Ball Four - Kirjakasa

No cover — Jim Bouton: Ball Four (2012, RosettaBooks)

496 pages

English language

Published Dec. 30, 2012 by RosettaBooks.

ISBN:: 978-0-7953-2323-2

(1 review)

The beloved baseball classic now available in paperback, with a new prologue by Jim Bouton. When Ball Four was first published in 1970, it hit the sports world like a lightning bolt. Commissioners, executives, and players were shocked. Sportswriters called author Jim Bouton a traitor and social leper. Commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force him to declare the book untrue. Fans, however, loved the book. And serious critics called it an important social document. Today, Jim Bouton is still not invited to Oldtimer's Days at Yankee Stadium. But his landmark book is still being read by people who don't ordinarily follow baseball. For the updated edition of this historic book, Bouton has written a new prologue, detailing his perspective on how baseball has changed since the last edition was released.

8 editions

Thom reviewed Ball four by Jim Bouton

Review of 'Ball four' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Completely unexpurgated diary of a year in the life of a comeback pitcher, one of a squad for whom the mistaken draft strategy of the Seattle Pilots granted new life in the major leagues. This book is saved by its last epilogue (Ball Seven).

Jim Bouton and his editor [a:Leonard Shecter|244982|Leonard Shecter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] put together the original edition from the author's notes and excellent recall of the season. Mixed with the facts are a roster of anecdotes, non-sequiturs and observations that overwhelm the narrative. Many of these angered his peers and led to Bouton's ostracism from baseball, even though most would be harmless in a memoir released much later. My complaint is that they don't add to the story.

This expanded (and Final) edition contains epilogues, reconciliations, and observations about the modern game. His thoughts on money and drugs are well written. The last epilogue describes his son's letter to the …

Completely unexpurgated diary of a year in the life of a comeback pitcher, one of a squad for whom the mistaken draft strategy of the Seattle Pilots granted new life in the major leagues. This book is saved by its last epilogue (Ball Seven).

Jim Bouton and his editor [a:Leonard Shecter|244982|Leonard Shecter|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] put together the original edition from the author's notes and excellent recall of the season. Mixed with the facts are a roster of anecdotes, non-sequiturs and observations that overwhelm the narrative. Many of these angered his peers and led to Bouton's ostracism from baseball, even though most would be harmless in a memoir released much later. My complaint is that they don't add to the story.

This expanded (and Final) edition contains epilogues, reconciliations, and observations about the modern game. His thoughts on money and drugs are well written. The last epilogue describes his son's letter to the editor calling for Bouton's invitation to Old-Timers' Day at Yankee Stadium, and this (plus the reason for it) easily add a full star to my rating. If this book ends up on your reading list (as it did mine), make sure to pick up this version.