This Day in History May 3, 1936

Well, I am not a sports fan, but even I know who Joe DiMaggio was.  And it was on this date in 1936, that he made his Baseball Major League debut.  It was against St. Louis, and he had three hits and three runs scored.  He was with the Yankees from this date through 1951.  I know him as one of Marilyn Monroe's husbands.  His 56-game hitting streak still stands to this day--at least from what I can see.

For more information:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dimagjo01.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_DiMaggio
http://famousdaily.com/history/joe-dimaggio-major-league-debut.html

Goddess Fish: "Mickey Tussler Series" by Frank Nappi (Ends 4/26) WW

Goddess Fish Promotions is organizing a Virtual REVIEW ONLY Tour for The Legend of Mickey Tussler (304 pages) and/or Sophomore Campaign (280 pages) by Frank Nappi, historical novels available now. The Legend of Mickey Tussler is the basis for the TV movie A Mile in His Shoes(2011). The tour will run April 15-26 and the books are available in PDF format or in print, upon request. Hosts may choose to review either or both.  EDITED TO ADD:  This tour has been amended.  In lieu of reviewing, hosts may either choose to post an interview, a guest blog, or a promo post.



Frank will be awarding a $50 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour.   Follow the entire tour for more chances to win:
http://goddessfishpromotions.blogspot.com/2013/02/review-tour-mickey-tussler-series-by.html

Want to read my review of the first book?  Click here.

Sophomore Campaign: A Mickey Tussler Novel by Frank Nappi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the series, and I remember how the first book was surprisingly good. I say that because I don't like baseball, and it takes an amazing author to get me interested in the book enough to read it all the way through. As good as book one is, the second book is even better! Frank Nappi has expanded the issues dealt with in the book. Autism still plays its part through Mickey, but now 1949 racism enters the story through a talented African American player.

There is profanity in this book, but as I explained to my mom tonight, Frank Nappi is such a good author that I overlook the profanity. It is there, but it is no more than you might here in a PG-13 film--probably even less. The story seems to be very simple, but I want to tell you that the ending was not what I expected. In fact, I hope another book is being planned!

I will admit that some descriptions of the baseball game did not interest me much, but I had no trouble reading through these portions of the book. I will not mark the book down because it is only my personal preference. I believe that the author has captured the time period, its issues, and American's love affair with baseball in a way that will not be soon forgotten. Be sure you read book one, and then follow it up with this book. It is worth your time.

I was sent a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

View all my reviews

Tribute Books: "The Legend of Mickey Tussler/Sophomore Campaign" by Frank Nappi Blog Tour

In the late 1940s, the minor league Milwaukee Brewers are foundering yet again and manager Arthur Murphy is desperate. When he sees seventeen-year old Mickey Tussler throwing apples into a barrel, he knows he has found the next pitching phenom. But not everyone is so hopeful. Mickey’s autism—a disorder still not truly understood even today—has alienated the boy from the world, and he is berated by other players and fans. Mickey faces immense trials in the harsh and competitive world of baseball while coping with the challenges inherent to his disorder. An honest and knowledgeable book about overcoming adversity, and the basis for the television movie A Mile in His Shoes, Mickey’s powerful story shows that with support and determination anyone can be triumphant, even when the odds are stacked against him.
Prices/Formats: $12.95 paperback, $12.95 ebook
Pages: 304
ISBN: 9781616086589
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release: April 1, 2012

Amazon buy link ($12.95):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1616086580?tag=tributebooks-20Barnes and Noble buy link ($12.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/legend-of-mickey-tussler-frank-nappi/1009004910?ean=9781616086589

Kindle buy link ($12.95):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NLRXVI?tag=tributebooks-20

Nook buy link ($12.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/legend-of-mickey-tussler-frank-nappi/1009004910?ean=9781620873021





The Legend of Mickey Tussler: A Novel by Frank Nappi
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

First of all, I do not like baseball.  I chose to read this book because it was about autism and sounded good.  Some of the portions of the book did not interest me, but the descriptions of baseball games are not overly involved.  I think if you only have a simple understanding of the game (like I do), you should basically be able to follow the story.

I was drawn to this book long before I read it.  I always love to read about people overcoming disabilities.  Yes, this is fiction, but it reads like a true story.  There are times it really gets  to me.  The descriptions of how he and his mom were treated by Mickey's father were chilling at times.  My heart went out to both her and Mickey.  I can't imagine how an autistic boy could get along in the 1940's.  To see him overcoming his issues and being accepted for his talent was really nice to see.  I think this is a perfect example why children born with disabilities don't necessarily need to be aborted.  They can go on to accomplish amazing things, and Mickey sure did.

I appreciated the way the author added in suspense and even a bit of corruption into the story.  But never fear.  There is a surprise ending, and it was this fantastic, inspiring ending that made me know I had to give this a 5-star rating.  That's right--it was getting a solid 4 before I reached the last couple pages.  I look forward to reading the next book!

As a side note, I was going to mark the book down for the following reason.  This book is targeted at young adults, I do believe.  The profanity was rampant throughout the book, and that bothered me greatly.  I realize that many books out there are loaded with profanity and other inappropriate elements.  But when a book targets a certain audience, I have higher expectations.  As you can see, I chose not to mark it down, but I can assure you that I would not want my daughter reading this book until she was well into her 20's.  There were a couple minor sexual discussions, but I could handle that.

The strength of the story is phenomenal and touching.  It never came across as sappy or cheesy.  It was real!

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.


View all my reviews

It’s 1949 and eighteen-year-old pitching phenom Mickey Tussler is back with the rejuvenated minor league Brewers in the sequel to The Legend of Mickey Tussler (the basis for the television movie A Mile in His Shoes). Despite Mickey’s proclamation that he will never play baseball again after last season’s violent conclusion, his manager—and now surrogate father—Arthur Murphy cajoles the emotionally fragile, socially awkward boy with autism into giving it another shot. Mickey reluctantly returns to the field and must once again cope with the violence and hatred around him. When a young African American player joins the team, the entire team is subjected to racial threats and episodes of violence, one of which Mickey witnesses firsthand. Struggling to understand such ugliness and hatred, and fearful of reprisal should he tell anyone about what he has seen, the boy’s performance on the field suffers. Mickey now must deal with a side of human nature he scarcely comprehends.

Prices/Formats: $12.95 paperback, $9.99 ebook
Pages: 280
ISBN: 9781616086633
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Release: April 1, 2012

Amazon buy link ($12.95):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/1616086637?tag=tributebooks-20Barnes and Noble buy link ($12.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sophomore-campaign-frank-nappi/1110930657?ean=9781616086633
Kindle buy link ($12.95):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007NLRWBY?tag=tributebooks-20
Nook buy link ($12.95):
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sophomore-campaign-frank-nappi/1110930657?ean=9781620873069


Sorry, I don't have this book reviewed yet, but as soon as I do, I will link it here.

About the Movie:
franknappi.com/
a-mile-in-his-shoes.html

Movie Buy Link ($14.95):
Amazon

Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel,Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA's silver medal for outstanding fiction. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the touching story "A Mile in His Shoes" starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, including Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story, and is presently at work on a third installment of the unique series. Frank lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.

Frank Nappi's Web Site:
http://www.franknappi.com/

Frank Nappi's Blog:
http://www.franknappi.com/blog.html
Frank Nappi's Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/authorfranknappi
Frank Nappi's Twitter:
https://twitter.com/FrankNappi
Frank Nappi's Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/fnap33

The Legend of Mickey Tussler Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12693349-the-legend-of-mickey-tussler

Sophomore Campaign Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12693348-sophomore-campaign

A Mile in His Shoes (movie) link:
http://www.franknappi.com/a-mile-in-his-shoes.html
Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tribute-Books-Blog-Tours/242431245775186

Kaskey Kids Mini Figures Review

A little while ago, I had the opportunity to review mini figures from a wonderful company:  Kaskey Kids.


The product my daughter and I reviewed was the Baseball Mini Figures.

I will tell you right now that my daughter is not really "into" sports, but she absolutely loved these!  She had a lot of fun playing with them.  She was even happier when she gave them away to one of her friends who is a baseball player.  What an awesome gift, and he was pretty happy!  Though we no longer have these toys, we know they are being enjoyed and loved by a baseball aficionado.  This is a company that has all sorts of toys for kids that are sports-related as well as other kinds of toys.  I would encourage you to check them out!  And if you enter the code SMILE at checkout, you will receive a 20 percent discount!

I was provided with a product from this company in exchange for my honest review.  I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

This Day in History November 30, 1887

This is a picture from this date (Thanksgiving) in 1887 when the first ever softball game was played.  It happened in Chicago where a group of about 20 men gathered in a gymnasium to hear the outcome of the Harvard-Yale football game.  Following Yale's victory, one of the men (a Yale alumnus) picked up a boxing glove and threw it at someone (a Harvard supporter) who hit it with a pole.  George Hancock (considered the inventor of softball) called out "Play ball!" and the rest is history.  This first game was played with a tightened boxing glove as a ball and a broomstick for a bat.

This new game was called "indoor," "indoor outdoor," or "indoor baseball," and was later renamed softball by Walter Hakanson  in 1926.  Other names throughout the years have been "kitten ball," " pumpkin ball," "diamond ball," and " mush ball."  I am not a sports enthusiast, so I apologize if I am not overly excited about this fact in history, but I did find the evolution of the sport quite interesting.  Softball tends to be something that women play (so I thought), and here is was developed by a group of men.  Go figure!

For a lot more information, check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Softball
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art11423.asp
http://www.sanjeev.net/trivia/george-hancock-invented-a-new-game-on-november-30-1887-it-wa.html

This Day in History September 18, 1999

All right, this will be one of the few times I talk about sports history.  Possibly the only time I mention baseball.  Amazingly, I actually know who this person is, and I remember this.  Even though I really do not follow sports at all.  I try to know just enough sports to make my students believe I know a little bit, but that's it.  Usually.

Sammy Sosa was born November 12, 1968 in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic.  He was the fifth of seventh children, and his father passed away when he was seven.  Because he could not afford baseball materials, he made a glove out of milk cartons, a bat out of a tree branch, and a ball out of a rolled sock and tape.  He was described as being skinny and malnourished, even years later when he was recruited by professional teams.

Sosa picked up a real bat for the first time at the age of 14, and he played for small leagues in Santo Domingo.  At the age of 16, the Texas Rangers recruited him and gave him a signing bonus of $3500.  And guess where he sent most of that money?  To his mother!  He then used some of what was left of the bonus ($200) to buy himself a treat--a used bike.

His first season in 1989 was pretty bad--1 home run in 84 bats.   He was traded to the Chicago White Sox in the middle of the season (a choice later regretted by the general manager of the Texas Rangers).  His struggles continued during his three years with them--averaging 9 runs per season.   He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1992.

This is when things began to change for Sosa.  All he ever knew was baseball, and he wanted to support his family.  So he worked very hard to perfect his game.  In his first full year with the Cubs, he scored 33 home runs and was well on his way to becoming an all-star.  Eventually, this led to a 4-year 42 million dollar contract.  Little did anyone know that Sosa would be making history very soon.

For 37 years, Roger Maris held the record for the most home runs in the Major League during one season--61 home runs.  In 1998, St. Louis Cardinals Mark McGuire scored 62 home runs.  And in that same year, Sosa tied that record.  It was a very emotional time for Sosa, and he even received a call from the son of the man with the original record.  And Sosa did not stop there--he went on to score 66 homers total that season!
He became a superstar, especially in his native Dominican Republic.  He also was named the MLB's most valuable player by a landslide vote.

On this day in 1999, Sosa accomplished another great feat.  He became the only player to hit 60 home runs in two different Major League seasons.  He was even more excited over this record.  Before Sosa, the only player that had only gotten close to that record was Babe Ruth who hit 59 home runs in 1921 and 60 in 1927.

Now, I could go on and on about his continued records and amazing feats, but if you are interested in learning more, check out these sites:
http://latinosportslegends.com/sosa.htm
http://mlb.mlb.com/team/player.jsp?player_id=122544

The best thing I read about Sosa was that he was happily married and has 4 children.  How nice to hear about a young "superstar" who has a happy marriage!  Yes, I realize he is in his 40's, but I still think that makes him young!