Bøger af Bill Nowlin

In the 111-year-history of the Boston Red Sox, fans have been treated to countless firsts¿ the first manager of the franchise (Jimmy Collins), the first American League MVP to play for the Sox (Tris Speaker), the first 20-game winner (Bill Dineen), the first to hit 500 home runs (Ted Williams), and the first Red Sox pitcher to win the Cy Young Award (Roger Clemens). The list goes on.In Boston Red Sox Firsts, veteran Red Sox historian Bill Nowlin presents the stories behind the firsts in Red Sox history in question-and-answer format. More than a mere trivia book, Nowlin¿s collection includes substantive answers to the question of ¿who was the first¿?¿ on a variety of topics, many of which will surprise even seasoned fans of the Sox.

As if Ted Williams's numbers needed any help, recent research reveals that 110 of his 521 career home runs-more than 20%-were game-winners. "The Kid" Blasts a Winner, by Red Sox guru Bill Nowlin, tells the story of every one of them. Williams's first game-winner came just 10 games into his career, a mammoth blast, likely the longest ball ever hit at Briggs Stadium. His last came more than 21 years later, the 520th of his career, a 2-run shot that carried the Red Sox to a 2-1 win against the Senators. For those two winners the 108 in between, Nowlin provides background on the teams and opposition pitchers, recounts the key plays and players, and describes each home run in glorious detail."The Kid" Blasts a Winner was a labor of love for baseball historian and Ted Williams authority Nowlin and the detail he provides is astounding. The narrative leans heavily on the use of newspaper accounts of the games-with headlines and excerpts adding color and depth to the narrative. Numerous quotes from Williams are also included, both from the newspaper stories and later reminiscences from The Splinter.Also included are a section that breaks down the game-winning home runs by opponent, inning, walk-off, and other categories, features on The Kid's .406 season and unforgettable All-Star Game homers, and an amazing notes section that runs more than 50 pages, packed with background stories about Williams and the Red Sox, stats and trivia, and hyperlinks to dozens of related articles. Taken on its own, the end notes read like a condensed version of Williams's unmatched career, full of little-known facts and sidebars that also serve to recreate baseball's classic era of the 1940s and 1950s."The Kid" Blasts a Winner IS a winner-a front-row seat to some of the greatest games played by one of baseball's greatest players. If you thought the legend of Ted Williams could grow no larger, get ready to become even more awed.

Vinyl Ventures: My Fifty Years at Rounder Records is less a standard history and more an idiosyncratic memoir written by one of the three Rounder founders.

Over the course of four years, prolific baseball writer and editor Bill Nowlin interviewed 72 major league umpires, another two dozen call-up and AAA umpires, and four umpire supervisors. The result is the most complete and intimate portrait ever done of a vitally important yet largely unappreciated aspect of professional baseball.Nowlin's deep knowledge of the game and of umpiring and his conversational interview style provide the perfect setting for the umpires to open up about themselves and their profession, and they do. From part-time call-ups to 30+ year veterans, the profiles that take shape transform the "men in blue" from anonymous background figures to fully formed characters-passionate, dedicated, driven, grateful. Join all the big-name umpires and young up-and-comers as they describe the challenges, frustrations, and disappointments they have faced, the thrill and honor of being at the pinnacle of their profession, while sharing funny and poignant moments from their careers. By the end of WORKING A "PERFECT GAME," readers not only have a detailed picture of the day-to-day life of a major league umpire, but also an authentic understanding of the personalities and people hidden behind the mask of the game's arbiters. WORKING A "PERFECT GAME" is divided into two parts: A collection of interviews, followed by a behind-the-scenes look at everything umpire, from school, to the minor leagues, to getting the call, to spring training, to favorite positions, to instant replay, and more. Read about•The long, hard road to reaching the majors, from umpire school, to the low minors, onward to Triple A until getting the call - 10 years or more of grueling travel, cheap hotels, and low pay•The passion that drives umpires - the pursuit of perfection and the love of baseball•The variety of ways the umps got started and who helped them keep their eyes on the prize•The never-ending logistics - airplanes, hotels, different cities, different ballparks •Life under a microscope, with every ball and strike and every safe and out evaluated electronically, with results tabulated and reported and game tapes published•Ejections - a necessary task, but one that is anything but relished, and why every umpire recalls the first time he gave someone the thumb•The thrill of post season baseball, from the joy of getting the call to the intense pressure of the ultimate baseball spotlight•The burden and privilege of being the ultimate upholders of the integrity of baseball, a responsibility that they take very seriouslyReading WORKING A "PERFECT GAME" will give you deep insight into and understanding of the most important part of baseball no one knows about - umpiring. You'll never watch a game the same way.

Few people have influenced a team as much as did Tom Yawkey as owner of the Boston Red Sox. After purchasing the Red Sox in 1932, Yawkey poured millions into building a better team and making the franchise relevant again. Bill Nowlin takes a close look at Yawkey's life as a sportsman and philanthropist. He also addresses Yawkey's leadership style and issues of racism during his tenure.