Upon reading the title of "I Love Baseball," it was easy to guess that this was one of those books that is somewhat collective in nature. People with a variety of connections to the game check in with a reason about what they love about it. There have been a few such publications written along those lines over the years, so there's a place for such work.
This book, however, is not another one of them. It's more personal.
Wayne Stewart grew up in the 1950s in the Pittsburgh area, and he's always loved baseball. It's no wonder that he asked Vernon Law, a pitcher for the World Champion 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates, to write the foreward. And he still loves baseball, as he moves through his 1970s.
Stewart has had a chance to do some writing along the way, and now he's out with a compilation of items that can put a smile on almost anyone's face - at least for those who like hearing the words "play ball."
After a bit of an explanation for writing the book, we're off on a 200-page of a baseball highlight film. That may be good or bad, depending on the point of view, but it sure makes it difficult to review.
The items are broken down into 13 chapters. Let's see .... there are quotes from those around the game, unusual events, funny moments, the media, inspirations, ballparks, mascots, and so on. The research on this is obviously quite thorough. I only spotted a item or two that seemed to have a fact wrong.
The problem is that there isn't a great deal of flow or consistency to the book. For example, the media section has some quotes from baseball writers and some movie lines. It also has sections on walk-up music and baseball cards. That's a bit of a stretch.
In addition, many of the items in the book were familiar to me. Granted, I do much more reading of baseball material than most fans, so maybe I'm not the best one to judge. That said, there wasn't much that was unfamiliar to me. So it wasn't really worth $24.95 for a paperback recap.
However, your mileage may vary. I'm not going to say that this sort of book may not strike a chord with some people. So take my usual test - take a quick look at a copy at a bookstore, and base your purchasing decision about "I Love Baseball" on that. You'll at least get a few moments of enjoyment out of it, whatever your level of interest, and maybe the book will work out for you.
Three stars
Learn more about this book from Amazon.com. (As an Amazon affiliate, I earn money from qualified purchases.)
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