Baseball Is a Funny Game

by Joe Garagiola

"The catcher of the St. Louis Cardinals when they won a world championship knocks out a home run for the fans with this. It is more than a ""funny game"" that Garagiola describes. His story is full of humor and light touches but there is a human touch too that makes you feel for the players, their wives, the umpires, management, etc. He gives you too the feel of baseball from the inside- as well as sharing inside baseball. Full of anecdotes, plays and incidents that take you from the time a rookie breaks into the game until his star fades out of the picture. Garagiola winds up as a broadcaster and his voice is a familiar one on the west coast. This ""funny"" book about baseball should win its audience too"

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Nonfiction, Humor, Autobiography, Memoir

Paperback

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this a hundred years ago but just discovered I had never added it to my shelf.

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite baseball book until I read The Boys Of Summer. This book helped cement by love of baseball and I still follow the game faithfully. Every day during the season I start my day by reading the box scores which have improved greatly since the career of Garagiola as a player has finished. For those who did not find this book funny I can only conclude that you never had a since of humor or someone stole it when you weren't looking. Highly recommended for fans.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Because Garagiola wrote this book at the end of the 1950s, many of the players and officials he mentions will not be as familiar to readers not well versed in baseball history. Moreover, some key rules have changed over the years so that some of the discussions of how the game is played are now irrelevant. Even so, Garagiola is a good story teller and explains things clearly. For example, his discussion of signals and how they work is the best I have read anywhere.

[C. John Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is admittedly an old book, but as they say any book you haven't read is a new book. This one is written in the old style, that is to say under the concept of 'what happens in the locker room stays in the locker room'. So if a naked lady chases a naked player through a team train you won't read about it hear. If she chases him through the playing field during the game then you just might read about it here though. Mr. Garagiola takes us through what life is like for a ballplayer and along the way tells a few funny stories. Some of the stories happened to him, some to other players. However what I really enjoyed was the fact that he doesn't just discuss players. He also talks about umpires and the people who make up the various other parts of the team besides the players. Thus we hear about managers and coaches, but also groundsmen, travelling secretaries, and such. There is even a section about the mostly forgotten heroines of the game, the players wives. As well I would hope that anyone who is thinking of inviting a player to speak at a meeting should read the end of the book, where he gives some rules on such invitations. Although an older book this is still one that today's fan should read.

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

...except when told by joe garagiola

[Jim Townsend · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny book about his childhood growing up in St. Louis across the street from Yogi Berra, as well as anecdotes about players and others, both great and obscure, with and against whom he played.

[JoAnn Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book the first time back in the 60s when it first came out and loved it then. Decided to read again and still loved it. Very funny and informative, though some info has changed in the game over the years.

[Paul Maclauchlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the great baseball books from the "golden age" of baseball biographies. Joe earned his place as guest host of the Tonight Show by being witty and informative. This isn't a tell all -- he tells just enough.

[Cormacjosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Garagiola’s book Baseball Is A Funny Game was a gift from a co worker for Christmas of 2005 and it was read at Pennsic War xxxv.

It is a 1969 printing of a book written in 1960. There are some amusing parts and its worth reading for leisure.

[Monte Lamb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun book to read that covers a lot of aspects of the game both on the field and off. The humor is still timely even after 60 years even if the names of the players might be unfamiliar to many fans today. It is easy to read and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just found this to be a very humorous book when I read it in the eighties.

[John Carenbauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just read this for first time since I was a teenager. My dad played AAA ball in the 40's and knew Joe. Joe autographed my book for me at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Great memories and fun read.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as funny as when I read it years ago! Loved seeing the classic names of baseball’s past, and rereading Garagiola’s stories and anecdotes.

[Chuck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional. Witty and informative.

[Libraryscat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks again to Jeannie for this delightfully funny and nostalgic look back at baseball. Being from western Tennessee, first it was the St. Louis Cardinals and then the Atlanta Braves that my entire family pulled for all season. What a romp through baseball history and my own.

[Cathy Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

insightful look a baseball from a former major leaguer; unfortunately dated references will be lost on younger readers

[Marshall Merims · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a very funny book. Maybe its the 60 year old humor. Some interesting stories but overall quite boring to this reader.

[Ted · Rating 2 out of 5]

As it turns out, baseball of 60 years ago wasn't all that funny. Joe should have just stuck to telling Yogi Berra stories.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

When reading this book, remember that this was written in the 60's and many things about baseball have changed over the years. That said, Garagiola has enough credibility to mention what he says in the book. However, even with the fact that he played for three teams (meaning he became familiar with three different clubhouses), that view is still limited somewhat. Again, there weren't as many teams, and baseball was just beginning to get a foothold west of St. Louis. If you remember that baseball prior to the 70's was a completely different game when reading the book, then you will enjoy it.

3.5/5 stars for me.

[Ken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here is a list of baseball books better than this one:

1. Any other baseball book
2. The Umpire Strikes Back by Ron Luciano
3. Strike Two by Ron Luciano
4. Fair Ball: A Fan's Case for Baseball by Bob Costas
5. Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging '70s by Dan Epstein
6. Game Six: Cincinnati, Boston and the 1975 World Series: A Triumph of America's Pastime by Mark Frost
7. Faithful: Two Diehard Boston Red Sox Fans Chronicle the 2004 Season by Stewart O'Nan and Stephen King (yes, the horror author)
8. Stuck on the Cubs by Rick Schwab

Books as bad as this one:
Any other book about the Chicago Cubs written before 2016

[Fred Lanzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an o.k. book with lots of stories and names from long ago. Not great but I appreciated the book. Times and the game have changed.