Glen Sparks – författare

Willie Mays thrilled baseball fans for more than two decades. He could do it all-in the outfield, at bat, and on the bases. Five Tools tells the story of arguably the greatest baseball player in the game''s history, through more than 20 insightful essays and recaps of over 30 of the most significant games in his career. Some essays explore Mays'' time in the Negro Leagues and minor leagues, while others examine the the relationship of Mays to his managers, the press, and his mentoring of Bobby and Barry Bonds.

The National League Rookie of the Year in 1951 with the New York Giants, Mays made his big-league debut just four years after Jackie Robinson broke baseball''s shameful color line. He brought with him a dynamic blend of power and speed. Just a few years into his amazing career, he left with his teammates for San Francisco.

Mays batted .301 lifetime and belted 660 home runs. He hit more than 50 homers in two seasons and led the National League in stolen bases four times. Mays also won 12 Gold Gloves for his fielding excellence in center field. The "Say Hey Kid" earned a spot on a record 24 All-Star teams. Incredibly, he won just two MVP awards.

A collaborative effort of 51 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), this book celebrates a player who was known by some as "Wondrous Willie."

No one can doubt the immense courage shown by Jackie Robinson when he took his position at Ebbets Field on Tuesday afternoon, April 15, 1947. The first play of the game was a ground ball to third base, and Robinson, playing first, took the throw to make the first putout.

It wasn''t just the one moment that was important, of course, but the ongoing significance of his presence on the field. Robinson was the first Black American to play what was then defined as major-league baseball at a time when baseball was dominant in American culture-truly the National Pastime-but an institution which had been segregated by race.

After Robinson completed his 10-year Hall of Fame playing career, the six-time All-Star with a lifetime on-base percentage of .409 took his rightful place in Cooperstown.

Perhaps it is true that celebrating Jackie Robinson''s courageous role in integration can sometimes reduce him to a symbol, over-simplify his complex grappling with the racial issues of his day, and turn him into a convenient and self-congratulatory icon celebrated by Major League Baseball today. But, in fact, he was-and remains-a meaningful and inspirational symbol. The articles in this book look beyond the oft-told tale of April 15, 1947, and examine many facets of Robinson''s life and career.

Almost all of the articles in Jackie were written specifically for this book. Some 54 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) contributed their work as authors and editors to bring together a book that offers a variety of perspectives on "42."

The year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary year of Roberto Clemente''s final year in major-league baseball. "¡Arriba!": The Heroic Life of Roberto Clemente celebrates his life and his baseball career.

The first universally acknowledged Latino inductee into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Clemente played every one of his 18 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He became the 11th player to reach the 3,000-hit milestone, finishing his final season by hitting number 3000 on the season''s last day. Named to 15 All-Star Game squads, Clemente also won 12 Gold Gloves, four batting titles, and was the National League''s Most Valuable Player in 1966. He was twice a World Series champion, winning with the Pirates in both 1960 and 1971.

But off the baseball diamond, Clemente was known for his charitable work. He lost his life on the final day of 1972 while working to provide relief for victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua. He was aboard a plane loaded with relief supplies-the fourth such plane he had helped to stock-and had decided to accompany the flight personally to ensure the supplies were reaching those in need of aid and not merely falling into the hands of profiteers. The plane crashed immediately after takeoff from Puerto Rico, a tragic loss for baseball and the world.

This book is the collaborative work of 41 members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). Examining Clemente''s baseball career, the book includes recaps of many of Clemente''s greatest games, as well as chapters on his relationship with the press, his connections to Nicaragua and players such as Monte Irvin, and his continuing effects on players from Latin America as a role model today.

Con fotos del Museo Clemente.

"¡Arriba!: La Heróica Vida de Roberto Clemente" se publica en el 50mo aniversario de su trágica muerte tras su última temporada en las grandes ligas. El primer latino electo al Salón de la Fama, Clemente jugó cada una de sus 18 campañas con los Piratas de Pittsburgh.

Precisó 3,000 indiscutibles y ganó cuatro títulos de bateo. Seleccionado a 15 Juegos de Estrellas, Clemente ganó 12 Guantes de Oro y fue nombrado el Jugador Más Valioso de la Liga Nacional en 1966. Dos veces lideró a su franquicia a la victoria en la Serie Mundial, en 1960 y 1971. La gestión humanitaria de Clemente fue reconocida por sus contemporáneos. La muerte le sorprendió cuando transportaba suministros de emergencia para los damnificados de un terrible terremoto en Nicaragua.

Este tomo recopila ensayos de 41 miembros de la Sociedad Americana de Investigación sobre el Béisbol (SABR), celebrando la vida y la carrera de Clemente como pelotero.