Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
Nothing to do but wait around all day until the Yanks open their season in Oakland tonight. Happy Opening Day to you all--this is the fourth Opening Day here at Bronx Banter, the second in a row with Cliff. Looking forward to another entertaining season with you guys.
On a personal note, my Curt Flood book recently hit the shelves and it will be officially released on April 12th. I'm in the process of putting the final touches on a new site (Alexbelth.com) which should be up and running later this week. In the meantime, "Stepping Up" was mentioned in the L.A. Times and the Boston Globe yesterday, The Black Athlete Sports Network, and The New York Sun this morning.
Allen Barra penned the piece for the Sun (Disclosure: Barra is a friend):
Flood, one of the most important players in the game's history in terms of moral leadership, has remained until now a man without a biography. Alex Belth's stirring and hugely readable "Stepping Up" (Persea Books, 240 pages, $22.95) plugs a significant gap in the history of baseball's turbulent 1960s and early '70s.Flood, the man who told Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, "After 12 years in the major leagues, I do not feel that I am a piece of property to be bought and sold," was the true torchbearer of Jackie Robinson's legacy, and Mr. Belth gives him his due. "His life," Mr. Belth writes, "took a course that never in his wildest dreams he could have imagined as a scrawny kid making trick catches on the ballfields of Oakland. He took a simple stand against baseball,based on simple principles of truth and justice - principles he held on to when it would have been so much easier to let them go."
It was Flood, Mr. Belth writes, who "made the world stand up and take notice of baseball's exploitative structure." But like Robinson before him, he paid the price in terms of stress. He fell into deep depressions during and after the lawsuit, and his heavy drinking and smoking left his body weakened and susceptible to throat cancer. He died in 1997 at age 60.
In "Juiced," Jose Canseco talks about his willingness to lead players across the picket line in the 1994 strike - does anyone know how we can send him a copy of this book?
I've got a new piece up at SI.Com celebrating Flood, and yo, I'm going to be at Left Bank Books in St. Louis this coming Thursday. I know it's a hike, but just thought I'd throw it out there in case you know anybody in the vicinity.
In the meantime, Cliff "the Night Owl" Corcoran will be holding the fort down here, as the Yanks kick off the 2006 season on the West Coast.
Let's Go Yan-Kees!
We'll see if the season actually starts today. The weather looks pretty wet here in the East Bay. It looks like one of those days where it rains for 15 minutes and then it's dry for 15 minutes, and then it starts raining again.
If they play at all, they'll be playing through some showers at times, I'm sure. I think the A's would probably call it off early if the weather forecast didn't look exactly the same for tomorrow.
I would like to order the book, will it benefit you most if I order it at alexbelth.com?
i'm off to take a nap so i can watch more than one inning.
I can't wait for tonight. Did anyone see that several of the ESPN "experts" have picked the Yankees to win the World Series? I just hope that they don't jinx us.
Kick some butt tonight, guys!
Congratulations Alex. Enjoy opening day everyone and get that book so we can banter about it.
LET'S GO YANKEES!
Sound familiar? I'm not sure who he was describing if it wasn't Giambi. Has anyone else heard these accusations?
Believe it or not, just a year or so ago I was thinking, someone really needs to write a book about Curt Flood. I'm looking forward to it.
GO YANKS!!!!
LET'S KICK SOME ASS TODAY...LET'S GO YANK-EES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Alex, Can't wait to read your book!!!!
I did an interview with Viva Los Birdos which should be posted by the end of the week. And next Monday I'm going to host a chat at Baseball Prospectus. I'll mention it again between now and then, but once they've announced it on their home page (which should be shortly), please feel free to send in questions.
Thanks for all the encouragement and support guys. I really appreciate it.
I am not letting go of that one anytime soon. thanks for more ribbing ammunition, alex.
look forward to reading tomorrow's game rap, "night owl".
BTW, Rollins just extended the "streak" in the 9th.
Too bad you had to work. You missed some fine vintage Schilling.
And a play by Coco Crisp that looked like a replay of the catch Mantle made on Gil Hodges to save Don Larsen's perfect game.
You damn well better be at the podium in the Coliseum Bookstore...cause I'm gettin' really tired of hanging with you in the back!
Congrats again Alex...well deserved.
Congratulations! I have my copy!
standuptriple,
Rollins still on top of the plate and out of the box too I suppose. Why don't the National League pithers back him off. Christ, even I could get a hit off MLB pitching standing where he does.
Let's Go Yankees. Looks like it could be a great year!
congrats on the book! as a long time reader of the site, i've always enjoyed your writing and knew you'd get published someday.
looking forward to a fresh season here at the banter ;-) i can't wait to watch the yanks tonight.
congrats Alex on the book!
I think everyone will enjoy it and I hope there are many more to come from Alex. Destiny is on his side.....I expect him to give Jeter's HOF induction speech....
;)
My brother had his birthday recently, and I got him a copy of 'Stepping Up'. He really enjoyed it, and I heavily recommend the idea to everyone else.
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