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The 25 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time

by Len Berman
138p. 978-1-40223-886-4.
COPY ISBN
Gr 4—8—As he did in The Greatest Moments in Sports (Sourcebooks, 2009), Berman offers a readable collection of facts and anecdotes. This time, he introduces 25 baseball players in short chapters that highlight their career accomplishments and milestones. Though a "blue ribbon panel" of sports writers and players helped narrow his list, sportscaster Berman colors this collection with his personal opinions. His enthusiasm is infectious, and observing that statistics only tell part of the story, he personalizes each account with memorable incidents and accomplishments. The colorful design adds to the appeal. There are few surprises among those chosen; most are Hall of Famers and include Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, and Berman's hero, Mickey Mantle. The notables also include Pete Rose, Josh Gibson, and Alex Rodriguez. Jeff Kisseloff's well-written Who Is Baseball's Greatest Hitter? (Holt, 2001) and Who Is Baseball's Greatest Pitcher? (Cricket Bks., 2003) were crowd-pleasing favorites. Like those earlier books, Berman's lively title should win a wide audience of fans young and old.—Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA
Seven men, including former players, journalists, and a baseball executive, helped Berman select which twenty-five baseballers are the best of all time--a project ripe for argument. Despite the large number of fantastic players that have been excluded, the author does a good job explaining the achievements of those selected by his panel. Vibrant color photos decorate the pages.
Reviewed by Marilyn Taniguchi , Jan 01, 2011

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