My Bat Boy Days: Lessons I Learned from the Boys of Summer

by Steve Garvey

On the evening of March 28, 1956, Steve Garvey's father, a Greyhound bus driver in the Tampa Bay area, asked his young son if he'd like to accompany him as he drove the Brooklyn Dodgers to a spring-training game with the New York Yankees. For Garvey, a baseball card collector and an aspiring Little Leaguer, the opportunity stretched beyond his wildest imagination and marked the beginning of a legendary career and life in baseball. Garvey spent five years (1956-1961) as a bat boy, mostly for the Brooklyn Dodgers and briefly for the New York Yankees and the Detroit Tigers. The fact that he would go on to become a first baseman with the Los Angeles Dodgers, and one of the most successful players of his era, is like something out of a Hollywood script. My Bat Boy Days is his moving collection of indelible memories, fascinating profiles, and lessons learned -- about the game and about life -- from heroes such as Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, and Mickey Mantle. My Bat Boy Days is for the generation of fans who remember the Boys of Summer and for the generation who grew up watching Steve Garvey play for the love of the game. Garvey's story is perfect for sharing with children and grandchildren who are just now getting to know and love the game.

Genres: Baseball, Sports

160 pages, Hardcover

First published March 25, 2008

Reviews

[Darryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was hoping that the book would focus more on Garvey's time as a bat boy, but that really only covered the first chapter and the end of the book. The rest focused on some of the more famous Boys of Summer and a quick run through of those players' histories. As a kid, I grew up watching Garvey in the mid 70s, reading about these Brooklyn Dodgers placed some context to the names that I've heard, but didn't really know anything about. The summary stories of the other players seemed glossy, but did provide some tidbits of their character.

[Donald · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this book, but I was a bit disappointed with what I believed the title promised, and what was actually in it. I thought it would be a lot more insight from the author and his time with the players profiled. Instead, I found this to be 9 mini biographies of players he had admired. The bat boy days piece didn't really impact me. But, I did like the 9 mini biographies, so it wasn't a waste of time, especially considering what a quick read it is!

[Jeff Olson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great young life expirence Steve Garvey had as a batboy...giving him the self confidence to build his life on. I sure do wish that he would have won the California Senate seat in 2024, he would have done use proud!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Garvey was my first sports hero as a kid (I'll never forget his gamewinning homerun off of Lee Smith in the 84 playoffs!). And the book is about the 50s Brooklyn Dodgers. A truly great team! So these facts alone give it 3 stars. It's pretty basic, and Garvey's moralizing is empty and lame, but there are interesting stories and facts in it. An easy and fun read, if you are a baseball fan.

[Oldbluebus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable, quick read; recommended for middle-school-aged baseball fans.

[Bfeyen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book to read for those of us baseball fans 50 years old and older.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brief but heartfelt tribute to men who made an impression on the author.

[Jim Trela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Good baseball book

[Clint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Former L.A Dodgers and San Diego Padres first baseman Steve Garvey recalls his days as a spring training batboy for the Brooklyn Dodgers and others and the lessons he learned. Although he makes a few comments, most of the supportive material comes from older books and magazine articles. A very short read.