More books!

The Soul of Baseball: A Journey Through Buck O'Neil's America by Joe Posnanski



Another short one here, Joe Posnanski basically more or less follows around Buck O'Neil but a year and tells us about it. Without insult to Buck O'Neil, that seems like a weak premise for a book, even a short one, but Posnanski's writing style and ability to capture the feeling of meeting Buck O'Neil through words (I haven't met Buck O'Neil, so I have to take Joe's word here, but it sure seemed that way anyway) makes this a more than worthwhile read. I am an avid reading of Posnanski's sports writing, as he's one of the best around, and I was not disappointed by this full length effort. I learned a bit about the negro leagues (if there a really good comprehensive negro leagues book out there? I would like to read one if there is) but more than that it was a feel good story about Buck O'Neil, and about, you know, hope and optimism and America, and all that garbage/good stuff - things that both can't help but make you smile, but are ripe for the worst kind of cliches if not handled by a masterful writer; it's not as if Posnanski is trying to make you feel a certain way, it's just the way he describes the real events so well (particularly the way he captures the cadences of O'Neil's speech) that makes you feel that way. If you like baseball, it's worth a read, and of course should be required reading by the Hall of Fame voters who have decided Buck does not warrant a place in the Hall.

9.0

Loose Balls by Terry Pluto



An oral history (well, written oral history) of the ABA (American Basketball Association), Pluto is more a compiler than author - the book essentially splices the comments and stories as told by players, coaches, owners and observers, with short headings and occasional clarifications by Pluto. This does mean that it's not quite a cohesive narrative, but it does give the benefit of hearing the stories of the ABA as told in the participants own voices, and often hearing differing views of the same situation by different parties. I have been wanting to learn more about the ABA for a long time, and the book is about as definitive as is possible for something with the inherent limitations of an oral history - there is no tying in of everything, of all the strands, and how they all tie together - there are short sections on each team, on all the important players, and Pluto adds a short round up about each season of the ABA. And while it lacks the great unifying a narrative would add, it is very comphrehensive in its scope - it hits every team, every important player - not just the Dr. Js and George Gervins and Rick Barrys, but more minor players that someone largely unfamiliar with the ABA (like myself) had never heard of, and of course the stories. I'll leave with one of my favorites from the book (the basic facts anyway - I don't remember the names and exact words), as a tease - one player was known for being particularly nuts - when told his team was taking a flight, that because of the change in time zone, which took off at 4 and landed at 3:59, said something to the effect of "I ain't taking no time travel machine."

7.8