Anyone interested in starting a baseball book club? [Archive]

Honus Wagner Rules

06-30-2005, 08:40 AM

I had an idea about starting a baseball book club. We can choose a book to read and we can read it together and discuss it online. Would anyone be interested?

barzilla

06-30-2005, 08:57 AM

I'd be interested, but I've seen this tried on other sites and it never really got off the ground. I'm game though.

Hammerin Hank

06-30-2005, 09:15 AM

It's been tried a couple of times on this site and didn't last long.

Honus Wagner Rules

06-30-2005, 10:08 AM

It's been tried a couple of times on this site and didn't last long.
Really? What was the problem? Maybe it can work this time...

tonypug

06-30-2005, 09:10 PM

Count me in.

baseball_in_hel*

06-30-2005, 10:31 PM

Count me in, definetely! Well, as long as I can get the book at the library, because I'm not gonna go buy a book. LOL, I'm so cheap :dance :rolleyes:

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

Hammerin Hank

06-30-2005, 11:56 PM

Really? What was the problem? Maybe it can work this time...

I don't recall since I wasn't a part of it. I just remember checking out the thread after it died.

VTSoxFan

07-01-2005, 06:33 AM

I'd like to try this again, provided the book chosen is one I can get from a library, or something. The one time we tried, I couldn't get my hands on the book for love or money -- though at this moment I can't remember what book it was. :rolleyes:

So sure, count me in.

CyNotSoYoung

07-01-2005, 07:06 AM

I'll give it a try, but it depends upon the book. How do we decide which one? A poll? Are we interested in new stuff or old established classics?

keving7

07-01-2005, 07:39 AM

I'd like to give it a try as well. I think most clubs fail, whether they are book clubs, quilting clubs, or Red Hat Women's groups, because they don't have a cool name for their club. If we were to go with the Baseball Book Buddies.....it would probably be destined to fail!!! :laugh

tonypug

07-01-2005, 08:53 AM

How about we let honuswagnerules select the first book, and we get started.

baseball_in_hel*

07-01-2005, 11:05 PM

I think we should have a poll, and the book selected is the one we read first.

What kind of books are we going to have in the poll, like history books, fiction books, or what??

I have a book suggestion to put in the poll. I have read the book when I was younger, but never quite finished it because it wasn't really a book for younger kids. Anyway, the book is....

Strange But True Baseball Stories

Written by Furman Bisher, published in 1966. It doesn't seem like an old book though. It has 26 different stories, each in their separate chapter. Each story is about 5-6 pages long. Published by Random House.

Picture of it here: http://www.seriesbooks.com/strangebuttruebaseball01.jpg

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

baseball79

07-02-2005, 03:07 PM

Count me in too

webmaster

07-03-2005, 10:03 AM

Quick suggestion: Make the first book have a much longer time frame. This will give more people time to get on board with the club. Even if 2 or 3 do it the first time, it will grow over time.

Assistance: I'll give the Baseball Book Club a front page plug on Baseball Almanac (http://www.baseball-almanac.com). It will take me about ten minutes, but I'll put it there and leave it there during the entire month of July.

Sean

PS: And if I get a heads-up to the book being featured in the next book on the list I'll see about getting a copy and we'll give it away for free to the reader from the current book review who posts some of the most quality content about the post. :D

baseball_in_hel*

07-04-2005, 09:39 AM

baseball_in_hel*

07-04-2005, 11:34 AM

Honus Wagner Rules, can we please get this thing started now!!!! I've been waiting so long!

Just pick a book, and a name, and let's start!

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

E.Banks#14

07-04-2005, 01:57 PM

Cubs Nation is interesting, I just finished reading it. There are 162 stories about Cubs related people and events for each game of the 2004 season. It may only be interesting to Cubs fans, but anyways, I still found it very interesting.

Actually, I wouldn't take this book into consideration because I doubt it's in libraries yet.

baseball_in_hel*

07-04-2005, 03:24 PM

Maybe Honus Wagner Rules has forgot about this thread, because the last time he posted in this thread is on the first day he created it! I hope he hasn't, but if he doesn't post anything in this thread for the next few days, I think someone should start a poll with lots of books, and a poll for the club's name.

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

Imapotato

07-04-2005, 03:25 PM

I am in, let's get this rolling Honus!

tonypug

07-04-2005, 05:27 PM

I am in, let's get this rolling Honus!
How about, we start off with " Moneyball". It's available in the library and most bookstores. Some already have it. At least we can get things going, and it's a general baseball book, not focused on one team. Then maybe everyone can nominate one book, and we can pick from that list.

baseball_in_hel*

07-05-2005, 09:08 AM

Can't find Moneyball in any libraries near me. They have them but the closest time I could get one is July 13.

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

tonypug

07-05-2005, 09:17 AM

Can't find Moneyball in any libraries near me. They have them but the closest time I could get one is July 13.

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~
We are only talking another week, that would give everybody time to obtain it. That way others can join in. Let me know what you think.

baseball_in_hel*

07-05-2005, 10:46 PM

Sounds good to me!

Thanks guys! And so, is it definetely Moneyball?? Also, could someone please tell me what it is about??

Also, what is the club's name??

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

baseball79

07-13-2005, 05:23 PM

I'm done already

baseball_in_hel*

07-13-2005, 09:00 PM

I'm done already
I'm not sure we were supposed to start yet. Were we?? I thought we were going to assign chapters by day or something, and then discuss that chapter.

Dunno, can someone clear this up please!

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

ScrewBll45

07-13-2005, 11:22 PM

I'm not sure we were supposed to start yet. Were we?? I thought we were going to assign chapters by day or something, and then discuss that chapter.

Dunno, can someone clear this up please!

~~Tyler~~
~~Peace~~

Im game for this, tell me when ya'll choose a new book so I can start out even with all ya'll.

baseball79

07-15-2005, 02:28 PM

I read it a while ago, but ill still go at the same pace as you guys. Lets read the preface plus chapters 1 and 2 tonight alright?

Honus Wagner Rules

07-18-2005, 02:55 PM

Sorry, I totally forgot about this thread!!! So there seems to be some interest. Anyone have any ideas for a name for our club. Two books come to mind. I saw them recently at Barnes and Noble.

The Old Ball Game: How John McGraw, Christy Mathewson, and the New York Giants Created Modern Baseball (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0871138859/qid=1121720505/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/104-8548608-0903940?v=glance&s=books)

and

The First World Series and the Baseball Fanatics of 1903 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1555535615/qid=1121720546/sr=8-7/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i7_xgl14/104-8548608-0903940?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

VTSoxFan

07-19-2005, 08:20 AM

A companion book to the second suggested title might be "The year Boston Won the World Series", by Bob Ryan. The reviews I just read of "The First World Series..." say it's a little short on baseball, so in order to get a more complete picture of that Series itself, Ryan's book would fill in the gaps nicely.

An interesting side note to the 1903 Series is the resurrection of the Royal Rooters' rally song "Tessie". I found some cool info here (http://www.answers.com/topic/tessie) -- plus a link to the original sheet music.

I am kind of interested in the second book HWR suggested, cantcha tell? :D I'll see if I can get it through my library.

Honus Wagner Rules

07-19-2005, 08:45 AM

Here is Bob Ryan's book

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0762414669/qid=1121784694/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/104-8548608-0903940?v=glance&s=books

According to the reviews it a bit one sides since it focuses almost exlusively on the Red Sox...

VTSoxFan

07-19-2005, 09:01 AM

Well, he is a writer for the Boston Globe... :rolleyes:

But it does have more baseball, to complement the sociology in the other book. I'm sure there are books out there with a more even-handed approach to that Series. I read Ryan's book back during the winter, and it popped into my head as a possible companion book to the other one.

Honus Wagner Rules

07-19-2005, 09:09 AM

I fount this book also, call Autumn Glory: Baseball's First World Series

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0809027631/ref=pd_sim_b_2/104-8548608-0903940?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance

theAmazingMet

08-12-2005, 02:00 AM

"The Old Ballgame..." would be a great place to start a bookclub. I have not read the book but from what I hear it is good read and very informative into the beginnings of baseball as a business. BTW count me in the bookclub whatever you decide, although the 1st book should be a "neutral" book not one that follows a recent team. All books should be chosen by HonusWagner it is his bookclub. It is a great responsibility to moderate a bookclub are you up to it HonusWagner? Remember you choose the books so they have to be interesting and relatively non-partisan, that is how most bookclubs are run. To vote Et All would just take to long.

runningshoes

08-14-2005, 05:56 AM

i'm in. Maybe we can discuss mine when it's finished.

Southlake CubsFan

08-14-2005, 06:32 PM

if you want this to work, somebody should take initiative and just start it, like say the name of the book, and what has to be read by what date and so on, other wise it'll just stall out

runningshoes

08-15-2005, 03:12 AM

if you want this to work, somebody should take initiative and just start it, like say the name of the book, and what has to be read by what date and so on, other wise it'll just stall out

Ok. You pick the book, but it might take me some time to get it shipped here, so please don't give us a short deadline.

Southlake CubsFan

08-15-2005, 06:28 PM

Ok. You pick the book, but it might take me some time to get it shipped here, so please don't give us a short deadline.
haha no thanks, im just helping you guys out, i dont read books

runningshoes

08-18-2005, 01:03 AM

i dont read books

You're not from Chicago by any chance, are ya?

I'm just grinding ya!!

Southlake CubsFan

08-18-2005, 03:46 PM

You're not from Chicago by any chance, are ya?

I'm just grinding ya!!
i read books for school, but like not oh look a book lets read, i read magazines and the sports section of the newspaper everyday, im a pretty good and fast reader

runningshoes

08-19-2005, 02:04 PM

i read books for school, but like not oh look a book lets read, i read magazines and the sports section of the newspaper everyday, im a pretty good and fast reader

I'm just giving you the gears. :)

Southlake CubsFan

08-20-2005, 10:57 PM

I'm just giving you the gears. :)
never heard that saying before..

theAmazingMet

08-20-2005, 11:54 PM

never heard that saying before..

cause you are young

Southlake CubsFan

08-21-2005, 07:19 PM

cause you are young
i guess so, but what does it mean, i assume "just pulling your leg"

Go Phils

12-27-2005, 01:17 PM

Have you decided to begin an online book-club? I would be glad to join.

Just finished Frank Deford's "The Old Ball Game" about Christy Matthewson, John McGraw and the NY Giants of the early 20th century.

I just picked up "What I Learned from Jackie Robinson" written by Carl Erskine, Robinson's roommate during his days with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The book is not long, but timely with African American history month coming up in February. How about reading this together?

Go Phils!

Ashburn1

12-29-2005, 09:08 PM

A good idea that just can't pick up any steam. Count me in if this ever gets off the ground. Too bad it never got going, this is a great idea for the off-season.

rrjds

12-29-2005, 09:30 PM

I had an idea about starting a baseball book club. We can choose a book to read and we can read it together and discuss it online. Would anyone be interested?
im in just everyone add me to your buddy list and send me updates and it sounds cool

runningshoes

12-29-2005, 11:28 PM

i guess so, but what does it mean, i assume "just pulling your leg"

Yeah..that's kinda what it means..i'm not trying to insult you..just giving you a hard time.

Dravecky43

12-30-2005, 11:35 PM

Yeah, if someone gets it going I'm in. I have The Old Ball Game and started reading over the summer but never finished it. Probably because I found other books and got caught up in those. Let me know!

bhss89

01-04-2006, 10:11 AM

I'm about 1/2 finished with "Praying For Gil Hodges", and I believe it to be most excellent. May not do too much for non-Dodger fans, but it's pretty cool. Lots of asides regarding other players/teams as well.

So, is there any "official" book that the vast majority on this thread are currently reading? I'd like to participate in discussion, but I can't get a feel for what everyone is currently trying to finish.

Gashouse6

01-31-2006, 02:52 PM

That sounds cool. I'll try my best to keep up. The books have to be a the library, though, because I'm a poor kid.

runningshoes

01-31-2006, 02:55 PM

That sounds cool. I'll try my best to keep up. The books have to be a the library, though, because I'm a poor kid.

This one died ages ago, Gashouse, but if you go through the history forum or the 19th centruy forum we're discussing good books all the time.