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Baseball Books   10 Lots      

Lot 81.  Baseball Reference Library of 55+ Volumes Loaded with Useful Information. These books, a mix of hardbacks and paperbacks, contain much of what you ever wanted to know about baseball. Brief biographies of players and others are presented in David Porter’s Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, 1987 vg-ex HB, no dj. Seventeen books focus on the World Series: The Story of the World Series, Frederick Lieb, 1965, f book and dj (water damage). The Heavenly World Series, Frank O’Rourke, 1952, vg book, f dj. The World Series: A Complete Pictorial History, John Devaney, 1972 first printing, ex-m+ book vg-ex dj. Greatest World Series Thrillers, Ray Robinson, 1965, vg, no dj as issued. The World Series, Richard M. Cohen, 1976 first printing, ex book, dj absent. The World Series Illustrated Almanac, Richard Whittingham, 1984 PB, vg-ex. World Series Classics, Bill Gutman, 1973, vg, not dj as issued. World Series Thrills, Joseph Bell, 1965, vg, no dj as issued. How Life Imitates the World Series, Thomas Boswell, 1983 PB, vg. World Series Heroes and Goats, Joe Gergen, 1982 PB, nm. Diamond Jubilee, Don Smith, 1973 PB, g-vg. The Ultimate World Series Quiz Book, Dom Forker, 1982 PB, ex. World Series Encyclopedia, Don Schiffer, 1961 PB, vg-ex. The October Heroes, Donald Honig, 1979 apparent first, vg book, vg+ dj. The World Series’ Most Wanted, John Snyder, 2004 PB, stated first edition, ex-m+. And TSN World Series Records, 1954 and 1980 PBs, vg. Baseball Stadiums receive attention in Green Cathedrals, Philip Lowry, 2006 first edition PB, ex. Lost Ballparks, Lawrence S. Ritter, vg book, g dj. Fodor’s Vacation Ballparks, Bruce Adams, 1997 PB, ex-m. Fields of Dreams, Jay Ahuja, 1999 PB, ex. The Fenway Project, Bill Nowlin, 2002 PB, ex-m. And The Official Baseball Atlas, 1994, g-vg. There are two Baseball Dictionaries: The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, Paul Dickson, 1989, ex-m book, ex dj. The Visual Dictionary of Baseball, James Buckley, Jr., 2001 first edition, ex-m book and dj. Baseball Records and Statistics are the subject of more than 15 books: The Book of Baseball Records, Seymour Siwoff, 1979 HB, vg, no dj as issued. Baseball Major League Records, Jack Brickhouse, 1966 PB, ex-m+. The Baseball Record Companion, Joseph L. Reichler, 1981 PB, ex+. Out of Left Field: Over 1,134 Newly Discovered Amazing Baseball Records, Jeffrey Lyons, 1998 first edition PB, nm-m. Record Profiles of Baseball’s Hall of Famers, 1990 PB, ex+, and Chronology of Major League Baseball Records, 1989 PB, vg-ex, both by John A. Mercurio. Baseball’s Top 100: The Best Individual Season of All Time, John Benson and Tony Blengino, 1995 PB, signed by the authors, nm-m. Baseballistics, Bert Randolph Sugar, 1990 PB, ex-m+. The Book of Baseball Lineups, 1996 PB, ex+, and The Greatest Team of All Time, 1994 HB, ex+ book, dj missing, both by Nicholas Acocella. From TSN, 1988 Box Score Book: National League, 1988 HB, ex, no dj as issued; Ready Reckoner, PB, vg+, and How to Score, 1970 PB, ex. And from Bill James, Historical Baseball Abstract, 1986 HB, ex-m book, ex dj; Historical Baseball Abstract, 1988 PB, f-g; Player Ratings Book 1993, PB, vg-ex, and The Baseball Book 1990, PB, ex. The All-Star Game is covered in Donald Honig’s 1987 first edition hardback with that name, ex book, vg+ dj. Other References include Baseball’s Greatest Quotations, Paul Dickson, 1991 stated first edition PB, ex+, cover on upside down and backwards. The Who, What, When, Where, Why and How of Baseball, Jim Charlton, 1999 HB, ex-m, no dj as issued. SAMS Teach Yourself Today: e-Baseball, Bob Temple, 2000 PB, ex. The Baseball Companion, Angus G. Garber III, 1990 HB, nm book, ex-m dj. And The Baseball Book, Zander Hollander, 1982 PB, f-g. Finally, there are a number of Encyclopedias: The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball, Hy Turkin, 1979 PB, vg+, plus the 1952 Supplement, 1952 PB, vg. The Baseball Encyclopedia, Jeanine Bucek, 1996 HB, ex, dj absent; also, PB updates for 1995 and 1997ex. The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball 2002, David S. Neft, 2002 PB, vg. And Total Baseball, 1989, John Thorn, 1989 HB first printing, vg-ex book, f dj; also, 1990 update, nm book, vg-ex dj, and Third Edition, 1993 PB, vg-ex. BONUS: The winning bidder will receive, if he or she wants them, these books: The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball for 1974, 1982, 1989 (2) and 1997. The Official Encyclopedia of Baseball for 1962 (2, one HB, one PB), 1964 and 1967. And The Baseball Encyclopedia, 1985, 1988 and 1993. The winner pays the postage for these items, and there is no discount for not taking them. Proceeds from the sale of this lot will benefit the Society for American Baseball Research. Winning Bid $75.

Lot 82.  4 Youth-Oriented Baseball Novels by Zane Grey, Horatio Alger and Others. All are hardbacks with artwork on the covers and without dust jackets as issued. 1. The Short-Stop, Zane Grey, 1914, inscribed flyleaf, one bookplate loose, vg-ex. 2. Jack’s Ward, Horatio Alger, apparently 1910, M. A. Donahue & Co. edition, g+ to vg. 3. The Grip of the Game, Burt L. Standish, 1924 apparent first edition, vg. 4. Frank Armstrong’s Second Term, Matthew M. Colton, 1911 apparent first edition, tear to paper adhered to the inside of the front cover, vg-ex. Also, a football book from the Fred Fenton Series, Fred Fenton in the Line, Allen Chapman, 1913 apparent first edition, vg-ex. Winning Bid $20.

Lot 83.  Connie Mack Biography, Autobiography (Hardback and Softcover Editions). Frederick G. Lieb’s biography of the Hall of Fame manager is titled Connie Mack: Grand Old Man of Baseball, 1945, vg-ex hardcover with the owner’s name on the flyleaf, vg sun-faded dust jacket. The hardcover version of Mack’s autobiography, My 66 Years in the Big Leagues, is vg+ to ex with the owner’s label on the title page. The 1950 stated first edition is the Golden Jubilee Edition and is without a dj, apparently as issued. The colorful cover has a photo of Mack. The magazine-format edition, also a 1950 first edition, is complete, p-f, and shows substantial water damage. Proceeds from the sale of these three books will benefit the Society for American Baseball Research, a non-profit membership organization open to all that fosters the research, preservation, and dissemination of the history and record of baseball. Winning Bid $30.

Lot 84.  Signed Copy of a Very Scarce Book: The Professional Mascot Handbook. Written by Karen Ahearn and Art Ballant, this softcover provides 224 pages of photos and text on baseball and football mascots such as the Phillie Phanatic, the San Diego Chicken and the defunct Steeler Stinger. Rocky Bleier of the Steelers wrote the foreword. Apparently self-published in 1982, the book is difficult to find. Ballant signed the first title page; his personalized signature is a 10. Vg cover, ex contents. Winning Bid $25.

Lot 85.  45+ Books on Baseball’s Best Players. Nine books are biographies or autobiographies, and the rest are anthologies providing biographical sketches of the game’s greatest pitchers, batters and fielders. All books are hardbacks unless otherwise noted. Some of the books are relatively uncommon, among them Baseball’s 3000-Hit Men by Mike Getz, 1982 stated first, ex-m book autographed (pers.) by the author, ex-m dj; Joe, You Coulda Made Us Proud by Joe Pepitone, 1975 stated first edition, nm+/ex-m, and two books by Ira L. Smith, Baseball’s Famous Outfielders, 1954, g+ to vg, and Baseball’s Famous First Basemen, writing on flyleaf, vg. Books focusing on individual players are: Pete Rose: My Story, Rose, 1989, ex-m/ex. Ty Cobb, Gene Schoor, 1966, vg. Throwing Heat, Nolan Ryan, 1988, nm-m/nm. “I Managed Good, but boy did They Play Bad,” Jim Bouton, 1973, both vg. Lefty Grove: American Original, Jim Kaplan, 2000 softcover, ex. Strikeout Story, Bob Feller, 1947, g-vg, dj absent. Judge Landis and Twenty-Five Years of Baseball, J. G. Taylor Spink, vg/p. And Bo Knows Bo, Bo Jackson, 1989, both ex+. Some books are coffee-table sized: The Baseball Hall of Fame 50th Anniversary Book, Gerald Astor, 1988 stated first, both nm-m. Who’s Who in Baseball History, Lloyd Johnson, 1994, nm-m/nm. Pacemakers in Baseball, Mac Davis, 1968, vg+ to ex, no dj as issued. 100 Greatest Baseball Heroes, Mac Davis, 1974, ex, no dj as issued. The Power Hitters, Donald Honig, 1989 first, vg-ex. Other titles are: The Man in the Dugout, two different books with the same title, one by Donald Honig, 1977, nm/ex-m, and the other by Leonard Koppett, 1993 stated first, nm-m/nm. Baseball’s Greatest Managers, Harvey Frommer, 1985, nm/ex-m. Baseball’s Greatest Hitters, g-vg/p-f, and Baseball’s Greatest Pitchers, 1951, ex/vg+, both by Tom Meany. Players Choice, Eugene V. McCaffrey, 1987, nm/vg-ex. Baseball’s All-Stars, J. Lowell Pratt, 1967, vg+/g-vg. Great Catchers of the Major Leagues, Jack Zanger, 1970, g-vg, published without a dj. Baseball’s All-Time Best Hitters, Michael Schell, 1999, ex-library, both vg. Baseball’s Greatest Players Today, Jack Orr, 1963, both g, minor water damage. The Sluggers, John Holway, 1989, ex-m, no dj as issued. Home Run Heroes, Merrell Noden/SI, 1998, nm-m/vg+. Baseball Players Do Amazing Things, Mel Cebulash, 1973, vg-ex, no dj as issued. Aaron to Zuverink, Rich Marazzi, 1982, both ex. And Cooperstown from TSN, Lowell Reidenbaugh, 1983 first, g-vg. The following books are paperbacks: Baseball Stars of: 1969, 1971 and 1973, Ray Robinson, vg. The Greatest in Baseball, Mac Davis, 1962, ex. The Home Run Kings, Clare and Frank Gault, 1974, vg-ex. The Baseball Book, Zander Hollander, 1982, g+ to vg. And Nine Sides of the Diamond, David Falkner, 1990, vg. Nine books from the Random House baseball series focus on greatest sluggers, great infielders, star pitchers, great pitchers, zaniest stars, great hitters, great rookies, heroes and MVPs. Written by Jim Brosnan, Bill Libby, Dave Klein, Howard Liss, Frank Graham Jr., Alexander Peters and George Vecsey, they average vg-ex. Proceeds from the sale of this lot will benefit the Society for American Baseball Research. Minimum Bid $50.

Lot 86.  30+ Baseball Paperbacks – Biographies and Various Topics. Two of the more interesting books are The Home Run Book from Topps by Zander Hollander, 1981, nm-m, and The Storytellers by Curt Smith, 1995, ex-m. The home run book was a prize in Topps’ Baseball Hit to Win Game. Biographies and autobiographies cover Aaron (2 different), Bouton, Dravecky, Flood, Garagiola, Davey Johnson, Kuhn, Lyle, Mays, Nettles, Pepitone, Gaylord Perry and Uecker. There are duplicate copies of six biographies. Other books are by Roger Angell (Late Innings), George Plimpton (Out of My League) and Roger Kahn (A Season in the Sun). Other titles are Baseball Confidential by Bruce Nash, Baseball: You Are the Manager by Nate Aaseng, Baseball’s Best Sluggers by Bob Hunter, Baseball’s Hottest Hurlers by Jim DuFresne and the World Series Encyclopedia (Mullin illustrations) by Don Schiffer. Also, The Complete Book of Baseball Cards, Steve Clark, 1977. These books average vg-ex and will provide many hours of enjoyable and informative reading. Winning Bid $10.

Lot 87.  19 Books on How to Play Baseball or Manage. Three books are by major league players: Baseball and Your Boy, Al Rosen, 1967 stated first edition hardback, nm book, vg dust jacket (dj). The Art of Hitting .300 by Charley Lau, 1980 softcover, ex with owner’s inscription inside. Strength Training for Baseball, Jose Canseco and Dave McKay, 1990 softcover, vg-ex. In addition, Bob Cluck, pitching coach for the Oakland A’s, wrote Play Better Baseball, 1994 softcover, nm. Other hardbacks: Baseball by Robert R. Spackman, 1963, U.S. Naval Institute, ex book, owner’s name inside, dj missing. This book is extensively illustrated with St. Louis Browns players. The other hardbacks are: Baseball, edited by Frank F. DiClemente, 1966 and 1969 editions, ex, no dj as issued. Make the Team in Baseball, Clary Anderson, 1960, vg-ex book with owner’s name inside, vg dj with edge tears and a spine chip; also, a 1971 edition, ex book, no dj, apparently as issued. How to Play Winning Baseball, Arthur Mann, 1953, vg, no dj, apparently as issued. Other softcovers: How to Improve Your Baseball, Dick Siebert, 1960s, g-vg. Sports Illustrated Book of Baseball, 1966, vg-ex. Sports Illustrated Baseball, 1972, ex. Power Baseball, Mel Didier, 1972, vg-ex. Tough Calls, Zach Rebackoff, 1984 first Avon printing, ex. Baseball: You Are the Manager, two copies, and Baseball: It’s Your Team, both by Nate Aaseng, 1983 and 1985, respectively, ex. Managing Little League Baseball, Ned McIntosh, 1985, ex. And Play Book! Baseball, You are the manager, you call the shots, by Michael Teitelbaum, 1990, from Sports Illustrated for Kids, ex. Minimum Bid $10.

Lot 88.  27 Different Baseball Paperbacks – Biographies, Team Histories, Etc. Titles of the biographies are: The Story of Hank Aaron, Hank Aaron…714 and Beyond, Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio? Whitey and Mickey (Ford and Mantle), Baseball is a Funny Game (Garagiola), Reggie (Jackson), The Artful Dodger (Lasorda), The Baseball Life of Willie Mays, Thurman Munson, Me & the Spitter (Perry), Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers, The Babe Ruth Story, The Perfect Game: Tom Seaver and the Mets, Baseball is my life (Seaver), Tom Seaver, Veeck – As in Wreck, My Turn at Bat (Ted Williams) and It Pays to Steal (Wills). Multiple players are profiled in At Bat! Aaron, Murcer, Bench, Jackson by Bill Gutman, 1973; Baseball’s Greatest Players by Tom Meany, 1955; and Baseball Stars of 1971 by Ray Robinson. The other books are: The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn, 1973; Inside the Dodgers by Fresco Thompson, 1966; The Amazing Mets by Jerry Mitchell, 1970; No-Hitter by Phil Pepe, 1972; The Great American Baseball Trivia Book by Jeffrey Feinman, and The Vest-Pocket Encyclopedia of Baseball by Hy Turkin, 1956. These paperbacks average ex. Minimum Bid $15.

Lot 199.  The Brooklyn Dodgers: An Informal History by Frank Graham. One of the Putnam histories, this hardback is a second printing from 1945. Vg+ copy with the flyleaf inscribed; g+ to vg price-clipped dust jacket with small chips at the top and bottom of the spine and three tears of 1 ½” or shorter. Winning Bid $15.

Lot 206.  Baltimore Orioles Publications, Autographs and Commemorative Baseballs. The signatures – of Cal Ripken and Cal Ripken Jr. – are on the cover of James H. Bready’s 1984 oversized softcover book, The Home Team: Baltimore Baseball. Kevin Keating authenticated the autographs, which grade nm-7 to nm-m 8. The covers and about 30 pages show light to moderate mold damage. One of the more interesting publications is James E. Fredlund’s self-published, photocopied Baltimore Orioles 1892-99. In more than 120 pages, Fredlund provides statistics on the 19th century National League Orioles. There is one other book, This Date in Baltimore Orioles & St. Louis Browns History by John C. Hawkins, 1983 paperback, vg-ex. This collection includes one yearbook, the 1974 edition, vg+. The newest of the programs is from The First Opening Day, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, April 6, 1992, ex-m to nm. Other programs range from 1975-2002. There also is a scorecard for a 1966 Dodgers-Orioles World Series game, g-vg. The programs are 1975 vs. Boston, ex+; 1978 vs. Detroit, scored, g+; 1979 vs. Chicago (anniversary design), vg, and vs. Red Sox, ex-m, and Tigers (3) scored, one f, one g, one vg-ex; 1980 vs. Red Sox, p-f, water damage; 1992 vs. Royals, scored, vg-ex; 1993 (2), one vg+ and one nm; 1994 (2), ex, and 2002 nm-m. Two media guides are present, for the 1979 World Series with Pittsburgh, and for the 1998 season, both ex+. Also: a program from the 1988 MCI Baseball Classic, Mets vs. Orioles, ex; 1984 and 1985 Baltimore Sun Orioles publications, ex; an April 3, 1994 issue of Outside Pitch, ex, and a 1994 Sesame Street program with an Orioles wrapper, ex-m+. Nine baseballs, all nm or better and most from Fotoball, commemorate: Ripken’s career, Ripken’s 2131 consecutive game streak, Brady Anderson’s 1996 season, Earl Weaver’s Hall of Fame induction, the 1993 All-Star Game (two different) and the Orioles’ membership in the American League. Two are logo balls, including one with a raised logo. There also is a facsimile team ball with Ripken Jr. on a sweet spot. Also: an Orioles bumper sticker, 12 stickers (four different, 3 ¼” x 3 ¼” up to 4” x 5 ½”) with an Orioles logo and an Orioles matchbook. And two Coke 8-ounce bottles commemorating Ripken’s 1995 record, three Pepsi collector cans, two Coke cans for the 1993 All-Star Game and two beer cans marking the closing of Memorial Stadium. Proceeds from the sale of this lot will benefit the Society for American Baseball Research. Winning Bid $40.

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