|
|
| Detailed Book Review |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
| A Whole New Ballgame: The 1969 Washington Senators |
| By Stephen Walker |
| ISBN: 978-1-929763-38-2
|
| Price: $17.95 |
| Shipping: $3.00 |
| |
|
|
| Despite a long and uneven history, Major League Baseball’s Washington franchises have hardly been the stuff of legend. However, in 1969, when new owner Bob Short coaxed batting legend and rookie manager Ted Williams out of retirement, these annual no-names climbed out of the depths and straight into the hearts of Washington baseball fans starving for a winner. Led by The Capital Punisher Frank Howard, whose tape-measure home runs sometimes seemed like optical illusions, the Senators simply won ball games with a determination rarely seen in D.C. environs. A Whole New Ballgame showcases the 1969 Senators’ magical season, complete with player bios, photographs, stats, game action, and stories. |
| |
| Book Review Details: |
| |
| Reviewed Appeared In: Maryland Catholic Review |
| Reviewed By: |
| Text Of Review: Growing up Centreville, Va., Stephen J. Walker idolized the Washington Senators. It wasn’t until he was 7 years old, during the summer of 1969, that he attended a Major League Baseball game. It was also a rare year of hope for the typically hapless Senators, one in which they finished 86-76.
“The city (Washington) really needed something to feel good about,” Walker said. “It was a magical season.”
Forty years later, memories of attending games with his late father, James, propelled Walker to write “A Whole New Ballgame.” “When the box came with the first books, it was a moment I wanted to share with the whole family,” the father of three sons said. “It was wonderful.”
Walker interviewed many of his Senators heroes for the book, including legendary slugger Frank Howard. “I had to get over being a kid around them (the players) and talk to them adult to adult,” he admitted.
The Ellicott City resident is a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist in Columbia, where he is a choir member. In his book, he acknowledges parish music director Chris Youstra for giving him the courage to project his voice, both in song and on paper.
|
| Date Reviewed: July 2, 2009 |
| Link To Web Site:
|
| Author Appearances: June 20, 2009, 11am-12pm Dugout Zone, Ellicott City, MD. Author Stephen J. Walker will appear at the DugoutZone from 11 am until noon. Stephen will be signing his first book entitled A Whole New Ballgame which chronicles the 1969 Washington Senators season. Stephen's articles have appeared in the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), a great organization with regional chapters that help keep the history of baseball alive. Stephen has written a fantastic account of the 69 Senators season - it brought me back to my own fond memories(and eventual disappointment) of the 1969 Cubs. Every baseball lover will enjoy the book and chatting with Stephen regarding Washington baseball lore.
July 3, 2009, 8pm News Channel 8 Television, Washington, DC. Glenn Harris on Sports Talk interviews Stepehen J. Walker about his book.
July 11, 2009, 9am Society for American Baseball Research "Talkin' Baseball' group at Brighton Gardens Assisted Living, 7110 Minstrel Way, Columbia, MD.
July 30 - Aug 2, 2009, Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) 39th Annual Convention in Washington, DC, Marriott Hotel. Presentation: "Frank Howard in 1969: Can an Old Dog Learn New Tricks to Get on Base? Greatest Improvements in Career High On-Base Percentage by Veteran Ballplayers." (email for details) |
| Contact Author:
Email Author |
|
|
|
