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The Soul of Baseball
From the author of Baseball 100
“A fascinating account of a man who outlasted the ignorance of a nation and persevered to become a beloved figure...One of the best baseball books in years, filled with depth style and clarity." —Cleveland Plain Dealer
An award-winning sports columnist and a baseball legend tour the country to recapture the joys and wonders of two of America’s greatest pastimes
When legendary Negro League player Buck O’Neil asked sports columnist Joe Posnanski how he fell in love with baseball, that simple question eventually led the pair on a cross-country quest to recapture the love that first drew them to the game. Baseball & Jazz recounts their emotional quest to find the heart of America’s beloved sport that still beats despite the scandal-ridden, steroid-shooting, money hungry athletes who currently seem to define the sport. At its heart is the story of 94-year-old Buck O’Neil—a man that truly played for the love of the game. After an impressive career in the Negro Baseball Leagues in which he earned two hitting titles and one championship, O’Neil made baseball history by becoming the first African-American coach in major league baseball. Posnanski writes about that love and the one thing that O’Neil cherishes almost as much as jazz. This heartwarming and insightful journey is an endearing step back in time to the days when the crack of a bat and the smokey notes of a midnight jam session were the sounds that brought the most joy to a man’s heart.
“A fascinating account of a man who outlasted the ignorance of a nation and persevered to become a beloved figure...One of the best baseball books in years, filled with depth style and clarity." —Cleveland Plain Dealer
An award-winning sports columnist and a baseball legend tour the country to recapture the joys and wonders of two of America’s greatest pastimes
When legendary Negro League player Buck O’Neil asked sports columnist Joe Posnanski how he fell in love with baseball, that simple question eventually led the pair on a cross-country quest to recapture the love that first drew them to the game. Baseball & Jazz recounts their emotional quest to find the heart of America’s beloved sport that still beats despite the scandal-ridden, steroid-shooting, money hungry athletes who currently seem to define the sport. At its heart is the story of 94-year-old Buck O’Neil—a man that truly played for the love of the game. After an impressive career in the Negro Baseball Leagues in which he earned two hitting titles and one championship, O’Neil made baseball history by becoming the first African-American coach in major league baseball. Posnanski writes about that love and the one thing that O’Neil cherishes almost as much as jazz. This heartwarming and insightful journey is an endearing step back in time to the days when the crack of a bat and the smokey notes of a midnight jam session were the sounds that brought the most joy to a man’s heart.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 27, 2007
214 people are currently reading
4367 people want to read
About the author
Joe Posnanski
20 books558 followersJoe Posnanski is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of eight books, a Writer at Large at Esquire, and the co-host of The PosCast with Michael Schur. He writes a newsletter called JoeBlogs. He has been named national sportswriter of the year by five different organizations including the Associated Press Sports Editors and the National Sports Media Association. He also won two sports Emmys as part of NBC's digital Olympic coverage.
His newest book is Why We Love Baseball, which will be published by Dutton on Sept. 5, 2023. His last book, The Baseball 100, won the Casey Award as the best baseball book of 2020.
His newest book is Why We Love Baseball, which will be published by Dutton on Sept. 5, 2023. His last book, The Baseball 100, won the Casey Award as the best baseball book of 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
May 6, 2020
Today May 6 is Willie Mays’ birthday. It is also the anniversary of the best pitched game in Cubs’ history. As all of us sports fans wait impatiently for live sports to begin again, one of the bright spots has been the writing of Joe Posnanski, columnist for the Kansas City Star and the Athletic. Posnanski has treated sports readers to his top 100 list of favorite players, culminating with Mays in the top spot. With this list receiving glowing reviews, Posnanski decided to treat us to his list of top fifty favorite baseball moments. I look forward to his writing everyday. With the likelihood of baseball being played in 2020 becoming bleaker with each passing day, I have been baseball heavy in my reading choices. And as I have enjoyed Posnanski’s writing, I decided to pick up his book on the Negro Leagues and was treated to a gem of a book.
The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues. Major League Baseball chose to become white only as early as the 1880s, necessitating a Negro Leagues in the first place. Some of the top players in those leagues may well have been as good if not better than stars Babe Ruth and Cy Young. Sadly, because Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, Double Duty Radcliffe, et al were never given an opportunity to play in the Major Leagues, people will never know how valid these claims are. Until 1947, the Negro Leagues remained a separate entity, and, according to the few left who played, might have been of higher quality than the Majors. Other than a few exhibitions each year, the Leagues never crossed paths. Babe Ruth advocated for the Negros; most stars did if it meant an extra chance to win a pennant. With white supremacist commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis in charge of the majors until after World War II, integration during the Negro League’s heyday was not even a kernel of an idea. So the Negro Leagues endured for better or worse.
No former player or coach embodied the spirit of the Negro Leagues better than Buck O’Neil, player and later manager of the famed Kansas City Monarchs teams that served as a gateway to the Majors. O’Neil and Posnanski crossed paths on a number of occasions with both hailing from Kansas City. Posnanski had already written other books at the time but was given the idea to write a book about O’Neil, a living history museum of a person. What ensued was Posnanski following O’Neil across the United States for a better part of two years as he engaged Americans on the Negro Leagues and it’s players and history. The result was a treasure trove of stories and advice from a nonagenarian with a sharp memory who saw the country change, in his words for the better, before his very eyes. Buck O’Neil was married to baseball, and his love for the Negro Leagues flows from these pages. O’Neil noted that the two very best things are baseball and jazz, and baseball played by the Negro Leaguers was a sort of jazz of its own, music played on the basepaths. Posnanski was privileged to be in the presence of this living legend and preserve more of his story.
Buck O’Neil had a story for each player and city and spot on his travels. His Nancy story had been told over 10,000 times, and he always stopped for a woman in a red dress. In his heart, he believed that Negro Leaguers belonged in the hall of fame, even if advocating for others came at the expense of himself. O’Neil long stopped going to funerals because he was the longest living teammate and always asked to speak, and at his age this tugged on his heart. What he enjoyed was a day at the ballpark because he never thought the game changed, just the people playing it. As long as he got his ice cream and crackerjack, O’Neil was a happy man. O’Neil was the first black coach in the major leagues and later a scout for the Cubs. He scouted multiple hall of famers and saved many careers. Generations of African American stars owe their career to him, and many revere him even more than Jackie Robinson whose memory fades farther into the past. This is why I read of old time players, O’Neil, the Negro Leagues, and others from generations gone by so that those special memories and stories do not fade away and stay at the forefront of our collective psyches.
Buck O’Neil lived to be nearly ninety five years old. A special party was planned in his honor but sadly he did not make it to see the day. O’Neil and his wife of fifty one years Ora Lee never had children, so O’Neil lovingly referred to Posnanski as his son and permitted him in his hospital room in his last moments. Sadly, O’Neil never saw this book come to fruition, but Posnanski notes that O’Neil would not have been sad. He always said “good black don’t crack” and never regretted a long life lived. O’Neil is one of the speakers on Ken Burns’ baseball documentary, describing both the Negro Leagues and African Americans who helped to integrate the majors. Posnanski has provided baseball fans starving for game action with a more intimate look at one of the game’s treasures. Buck O’Neil embodied the Negro Leagues and was indeed his own Hall of Fame.
4.5 stars
The year 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues. Major League Baseball chose to become white only as early as the 1880s, necessitating a Negro Leagues in the first place. Some of the top players in those leagues may well have been as good if not better than stars Babe Ruth and Cy Young. Sadly, because Cool Papa Bell, Josh Gibson, Double Duty Radcliffe, et al were never given an opportunity to play in the Major Leagues, people will never know how valid these claims are. Until 1947, the Negro Leagues remained a separate entity, and, according to the few left who played, might have been of higher quality than the Majors. Other than a few exhibitions each year, the Leagues never crossed paths. Babe Ruth advocated for the Negros; most stars did if it meant an extra chance to win a pennant. With white supremacist commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis in charge of the majors until after World War II, integration during the Negro League’s heyday was not even a kernel of an idea. So the Negro Leagues endured for better or worse.
No former player or coach embodied the spirit of the Negro Leagues better than Buck O’Neil, player and later manager of the famed Kansas City Monarchs teams that served as a gateway to the Majors. O’Neil and Posnanski crossed paths on a number of occasions with both hailing from Kansas City. Posnanski had already written other books at the time but was given the idea to write a book about O’Neil, a living history museum of a person. What ensued was Posnanski following O’Neil across the United States for a better part of two years as he engaged Americans on the Negro Leagues and it’s players and history. The result was a treasure trove of stories and advice from a nonagenarian with a sharp memory who saw the country change, in his words for the better, before his very eyes. Buck O’Neil was married to baseball, and his love for the Negro Leagues flows from these pages. O’Neil noted that the two very best things are baseball and jazz, and baseball played by the Negro Leaguers was a sort of jazz of its own, music played on the basepaths. Posnanski was privileged to be in the presence of this living legend and preserve more of his story.
Buck O’Neil had a story for each player and city and spot on his travels. His Nancy story had been told over 10,000 times, and he always stopped for a woman in a red dress. In his heart, he believed that Negro Leaguers belonged in the hall of fame, even if advocating for others came at the expense of himself. O’Neil long stopped going to funerals because he was the longest living teammate and always asked to speak, and at his age this tugged on his heart. What he enjoyed was a day at the ballpark because he never thought the game changed, just the people playing it. As long as he got his ice cream and crackerjack, O’Neil was a happy man. O’Neil was the first black coach in the major leagues and later a scout for the Cubs. He scouted multiple hall of famers and saved many careers. Generations of African American stars owe their career to him, and many revere him even more than Jackie Robinson whose memory fades farther into the past. This is why I read of old time players, O’Neil, the Negro Leagues, and others from generations gone by so that those special memories and stories do not fade away and stay at the forefront of our collective psyches.
Buck O’Neil lived to be nearly ninety five years old. A special party was planned in his honor but sadly he did not make it to see the day. O’Neil and his wife of fifty one years Ora Lee never had children, so O’Neil lovingly referred to Posnanski as his son and permitted him in his hospital room in his last moments. Sadly, O’Neil never saw this book come to fruition, but Posnanski notes that O’Neil would not have been sad. He always said “good black don’t crack” and never regretted a long life lived. O’Neil is one of the speakers on Ken Burns’ baseball documentary, describing both the Negro Leagues and African Americans who helped to integrate the majors. Posnanski has provided baseball fans starving for game action with a more intimate look at one of the game’s treasures. Buck O’Neil embodied the Negro Leagues and was indeed his own Hall of Fame.
4.5 stars
January 13, 2025
Joe Posnanski is a sports writer, but not your average sports writer. In his enthusiasms and lineage, I would put him with the likes of Red Barber and Jim Murray. He tells a story better than most and he has a sense of the larger impacts of sports. Though I have read other stuff by Posnanski, this book is special. It’s both a look at the last living player who was a star with the famous Kansas City Monarchs, and his experiences in the USA after that baseball life was over.
"“Nobody has written a book about what the Negro Leagues were really like.” I think he meant: Nobody had written a book that saw the Negro Leagues and baseball and life through his eyes. When I looked at baseball as a middle-aged sportswriter, I could not help but see steroid hearings and high salaries and expensive tickets and mounting arrogance and an Ayn Rand sensibility that tilts the game to the rich and powerful and the Yankees and leaves the poorest teams, like Buck’s beloved Kansas City Royals, standing in the cold with their noses pressed against windows. I couldn’t help but believe that in some ways baseball and life used to be better."
Posnanski is very careful never to conflate his views with those offered by O’Neil.
"“We had become conditioned to racism,” Buck said. “Hatred will steal your heart, man. You don’t have any fight left in you. You accept what’s around you. That’s what this country was like. We thought it would change someday. We just waited for it to change.” Only he did not say it quite like that. He said it like this: Hatred will steal your heart. Don’t have any fight left. Accept what’s around you. That’s what this country was like. Thought it would change someday. Waited for it to change. By then I knew what this book would be about."
"“Music can’t be racist,” Buck said as The Orchestra Hour weakened into static. “I don’t care what. It’s like baseball. Baseball is not racist. Were there racist ballplayers? Of course. The mediocre ones…. They were worried about their jobs. They knew that when black players started getting into the Major Leagues, they would go, and they were scared. “But we never had any trouble with the real baseball players. The great players. No, to them it was all about one thing. Can he play? That was it. Can he play?”"
"You’ve got one guy, Clemens, he’s all power. You got the other guy, Maddux, and he just knows how to pitch, throw a strike on the corner, throw another one on the corner, yeah, just knows how to pitch. What are you talking about better? They’re both great, outstanding, Hall of Fame pitchers.” I rephrased the question. “Buck,” I said, “if you were the manager, which of them would you pitch in the seventh game in the World Series?” “Well,” Buck said, “when you put it that way, I’d have to go with Roger.”"
Every facet of baseball is fair game as these two: travel together; eat together; watch games (not all major league games) together. “Baseball families” are discussed (and the Hairston family was a surprise to me). Steroids are on the table (and O’Neil’s take might surprise you). There was advice given and advice taken. There are stories of players; stories of places; and stories about what was the Negro League. But mostly, there is the infectious joy that Buck O’Neil carries with him and how much the fans around him were susceptible to it.
5*
"“Nobody has written a book about what the Negro Leagues were really like.” I think he meant: Nobody had written a book that saw the Negro Leagues and baseball and life through his eyes. When I looked at baseball as a middle-aged sportswriter, I could not help but see steroid hearings and high salaries and expensive tickets and mounting arrogance and an Ayn Rand sensibility that tilts the game to the rich and powerful and the Yankees and leaves the poorest teams, like Buck’s beloved Kansas City Royals, standing in the cold with their noses pressed against windows. I couldn’t help but believe that in some ways baseball and life used to be better."
Posnanski is very careful never to conflate his views with those offered by O’Neil.
"“We had become conditioned to racism,” Buck said. “Hatred will steal your heart, man. You don’t have any fight left in you. You accept what’s around you. That’s what this country was like. We thought it would change someday. We just waited for it to change.” Only he did not say it quite like that. He said it like this: Hatred will steal your heart. Don’t have any fight left. Accept what’s around you. That’s what this country was like. Thought it would change someday. Waited for it to change. By then I knew what this book would be about."
"“Music can’t be racist,” Buck said as The Orchestra Hour weakened into static. “I don’t care what. It’s like baseball. Baseball is not racist. Were there racist ballplayers? Of course. The mediocre ones…. They were worried about their jobs. They knew that when black players started getting into the Major Leagues, they would go, and they were scared. “But we never had any trouble with the real baseball players. The great players. No, to them it was all about one thing. Can he play? That was it. Can he play?”"
"You’ve got one guy, Clemens, he’s all power. You got the other guy, Maddux, and he just knows how to pitch, throw a strike on the corner, throw another one on the corner, yeah, just knows how to pitch. What are you talking about better? They’re both great, outstanding, Hall of Fame pitchers.” I rephrased the question. “Buck,” I said, “if you were the manager, which of them would you pitch in the seventh game in the World Series?” “Well,” Buck said, “when you put it that way, I’d have to go with Roger.”"
Every facet of baseball is fair game as these two: travel together; eat together; watch games (not all major league games) together. “Baseball families” are discussed (and the Hairston family was a surprise to me). Steroids are on the table (and O’Neil’s take might surprise you). There was advice given and advice taken. There are stories of players; stories of places; and stories about what was the Negro League. But mostly, there is the infectious joy that Buck O’Neil carries with him and how much the fans around him were susceptible to it.
5*
July 30, 2015
This is an absolutely phenomenal book--Posnanski is a masterful writer. I reviewed this for Kirkus when it came out: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
November 2, 2007
Kansas City sports writer follows Negro Leagues legend, Buck O'Neil, for a year across the country. It's a fabulous, bittersweet biography of sorts of O'Neil and the League itself. The bitterness comes from the reader as you read all the hardships and slights that black players endured to simply play the game. However, O'Neil is nothing but a gut-bucket Zen philosopher throughout the entire journey. So, while parts of it will definitely anger you, O'Neil's spirit is nothing short of awe-inspiring. You really can't help but be touched by the experience of reading this book. I really wish I would've gotten to meet him while he was still alive.
July 16, 2017
This is a really important book about keeping the memory and history of the Negro Leagues alive, but instead of trying to recap the book or Buck O'Neil's stories, I'll leave you with two quotes in O'Neil's own words:
Before Jackie Robinson, there were men who played baseball. And we were good... People who saw us, man, we could play. We made a difference in this world.
What did I tell you? People say baseball's dead. Baseball doesn't die. People die. Baseball lives on.
Before Jackie Robinson, there were men who played baseball. And we were good... People who saw us, man, we could play. We made a difference in this world.
What did I tell you? People say baseball's dead. Baseball doesn't die. People die. Baseball lives on.
May 22, 2024
Buck O'Neil personified grace and courage, and a wonderful sense of humor, throughout his life. "The Soul of Baseball" is a superb read about Negro League baseball in segregated America.
Read
December 21, 2024Good teachers know that the most effective lessons are delivered wrapped in stories, with humor and a clear expression of how and why the lesson is personally relevant to the learner. Buck O’Neil knew all of that intuitively, and Joe Posnanski knows it too.
Buck O’Neil was a long-time Negro Leagues player and manager who became the first Black coach in Major League Baseball. O’Neil was also one of the best major league scouts. In his nineties, O’Neil became an ambassador for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, traveling all over the country telling stories and explaining the important role of the Negro Leagues in both baseball history and American history.
Author Joe Posnanski–the best baseball writer working today, in my opinion–traveled with Buck O’Neil for a year as he visited ballparks large and small, classrooms, small-town celebrations, talk shows, and dinners to raise awareness of the Negro Leagues and the nascent museum. Of course, O’Neil charmed everyone everywhere with his infinite positivity, sincerity, warmth, and baseball knowledge. The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O’Neil’s America is the story of that year.
As Buck O’Neil signs autographs, poses for pictures, and spins his tales, he always shows how much he cares about his mission and his listeners. His listeners include shock deejays in New York, former Negro Leagues players such as Willie Mays and Lou Brock, a child meeting a Black person for the first time, and a sad-looking woman who enters an elevator and encounters Buck. O’Neil leaves each person feeling a little better about themselves and with a kernel of his wisdom that they can take forward.
The lessons delivered so effectively in The Soul of Baseball involve baseball and the Negro Leagues, but more importantly they teach about resilience, positivity, and embracing life’s obstacles as opportunities. The Soul of Baseball is now one of my favorite baseball books, and I recommend it not just to baseball fans but to anyone who enjoys inspirational, motivating books.
Buck O’Neil was a long-time Negro Leagues player and manager who became the first Black coach in Major League Baseball. O’Neil was also one of the best major league scouts. In his nineties, O’Neil became an ambassador for the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, traveling all over the country telling stories and explaining the important role of the Negro Leagues in both baseball history and American history.
Author Joe Posnanski–the best baseball writer working today, in my opinion–traveled with Buck O’Neil for a year as he visited ballparks large and small, classrooms, small-town celebrations, talk shows, and dinners to raise awareness of the Negro Leagues and the nascent museum. Of course, O’Neil charmed everyone everywhere with his infinite positivity, sincerity, warmth, and baseball knowledge. The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O’Neil’s America is the story of that year.
As Buck O’Neil signs autographs, poses for pictures, and spins his tales, he always shows how much he cares about his mission and his listeners. His listeners include shock deejays in New York, former Negro Leagues players such as Willie Mays and Lou Brock, a child meeting a Black person for the first time, and a sad-looking woman who enters an elevator and encounters Buck. O’Neil leaves each person feeling a little better about themselves and with a kernel of his wisdom that they can take forward.
The lessons delivered so effectively in The Soul of Baseball involve baseball and the Negro Leagues, but more importantly they teach about resilience, positivity, and embracing life’s obstacles as opportunities. The Soul of Baseball is now one of my favorite baseball books, and I recommend it not just to baseball fans but to anyone who enjoys inspirational, motivating books.
May 16, 2015
To begin with: if you are a fan of baseball, you should read this book.
If you are a fan of Civil Rights, you should probably read this book.
This book made me smile on one page and cry on the next. It made me completely indignant about all of the injustices in the world, all of the unspeakably horrible things that happen in the tiniest actions (or inactions), and yet it left me unable to be truly angry about them - because that is the lesson of Buck O'Neil: How not to be bitter.
This book is incredibly well-written, and I am surprised I haven't heard (more?) about it before now. I have to applaud Joe Posnanski for his handling of the subject matter. I found it remarkable that he managed to introduce himself and his purpose at the beginning of the book, and then completely disappear from the narrative. It is essentially omniscient, unbiased journalism (as if such a thing existed; and anyway of course it is skewed in O'Neil's favor). And then at the end he reappears, as he should, representing the feelings of pretty much everyone with his indignation, and closing the book appropriately.
And then there is the seamless way in which Posnanski occasionally incorporates the lyrics of the great jazz standards into his prose.
I am so glad that the New York Times published an article about the Negro Leagues Museum, and that I read it, and that I then planned a weekend (baseball) trip to Kansas City. Not sure when I would have gotten around to this book, if not for the trip. Not even sure I would have heard of it.
This review isn't doing this book any justice. Just read it already.
If you are a fan of Civil Rights, you should probably read this book.
This book made me smile on one page and cry on the next. It made me completely indignant about all of the injustices in the world, all of the unspeakably horrible things that happen in the tiniest actions (or inactions), and yet it left me unable to be truly angry about them - because that is the lesson of Buck O'Neil: How not to be bitter.
This book is incredibly well-written, and I am surprised I haven't heard (more?) about it before now. I have to applaud Joe Posnanski for his handling of the subject matter. I found it remarkable that he managed to introduce himself and his purpose at the beginning of the book, and then completely disappear from the narrative. It is essentially omniscient, unbiased journalism (as if such a thing existed; and anyway of course it is skewed in O'Neil's favor). And then at the end he reappears, as he should, representing the feelings of pretty much everyone with his indignation, and closing the book appropriately.
And then there is the seamless way in which Posnanski occasionally incorporates the lyrics of the great jazz standards into his prose.
I am so glad that the New York Times published an article about the Negro Leagues Museum, and that I read it, and that I then planned a weekend (baseball) trip to Kansas City. Not sure when I would have gotten around to this book, if not for the trip. Not even sure I would have heard of it.
This review isn't doing this book any justice. Just read it already.
March 20, 2012
I love baseball. I love Buck O'Neil. Sadly, I did not love this baseball book about Buck O'Neil. As much as I was looking forward to getting into some really good baseball stories from a guy who really lived it I was left wanting. The book got such good ratings for its writing, but almost all of the chapters followed the same script! Buck and I go to a game honoring former Negro League ballplayers. Buck smiles as he autographs baseballs. Another Negro League player complains about how he was treated. Buck is positive and says it wasn't so bad. Buck takes pictures with a lady...if she's pretty he holds her a little longer. Buck gets tired. Buck reminisces on the way back to the hotel. Now, I will admit I felt for the old man as he became aware that he would not be elected into the Hall of Fame after doing so much for all the other Negro League players who did, remaining positive the whole time. A real-life travesty! At some point in the future I intend to read Buck's biography. Maybe it'll be about baseball.
January 22, 2024
This book left me feeling many different ways. At first enraged and sad. For a black man who faced all kinds of injustices his whole life, getting voted into the hall of fame at age 94, seemed like the least Buck was owed, and yet injustice struck again.
I think Buck’s story mirrors the story of the negro leagues that he describes. We can look at Buck and see injustice, but we can also see the beauty that was his life. He was a ballplayer, advocate, and friend who was bitterless despite all of the affliction. This is how he wants us to see the negro leagues too. Not as a secondary league to the pros or as a form of injustice, though the latter is true, but as a league with real men living real lives, playing ball just as well as any other man and having fun while doing it.
Great book that’s helping to tell the stories of players that have been lost in history!
I think Buck’s story mirrors the story of the negro leagues that he describes. We can look at Buck and see injustice, but we can also see the beauty that was his life. He was a ballplayer, advocate, and friend who was bitterless despite all of the affliction. This is how he wants us to see the negro leagues too. Not as a secondary league to the pros or as a form of injustice, though the latter is true, but as a league with real men living real lives, playing ball just as well as any other man and having fun while doing it.
Great book that’s helping to tell the stories of players that have been lost in history!
September 1, 2018
A fascinating story about Buck O’Neill the baseball player and arguably the game’s greatest ambassador. The book covers Buck’s travels around America in support of the Negro League Hall of Fame and anything baseball related. The events take place when O’Neill was 93 and the book’s narrative ends a year or so later when Buck dies at 94. The Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously created an annual Buck O’Neill ambassador award.
Posnanski is a award winning KC sportswriter. To write this book, with O’Neill’s blessing, he spent more than year traveling with Buck O’Neill to events and speaking engagements.
First off, if you have ever seen Ken Burn’s baseball mini series then you know who Buck O’Neill is. Quite simply one of the sunniest and best story tellers around. A man who was an all star in the Negro Leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs, later a manager, scout, ambassador and was instrumental in establishing the Negro League Hall of Fame in KC. An extraordinary person.
Secondly, this book is poignant and as much a story about a very elderly man reminiscing about life, his deceased wife and of course baseball. Posnanski show us how grueling this frenzied schedule was for O’Neill. At 93 as he spent less than two months out of the year at his home and most of the other ten months on the road in hotels. Although this is what O’Neill wanted and he always attempted to brighten others lives, behind the scenes O’Neill often only attend an inning of a game or less than an hour at an event before having to retire to the hotel due to exhaustion. There simply aren’t many books about very elderly people who still are in control of their lives and making such huge impacts on others lives.
The tearjerker moment of the book came when O’Neill was told he might be inducted into the hall and a decision on the year’s batch of old timer selections was forthcoming at noon the next day. Many hall of famers gathered with Buck to hear the news. The grace with which O’Neill dealt with the disappointment of not being selected was a tribute to his character as he applauded all of his contemporaries that were selected and there were many that year. There was universal outrage in the sports community that Buck was skipped over again. The book more or less ends here aside from an epilogue around his passing and the posthumous award.
I would have rated the book five stars if Posnanski had written a more straight up biography, but he felt that Buck’s autobiography already dealt with the early years.
Still one of the more touching books that I have read for the reasons previously mentioned. I don’t think one has to be a baseball fan to like this book, although it helps to know who many of the old negro league players are.
Posnanski is a award winning KC sportswriter. To write this book, with O’Neill’s blessing, he spent more than year traveling with Buck O’Neill to events and speaking engagements.
First off, if you have ever seen Ken Burn’s baseball mini series then you know who Buck O’Neill is. Quite simply one of the sunniest and best story tellers around. A man who was an all star in the Negro Leagues for the Kansas City Monarchs, later a manager, scout, ambassador and was instrumental in establishing the Negro League Hall of Fame in KC. An extraordinary person.
Secondly, this book is poignant and as much a story about a very elderly man reminiscing about life, his deceased wife and of course baseball. Posnanski show us how grueling this frenzied schedule was for O’Neill. At 93 as he spent less than two months out of the year at his home and most of the other ten months on the road in hotels. Although this is what O’Neill wanted and he always attempted to brighten others lives, behind the scenes O’Neill often only attend an inning of a game or less than an hour at an event before having to retire to the hotel due to exhaustion. There simply aren’t many books about very elderly people who still are in control of their lives and making such huge impacts on others lives.
The tearjerker moment of the book came when O’Neill was told he might be inducted into the hall and a decision on the year’s batch of old timer selections was forthcoming at noon the next day. Many hall of famers gathered with Buck to hear the news. The grace with which O’Neill dealt with the disappointment of not being selected was a tribute to his character as he applauded all of his contemporaries that were selected and there were many that year. There was universal outrage in the sports community that Buck was skipped over again. The book more or less ends here aside from an epilogue around his passing and the posthumous award.
I would have rated the book five stars if Posnanski had written a more straight up biography, but he felt that Buck’s autobiography already dealt with the early years.
Still one of the more touching books that I have read for the reasons previously mentioned. I don’t think one has to be a baseball fan to like this book, although it helps to know who many of the old negro league players are.
December 12, 2023
In the legendary history of baseball, few legends loom larger than Babe Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle, Aaron, and a few select others. But, for a long time, a different group of legends played far removed from the spotlight that Major League Baseball could provide, and they did so for the most obvious and hateful of reasons. The Negro Leagues were the only outlet for Black players until Jackie Robinson broke the color line in 1947, and even then full equality remained (and remains) elusive in our American life. Buck O'Neil was one of the stars of the Negro Leagues, and his lifelong quest to have his fellow players acknowledged by the greater public informed his almost ninety-four years on this planet.
"The Soul of Baseball" by Joe Posnanski isn't a biography of O'Neil, but the story of one year in which the journalist and the ball player spent time traveling together to spread the word about the special players of that long-ago league. Buck knew everyone, from Josh Gibson to Henry Aaron and Willie Mays, and his own story is a compelling look at the ways in which one man was able to stand up to racism in his time without losing his joy in life.
Buck was a very good player, but an even better manager, in the Negro Leagues, and he made it to the Majors as a coach (he should've been the first Black manager, but MLB wasn't "ready" for that in the Fifties and Sixties). With Posnanski at his side, Buck travels the country to talk about the Negro Leagues museum in Kansas City, and also to inspire everyday people around him with his unfailingly positive outlook on life. Buck isn't naive, by any stretch; more than most, he can remember the virulent racism of his day as well as see how, as much as things have changed, we still have a long way to go. But Buck O'Neil, in this penultimate year of his long life, has no time for bitterness or regret. He has to see about efforts to make sure that people know the real story of the Negro Leagues.
This is a beautiful book, informed by Buck's wisdom and his heart. It is a lovely tribute to a man who had so much denied to him, but who survived nonetheless. And it helps to tell the uncomfortable story of how racism has shaped American history while recognizing one of those who didn't let it destroy him. "The Soul of Baseball" is just a warm, wonderful book.
"The Soul of Baseball" by Joe Posnanski isn't a biography of O'Neil, but the story of one year in which the journalist and the ball player spent time traveling together to spread the word about the special players of that long-ago league. Buck knew everyone, from Josh Gibson to Henry Aaron and Willie Mays, and his own story is a compelling look at the ways in which one man was able to stand up to racism in his time without losing his joy in life.
Buck was a very good player, but an even better manager, in the Negro Leagues, and he made it to the Majors as a coach (he should've been the first Black manager, but MLB wasn't "ready" for that in the Fifties and Sixties). With Posnanski at his side, Buck travels the country to talk about the Negro Leagues museum in Kansas City, and also to inspire everyday people around him with his unfailingly positive outlook on life. Buck isn't naive, by any stretch; more than most, he can remember the virulent racism of his day as well as see how, as much as things have changed, we still have a long way to go. But Buck O'Neil, in this penultimate year of his long life, has no time for bitterness or regret. He has to see about efforts to make sure that people know the real story of the Negro Leagues.
This is a beautiful book, informed by Buck's wisdom and his heart. It is a lovely tribute to a man who had so much denied to him, but who survived nonetheless. And it helps to tell the uncomfortable story of how racism has shaped American history while recognizing one of those who didn't let it destroy him. "The Soul of Baseball" is just a warm, wonderful book.
June 16, 2020
I've tried so many times to pull together my thoughts on this book. This book is told in a series of stories over the course of a year the author spent with Buck O'Neil. Together they traveled the country as Buck spoke at schools and various events, about baseball, the Negro Leagues, coaching, and ultimately life.
I love baseball in a life-long obsessive, intense joy kind of way. I knew as soon as I started I would enjoy this book, but the final 1/3 or so snowballed into a can't put it down fantastic book that I immediately shoved into my husband's hands (and he's reading it).
I loved the baseball aspects of this book, of course, but it ended up being so much more.
A book about racial injustice through the lens of the great American pastime.
A book about the power of our stories and sharing them with each other.
A book about kindness, forgiveness, and love in action.
A book about life, grief, dreams, and legacy.
And baseball.
Maybe I've sparked your interest. If so, I'd love to hear what you think when you read it. And huge gratitude to Melodee @captivethoughtbooks for recommending this to me many months ago. I'm so glad I bought my own copy.
I love baseball in a life-long obsessive, intense joy kind of way. I knew as soon as I started I would enjoy this book, but the final 1/3 or so snowballed into a can't put it down fantastic book that I immediately shoved into my husband's hands (and he's reading it).
I loved the baseball aspects of this book, of course, but it ended up being so much more.
A book about racial injustice through the lens of the great American pastime.
A book about the power of our stories and sharing them with each other.
A book about kindness, forgiveness, and love in action.
A book about life, grief, dreams, and legacy.
And baseball.
Maybe I've sparked your interest. If so, I'd love to hear what you think when you read it. And huge gratitude to Melodee @captivethoughtbooks for recommending this to me many months ago. I'm so glad I bought my own copy.
January 30, 2019
Wonderful story about what turned out to be the last year of Buck O'Neils life. The injustice and rejection the man faced in his life was over shadowed by his incredible attitude about life. This is only a brief statement of the power of this book.
April 24, 2024
Hard to describe...not a baseball book, not a biography, not a Negro Leagues history. Beautiful, whatever it is.
December 24, 2021
Loved it! I'm a fairly casual sports fan, and I asked my brother-in-law for a sports book rec since I know there are plenty of good ones. He said this is his favorite book of all time, and it's easy to see why. Buck's story is complex and inspiring, and his general attitude about life just makes me feel good. Very optimistic, even though he and his fellow black players in the Negro Leagues were openly discriminated against and forced to suffer all kinds of indignity and injustice. Even though the current day players are paid far more, and even after steroid use rocked the sport, Buck kept up with his refrain that baseball hasn't changed, we've changed.
Buck spent a huge part of the latter years of his life tirelessly championing the inimitable talents of the Negro League, and did everything he could to get them into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Some of the other Negro League players became bitter after all the hardships they endured, but Buck always felt lucky that he was able to play baseball for a living.
Beautiful story, beautifully told, highly recommend for fans of baseball or fans of fantastic stories.
Buck spent a huge part of the latter years of his life tirelessly championing the inimitable talents of the Negro League, and did everything he could to get them into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Some of the other Negro League players became bitter after all the hardships they endured, but Buck always felt lucky that he was able to play baseball for a living.
Beautiful story, beautifully told, highly recommend for fans of baseball or fans of fantastic stories.
August 15, 2024
If you love baseball, you need to read this book! I would recommend it even if you don't love baseball. It tells such an over-arching story about the back roads of our country, including the good, the bad, and the very bad. But to the main character, Buck O'Neil, he seemed to find the good even in the very bad. This was a fun, enjoyable and entertaining read!
December 7, 2022
One of the best books I've read in a long time! Every chapter made me cry. Buck O'Neil was a gift.
February 28, 2011
Now that I’ve finished reading it, I can’t really classify The Soul of Baseball. It’s not really a baseball book. It’s certainly not a biography. I can’t even say it’s a portrait of a man. The Soul of Baseball is so much more than any of that. I guess that, more than anything, I can call it a gift. A gift. Yes. I like that.
The Soul of Baseball is the result of sportswriter Joe Posnanski spending a little more than a year traveling the United States with Buck O’Neil. Buck, a man I’ve never met but felt like I’ve known my whole life, was widely known as America’s ambassador to baseball and, especially, the Negro Leagues. Although he never played in the Major Leagues, Buck O’Neil was the first Black man to coach at that level. He was also a longtime scout. More importantly, though, he was a fun, charismatic, and loveable guy who made you laugh, cry, and think.
At the book begins, Buck is 93 going on 94, and still maintaining a full schedule of promotions, interviews, public appearances, and campaigning on behalf of other former Negro League players for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Posnanski does an excellent job of weaving poignant stories from O’Neil’s past into the present day’s story. There are also references to past stars like Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Ernie Banks, and others. And it all seems natural—because it is all natural.
Posnanski shows Buck to be an example of how free and easy a man can live when he doesn’t hold onto the negatives in life. By painting the portrait of O’Neil that we see in The Soul of Baseball, we readers can see how much our burdens bring us down. And Buck shows us that we don’t have to be that way.
Going in, I knew how the story would end. Still, The Soul of Baseball made me feel good. Buck O’Neil’s words and life are good life lessons that come across in an impactful way without the slightest bit of preaching. The further I read, I kept thinking that I want to have that man’s disposition when I get that old.
The Soul of Baseball was an excellent, excellent read. I’m pretty sure I’ll reread this one every couple of years for the rest of my life. You should, too.
The Soul of Baseball is the result of sportswriter Joe Posnanski spending a little more than a year traveling the United States with Buck O’Neil. Buck, a man I’ve never met but felt like I’ve known my whole life, was widely known as America’s ambassador to baseball and, especially, the Negro Leagues. Although he never played in the Major Leagues, Buck O’Neil was the first Black man to coach at that level. He was also a longtime scout. More importantly, though, he was a fun, charismatic, and loveable guy who made you laugh, cry, and think.
At the book begins, Buck is 93 going on 94, and still maintaining a full schedule of promotions, interviews, public appearances, and campaigning on behalf of other former Negro League players for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Posnanski does an excellent job of weaving poignant stories from O’Neil’s past into the present day’s story. There are also references to past stars like Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Ernie Banks, and others. And it all seems natural—because it is all natural.
Posnanski shows Buck to be an example of how free and easy a man can live when he doesn’t hold onto the negatives in life. By painting the portrait of O’Neil that we see in The Soul of Baseball, we readers can see how much our burdens bring us down. And Buck shows us that we don’t have to be that way.
Going in, I knew how the story would end. Still, The Soul of Baseball made me feel good. Buck O’Neil’s words and life are good life lessons that come across in an impactful way without the slightest bit of preaching. The further I read, I kept thinking that I want to have that man’s disposition when I get that old.
The Soul of Baseball was an excellent, excellent read. I’m pretty sure I’ll reread this one every couple of years for the rest of my life. You should, too.
July 1, 2024
I just loved this book. Buck O'Neil was a good baseball player. More importantly, he was a great man. I was half in love with him by the end of the first chapter.
The author traveled with him for over a year, listening to his memories of the Negro Leagues and stories of the players. He said Buck was the most positive, life-affirming person he had ever known. When Buck was passed over for the Baseball Hall of Fame, his supporters were angry, and he was comforting THEM. Despite all the discrimination he had faced in his 94 years, "his optimism never failed him. Hope never left him. He always found good in people." "Where does bitterness take you? To a broken heart? To an early grave? When I die I want to die from natural causes. Not from hate Eating me up from the inside." "REPORTER: Really. Do you ever have a bad day? BUCK: No. There are no bad days. REPORTER: But you would have so much reason to be bitter…. BUCK: I stayed at some of the best hotels in the world. They just happened to be black hotels. I ate at some of the best restaurants in the world. They just happened to be black restaurants. In fact, those were better than most of the white restaurants because some of the best cooks in the world at that time were black. REPORTER: But I guess someone would say to you: How could you not hate? BUCK: Where does hate get you?"
The author traveled with him for over a year, listening to his memories of the Negro Leagues and stories of the players. He said Buck was the most positive, life-affirming person he had ever known. When Buck was passed over for the Baseball Hall of Fame, his supporters were angry, and he was comforting THEM. Despite all the discrimination he had faced in his 94 years, "his optimism never failed him. Hope never left him. He always found good in people." "Where does bitterness take you? To a broken heart? To an early grave? When I die I want to die from natural causes. Not from hate Eating me up from the inside." "REPORTER: Really. Do you ever have a bad day? BUCK: No. There are no bad days. REPORTER: But you would have so much reason to be bitter…. BUCK: I stayed at some of the best hotels in the world. They just happened to be black hotels. I ate at some of the best restaurants in the world. They just happened to be black restaurants. In fact, those were better than most of the white restaurants because some of the best cooks in the world at that time were black. REPORTER: But I guess someone would say to you: How could you not hate? BUCK: Where does hate get you?"
March 30, 2009
I bought this book a while ago. I really enjoy Posnanski's blog but I hadn't gotten around to reading the book. Well, I had kept it at work and was working late on an upgrade with some time to kill in the middle and it captured me so I had to read the whole thing pretty quickly.
The book is really just Joe following Buck O'Neil around for a while before Buck's death. But in the course of this he paints a wonderful picture of Buck O'Neil and what a good attitude he had despite what he went through. I'm sure Joe took some license with Buck as a character but if he was half as wonderful of a human being that he is portrayed as in the book he was still better than most. It was really hard not to get emotional reading about the stories and what Buck had been through even before I got to the ending I knew was coming. Knowing the end didn't make it easier, though.
I think if you have a heart you will enjoy this book. I'm sure that if you love baseball though, it will triple (Buck's favorite hit) your enjoyment of it. I would recommend it whole heartily to any baseball fan.
The book is really just Joe following Buck O'Neil around for a while before Buck's death. But in the course of this he paints a wonderful picture of Buck O'Neil and what a good attitude he had despite what he went through. I'm sure Joe took some license with Buck as a character but if he was half as wonderful of a human being that he is portrayed as in the book he was still better than most. It was really hard not to get emotional reading about the stories and what Buck had been through even before I got to the ending I knew was coming. Knowing the end didn't make it easier, though.
I think if you have a heart you will enjoy this book. I'm sure that if you love baseball though, it will triple (Buck's favorite hit) your enjoyment of it. I would recommend it whole heartily to any baseball fan.
March 21, 2023
“…
We were men
Flesh and blood
And we played baseball in the sunshine.
We hit doubles off the wall,
Slid hard into second base.
We had fights, and we made love.
We sang songs and prayed on Sundays.
Before games.
We were real. Yeah. We laughed and cried.
We felt pain. And we felt joy.
There was a lot wrong with the world.
But we weren’t sad, man.
We had the times of our lives.
…”
Join an award winning sportswriter as he travels with Buck O’Neil to various events and baseball games. Buck O’Neil recounts important Negro League players and stories and does so in heartwarming way. He holds a very reverential view of baseball and works hard to promote the game.
Buck O’Neil has a magical presence to those he encounters and is the epitome of the “glass half full” viewpoint.
Highly recommended.
We were men
Flesh and blood
And we played baseball in the sunshine.
We hit doubles off the wall,
Slid hard into second base.
We had fights, and we made love.
We sang songs and prayed on Sundays.
Before games.
We were real. Yeah. We laughed and cried.
We felt pain. And we felt joy.
There was a lot wrong with the world.
But we weren’t sad, man.
We had the times of our lives.
…”
Join an award winning sportswriter as he travels with Buck O’Neil to various events and baseball games. Buck O’Neil recounts important Negro League players and stories and does so in heartwarming way. He holds a very reverential view of baseball and works hard to promote the game.
Buck O’Neil has a magical presence to those he encounters and is the epitome of the “glass half full” viewpoint.
Highly recommended.
October 9, 2020
As a reporter covering professional baseball, I don't know nearly enough about the legacy and history of the Negro Leagues. This story, told through the eyes of a 94-year-old Buck O'Neil, both reminded me of that and helped begin to fill a significant knowledge gap. After finishing it, I immediately started reaching O'Neil, the Kansas City Monarchs and other texts I could use to deepen my understanding of what Black players of that time experienced. Also, it's hard to go wrong with Joe Posnanski.
December 17, 2013
Full review to come. A reader will always enjoy reading about Buck O'Neill.
September 28, 2021
An incredible read which lives, breathes, and jumps off the page with the kind of electricity Buck O'Neill lived. You can hear O'Neill's deep baritone and hearty laugh throughout, hearing tales from his life in and fighting for the memory of the Negro Leagues. Through these tales, O'Neill (and Posnanski in writing it all), serves a reminder that baseball was, and still is, a microcosm of America - in both its glory and ugliness. Buck O'Neill's attitude to hardship is admirable and inspiring, as is his tireless work to keep the story of the legends he played with alive. More than anything, his insistence in refusing to accept any sort of "second rate" moniker or associated pity for the Negro Leagues, just because they couldn't play in the Major Leagues, is a reminder that they were legends and heroes of their own merit. Their stories, and Buck O'Neill's story, deserves to stand tall on its own merit, with their triumphs, hardships, and failures alike. This truly is a wonderful book that I recommend to all.
December 21, 2023
I traveled to the Negro League Hall of Fame in Kansas City, MO this summer with our oldest son, who was heading to college a few weeks later. He has always loved sports history and especially the Negro Leagues. We had a wonderful visit to the Negro League Hall of Fame, and it was there that I first learned of Buck O’Neil. I was inspired by his tireless work to create the Negro League Hall of Fame in Kansas City where he played and later managed the Kansas City Monarchs, a Negro League team. After that visit, I wanted to know more about his life, which led me to this book. I LOVED it! What an amazing man! I was inspired by his positive outlook in life despite living through segregation in our country and in his beloved baseball. He looked for the good in others and encouraged others towards greatness. I wish I could have met him in real life. So thankful that he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (FINALLY!) in 2022–so deserving! Read this book!
February 24, 2025
4.5.
Great book. Ostensibly about the Negro Leagues, baseball, and Buck O'Neil, but really this book is about all those things and none of those things at the same time. It doesn't particularly focus on laying out the history of the Negro Leagues in detail, or Buck O'Neil's life. Rather, Joe Posnanski is content in letting us steep in the idea of baseball and the way it mirrors life. The way Poz writes make you feel like you know Buck personally; perhaps because we all know a "Buck" in our lives. In some ways, we're all like Buck. In other ways, he's more like a grandpa or elder relative we know (time for me to call my Grandma 🥺) While I still prefer his Baseball 100, I think this is a close second, and offers up another perspective of baseball, and life, to think about.
Great book. Ostensibly about the Negro Leagues, baseball, and Buck O'Neil, but really this book is about all those things and none of those things at the same time. It doesn't particularly focus on laying out the history of the Negro Leagues in detail, or Buck O'Neil's life. Rather, Joe Posnanski is content in letting us steep in the idea of baseball and the way it mirrors life. The way Poz writes make you feel like you know Buck personally; perhaps because we all know a "Buck" in our lives. In some ways, we're all like Buck. In other ways, he's more like a grandpa or elder relative we know (time for me to call my Grandma 🥺) While I still prefer his Baseball 100, I think this is a close second, and offers up another perspective of baseball, and life, to think about.
December 6, 2021
What an extraordinary person Buck O'Neil was! His warmth, charm and unfailing belief in seeing the good in everyone shine through Posnanski's story. I was delighted this morning, just as I had finished this book, to discover O'Neil has been been finally and belatedly awarded a place in the Hall of Fame.
The stories of the Negro League and the love of the game of baseball make this a wonderful read but the stories of the racism and discrimination are there too. Somehow O'Neil kept on smiling and thinking the best of his fellow men. I kept marveling - and feeling a little ashamed at how curmudgeonly I have become with much less cause!
The stories of the Negro League and the love of the game of baseball make this a wonderful read but the stories of the racism and discrimination are there too. Somehow O'Neil kept on smiling and thinking the best of his fellow men. I kept marveling - and feeling a little ashamed at how curmudgeonly I have become with much less cause!
June 29, 2020
Like most baseball fans I was introduced meaningfully to Buck O'Neil for the first time in Ken Burns's magisterial Baseball documentary. His wit, his optimism, and his love of the game sparkled on film. Posnanski lets the reader spend a few hundred pages with him. Sadly the book is crowned by Buck's disappointment at a HOF snub (it remains a snub, and should be rectified ASAP), but so much of it is the joy, the kindness, and the wisdom that he shares with his traveling companion, his friends, and everyone he meets. A delight to read.
July 26, 2020
It doesn't get much better than this. Buck O'Neil's life, like so many greats of any field, far surpasses a baseball story. He had so much hope in his life, and was THE ambassador of the Negro Leagues Museum as he told their stories. It's a civil rights story as much as baseball history, and O'Neil is a guy that crosses the aisle and appeals to the goodness in everyone.
I've read Posnanski's articles for years and he's always been at the top of the list for me, but I think this is the first book of his I'd read. Same idea as his articles - he's just a natural writer.
I've read Posnanski's articles for years and he's always been at the top of the list for me, but I think this is the first book of his I'd read. Same idea as his articles - he's just a natural writer.
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