Called Up: Ballplayers Remember Becoming Major Leaguers

by Zak Ford

To reach the majors, a ballplayer must not only possess natural ability and world-class skills but must also overcome nearly insurmountable odds. The journey is not possible without extreme dedication. Along the way mentors play a large role, and circumstances must align. For an elite few, years of effort and perseverance culminate with putting on a big league uniform. Drawing on original interviews with more than 100 players who debuted between 1961 and 2018, this collection presents their first-person stories of how they were called up to play Major League Baseball.

Genres: Baseball

233 pages, Paperback

Published October 27, 2023

Reviews

[David Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zak Ford does a great job presenting the stories of 109 professional ballplayers' recollections of being called up to the major leagues and their memories of their debuts. From players from the 1960s through recent players, and from short stints to a 22-year vet, you get a wide range of players involved. A must-read for any true lover of the game.

[Jesse Jester · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember when Ford started posting these stories on Facebook. Having grown up OBSESSED with baseball and living in a AAA town, the idea of reading about the day-to-day lives of minor leaguers has always fascinated me. Getting to experience the emotion via first-hand accounts made me appreciate the game even more. Sure, we've all imagined ourselves in Game 7, bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded, but I think any youngster who loves baseball has also spent time imagining what it would be like to step on a major league field for the first time.

This is a solid collection of stories, from guys you may have never heard of, to players who you loved watching at some point in your life. There are some that are lacking details and emotion, and there are others that truly capture what it was like to make it to the show. You have a lot of top prospects, but also guys who had to work tooth-and-nail just for the chance to make it to The Show.

One of my favorite things about this book is hearing about how family oriented these guys are. Sometimes we forget that a significant portion of major leaguers in the history of the game were just normal guys who happened to be just good enough to make it. It was also great hearing about the other guys in the clubhouse and how they helped the rookies in the book.

Definitely a must read for anyone to really enjoys baseball stories! Good reading to you!

[Melinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long believed that baseball, the Great American Pastime, is in many ways a microcosm of the human experience. In this era of data-driven baseball, Zak Ford has uncovered over 100 human stories behind men who made it to the big leagues, from the 1960s to the present day. This collection of interviews with ball players--some famous, others obscure--describing their major league debut experience in their own words was both humorous and heartwarming. Whether the player experienced a long career or played only one season, I was truly amazed at the common threads that arose in each story--resilience and dedication, support of family and teammates, and the brotherhood of baseball. I read this just before the 2024 MLB season began, and I am inspired to learn more. This slim volume of vignettes is not only a must read for fans of baseball, but also a recommended read for anyone who enjoys real life stories about the human experience.

[Ellison · Rating 4 out of 5]

features a collection of casual recollections of ballplayers upon being told they were going to the show, and the results, if any. b/w images.