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101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out
Now in paperback! From sandlots and skyboxes to TV rooms and sports bars, America’s love for baseball has inspired too-numerous-to-count memories, discussions, and tributes. Josh Pahigian takes us on a road trip across America to honor the game’s players, fans, and ballparks. Through a series of engaging essays, he reminds us of the game’s effect on American how the game evolved while the nation came of age, how baseball helped break down barriers, and how it unified citizens when we needed it most.
Whether we travel by car or plane or sit in the comfort of our armchair, this book leads us to 101 of the very best baseball places—including the Ted Williams Museum, Ozzie Smith’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, the remnants of Forbes Field, Babe Ruth’s gravesite, McCovey Cove, and dozens of other captivating landmarks and curios that celebrate our national pastime.
Whether we travel by car or plane or sit in the comfort of our armchair, this book leads us to 101 of the very best baseball places—including the Ted Williams Museum, Ozzie Smith’s Restaurant & Sports Bar, the remnants of Forbes Field, Babe Ruth’s gravesite, McCovey Cove, and dozens of other captivating landmarks and curios that celebrate our national pastime.
240 pages, Paperback
First published March 4, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 25, 2015
some historic baseball sites I never heard of
March 16, 2017
A must read for all baseball fans! Pahigian is a true fan and this book should be on everyone's bucket list!
My Rating: 5+ stars
My Rating: 5+ stars
June 17, 2015
http://www.themaineedge.com/sports/a-...
In a nation as sports-crazed as ours, it’s no surprise that the respective histories of our games have become well-chronicled. However, there is little doubt that baseball is the sport whose history is held in highest regard by its fans. The game has been around for so long that it has become sweetly tangled into the fabric of our country, its influences leading to institutions large and small devoted to the sport’s past and present alike.
Back in 2008, author (and Maine resident) Josh Pahigian wrote a book that collected some of these institutions in one place – over 100 of them in fact. After seven years, he’s back at it with the second edition of “101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out”. This new edition includes 25 new entries; it’s an indispensable list of attractions that span the breadth of baseball history.
The list starts out as you might expect. The first entry is the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown; the second is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. Pahigian’s top 10 also includes baseball notables such as the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania, the College World Series in Nebraska and the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Iowa.
But it’s when you venture further down the list that the real hidden gems start to reveal themselves. There are a number of museums devoted to specific players, each with their own charms and quirks. There’s the Roger Maris Museum (34) in Fargo, North Dakota, for instance, and the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame (30) in St. Petersburg, Florida. Or how about the Ty Cobb Museum (45) in Royston, Georgia? Or maybe you’re a pitching fan – what about Van Meter, Iowa’s Bob Feller Museum (73) or the Nolan Ryan Center (65) in Alvin, Texas?
There are unique competitions – the World Wiffle Ball Championships (27) in Illinois and the Midnight Sun Game (38) in Alaska. There are slices of the game’s history – the site of the first World Series game or Forbes Field (15) and Tiger Stadium (71). There are various Halls of Fame and Walks of Fame celebrating the game and the players who played it.
Speaking as a fan of the game and a lover of its history, this book is fantastic. Not only is Pahigian’s love of the game infectious, but he manages to present just enough information to whet the reader’s appetite without overwhelming. He’s at his best when he goes off the beaten path. When the less well-known gems hit the page, that’s when Pahigian really starts knocking it out of the park.
(My personal favorite is probably Centennial Park – number 72 – located in Burlington, Vermont. It is the oldest minor league ballpark in the country; by some accounts, THE oldest. Interesting enough, but imagine my surprise to learn that the park’s first game took place in April of 1906. It was a college game, one that saw the University of Vermont win by a 10-4 score … against the University of Maine. A little piece of Black Bear sports history that I had never heard. The list is packed with tidbits like this.)
On every page, one gets the feeling that Pahigian was simply thrilled to have been able to experience these places and would like nothing more than for you to have that same experience - his passion is palpable and his writing carries it forward. Additionally, there are plenty of beautiful photographs featured in the book. It looks great and reads better – a perfect primer for baseball-themed travels or just for a look to see what’s out there.
In short, “101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out” is a book that any baseball nut is going to love.
In a nation as sports-crazed as ours, it’s no surprise that the respective histories of our games have become well-chronicled. However, there is little doubt that baseball is the sport whose history is held in highest regard by its fans. The game has been around for so long that it has become sweetly tangled into the fabric of our country, its influences leading to institutions large and small devoted to the sport’s past and present alike.
Back in 2008, author (and Maine resident) Josh Pahigian wrote a book that collected some of these institutions in one place – over 100 of them in fact. After seven years, he’s back at it with the second edition of “101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out”. This new edition includes 25 new entries; it’s an indispensable list of attractions that span the breadth of baseball history.
The list starts out as you might expect. The first entry is the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown; the second is the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City. Pahigian’s top 10 also includes baseball notables such as the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania, the College World Series in Nebraska and the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Iowa.
But it’s when you venture further down the list that the real hidden gems start to reveal themselves. There are a number of museums devoted to specific players, each with their own charms and quirks. There’s the Roger Maris Museum (34) in Fargo, North Dakota, for instance, and the Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame (30) in St. Petersburg, Florida. Or how about the Ty Cobb Museum (45) in Royston, Georgia? Or maybe you’re a pitching fan – what about Van Meter, Iowa’s Bob Feller Museum (73) or the Nolan Ryan Center (65) in Alvin, Texas?
There are unique competitions – the World Wiffle Ball Championships (27) in Illinois and the Midnight Sun Game (38) in Alaska. There are slices of the game’s history – the site of the first World Series game or Forbes Field (15) and Tiger Stadium (71). There are various Halls of Fame and Walks of Fame celebrating the game and the players who played it.
Speaking as a fan of the game and a lover of its history, this book is fantastic. Not only is Pahigian’s love of the game infectious, but he manages to present just enough information to whet the reader’s appetite without overwhelming. He’s at his best when he goes off the beaten path. When the less well-known gems hit the page, that’s when Pahigian really starts knocking it out of the park.
(My personal favorite is probably Centennial Park – number 72 – located in Burlington, Vermont. It is the oldest minor league ballpark in the country; by some accounts, THE oldest. Interesting enough, but imagine my surprise to learn that the park’s first game took place in April of 1906. It was a college game, one that saw the University of Vermont win by a 10-4 score … against the University of Maine. A little piece of Black Bear sports history that I had never heard. The list is packed with tidbits like this.)
On every page, one gets the feeling that Pahigian was simply thrilled to have been able to experience these places and would like nothing more than for you to have that same experience - his passion is palpable and his writing carries it forward. Additionally, there are plenty of beautiful photographs featured in the book. It looks great and reads better – a perfect primer for baseball-themed travels or just for a look to see what’s out there.
In short, “101 Baseball Places to See Before You Strike Out” is a book that any baseball nut is going to love.
June 23, 2010
Fans can also have fun, according to Josh Pahigian, by visiting any of the 101 BASEBALL PLACES TO SEE BEFORE YOU STRIKE OUT. From the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to the banks of the New Jersey river where they harvest the indigenous mud to rub the shine off new balls, there are ballparks, museums, restaurants and other attractions (including the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, where Ted Williams s head was reported to be stored in the deep freeze) to satisfy the most particular customers. Pahigian, who has previously written about the pleasures of building vacations around baseball in THE ULTIMATE MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ROAD TRIP, is spot on again, although he omits information such as websites and hours of operations, a conscious decision on his part to force the reader to enjoy actually reading the book without the supplemental activity of running to the computer for further information.
May 26, 2014
Decent read, needs updating.
Decent read, needs updating.
The book was so-so because it showed some places that even the die-hard baseball fan probably wouldn't go to simply because some lack historical significance. But it does show holes-in-the-walls such as restaurants and even a car wash. It's a good starter book for the baseball traveller nonetheless.
Decent read, needs updating.
The book was so-so because it showed some places that even the die-hard baseball fan probably wouldn't go to simply because some lack historical significance. But it does show holes-in-the-walls such as restaurants and even a car wash. It's a good starter book for the baseball traveller nonetheless.
June 20, 2015
Interesting book on baseball sites, museums, ballparks, etc. that are apparently must sees before "striking out" in life. Includes Baseball HOF in Cooperstown, Yankee Stadium memorial Park, grave sites and individual player museums, etc. In case you are keeping score, I as a baseball afficiando have visited less than 10 pct.
March 29, 2016
Features 101 places that are interesting to see to a baseball fan. Each is profiled and includes a photo. Insightful.
February 28, 2017
My review for this book will be quite simple, as it really comes down to two questions:
1. Do you like baseball (especially baseball history)?
2. Do you like to travel?
If you answer yes to both of those questions, this is going to be a nice little book to read and/or keep on your coffee-table. Of course, there are always different opinions about what the "best spots" are in terms of baseball-themed locations, but these 101 seem pretty true-to-the-mark.
"101 Baseball Places" is a simple "list book", really, but for those with a true passion for baseball and who want to visit such sights in person, it is a nice primer and/or goal for future travels.
1. Do you like baseball (especially baseball history)?
2. Do you like to travel?
If you answer yes to both of those questions, this is going to be a nice little book to read and/or keep on your coffee-table. Of course, there are always different opinions about what the "best spots" are in terms of baseball-themed locations, but these 101 seem pretty true-to-the-mark.
"101 Baseball Places" is a simple "list book", really, but for those with a true passion for baseball and who want to visit such sights in person, it is a nice primer and/or goal for future travels.
October 11, 2016
Although a little outdated now, this book provides baseball fans with many different ideas of places to visit from the well-known like Cooperstown and Field of Dreams to many lesser-known ones (such as the part of the Forbes Field wall at the University of Pittsburgh). It was a book that I cited when I wrote "Road Trips, Routes, and Royals".
April 21, 2015
This was a great "trip" of all things baseball! I only wish that I had the time and money to visit all of the places that the author has included on this list... hopefully I'll have time during my retirement. But the author certainly conveys his love of the game and of the game's history.
July 26, 2016
Great book about a few of the well-known, and a lot of the lesser-known, places any baseball fan should visit.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews