Glove Stories: The Collected Baseball Writings of Dave Kindred

by Dave Kindred

Book Overview

The Sporting News' award-winning columnist Dave Kindred compiles his favorite columns on baseball from his 10-year career at the magazine Glove Stories is a collection from the heart and mind of The... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0892046856
• ISBN13: 9780892046850
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Solid Writing from a Solid Writer

This top writer for the Sporting News captures the essence of baseball with over 60 of his best writings. In his humane, moving style, Kindred covers a host of personalities and topics, from little leaguers to baseball stars, college coaches to Negro Leaguers. I particularly liked his columns on kids playing for fun, Buck Ewing, Mark McGwire, announcer Harry Caray, Pee Wee Reese, and the tense 1991 World Series (Twins-Braves). Of course, their are other favorites too numerous to mention here, and not a bad one in the bunch. It was also nice that Kindred sees through major league baseball's annual nonsense about losing money. Like most good writers, Kindred possesses skill, humanity, and the right dose of skepticism. These columns illuminate the game so many of us love, make us smile, mourn, and chuckle, and are always worth a look.

A letter to Dave Kindred

I have for years enjoyed your writing and one week ago was awarded a copy of "Glove Stories" for Christmas. I read a selection here and there but today, I read "Mom" and even though there's no crying in baseball, I cried.I cried because as I read the promise you made to your late father, it reminded me of the bond my father and I share.My father is a baseball umpire. American Legion, high school, local college, whatever. He's there to call the games. And no matter what kind of day he was having, no matter what his mood, he always had time for myqueries of baseball, without exception. Baseball has always been there for my dad and I, but it wasn't until I read your story that it dawned on me just how powerful that bond is. I'm here in Rochester, NY, with a foot of snow on the ground but after I read "Mom", I looked out my window and did not see snow. I saw green grass, I saw the dust of my father sweeping clean home plate and I heard him complete baseball-diamond air with a called third strike. "Sell the call,Bob. Sell it." That's the baseball advice he gave me and it's the advice I apply to all walks of my life.I am a young sports journalist myself. Your writing has struck me as the type by which to be educated and influenced. So a hearty thanks to you, Mr. Kindred. For notonly have you given me a standard to shoot for as a writer, you have reminded me of exactly why this child's game can bring a grown man to tears.

If you claim to love baseball, this book is for you!

What an awesome collection of baseball writings! This book is THE standard for writing about the sport of baseball!! Dave takes a humorous, yet gentle approach to the sport he loves. His style of writing will make you love it even more. He covers alot of different subjects--Negro Leagues--the physics of a baseball hitting a bat--baseball funnies [my favorite is the guy sliding into 2nd headfirst with hotdogs stuck inside his uniform]--and baseball greats like Jackie Robinson, Nolan Ryan and even Pete Rose. This book will make you chuckle, and it will make you cry, so be prepared. This reminds me why people have kids: to teach them how to play baseball!! You won't be sorry you bought this book.

Great Baseball Stories to Be Savored

I was a thirty year subscriber to The Sporting News (1959-1989), but dropped out when they branched out into sports other than baseball so I was not familiar with Dave Kindred. I do, however, enjoy books of sportswriters' columns of their best stories. I took a chance on Dave Kindred since the subject was baseball and was pleasantly surprised. He covers a wide variety of subjects with humor and nostalgia sure to satisfy anyone interested in baseball writing. If you consider yourself a baseball fan at all this is a book that deserves a permanent place in your library amongst the volumes of Jim Murray, Red Smith, Jerry Holtzman, Tom Boswell, Roger Angell, and Roger Kahn to name a few. Be good to yourself! Buy the book!

What a gifted & lyrical writer!!!!

Dave Kindred ranks among America's finest sportswriters. He and the late Shirley Povich were the best sports columnists The Washington Post ever had (present sports columnists included). The stories in Kindred's book are a joy to read. He's got a Ring Lardner touch. At his best, no one is funnier than Kindred. A few of his tales feel like a Frank Capra movie, sentimental and heart-warming. Baseball captures the essence of America with love of family, country and seventh inning rallies. Kindred makes it come all come alive. His stories on Mark McGwire and Jackie Robinson must be savored. You'll finish this book and feel like playing catch with your kid.