Born Into Baseball: Laughter and Heartbreak at the Edge of The Show

by Jim Campanis Jr.

Jim Campanis Jr. is a third generation professional baseball player whose career stopped just short of the major leagues. Born Into Baseball is a collection of Jim’s stories about his life in and around the

•As a boy—meeting star players, being batboy, sitting in the owner’s box
•As a prospect—starring in high school, making All-American at USC, being drafted in the third round
•In the minors—enduring long bus trips and seedy hotels, climbing the cut-throat pro ball ladder, living and laughing through wild times

But even with all the thrills and triumphs, Jim’s path in baseball was far from an easy one. With every open door came great pressure. Every success he enjoyed was followed by injustice or an injury. Jim’s elite status as a Campanis provided many opportunities, but that fame turned to infamy when his grandfather Al, longtime GM of the Los Angeles Dodgers, made his disastrous appearance on Nightline. After that, Jim’s life was never the same.

From losing a race to a backwards-running Ken Griffey Jr., to learning the Kangaroo Court fine for a “dick in the spread” infraction, to breaking his wrist the very day he was told he’d be called up to the majors, Jim Campanis’s Jr.’s stories will enlighten, amuse, and inspire all fans who ever wondered what it would be like to be Born Into Baseball.

Genres: Baseball, Sports

319 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2016

Reviews

[Andrew White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a great book filled with first person stories of a life lived in and around Major and Minor League baseball. The author is a third generation ball player who's grandfather is legendary in the game and who's father played with some of the greats of the game.

You wont go wrong picking this book up and getting some hours of entertainment reading stories of baseball and life.

Great Book Jim. I am glad I was finally able to read it.

[Michael Battista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Campy!!

Great book. He didn't deserve the backlash from the situation from his grandfather but life does what it does for reasons none of us may not know

[TaniaRina Valdespino]

I went to the same high school - a year or few behind. Just bought the ebook from Kobo and can't wait to reminisce.

[Claire Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

You’re a baseball fan. If I encouraged you to read a book by a player, you’d probably want to know what he’d done in his career. If I said he was a college star, spent several seasons in the minors but never made The Show, you’d probably ask what’s so special about the guy? Well, the first clue is the book’s title: Born Into Baseball. The author, Jim Campanis Jr. is true baseball royalty—son of former major league catcher Jimmy Campanis and grandson of former major league player and executive Al Campanis. The other thing that makes the book a great read is Campy’s love for the game, for having fun, and for life itself. It’s clear he reveled in the joy of playing the game, being part of a team, experiencing the ups and down of life on the road, dealing with umpires, fans, and all that went with the baseball life. Imagine yourself meeting a cheerful, funny guy at the neighborhood bar who can reel off one fun, interesting story after another. That’s “Born Into Baseball.” Read it if you love the game. You won’t be disappointed.

[Gavin Ballas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. So much fun to read.

Jim’s got a gift. Really funny and comes across as very authentic. Reminds of Bourdain’s book Kitchen Confidential but for minor league baseball.