I was not disappointed.

It was a great book with a sweet female perspective on baseball. It was very emotional as she discussed how baseball was a way of bonding her family together and how she enjoyed the Dodger games with her father.

Alyssa talks about the game, the players, the hi...more

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Mar 15, 2010 Mary rated it 3 of 5 stars

Alyssa Milano seems as unaffected as might be possible, given her background, and this book is a love letter to baseball. I did get a kick out of what she does not like about the game - the DH, among other things - but especially beach balls bouncing around, as if the game was not interesting enough on its own. (In my experience, having been to some ten ballparks, although not Chavez Ravine, this is a big problem at Fenway - for all the supposed love the pink hats have for their team you would t...more

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Jun 29, 2012 Peggy Z rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library, non-fiction-sports, read-2012

My sister recommended this book and I did find it very enjoyable. I was a Dodger fan as a child back in the late 50's early 60's; although never went to a game back then. Then in 1970 I went to my first game at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego and have been a San Diego Padre fan ever since. Was fun to read a book written by a female fan who really knows her game! In fact Alyssa Milano knows much more about the game then I would ever be able to remember in my lifetime :D

I only gave the book 3 sta...more

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Mar 21, 2012 Eric Holmlund rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: autobiography-biography-memoir, sports

I didn't know a lot about Alyssa Milano when I picked up her baseball memoirs at a library book sale, but I'm glad it caught my eye. Milano is a true die hard baseball fan, and she is someone I can relate to as a baseball fan myself. Her baseball life is passionate and geniune. I enjoyed reading about her her love of baseball as a way to connect with her father. The passing down of a team and sport from father to child is powerful, and I definitely can draw parallels in my own life. Her apprecia...more

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Apr 30, 2009 Carrie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009

I would give this book 3.5 stars if I could.

I was intrigued to learn that Alyssa Milano had written a book. I clearly remember watching her every week on Who's the Boss? when I was a kid. (I loved that show!) I also know that she's a huge baseball fan who's also designed a line of clothing specifically for female baseball fans. As a huge baseball fan myself, I was interested to see what she had to say.

The book starts off strong. Within the first couple chapters, she had my eyes tearing up a time...more I would give this book 3.5 stars if I could.

I was intrigued to learn that Alyssa Milano had written a book. I clearly remember watching her every week on Who's the Boss? when I was a kid. (I loved that show!) I also know that she's a huge baseball fan who's also designed a line of clothing specifically for female baseball fans. As a huge baseball fan myself, I was interested to see what she had to say.

The book starts off strong. Within the first couple chapters, she had my eyes tearing up a time or two, and she also made me laugh out loud. Her personal voice comes through in her writing, which is nice for this kind of a book. She has a love for the game of baseball that I can relate to, which is part of the reason that I enjoyed this book. However, she definitely does more than just explain the game. She also brings in her own personal experiences throughout the book, often showing the part that baseball played in her life (and the lives of her family members).

If you're not a fan of baseball, Milano does a good job of explaining what's so fascinating about the sport. For most of the book, she simply explains the various aspects of the game that those of us who are fans already know and love. She also acknowledges some of the not-so-good aspects of the game. There are a couple chapters in the middle of the book that get a little-heavy handed. I love baseball and understand it well, and yet her chapter on the numbers of the game started to be a bit much, even for me. There were also a few places in the book where she seemed to get a bit sidetracked and went off on a tangent for a few pages.

If you already love baseball, you should give this book a try (especially if you're a woman). If you're a good friend or relative of someone who's a big fan of baseball, you should read this book. It might explain a lot about your friend. :) However, if you're only mildly interested in the sport, it's definitely still worth reading; you just might want to consider skimming through the chapters that get heavy on stats and numbers.(less)

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May 12, 2009 Kevin rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a good baseball book in that Alyssa Milano is no average chick when it comes to baseball. A passionate fan, she mixes in her knowledge of baseball with fun and interesting stories all while singing the praises of the game itself. In no way a tell-all or memoir, this is just about what baseball means to her and how it has gotten her through some tough times and brought her family closer together. Of course I am envious of the perks she gets in baseball from being a star but she really see...more

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Apr 07, 2009 aaron rated it 4 of 5 stars

wow...alyssa loves her some sweet, sweet baseball! and as a huge baseball fan...i love this book! it is like a love letter to a game that may very well have kept her sane throughout her tumultuous life as a child-actress turned adult-actress. i have always been a fan of alyssa milano. she just seems to exude some sort of charm in whatever it is that she does. now she writes a book about how baseball was such a huge contributing factor in her life and how it makes her who she is today. if you are...more

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May 02, 2011 Christina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: auto-biography, sports, memoir, nook-books, books-i-own

Let me start by saying that I went into this book unsure frankly not expecting much from it . I am not a big Alyssa Milano fan but decided to read it because of my love of baseball and maybe to help curb the withdrawal symptoms of the off-season . Boy was I surprised when halfway through the book something dawned on me how many times I thought to myself i couldn't have said it better myself. this book was a good read for baseball fans everywhere. Especially girls who love the game and are lookin...more

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Apr 04, 2009 Samantha rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Baseball fans

Recommended to Samantha by: Amazon Vine

I was looking for a way to describe this book and the only thing I can come up with is fun. It's a fun book. It's not a serious discussion of baseball or even Alyssa Milano's life. It's just about being a fan. How to be one or how to be a better one. It talks about why she's a fan and gets you to think why are you a fan. I really enjoyed it. It's a very quick read and it will definitely get you in the mood for baseball season but it could be for any sport. I would highly recommend this to any fe...more

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Sep 20, 2009 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars

Like Alyssa, I learned about baseball on my fathers knee. His passion for the Red Sox was infectous. I was 7 when Ted Williams hit a home run at his last at bat in the final game of his career. At the time I didn't understand the magnitude of this event. Today I fully understand that this was the only way the Splendid Splinter should leave the game he loved. For me falling in love with the boys from Boston was all about Tony Conigliaro. How could I not be in love, he was young, good looking and...more Like Alyssa, I learned about baseball on my fathers knee. His passion for the Red Sox was infectous. I was 7 when Ted Williams hit a home run at his last at bat in the final game of his career. At the time I didn't understand the magnitude of this event. Today I fully understand that this was the only way the Splendid Splinter should leave the game he loved. For me falling in love with the boys from Boston was all about Tony Conigliaro. How could I not be in love, he was young, good looking and could hit the ball out of the park. In '67 when he was hit in the head while at bat, I was devasted. Yes there was still Yaz and the rest of the impossible dream team, but Tony was gone from the line-up. That year TVs where set-up in the high school gym so we could watch the play-off and world series games during our free period. My male friends soon learned why I was the only girl to watch those games.

The hardest part of moving south in '76 was other then spring training, there was no home team. When baseball expanded in 98, my father called to ask me if I was now a Rays fan. I assured him that Boston would always be my home team. While I do love the Rays they are only second to my boys in Red. Like Alyssa and so many fans today I can mark the events in my life with baseball games. I cried when Boston won the world series in 2004. I headed for the phone to call Dad and discuss the game, but instead gave a silent thank you. I know he had a much better view of game and maybe helped with that last out. Like many fans whose fathers had passed before this moment, I took a world series pennant to his grave.

For me this book brought back the moments I shared with my father, family, friends and co-workers discussing the game, razing each others team or counting the days until pitchers and catchers report for spring training. I would recommend this book to any fan of the game. Or to anyone who wants to understand how baseball fans can be so passionate about 9 innings of magic.(less)

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Jul 26, 2011 Mike rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: baseball fans

Recommended to Mike by: my brother

Shelves: autobiography, baseball, tv-stars-past-and-present

Its taken me awhile to read this book, but all in all this was a very good read.

This is a good book for any baseball fan, male and female, written not from a baseball insider, but a fan who happens to be a TV Star (Alyssa Milano). Its a very refreshing look at a former child star who made good for herself and who also gives us a first hand look at her love of baseball.

Highly recommended for the baseball fan from any team.

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Jun 17, 2011 Will Plunkett rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports

I couldn't consider myself in her "know nothing about baseball" category, but there was quite a bit of history and statistics even I hadn't heard of before. She brings a different persepective to a sports book; mainly being someone who learned to love it by watching it with family in stadiums and on TV, rather than a former participant. And she didn't make any jokes about the Pittsburgh Pirates woes of recent years!

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Jul 06, 2009 Mary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: just-for-fun, nonfiction, sports

I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did--- I assumed it'd be more dumbed down. Just goes to show you. I don't know that a serious baseball fan would like it as a baseball book, because it's at least as much memoir as baseball book, but it's kind of an offbeat mixture of genres that I found very appealing. Great for a change of pace.

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Nov 12, 2011 Alex Rivas rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: biographies-memoirs

This book seems to be written for new baseball fans, almost like the "ABC of Baseaball", or "Baseball for Dummies" and I mean it in the nice way.

I like Alyssa but there is really little of her own life and lots on baseball rules and historical references that I wasn't expected to read, however it is not a boring read, so I gave it 2 stars.

Alex

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Jun 08, 2009 Ally rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you are a woman and a baseball fan, you really can't go wrong here. While at times I found the book somewhat repetitive (and there were several spelling errors - she needs a better copy editor), her passion for baseball, and especially the Dodgers, is fantastic. As a Dodgers fanatic, I really related to much of this book. Also, it's a really quick read.

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Jan 27, 2010 Jenna rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, read-in-2010

This books was fun. I liked the history of the game, and I felt that she really captured a lot of the reasons I like baseball (the reasons most "normal people" don't understand). I felt the writing was too wordy at times, and sometimes I felt she took too long to get to her point.

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Jun 16, 2009 Dan rated it 5 of 5 stars

Wonderful book. Great insights and perspectives for new fans, equally enjoyable for long-time fans. Also some great insight into the life of a celebrity and how they go through the same "stuff" as the rest of us. I also agree with almost everything she says about the Great Game. I say let's push for Alyssa for Commissioner!

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May 02, 2009 Jennifer Molleson rated it 4 of 5 stars

I actually did enjoy this book. Just wished she delved more into her relationship with Zito. even those who dont know baseball can follow and actually learn a thing or two.

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Apr 21, 2009 Brian123 rated it 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. I am very inpressed. She intertwines history, life lessons, and just bringing people together through baseball. All things considered never judge a book by its cover.

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Nov 13, 2010 Meeesha77 rated it 4 of 5 stars

I love baseball so I really liked this book. Alyssa knows a LOT about baseball. I got a few good reads and movie ideas from this book too.

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Mar 02, 2013 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

I genuinely love this book. I don't even care that it's Alyssa Milano. Good to read in the off season to get a baseball fix!

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Jun 15, 2010 Amy (amyb2332) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010, non-fiction

I'm not a baseball fan (I don't dislike it either, I just don't know much about it) but I do like Alyssa Milano. I guess to be fair, before this book, I should have said that I liked the shows Alyssa Milano was in, I didn't know much about her at all. But after this book I can say that I like her. She is funny and smart and seems incredibly down to earth. I'm not a fan of baseball but she kind of makes me want to be!

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Jan 12, 2011 Stacey rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book but I love baseball too. I really liked the "cheat sheets" in the back of the book to explain the baseball lingo. I even learned a few things!!

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Apr 15, 2010 Celeste rated it 1 of 5 stars

Meh! I couldn't finish reading this. I love baseball, but this wasn't doing it for me. Felt like Ms. Milano was dumbing it down.

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May 17, 2010 Shirley rated it 3 of 5 stars

I love Alyssa but I just couldn't bring myself to continue reading it.

More of a light read, when you're in a waiting room or on the beach.
I'll finish it at some point.

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Jul 05, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: baseball, biographies

This book was far better than I expected. I underestimated Ms Milano. Came away from the book wishing I had season seats next to hers at the ballpark - - except it needs to be at Busch Stadium!

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Jul 20, 2009 Dave rated it 5 of 5 stars

Four stars for the book, one star for being a die-hard Dodger Fan. This girl knows baseball! This is no fluff piece, but a serious baseball dialogue.

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Dec 09, 2009 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm really enjoying it. I love her and I love baseball. Togehter it is great. I like all of the new little tidbits I"m learning about baseball!

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May 03, 2009 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, non-fiction

I liked this book, it made me glad that it is baseball season.

2009 Spring Challenge category: Baseball theme

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May 10, 2013 Merri is currently reading it

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