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Bootheel Boy: Ain't nothing but a party
“When you turn the page, you never know what’s going to happen.”- Peter Golenbock, foreword
Mark Littell was a country boy who grew up in the Bootheel of Missouri and became a relief pitcher in the major leagues. His friends called him “unique”, “different”, even “a Renaissance man” who had a gift for telling a wryly humorous story, much like “a modern Mark Twain.” Not only was he a pro baseball player and a coach, Mark was an inventor with a creative mind and a way with words. Late in life, he discovered a talent for writing and published three volumes of quirky, often laugh-out-loud-funny memoirs.
This is his fourth book, filled with stories about his youth and playing winter ball in Puerto Rico during the 1973-74 season. He was in the process of finishing it when he died in 2022 at the age of 69. The book has been completed with contributions from dozens of his friends and former teammates, including Baseball Hall of Famers Jim Kaat and Whitey Herzog. They share their many fond memories of Mark, a baseball character you’ll never forget.“Love the stories! First person tales ranging from growing up to the minor league days and winter ball in Puerto Rico. Great stuff, well told. Loved reading the book!”– Gregg Olson, former relief pitcher, 1989 Rookie of the Year, member of the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame, author of We Got To Play Baseball
“This book provides a fun and engaging perspective on the life well lived by Mark Littell. Mr. Littell was known by baseball fans for his on-the-field play, but those that knew him best know there was much more to him than that. His good-natured drive for fun, excitement, and living his life to the fullest often pushed him to embark on hilarious adventures. This book is a must read for baseball enthusiasts and those seeking motivation in life. His storytelling skills are truly captivating and kept me hooked from start to finish.”– Dr. Michelle Brimecombe, Assistant Teaching Professor of Sport Management, University of Missouri
“From sharing a stare with a wild stallion in North Dakota, to sharing tips with a rookie in the bullpen, Mark Littell – one of the few ballplayers who wrote his own material – was a true original. He was fortunate that his friend H. R. Ryan sought out and amplified his work with heartfelt appreciations of Mark and what he brought to the lives of so many, in baseball and beyond. All show that there was far more to ballplayers of the era than just the play on the field.”– Bill Nowlin, member of SABR Board of Directors and author/editor of more than 100 books and 1,000 research articles about baseball
Friends who submitted memories of H.R. Ryan, Chellie Buzzeo, James Hilfiker, Stan Hough, Jim Wohlford, Benny Ayala, Tom Bruno, Randy Reid, Dean Bezingue, Randy Mcgilberry, Pete Vuckovich, Dane Iorg, Jim Kaat, Gene Tenace, Jon Matlack, Joel Youngblood, Jeff “Chick” Hart, George Poulis, Scott Fredrickson, Scott Sanders, Craig Coppola, John Paul Thurau, Barry Labov, Alan Labov, Gabe Lizarraga, Max Cook, Todd Ballou, John Tormey III, Ralph Tyko, Mike García, Donnie Harris, Nancy Finley, Donna Karabin, Bill Franciscus, Todd Littell, Ethan Sargent, Bill Stone, Mike Moreland, Billy Staples, Ray Burris, Hal Baird, Dennis Leonard, Galen Cisco, Whitey Herzog, Robert Wake, Eric Littell, and Father John Vitk.
Mark Littell was a country boy who grew up in the Bootheel of Missouri and became a relief pitcher in the major leagues. His friends called him “unique”, “different”, even “a Renaissance man” who had a gift for telling a wryly humorous story, much like “a modern Mark Twain.” Not only was he a pro baseball player and a coach, Mark was an inventor with a creative mind and a way with words. Late in life, he discovered a talent for writing and published three volumes of quirky, often laugh-out-loud-funny memoirs.
This is his fourth book, filled with stories about his youth and playing winter ball in Puerto Rico during the 1973-74 season. He was in the process of finishing it when he died in 2022 at the age of 69. The book has been completed with contributions from dozens of his friends and former teammates, including Baseball Hall of Famers Jim Kaat and Whitey Herzog. They share their many fond memories of Mark, a baseball character you’ll never forget.“Love the stories! First person tales ranging from growing up to the minor league days and winter ball in Puerto Rico. Great stuff, well told. Loved reading the book!”– Gregg Olson, former relief pitcher, 1989 Rookie of the Year, member of the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame, author of We Got To Play Baseball
“This book provides a fun and engaging perspective on the life well lived by Mark Littell. Mr. Littell was known by baseball fans for his on-the-field play, but those that knew him best know there was much more to him than that. His good-natured drive for fun, excitement, and living his life to the fullest often pushed him to embark on hilarious adventures. This book is a must read for baseball enthusiasts and those seeking motivation in life. His storytelling skills are truly captivating and kept me hooked from start to finish.”– Dr. Michelle Brimecombe, Assistant Teaching Professor of Sport Management, University of Missouri
“From sharing a stare with a wild stallion in North Dakota, to sharing tips with a rookie in the bullpen, Mark Littell – one of the few ballplayers who wrote his own material – was a true original. He was fortunate that his friend H. R. Ryan sought out and amplified his work with heartfelt appreciations of Mark and what he brought to the lives of so many, in baseball and beyond. All show that there was far more to ballplayers of the era than just the play on the field.”– Bill Nowlin, member of SABR Board of Directors and author/editor of more than 100 books and 1,000 research articles about baseball
Friends who submitted memories of H.R. Ryan, Chellie Buzzeo, James Hilfiker, Stan Hough, Jim Wohlford, Benny Ayala, Tom Bruno, Randy Reid, Dean Bezingue, Randy Mcgilberry, Pete Vuckovich, Dane Iorg, Jim Kaat, Gene Tenace, Jon Matlack, Joel Youngblood, Jeff “Chick” Hart, George Poulis, Scott Fredrickson, Scott Sanders, Craig Coppola, John Paul Thurau, Barry Labov, Alan Labov, Gabe Lizarraga, Max Cook, Todd Ballou, John Tormey III, Ralph Tyko, Mike García, Donnie Harris, Nancy Finley, Donna Karabin, Bill Franciscus, Todd Littell, Ethan Sargent, Bill Stone, Mike Moreland, Billy Staples, Ray Burris, Hal Baird, Dennis Leonard, Galen Cisco, Whitey Herzog, Robert Wake, Eric Littell, and Father John Vitk.
Kindle Edition
Published April 17, 2025
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