Foul ball!: Five years in the American League

by Alison Gordon

Foul ball!: Five years in the American League

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Nonfiction, Memoir

204 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Alison Gordon was born in New York City. She spent her childhood in New York, Tokyo, Cairo and Rome because of her (Canadian) father's work with the United Nations. She attended Queen's University but left before completing her degree. Alison held various positions in television, radio and newspaper, including five years as a baseball writer for the Toronto Star (1979-1985). Foul Balls, her first book, details her experiences as the first woman to cover major league baseball. She has served on the boards of The Writers' Union, Crime Writers of Canada, PEN Canada, and the International Association of Crime Writers. She received the Citation of Merit for sports writing. She passed away in Toronto in 2015.

Series:
* Kate Henry Mystery

Reviews

[Dave Cottenie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most unassuming book that has been almost lost to time. The subject matter is unspectacular. However, Alison Gordon holds the distinction of being the first regular female beat writer in the American League. This idea brings a little curiosity to the title. Once a chapter in, the reader discovers the true beauty of the book. Alison Gordon (rest in peace) provides a near poetic style and the reader can’t help but smile while reading. One of the most well-written books I have ever read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one, and briefly met the author. Sort of. I recognized her, said hello, and she smiled, waved, and moved on already involved in conversation walking somewhere back years ago.
I read her book back in the '90s. or shortly after that, not long after my more active sports writing days.
She was a good writer. I hope to catch up on her other baseball-related fiction novels.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful read from start to finish. It was a pleasure and an honour to be invited into the Jays locker room in the early 1980s, and to be invited into Gordon’s mind as the first female Jays reporter. (On a grim note, so many of the disgusting behaviours she was faced with nearly 40 years ago ARE STILL going on today for female sports writers. Woof.) But read Foul Ball for the beautiful beautiful insight into the most beautiful beautiful sport, and also to support s trailblazer.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a strangely excellent book, with real humor and heart. I especially loved the chapter on the press box and on being the “token broad.” She just seemed like a fun and total no bullshit lady. I loved it, and am shocked it’s not more widely known!

[Erik Deckers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good baseball book from a Toronto Blue Jays beat writer and one of the first women baseball writers in the sport. Not one of my favorites, but still a topnotch book. Glad to have found it.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

BOTTOM-LINE:
Quite enjoyable
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
The first five years of the Blue Jays, as covered by a female sportswriter.
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WHAT I LIKED:
"Many thoughts assailed me. Sure, I had heard she was nice, came from a respectable family, etc., but we had never met before. What if I didn't like her in *that* way? After all, there's the question of chemistry. And she's an older woman. Worldly. Definitely been around the park a few times. And she's been known to have 9 guys at a time! Not to mention those wild stories of men in kilts. And then there's my side of things. What if there were things I didn't know? What were her expectations? After all, I'm not getting any younger, I was never a jock nor even a lay expert in this area, and I'm not very adventurous. Sure there was that fling with Roy McGregor but that was a father and son thing, not a stated preference. These thoughts and others assailed me as I plunged into a SPORTS book biography for the first time.
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Alison Gordon's coverage of the first five years of the Blue Jays is great. Not too sporty so that baseball plebes like me (who couldn't tell you the seven ways to get to first not including a single) can still follow; yet sporty enough so that baseball fans will still enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at the life of the (female) sportswriter and the lives of the Blue Jays. She covers the gamut from players to stadiums, and everything in between. "
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
In a few places, it seemed a bit superficial, more description than stepping back to analyse her own participation in the stories. Not major, just a small limitation.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I was not personal friends with the author, but I did interact with her online.

[Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. I bought it at our library sale. Alison Gordon covers her 5 years covering the Blue Jays. Nice viewpoints about baseball and people involved in the game. More realistic and enjoyable than many of the baseball books I have read.