Is This a Great Game, or What?: From A-Rod's Heart to Zim's Head--My 25 Years in Baseball

by Tim Kurkjian

ESPN's Tim Kurkjian has spent more than twenty-five years covering almost three thousand major league baseball games and interviewing about that many players, coaches, managers, and executives.

In Is This a Great Game, or What?, Kurkjian combines his years of experience, uncanny knowledge, and deep love of the game, to create a book filled with some of the most fascinating insight into Major League Baseball this side of Jim Bouton's bestseller, Ball Four . Whether he's explaining what goes through a ballplayer's mind when he faces a fastball in the chapter "My Face Was Crushed by a Bowling Ball Going 90 MPH," detailing bizarre rituals and superstitions performed by baseball's greatest players, or taking us into the locker room to see what transpires in the clubhouse of a major league team, Kurkjian's tales are at times hilarious, other times horrifying, yet always entertaining.

Kurkjian has spoken to some of the greatest ballplayers ever over the years, and they have revealed details about themselves and the game they love with a candor that readers won't find anywhere else. Filled with anecdotes and fascinating insights, this is an essential book for baseball fans or anyone curious about America's pastime.

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 16, 2007

Reviews

[Emily]

Ok, I adore Tim Kurkjian. And not just because he once CALLED ME PERSONALLY after I wrote him a letter. He is an insightful baseball mind who truly LOVES the game. He is so warm and enthusiastic about it. He is my favorite part of Baseball Tonight on ESPN.

(Ok, I know you didn't ask, but here's the story: At the Philly airport 3 years ago, while waiting to board a return flight, my sister and I struck up a conversation with an elderly lady. We made small talk, and she asked what I did for a living. I told her I was in sports marketing. She brightened and said "one of the boys in our neighborhood grew up to be a real sportscaster on TV!" In my head, I'm thinking, the local Maryland news station. She goes on and on about these boys who used to play in her yard. "The Kurkjians," she said. I said, "um, as in TIM Kurkjian?" She said "YES! Timmy Kurkjian! Do you know him?!" I laughed and said, "well not personally, but he's great on ESPN!" and we talked a few more minutes. As she was boarding her plane, she called out, "if you see him sometime, tell him Helen Hughes said hello!" Cutest EVER.
So I wrote Tim a letter about this experience and included my return work address. And one day, a couple months later, Tim Kurkjian CALLED ME AT WORK (he had to look up the general #, as I didn't include it on the letter) to THANK ME for writing and shared more about Mrs. Hughes. And he asked about my background in sports, and we chatted about baseball for about 10 minutes. He asked me if I traveled with my job much, and I said no, I didn't. And he said "well, if you're ever at an sports event, and you know I'm going to be there, please come over and say hello." NICE! NICE! NICE! So that's why I love Tim Kurkjian.)

Can't wait to pick up and absorb these great baseball stories.

[Agatha Donkar Lund · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is simultaneously pointless and incredibly wonderful; I mean, it's mostly 275 pages of Kurkjian telling baseball stories, which is, ultimately, pointless, but he's a good writer, funny and observant, and he tells stories on just about everybody in the major (and sometimes minor) leagues in the course of the book. Not a book to read if you want to be made to think or consider the greater implications of baseball, but funny and full of good stories.

(I'd have given Kurkjian four stars instead of three, because there are some stories in this that made me laugh so hard I cried, except that he spends a little too much time taking backhanded pot-shots at the Orioles' organization. Look, Tim, man: it is not the Orioles' fault that you were the beat writer for the Sun when the O's were really bad in the '80s. Seriously. I understand that it sucked, but I guarantee you, Tim, the Orioles didn't enjoy it any more than you did, and they probably enjoyed it A WHOLE LOT less. Same goes for the early '80s Rangers: stop being a dick to these clubs and acknowledge that you got your motherfrakking start writing about the really, really bad Orioles' team in '88. You owe them, man.)

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Baseball. It is my one true summertime love, and this book reinforced that through and through. Kurkjian has been covering baseball for twenty-five years in one way or another, and his deep love for the game is both evident and infectious. I especially loved the many references to early-1990s baseball (when Kurkjian was a beat writer) because that's when I was in my childhood baseball-loving prime, and so many of the player names are familiar and wonderful: Andy Van Slyke, Jim Deshaies, Roberto Alomar. These are guys I haven't thought about in years, but whom I loved in my childhood. Only in baseball.

This book is filled to capacity with wonderful anecdotes, witty commentary, and true insight which could only come from a lifetime following the game. It is impossible to be unaffected by Kurkjian's passion.

[Blake · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pure baseball homerness. Quick, easy, and will make you want baseball back in your life.

[Chickens McShitterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met Timmy K two years ago on the main drag through Cooperstown. He was delightful and humored my buddy Andy and me with baseball chatter.
He is basically an anthropomorphic baseball computer, and this book is stuffed with his love for the game and loads of uselessly idiotic stats, facts, and anecdotes. In other words, it is perfect.

[Timothy Diem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kurkjian has an encyclopedic brain when it comes to the game and the book comes off much like a conversation as he riffs from story to story dropping tidbits from the past as he goes. It may be that since this book was in my wheelhouse, as it were, TK telling stories centered on the guys I grew up watching, but I really enjoyed the walk down memory lane, wandering around as it went.

I do think the chapter on fear in big league players and the one in which he talks about what the competitive youth sports drive (because childhood isn't complete unless we are on ESPN in the Little League World Series) has done to the game are must reads for all that love the game.

If you were a fan in the 80s and 90s this is a must.

[Michael Thorn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluffy. Entertaining in places but not the best baseball book I've ever read.

[John Galluzzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great baseball books stand the test of time, as the game is one long continuum. Fans will always be able to relate to a good book on the sport. This one, though, made me pause to say, "Wait, when was this published?" Every reference to "today" felt just a little old. In the end, it's not a problem that I read it 17 years after it was printed. But it did give me a moment to pause and think about the time that has elapsed since it was written, and how much has changed within the sport.

There is no mention of COVID in this book.

This book predicts robo-umps.

So much fun.

Kurkjian groups his thoughts into themes, like the dangers of being hit by a baseball, spring training antics, etc., and creates giant Peter Gammons-style notes columns to form each chapter. They flow, rapidly, through the stories of numerous characters, most of whom you'll remember, others for whom you'll have to dig. And there is great humor - uniquely baseball humor - embedded in each chapter. My favorite story, by far, is of the coaches who got to fly a blimp during spring training just for fun, and when they flew it over the players' lodging they caught them boozing on the roof. So they yelled at them, right then and there. From the blimp.

When it came out, this book was up-to-the-minute, but now it's nostalgic. Either way is fine by me. Baseball has been a lifelong passion for me, and any such collection of stories will always make me smile.

[Allie Bayer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had a lot of good in it. (So much good.) I love Tim’s love of the game; it shone in these pages and within the stories and that was great. I loved the “behind the scenes” stories and player anecdotes. I enjoyed the general topics he discussed. I do, however, wish more of the longer anecdotes and memories had been shared. At times he would pick a topic, and then *briefly* mention every single little thing he knew about that topic. (And the guy knows a LOT). I personally enjoyed the longer, more complete stories versus the quick one liners that read more like a list of statistics. I disliked how many times Dusty Baker’s name came up, but appreciated that it was never necessarily *positively* brought up (more just like, “eh he’s been around so long he’s seen a lot of stuff. We’ve talked a lot.” I liked how many times Alomar and Vizquel were raved about. I liked it. A bit “fact list-y” for me at times, but I’d absolutely read a Volume II about the past 15 years (since this was published) in the business (that he’s still very much in). A+ acknowledgements, too, Tim.

[Rick Conti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the Dave Stapleton of baseball books. Starts great and seems to get less engaging with each chapter. Not sure why. Example: One of the last chapters is about ESPN, full of inside jokes and good-old-boy back-slapping. Still worth the read, if only for the first chapter and only if you love baseball. As I do.

[Christopher DuMont · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good baseball boo but not the best. Tim is clearly passionate about the game and loves stats and loves being around players - but clearly he is impressed pretty easily and give players a great degree of latitude. I will be interested to read his second book and see how it compares.

[Bill Flanigin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hall of Fame baseball writer. Great baseball stories. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll love Tim’s book. His writing style makes for an easy read and the inside look at the game is hard to match. Five stars.

[Kevin Shay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good stories. Kurkjian is an excellent writer who knows his subject. It's not as revealing as some, like the classic Ball Four, but it's a quick read.

[Don Rogevski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great baseball book. A must for anyone who loves the sport

[Read Fay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice collection of baseball stories

[Dustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Timmy K loves baseball, and that comes through. I appreciate his enthusiasm, and admire the fact that he gets to basically watch baseball for a living.
The book is a collection of stories and odd facts assembled from the various parts of baseball life. It's a little dated already, but that's hard to avoid. It doesn't detract from the book much, except when it comes to the 'roiders.
One thing about the book that I don't like is the editing. So many small mistakes are littered through out. I get pissed knowing that professional editors have only one job in the literary world, and wonder how they can justify earning any money at all when they cannot take the time to polish a book under three hundred pages. I don't put any of this on Tim. His editor sucks.

[Tom Gase · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised by reading this book. Got it for a dollar at the book fair and wouldn't have purchased it if not for a dollar. However it was a very enjoyable read, kind of read like a Roger Angell book, although not quite as good. A lot of great stories about players and baseball events that Kurkijian witnessed since covering the game in the early 1980s. Some great stories about Earl Weaver, Ricky Henderson, Matt Nokes, Mike Flannigan, as well as countless others. The only problem I had with it is that he gets some facts/spellings wrong. It's the Giants, not the grants, and Clemens stuck out 20 Mariners in 1986, not 1985. Still I recommend to any baseball fan.

[Gary Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a a recent blog post about baseball books I've read in the past year, Josh and Brad--friends and good baseball buys--both recommended this book to me within 24 hours. They were right.

Tim Kurkjian draws on his 25 years as a baseball writer to give his perspectives on various quirks and crannies of the game. Each chapter includes interesting anecdotes, most of which I'd never heard.

Opening day is still about six weeks away. This book is a great way to bide that time.

[Frankie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best baseball minds of the past 30 years. Kurkjian's personal stories and anecdotes are a joy to read and I found myself laughing out loud at some of his wacky tales. As far as baseball knowledge is concerned he hasn't quite reached the level of Peter Gammons but he is definitely nipping at his heels. This book is chock full of stats, jokes, stories and personal accounts that baseball fans of all ages can enjoy.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who loves baseball, but struggles with memior style baseball books, I can confidently say that Tim Kurkjian has written one of the most entertaining and engaging baseball books I have ever read. Kurkjian is a brilliant, yet humble baseball enthusiast who has been fortunate to experience so much following the game he loves over his career. We are fortunate that he can so eloquently share these experiences with his readers.

[Donald Harwick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very fast, enjoyable read. I love baseball and it's stories so this book made for very good entertainment. However, the flow of thought was disjointed in most of the chapters. The author usually focused on one subject in each chapter, such as fear in the game, etc., but many of the stories were run together. However, I could read baseball literature all the time and never tire of it. Ever! I will likely re-read this.

[Austin Gisriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're only going to read one baseball book (besides mine!), make it Tim Kurkjian's Is This a Great Game, or What? Both hilarious and insightful, this book gets at why baseball is such a special game. This is the second time that I read it having been inspired to do so after sharing a two hour lunch with the hour during which time our group talked nothing but baseball. I enjoyed this as much the second time as I did the first.

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

BORING! Imagine if every paragraph started with one of the following phrases: "No one works harder than [insert baseball player's name]" or "There isn't a nicer guy that [insert another baseball player's name]" or "[Baseball player] is the most competitive person I know." That's what this whole book was -- I got through it because I love baseball, but it was challenging.

[Ted · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewer A. absolutely hit it on the head:

"This book is simultaneously pointless and incredibly wonderful."

Now, I might hedge on "incredibly wonderful," but there are a number of good stories in here, the kind of stories that can only come from gossip in the locker room. Roger Angell he is not, and there is an arbitrariness at play, but overall it is enjoyable to read.

[Winnie Bertrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really it's just a collection of stories some about the baseball teams and individual players Kurkjian has covered and others about things that have happened to him along the way but he's a great story teller and very funny. If you're not a baseball fan you may enjoy some of it but not all of it.

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great summer read whether you love baseball or are a casual fan. The stories are interesting, the writing is great and the book moves. Some of the best chapters are later in the book - especially the one dealing with players' fears. Once you read about the nightmare of getting hit with the ball, you will have a new respect for the game and those who play it.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great baseball book. If you want a behind-the-scenes look at the game from one of best, this is it. Tim has great insight into the past, present and future of the game. He goes into great detail about how the game thrives and keeps from advancing. Excellent casual read.

[Felicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book filled with real-life stories that display the quirkiness, history and passion that make baseball such a great sport. Tim Kurkjian's love of the game is obvious and infectious. I finished this book wanting more.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of stories that Kurkjian, who has covered baseball for various media outlets for twenty-five years, uses to make his case that baseball is still a great game even with all the problems recently.

[Zachary Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kurkjian!

He wrote this book very similar to how he writes his segments on ESPN. The entire book is filled with great baseball facts, history and stories from people involved in all aspects of the game. If you like Tim in ESPN, this book is a must read.