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Bill Stern's Favorite Baseball Stories
AT BAT—WITH BILL STERN
Baseball is a game rooted deep in the heart of America. I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid old enough to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game!”
As long as I can remember, I’ve been hearing stories of baseball...fascinating tales of fabulous heroes from a land where the sun always shines and men never grow old...curious legends that grew stranger with age...yarns that have been handed down with the years as treasured lore.
As I grew older, and fate cast me in the rôle of a radio sports reporter and storyteller, I’ve been fortunate to meet many of the heroes, old and new—Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Connie Mack, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Tris Speaker, Leo Durocher, Ted Williams, Bobby Feller and Joe DiMaggio, to name but a handful who have paraded before my microphone. And each in his way has enriched my collection of diamond stories.
Of the countless stories I’ve heard from baseball men, I’ve treasured a number to hold, keep and remember.
However, a storyteller who has been sharing his most interesting stories with millions of people finds it difficult to be miserly. Hence, I’ve chosen my favorites and offer them in print to all my fans for a generous dose of the romance, the glamour, the color, the thrills, the drama, the comedy, and the nostalgia that are all part of this game called baseball.
Maybe I’ll score with some and get shut out on others but here they are just as I treasure them in my sports memory book—my favorite baseball stories.
Baseball is a game rooted deep in the heart of America. I’ve loved it ever since I was a kid old enough to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game!”
As long as I can remember, I’ve been hearing stories of baseball...fascinating tales of fabulous heroes from a land where the sun always shines and men never grow old...curious legends that grew stranger with age...yarns that have been handed down with the years as treasured lore.
As I grew older, and fate cast me in the rôle of a radio sports reporter and storyteller, I’ve been fortunate to meet many of the heroes, old and new—Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Connie Mack, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Tris Speaker, Leo Durocher, Ted Williams, Bobby Feller and Joe DiMaggio, to name but a handful who have paraded before my microphone. And each in his way has enriched my collection of diamond stories.
Of the countless stories I’ve heard from baseball men, I’ve treasured a number to hold, keep and remember.
However, a storyteller who has been sharing his most interesting stories with millions of people finds it difficult to be miserly. Hence, I’ve chosen my favorites and offer them in print to all my fans for a generous dose of the romance, the glamour, the color, the thrills, the drama, the comedy, and the nostalgia that are all part of this game called baseball.
Maybe I’ll score with some and get shut out on others but here they are just as I treasure them in my sports memory book—my favorite baseball stories.
Paperback
Published January 1, 1949
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
May 13, 2020
Published in 1949, this collection of stories reflects the sports journalism of that time. While the stories are good and give some insight into the early struggles of baseball players that eventually did very well, there is little that is negative. What there is occurs only on the playing field. Baseball was a rough game in the early years, spikes often went high and fists flew and connected.
Some of the most interesting stories are about a few of the early umpires that did not hesitate to challenge a player or manager to a fight under the stands when the game was over. These were very tough men that never gave an inch that was not necessary. Many of the stories describe how a player was for years considered lacking in the necessary talent, only to be given another chance, one that led to a place in the baseball hall of fame.
The legend of Ruth calling his shot is in here as it has been mythologized. Despite nearly every key witness stating that all he did was raise a finger and say that he had one strike remaining. That finger just happened to be pointing in the right direction. That sums up the theme of this book, keep the myths going “for the good of the game.”
Some of the most interesting stories are about a few of the early umpires that did not hesitate to challenge a player or manager to a fight under the stands when the game was over. These were very tough men that never gave an inch that was not necessary. Many of the stories describe how a player was for years considered lacking in the necessary talent, only to be given another chance, one that led to a place in the baseball hall of fame.
The legend of Ruth calling his shot is in here as it has been mythologized. Despite nearly every key witness stating that all he did was raise a finger and say that he had one strike remaining. That finger just happened to be pointing in the right direction. That sums up the theme of this book, keep the myths going “for the good of the game.”
Displaying 1 of 1 review