Baseball Audiobooks | Sports & Recreation

The Book of Joe: Trying Not to Suck at Baseball and Life

Lessons in baseball enlightenment from three-time MLB Manager of the Year Joe Maddon. No one sees baseball like Joe Maddon. He sees it through his trademark glasses and irrepressible wit. Raised in the "shot and beer" town of Hazleton, PA, and forged by 15 years in the minors, Maddon over 19 seasons in Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Anaheim has become one of the most successful, most colorful, and most quoted managers in Major League Baseball. He is a workplace culture expert, having engineered two of the most stunning turnarounds in the past quarter century: taking the Rays from the worst record in baseball one year to the World Series the next and leading the Cubs to their first World Series title in 108 years. Like his teams, Maddon defies convention. He is part strategist, part philosopher, part sports psychologist, and part motivational coach. In THE BOOK OF JOE, Maddon gives readers unique insights into the game, including the tension between art and data, the changing role of managers as front offices gain power, why the honeymoon with the Cubs did not last, and what it's like to manage the modern player, including stars such as Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, Yu Darvish, and Kris Bryant. But you expect even more from a manager who meditates daily, admires Twain, and has only one rule when it comes to a team dress code: "If you think you look hot, wear it!" And Maddon delivers. Built on-old school values and new-school methods, his wisdom applies beyond the dugout. His mantras about leadership, mentorship, team building, and communication are meditations on life, not just baseball. Among those mantras are: "Do simple better." "Try not to suck." "Don't ever permit the pressure to exceed the pleasure." "See it with first-time eyes." "Tell me what you think, not what you've heard." THE BOOK OF JOE is Maddon at his uniquely holistic best. It is a memoir of a fascinating baseball journey, an insider's look at a changing game, and a guidebook on leadership and life.

Joe Maddon, Tom Verducci (Author), Will Collyer (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series

From the New York Times bestselling author of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches comes the ultimate history of the World Series-a vivid portrait of baseball at its finest and most intense, filled with humor, lore, analysis, and fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from 117 years of the Fall Classic. The World Series is the most enduring showcase in American team sports. It's the place where legends are made, where celebration and devastation can hinge on a fly ball off a foul pole or a grounder beneath a first baseman's glove. And there's no one better to bring this rich history to life than New York Times national baseball columnist Tyler Kepner, whose bestselling book about pitching, K, was lauded as "Michelangelo explaining the brush strokes on the Sistine Chapel" by Newsday. In seven scintillating chapters, Kepner delivers an indelible portrait of baseball's signature event. He digs deep for essential tales dating back to the beginning in 1903, adding insights from Hall of Famers like Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt, Jim Palmer, Dennis Eckersley and many others who have thrived - and failed - when it mattered most. Why do some players, like Madison Bumgarner, Derek Jeter and David Ortiz, crave the pressure? How do players handle a dream that comes up short? What's it like to manage in the World Series, and what are the secrets of building a champion? Kepner celebrates unexpected heroes like Bill Wambsganss, who pulled off an unassisted triple play in 1920, probes the mysteries behind magic moments (Did Babe Ruth call his shot in 1932? How could Eckersley walk Mike Davis to get to Kirk Gibson in 1988?) and busts some long-time myths (the 1919 Reds were much better than the Black Sox, anyway). The Grandest Stage is the ultimate history of the World Series, the perfect gift for all the fans who feel their hearts pounding in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game Seven.

Tyler Kepner (Author), Tyler Kepner (Narrator)

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Baseball Memories & Dreams: Reflections on the National Pastime from the Baseball Hall of Fame

This compendium of baseball writing covers it all-recollections of Hall of Famers and narratives from top baseball writers; stories on the rich iconography and history of the game across the full diversity of players, teams, and leagues; and reflections on the way America's pastime has shaped our culture. Selected from the Baseball Hall of Fame's member magazine, Memories and Dreams brings to life the best of baseball. More than just a baseball history book. Revel in America's pastime and explore baseball history in articles written by notable sports writers, Hall of Famers, media personalities, and the Hall's own expert historians. Memories and dreams showcases the best of baseball facts, baseball biographies, and baseball media personalities into a robust catalogue of known and unknown information. Get the inside scoop into the lives of baseball giants like Johnny Bench, Peter Gammons, John Grisham, Tim Kurkjian, Ichiro Suzuki, Joe Torre, and more. From their stories, gain insight into each individual life to see just what trials and hardships made these men into the best baseball players in history. With Memories and Dreams in hand, you'll see America's pastime in a new light.

The National Baseball Hall Of Fame And Museum (Author), Barry Abrams (Narrator)

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Baseball's Best Ever: A Half Century of Covering Hall of Famers

So begins Baseball's Best Ever. Encompassing a selection of some one hundred columns and featured stories written over fifty-plus years, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ira Berkow share stories on some of the greatest baseball players to ever grace the diamond. But rather than snippets and information known to anyone following the game, Berkow shares insights on these men: men dealing with tragedy, struggle, highs and lows-showing that while they we at the top of the game, at the end of the day they are mere mortals. With stories from Satchel Paige throwing his 'bow tie pitch' close to a batter's brow, the humorous side of Phil Rizzuto and Casey Stengel, a rookie Carl Yastrzemski battling through a slump, and Ted Williams talking about is favorite subject-no, not hitting: fishing. Arranged by decade, Berkow shares his interactions with those at the top of their game. We all know their stats and accolades, but not many fans truly know the person under the uniform. Offering an inside view as to who these men truly are, listeners will be able to better understand their favorite ballplayers. While they have accomplished things we only do in our dreams, you will see that these men, under the surface, are no different than any of us.

Ira Berkow (Author), Danny Campbell (Narrator)

Audiobook

Cheers to Baseball

Cheers to Baseball is a down to Earth, fun loving, real life look into what athletics truly teaches and the many stories behind those lessons. Darren Munns captures the true essence of these lifetime lessons you learn through sports and through life.” ~ Larissa Anderson, Head Softball Coach, University of Missouri “In crafting a lengthy career which has molded countless young men, Coach Munns has accumulated a wealth of knowledge on how the vicissitudes of life are mirrored in baseball. This is a must-read for anyone looking to gain insight into effective qualities of leadership in any endeavor.” ~ Doug Feldmann, Author and former Major League Scout “Coach Munns is one of the greatest baseball minds I’ve ever encountered, and a larger than life character. Cheers to Baseball pulls back the curtain on a one-of-a-kind baseball life and career. Once you pick it up, you won’t put it down.” ~ Roy Hallenbeck, Coach for the Major League Baseball Identification Tour and former high school and college baseball coach “I’ve known Coach Munns for 30 years. His coaching anecdotes, leadership advice, and entertaining stories are on full display in Cheers to Baseball. This is a true baseball masterpiece!” ~ John Szefc, Head Baseball Coach, Virginia Tech University Enjoy the insightful and wildly entertaining story of a college baseball coach that transformed four college baseball programs, who either didn't exist or were perennial losers, into improbable winners against all odds. Coach Munns details his keys to successful leadership including Contrarian philosophies, unique strategies for developing people skills, and the importance of having FUN. Cheers to Baseball by Darren Munns is a baseball jewel, but this easy read is truly beneficial for coaches of other sports, entrepreneurs, supervisors, and all aspiring leaders. Prepare to have your thoughts provoked and laugh out loud while gaining valuable leadership lessons.

Darren Munns (Author), John Anderson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Whispers of the Gods: Tales from Baseball’s Golden Age, Told by the Men Who Played It

In Whispers of the Gods, bestselling author Peter Golenbock brings to life baseball greats from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s through timeless stories told straight from the players themselves. Like the enduring classic The Glory of Their Times, this book features the reminiscences of baseball legends, pulled from hundreds of hours of taped interviews with the author. Roy Campanella talks about life in the Negro Leagues before coming up to the Brooklyn Dodgers. Ted Williams recounts why he believes Shoeless Joe Jackson belongs in the Hall of Fame. Tom Sturdivant provides vivid memories of Casey Stengel, Mickey Mantle, and other Yankee icons. Other voices include Phil Rizzuto, Jim Bouton, Monte Irvin, Stan Musial, Ron Santo, Rex Barney, Ellis Clary, Roger Maris, Ed Froelich, Marty Marion, Jim Brosnan, Gene Conley, and Kirby Higbe. The players interviewed were All-Stars, Hall of Famers, and heroes to many, and their impact on the national pastime is still seen to this day. Baseball history comes alive through the stories shared in Whispers of the Gods, offering a fascinating account of the golden age of baseball.

Peter Golenbock (Author), Mike Chamberlain (Narrator)

Audiobook

Grinders: Baseball's Intrepid Infantry

Baseball is a game of stars, but this is not their story. These are the stories of players who battled their way to a chance in the big leagues and hung on as long as they could — Deacon Jones, Brian Mazone, and Lorenzo Bundy. They are tales of a love of the game, passed from father to son. Without the Grinders, without their grit, determination, and persistence, there would be no stars. The Grinders fill every roster at every level, plugging away year after year. In Grinders: Baseball’s Intrepid Infantry, Capps and Chuck Hartenstein chronicle the game’s foot soldiers. These are the unheralded players who took the hard knocks road, spending their careers bouncing between the Show and obscurity, never quite achieving their dreams, all for a chance to play the game they love. The rank-and-file players we call Grinders, make up the biggest percentage of major-league team rosters. Yet unless you're an addicted fan, you might not know much about your team's No. 5 starter, backup catcher, fourth or fifth outfielder or backup infielders—the Grinders on the team. You might not appreciate the struggles they've had simply making it to the big leagues. Now you will. Grinders: Baseball’s Intrepid Infantry chronicles their stories.

Chuck Hartenstein, Mike Capps (Author), Mike Capps (Narrator)

Audiobook

Queen of the Negro Leagues: Effa Manley and the Newark Eagles

The first woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, there was no one like Effa Manley in the sports world of the 1930s and 1940s. She was a sophisticated woman who owned a baseball team. She never shrank from going head to head with men, who dominated the ranks of sports executives. That her life story remained unchronicled for so long can only be attributed to one thing: her team, the Newark Eagles, belonged to the Negro Leagues. In Queen of the Negro Leagues: Effa Manley and the Newark Eagles, Negro Leagues Centennial Edition, James Overmyer brings to light new details regarding Effa Manley's fascinating story, including previously-unknown information about her childhood and family. Overmyer wonderfully portrays Effa Manley's trailblazing life, her championship baseball team, and a thriving black community in Newark that took the Eagles into their hearts. In addition, this book contains updates regarding the Negro Leagues, its talented rank of players, and Manley's induction into the Hall of Fame. This important work shines the spotlight on a previously unsung segment of baseball history. Drawing extensively from Eagle team records and Manley's scrapbook, Queen of the Negro Leagues is the definitive biography of a groundbreaking female sports executive.

James Overmyer (Author), Lisa Reneé Pitts (Narrator)

Audiobook

Aaron Judge: The Incredible Story of the New York Yankees' Home Run-Hitting Phenom

All rise for the newest Yankee hero. Aaron Judge has become the face of the New York Yankees, inheriting the lineage that goes from Ruth to Gehrig to DiMaggio to Mantle to O’Neill and Jeter. Will he live up to the hype? Will the Yankees be World Series champs again? At 6-foot-7 and 285 pounds, Aaron Judge emerged as the biggest story in baseball in 2017 with his monstrous home runs and record-breaking ability. A three-sport athlete in high school and a Division I ballplayer at Fresno State, the Californian was drafted by the New York Yankees in the first round in 2013 and made it to the majors by August 2016. Homering in his first major league at-bat and starting in right field straight out of spring training in 2017, he gave Yankees fans hope for the future, along with 'Baby Bombers' teammates such as Gary Sanchez. After a rough start in which he batted below .200 and struck out in over 40 percent of his plate appearances after joining the Yankees, Judge turned things around and helped get his team off to a fast start in 2017 with 10 homers in April alone, tying the rookie record for the month. He then broke the legendary Joe DiMaggio’s team record for most round trippers by the All-Star break with 30, including one that measured at 495 feet. His mounting popularity enabled him to receive more All-Star votes than any American League player and to the creation of the 'Judge's Chambers' section located in the right-field stands of Yankee Stadium. Judge's momentum next led to him winning the 2017 Home Run Derby where he smashed a total of 47, four of which traveled more than 500 feet. It's no wonder that baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has said that Judge is a player 'who can become the face of the game.' In Aaron Judge: The Incredible Story of the New York Yankees' Home Run-Hitting Phenom, David Fischer brings the exciting story of the Yankees' newest superstar to life.

David Fischer (Author), Dan Triandiilou (Narrator)

Audiobook

Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original

From the author of The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron comes the definitive biography of Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, baseball’s epic leadoff hitter and base-stealer who also stole America’s heart over nearly five electric decades in the game. Few names in the history of baseball evoke the excellence and dynamism that Rickey Henderson’s does. He holds the record for the most stolen bases in a single game, and he’s scored more runs than any player ever. “If you cut Rickey Henderson in half, you’d have two Hall of Famers,” the baseball historian Bill James once said. But perhaps even more than his prowess on the field, Rickey Henderson’s is a story of Oakland, California, the town that gave rise to so many legendary athletes like him. And it’s a story of a sea change in sports, when athletes gained celebrity status and Black players finally earned equitable salaries. Henderson embraced this shift with his trademark style, playing for nine different teams throughout his decades-long career and sculpting a brash, larger-than-life persona that stole the nation’s heart. Now, in the hands of critically acclaimed sportswriter and culture critic Howard Bryant, one of baseball’s greatest and most original stars finally gets his due. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Howard Bryant (Author), Jd Jackson (Narrator)

Audiobook

More Tales from the Dugout: More of the Greatest True Baseball Stories of All Time

The latest collection of little known baseball stories from the acclaimed author of Tales from the Dugout. Mike Shannon, top-selling author of the critically acclaimed baseball classics Tales from the Dugout and Tales from the Ballpark, returns for a third success to deliver a brand-new collection of more than 100 true stories and never-before-told anecdotes that come straight from the insider's circle. Entertaining and masterfully told, More Tales from the Dugout brings together delightful stories from the great and the not-so-great, both on and off the field, including baseball personalities from the past and present such as Roger Maris, Ken Griffey Jr., Pete Rose, Phil Rizzuto, and Gaylord Perry. At turns hilarious and heartwarming, this compilation is sure to join Shannon's previous books as a baseball classic.

Mike Shannon (Author), Barry Abrams (Narrator)

Audiobook

Sho-Time: The Inside Story of Shohei Ohtani and the Greatest Baseball Season Ever Played

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels is playing baseball like no other since the legendary Babe Ruth. Ohtani's dominance as a two-way player, one that pitches and bats effectively, has taken the Major League by storm. Since entering the league, he won the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year, competed in the 2021 Home Run Derby, started in the 2021 All Star Game as both a pitcher and hitter (the first player to ever do so), won the 2021 Most Valuable Player award, and was named to Time 100's list of most influential people of 2021. The question on everyone's mind is this: How is this Japanese phenom doing this, and how far can he go? As the next generation of baseball superstars cement themselves, Ohtani, who can pitch a 100mph fastball and was a Top 3 home run leader at the end of the season, stands out amongst them all. Major League Baseball has found the new face of the sport. In Sho-time, Jeff Fletcher examines the player's path from his early days in Japan, his transition to the MLB, and a start-to-finish inside look at his historic 2021 MVP season. Along the way, Fletcher details other players who have crossed over from Japan to the major leagues, how Ohtani brought his phenomenal talent to the game at a time when technology is exploding as a means toward maximizing performance, and the role that Ohtani and his otherworldly teammate Mike Trout are playing in helping to lead baseball into the next generation.

Jeff Fletcher (Author), Kyle Tait (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball Audiobooks in Sports & Recreation