Baseball Audiobooks | Sports & Recreation

The companion to Ken Burns's magnificent PBS television series-updated and expanded to coincide with the broadcast of a new, two-part Tenth Inning directed with Lynn Novick. The authors of the acclaimed and bestselling The Civil War, Jazz, and The War turn to another uniquely American phenomenon: baseball. Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns's moving and fascinating history of the game goes beyond stolen bases, double plays, and home runs to demonstrate how baseball has been influenced by, and has in turn influenced, American life. The audiobook covers every milestone of the game: from the rules drawn up in 1845 by Alexander Cartwright to the American League's introduction of the designated hitter in 1973; from the 1924 Negro World Series to Jack Roosevelt Robinson's major-league debut, from the first curve ball in 1867 to Nolan Ryan's seventh and last no-hitter in 1991. This new edition brings the authors' monumental work into the twenty-first century: steroids, home-run records, the rise of Latino players, the long-awaited Red Sox World Series victory, and so much more. Baseball is an audiobook that speaks to all Americans.

Geoffrey C. Ward, Ken Burns (Author), Ken Burns (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball Cop

Exposing trafficking, theft, fraud, and gambling in the major leagues, a founding member of the MLB’s Department of Investigations reveals a news-breaking true story of power and corruption. In the wake of 2005’s sometimes contentious, sometimes comical congressional hearings on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball and the subsequent Mitchell Report, Major League Baseball established the Department of Investigations (DOI). An internal and autonomous unit, it was created to not only eliminate the use of steroids, but also to rid baseball of any other illegal, unsavory, or unethical activities. The DOI would investigate the dark side of the national pastime–gambling, age and identity fraud, human trafficking, cover-ups, and more–with the singular purpose of cleaning up the game. Eduardo Dominguez Jr. was a founding member of that first DOI team, leaving a stellar career with the Boston Police Department to join four other “supercops”–a group that included a 9/11 hero, a mob-buster, and narcotics experts–keeping watch over Major League Baseball. A decorated detective as well as a member of an FBI task force, Dominguez was initially reluctant to leave his law-enforcement career to work full-time in baseball. He had already seen the game’s underbelly when he worked as a resident security agent (RSA) for the Boston Red Sox in 1999 and become wary of the game’s commitment to any kind of reform. Only at the persuasion a widely respected NYPD detective tapped to lead the DOI did Dominguez agree to join the unit, which was the first–and last–of its kind in major American sports. “We could clean up this game,” his new boss promised. In Baseball Cop, Dominguez shares the shocking revelations he confronted every day for six years with the DOI and nine as an RSA. He shines a light on the inner workings of the commissioner’s office and the complicity of baseball’s bosses in dealing with the misdeeds compromising the integrity of the game. Dominguez details the investigations and the obstacles–from the Biogenesis scandal to the perilous trafficking of Cuban players now populating the game to the theft of prospects’ signing bonuses by buscones, street agents, and even clubs’ employees. He further reveals how the mandates of former senator George Mitchell’s report were modified or ignored altogether. Bracing and eye-opening, Baseball Cop is a wake-up call for anyone concerned about America’s national pastime.

Eddie Dominguez (Author), Edward Bauer, Jason Culp (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball for Dummies: 4th Edition

Baseball continues to be a popular game both as a spectator sport and as a pastime. Since the publication of Baseball For Dummies, 3rd Edition, baseball teams have changed, new MLB stadiums have been built, and rules have been updated. This updated 4th Edition brings you the latest information on the players, the places, and above all, the game. Baseball For Dummies is for baseball fans at all levels, from players and coaches to spectators who love the game. Baseball Hall of Fame player Joe Morgan explains baseball with remarkable insight, using down-to-earth language so everyone from the casual observer to the die-hard fan can gain a fuller appreciation of the sport. ● Improve your hitting, pitching, and fielding ● Find a baseball team to play on, from Little League on up ● Evaluate stats, players, and records ● Coach baseball or umpire effectively Complete with Morgan's personal lists of top-ten toughest pitchers, smartest players, and most strategic managers, Baseball For Dummies gives you all the inside tips, facts, and stats so you can have Major League fun!

Joe Morgan, Richard Lally (Author), Barry Abrams (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball Forever!: 50 Years of Classic Radio Play-by-Play Highlights from the Miley Collection

John Miley has compiled the most comprehensive audio account of baseball history in existence-a vast and wildly entertaining assemblage of game tapes from throughout the sport's history. His archive contains classic moments, like Bill Mazeroski's homer and the Shot Heard 'Round the World, and amazing feats, like Carl Hubbell striking out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmy Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin-in order-in the 1934 All-Star Game. Narrated by Bob Costas, Baseball Forever! brings you highlights from Miley's collection, with numerous clips available for the first time since their original transmission. Bestselling author Jason Turbow (The Baseball Codes) mines the archive with Miley himself, taking us to some of baseball's greatest settings-Yankee Stadium, Ebbetts Field, Fenway Park-while guided by the game's legendary broadcasters, like Mel Allen, Red Barber, Harry Caray, and Vin Scully. Miley and Turbow have carefully selected an abundance of highlights for Baseball Forever! that is sure to inform, entertain, and appeal to anybody nostalgic for baseball's storied history. **Please contact Member Services for additional documents.**

Jason Turbow, John Miley (Author), Bob Costas (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball Heaven: Up Close and Personal, What It Was Really Like in the Major Leagues

A behind-the-scenes look at baseball history, as told through timeless interviews with major leaguers For fifty years, bestselling author Peter Golenbock has been interviewing some of the most fascinating figures in baseball. Their conversations are a journey back in time to the days of Ruth and Gehrig, Gehringer and Greenberg, Robinson and Reese, and Howard and Mantle, as they reflect on the sport's greatest moments and biggest issues. In Baseball Heaven, Golenbock brings together for the first time the most historic and captivating of these conversations. The stories range from Elden Auker remembering the day Lou Gehrig told him he was sick to Albert Happy Chandler reflecting on his decision to allow Jackie Robinson into the big leagues, from Ralph Branca discussing the home run he gave up that cost the Dodgers the pennant to Del Webb talking about why he hired Casey Stengel and why he fired him. Baseball Heaven is baseball history at its very best. It pulls back the curtain on the major leagues to reveal inside stories, intimate reminiscences, and the friendships and rivalries that make baseball America's Game.

Peter Golenbock (Author), Danny Campbell (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball History

Baseball inspired millions of people in the United States. It evolved from the old bat and ball games which used to be played in England during the 18th century. The immigrants who came to settle in North America were the ones responsible to bring this game to the Americans. Eventually they came up with the modern version of the game and by the end of 19th century baseball was being recognised as the National Sport of US. The first recorded American reference of baseball in US traces its way back to the year 1791, which was an ordinance passed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The uproar created by the cheering crowd was the reason on the game being banned from being played anywhere near 80 yards from the town meeting house. Later in the 19th century the growing racism got the good of the sport. Things got worse and eventually ended by the first black baseball club called the Cuban Giants. Later in the year 1920 the Negro National League was established. The game war is on since then and there have been several popular teams. The Yankees dominated them all though. The game saw an evolution over the years, from where it began, as a game which was the heart of the people and then media, marketing, agencies all came in and changed the purpose of the game all together. It became more of a higher brand and more popularity thing. This eBook discusses about the history of baseball and how it evolved over the years to gain its place in the hearts of the people who so passionately play or watch the baseball games.

Introbooks, Introbooks Team (Author), Andrea Giordani, Introbooks (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball History: The History of Baseball Along With Fascinating Facts & Unbelievably True Stories

Would you love to explore the incredible and exciting history of baseball? Whether you want to (1) learn amazing and interesting facts about baseball history, (2) discover some of baseball’s greatest events and stories, or (3) be thoroughly entertained as you learn how baseball has evolved over the years, this audio book will give you everything you need to know. Get an inside look at the game. This audio book is about what makes baseball the sport it is today. We’ll take you inside a game to see what individual players are thinking. Learn some of the early influences that have made the game what it is today. Discover the greatest innovations to baseball. Baseball relies equally upon chance and skill. Find out what players have used over the years to improve their odds for success. Follow the struggle for advantage between pitchers and batters, offense and defense. The Rich Culture of Baseball Baseball is a sport rich in history, culture, and traditions. Gain both inspiration and a treasure of knowledge that add depth to the game. Learn some of the strategies that have made baseball so unpredictably fascinating. Trace the Development of the Sport. Meet some of the interesting people who have contributed to the game. Learn from the ongoing legacy of practical innovation that has shaped baseball over its one hundred-plus years of history. Whatever your interest or level of knowledge, “The History of Baseball” will entertain, educate, and inspire you. Discover the incredibly entertaining history of baseball. Get inside the game: Buy It Now!

Ace McCloud, Ace Mccloud (Author), Joshua Mackey (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball in the Garden of Eden: The Secret History of the Early Game

The 'fresh and fascinating' (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland), 'splendid and brilliant' (Philadelphia Daily News) history of the early game by the Official Historian of Major League Baseball. Who really invented baseball? Forget Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown and Alexander Cartwright. Meet Daniel Lucius Adams, William Rufus Wheaton, and other fascinating figures buried beneath the falsehoods that have accrued around baseball's origins. This is the true story of how organized baseball started, how gambling shaped the game from its earliest days, and how it became our national pastime and our national mirror. Baseball in the Garden of Eden draws on original research to tell how the game evolved from other bat-and-ball games and gradually supplanted them, how the New York game came to dominate other variants, and how gambling and secret professionalism promoted and plagued the game. From a religious society's plot to anoint Abner Doubleday as baseball's progenitor to a set of scoundrels and scandals far more pervasive than the Black Sox Fix of 1919, this entertaining book is full of surprises. Even the most expert baseball fan will learn something new with almost every page.

John Thorn (Author), Joe Barrett (Narrator)

Audiobook

Baseball Is Back: A Complete Guide to Baseball in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Summer Games

Join me on this journey as I document the Road to Tokyo for the many teams that hope to compete on the Olympic stage at the summer games. I have traveled from Italy to Mexico, prior to the shutdown, then back to Florida as the tournament schedule resumed, to not only report on the events, but also to get a true authentic understanding of what baseball brings to these various cultures around the world. As someone who has played and coached in nine different countries on six continents, I am not only passionate about the game of baseball and how it can impact our personal development and growth in life, but I am also excited about the international growth and expansion of the game, as I believe that baseball can bring about a change for good to everyone involved around the world.

Jacob Gardner (Author), Jacob Gardner (Narrator)

Audiobook

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)

Audiobook

Baseball Rebels: The Players, People, and Social Movements That Shook Up the Game and Changed Americ

Since baseball emerged in the mid-1800s to become America's pastime, the nation's battles over race, gender, and sexuality have been reflected on the playing field, in the executive suites, in the press box, and in the community. Some of baseball's rebels are widely recognized, but most of them are either little known or known primarily for their baseball achievements-not their political views and activism. Everyone knows the story of Jackie Robinson breaking baseball's color line, but less known is Sam Nahem, who opposed the racial divide in the US military and organized an integrated military team that won a championship in 1945. Or Toni Stone, the first of three women who played for the Indianapolis Clowns in the previously all-male Negro Leagues. Or Dave Pallone, MLB's first gay umpire. Many players, owners, reporters, and other activists challenged both the baseball establishment and society's status quo. Baseball Rebels tells stories of baseball's reformers and radicals who were influenced by, and in turn influenced, America's broader political and social protest movements, making the game-and society-better along the way.

Peter Dreier, Robert Elias (Author), Mike Chamberlain (Narrator)

Audiobook

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

Baseball Audiobooks in Sports & Recreation