FROM THE DESK OF STEVE BRATONE:
This page was last updated  EST

"Monday Morning Sports Report." November 17, 2000

Back in April I promised "regular" updates on the Sports Page and now on the eve of Thanksgiving here's the first one! I guess if our President can argue over what "is" is, who's to say what "regular" is ? The baseball season has come and gone and, as a born-and-bred New Yorker, I can't deny being thrilled with the Subway Series. However, the excitement was seriously diminished for me and many others by the seemingly interminable length of the games, together with the fact that they all started after 8:30 P.M. (EST) and invariably didn't end until after midnight. My 9-year old son, a rabid Yankee and Derek Jeter fan, didn't see a single game to its conclusion - or past the 4th inning, for that matter. As the young boy in William Saroyan's "The Time of Your Life" said more than once: "I'm not mentioning any names, but something's wrong somewhere!" (Have to get a literary allusion in here one way or the other.)

Still on the baseball front, it's the free agent season again and the sky's the limit (again). Or is there something beyond the sky? I never thought Mike Piazza's 12 million per could be seen as a bargain, but that might only be half an A-Rod! Up until the Mariners shelled out 13 mil for the rights to sign that Japanese outfielder, I felt that Alex would probably end up staying with the Mariners. Now that seems less likely and when the dust settles we'll probably see Alex Rodriguez in a Mets uniform. Now here's what would be truly ironic ( and true poetic justice) and might even begin to derail the free-agent freight train: the Mariners lose A-Rod and win the A.L. Pennant or better yet, the World Series. Think about it: in 1999 they finish out of the money and then they lose what most consider the best player in baseball, Ken Griffey Jr. What happens? Without Griffey they win their Division and make it to the League Championship. Now again they lose the commonly accepted "best-player-in-baseball" and guess what - the team gets even better! It could happen: the departue of A-Rod leaves a lot of $ for other things. Position players rarely win championships. The smart teams will spend their money on starting pitching like the Cardinals did last year, acquiring Kile and Hentgen and blowing away their Division even with McGwire out most of the year. If you look at all of the great Yankee teams, the only ones which had their foundation in quality starting pitching, the 1949-1953 teams with Reynolds, Lopat, Raschi and then the young Whitey Ford, were the ones that won the 5 straight World Series, beating a great Brooklyn Dodger team three times that had four Hall-of-Famers in the lineup- none of them pitchers, I might add! (And it should be five Hall-of-Famers when Gil Hodges finally gets his due).

Well, that enough baseball - and enough blather. Next update, I'll educate all of you about football! The best thing about having your own Web Site is the opportunity to pontificate about anything that tickles your fancy. I'd love your feedback: e-mail to Steve at pellbooks@cyburban.com and -to bring in yet another sport(?) - LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!! (Verbally, that is). To get back to business, take a look at some of our new and exciting sports books featured below. And take a few minutes to check out the "catalogues" section of our Web Site and scroll through our entire SPORTS catalogue. Don't see what you're looking for? We will find it for you. We think of ourselves as the best worldwide bookfinders on the Web - try us out. What the hell - it's free!!!!

Here are this months selections:

 
click photo to enlarge

1. TOM AINSLIE: Tom Ainslie's Complete Guide to Thoroughbred Racing

NY: Trident, 1968. Second Printing, Hard Cover, Near Fine/Very Good.

The first true encyclopedia of the game - How expert bettors win! Ainslie is the acknowledged Godfather of thoroughbred handicappers. 493 PAGES. (UR#:7085) US$14.95

click photo to enlarge		 2. Herd, Sandy (Told to Clyde Foster):
MY GOLFING LIFE

London: Chapman and Hall, 1923. First Edition, Hard Cover, Very Good +/Very Good. Minor foxing to end papers. DJ shows some edge wear and darkening.

One of the rarest of the older classiccgolf books and almost never found with a dust jacket!! Full page tissue-protected frontis of Herd + 18 additional full-page vintage B&W illustrations. The dust-jacket cover has 4 photographs showing one the first usages of "stop-action" photography showing the sequence of Sandy Herd's near-perfect swing. DJ spine has title, author, publisher and price (10/6) and back of dj has ads from Chapman & Hall's "Spring List." 246 pages. Photos include: rare picture of Harry Vardon on the first tee at St. Andrews; the Coombe Hill Golf Club House; Herd with Clyde Foster chatting in front of the Club House at Moor Park; Harry Crawford the "Giant Caddy of North Burwick." (UR#:08392) US$995.00


click photo to enlarge

3. GERALD ESKENAZI: Gang Green ; NY: Simon & Schuster, 1998.

First Edition, Near Fine/Near Fine, Unclipped DJ.

An irreverent look behind the scenes at thirty-eight seasons of New York Jets football futility. (UR#:08330) US$25.00

click photo to enlarge

4. WILLIAM LaFETRA: Clip and Groom Your Own Poodle

Neptune City, NJ: 1972. Illustrated Hard Cover, Very Good+.

The title tells it all! Thoroughly illustrated, follow the directions and before you know it you and your poodle will stand proudly in the winner's circle at Westminster! (UR#:09347) US$18.00


click photo to enlarge 

5. DAVID OWEN: Office Golf

NY: Workman Publishing, 1999. First Printing, Illustrated Soft-Cover, As New/No Jacket.

Includes 9-hole office golf course that one can lay out across an entire office with instructions for incorporating file cabinets, desks, water coolers, etc. as replacements for bunkers, rough and other hazards to simulate the real thing. Set this up in your office and "Thank God It's Monday!!" (UR#:7887) US$19.00

click photo to enlarge  		6. Pittsburgh Pirates: 1994 All Star Game (Gameday Edition Program)

NY: Major League Baseball Properties, 1994. Pictorial Soft-Cover, As New.

One of the greatest baseball Programs ever produced, with a color front cover, featuring a pull-down tab which alternately shows the full color uniforms of each of National and American league teams. An "as new" Program, with unmarked scorecard included. Special Edition commemorating the "125 Years of Professional Baseball." If your a fan, you've got to have this one!! (UR#:10493) US$60.00

 

 
click photo to enlarge

7. Vishnudevananda, Swami: The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga

Bell, 1960,, F/VG (DJ is chipped atthe edges).

Includes over 140 astounding photographs of one of world's greatest Yoga Masters. (UR#:470) US$29.00

 
click photo to enlarge

8. DEREK MURRAY (Editor and Coordinator) Petro Canada: Share the Flame: The Official Retrospective Book of the Olympic Torch Relay.

Whitecap, Murray, Love: Vancouver, 1990 (?), F/NF in Unclipped ($39.95) dj.

Pictorial oversized HB, with many beautiful full-page photos. Full pictorial story of the carrying of the Olympic Flame across Canada for 88 days in 1987-88. Beautiful photos capture the full beauty, glory and diversity of Canada - from Newfoundland to British Columbia. (UR#:3326) US$18.00

click photo to enlarge 

9. GADD, BOOTHROYD AND DURELL: The Book of Windsurfing:
A Guide to Boardsailing Techniques

NY, Exeter Books, 1985, F/NF with photographic facsimile dj.

Fully illustrated in black and white and color. Very good simple instructions! 127pp. (UR#:4823) US$20.00


click photo to enlarge		 10. STEVEN KANE: Skateboard: A Step-By-step Guide to Improving Your Technique

New York: Gallery Books, 1989. No Edition Stated, Near Fine/Very Good, Large blue cloth HC with photographic dustjacket. Fully illustrated.

Keep up with your kids and the exciting new world of "Gravity Sports." (UR#:09228) US$35.00


click photo to enlarge

11. DR. WALTER AMSTUTZ: Skiing from A-Z

London: Oxford University Press, 1939. First Edition, Near Fine/Very Good, Clipped DJ.

Features 450 instantaneous movie photographic stills from moving picture takes. Interesting early work on the subject, with an unusual photographic approach to the sport. (UR#:10646) US$18.00

click photo to enlarge		 12. NATHAN SALANT: This Date in New York Yankees History: A Day By Day Listing of Events in the History of The New York American League Baseball Team

New York: A Scarborough Book, 1979. First Soft-cover, Near Fine, 400 pages. A MUST book for every Yankees fan. (UR#:10513) US$28.00

click photo to enlarge		 13. BRUCE CHADWICK Baseball's Hometown Teams. The Story of the Minor Leagues

Abbeville Press New York (1994) 1st Edition Hardcover, dj Photographs & Illustrations 176pp. 9 ½" x 9".

Hundreds of rare photographs and memorabilia revealing the true roots of the National Pastime. Detailed, complete story of the minors leagues from 1877 through to today's glorious minor-league revival. Includes: Where the Teams Are, Minor League Stats Bibliography, Index - US $24.00


click photo to enlarge

14. JIM O'BRIEN Hail to Pitt

Wolfson Publishing Co. 1982 Very good in good dustjacket. . Illustrated by Marty Wolfson. First printing.

A fascinating Sports History of the University of Pittsburgh. Large, 8 3/4" x 11 1/4", 272 pages, 100's of rare and unique photographs. This book features on the dj cover and within, the illustrated college highlights of Dan Marino, Mike Ditka, Tony Dorsett, Hugh Green, Dave Logan, Mark May and Russ Grimm, among many others. US $32.00

click photo to enlarge

15. DARRYL STRAWBERRY with ART RUST, JR.

Darryl Bantam Books, 1992, 2d Printing, Fine in a Fine dust jacket.

The fascinating and troubling story of the troubled life and career of Strawberry told with affection and insight with thee invaluable contribution of co-Author, Art Rust Jr., the esteemed African-American sports broadcasting pioneer. US $16.00.

click photo to enlarge

16. Programa Official; Bullfight Program

EL LITRI, JAIME OSTOS and PACO CAMINO, commentary in Spanish, English, French and German. Very Good.

From the 1966 Spanish season, features three of the greatest Spanish matadores of the modern era. Great color cover art, exciting action photos within. Printed in Seville. US $65.00

click photo to enlarge

17. Rozelle, Pete (Forward By -): The Super Bowl - Celebrating a Quarter Century of America's Greatest Game

NY: Simon & Schuster, As New/As New, Still in plastic wraps, unopened, untouched by human (reader) hands!

The ultimate book on the subject with tremendous photographs and commentary. (UR#:10471) US$45.00

click photo to enlarge

18. JOEL COHEN: Big A - The Story of Lew Alcindor

NY: Scholastic Inc., 1971. 1st Edition Soft Cover, Well worn but still Good.

Story of the Kareem Jabbar to-be, from early New York City days as a High School phenomenon at Power Memorial through UCLA to the pros. (UR#:10170) US$16.00

click photo to enlarge

19. University of North Carolina: NORTH CAROLINA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 1982 (Men's Basketball)

Charlotte, NC: UMI Publications, 1982. First Edition, Near Fine. In blue leatherette covers, with gold lettering and a gold embossed seal of the University of North Carolina on the front cover.

A book dedicated to the NC National Championship season in Men's Basketball, 1981-1982. This was MICHAEL JORDAN'S rookie year and he made his first splash onto the national sports scene with the dramatic winning basket against Patrick Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas in the NCAA final. There are full-color page photos of all of the NC players and coaches (including "Mike Jordan" as he was then known); a game-by-game description of the entire season and playoffs; and on page 95 a full-color photo of Jordan's winning basket, entitled "THE WINNER;" A full review of the media coverage of the Championship including full-page full-covers of the Sports Illustrated cover stories on NC that year - and more! 159 pages in near-perfect condition. A rare and unique sports collectors item(UR#:10963) US$475.00

click photo to enlarge

20. Schoenstein, Ralph: THE BOOZE BOOK: The Joy of Drink

Playboy Press, NY, 1974. Very Good + in a VG + dustjacket.

Well, I consider drinking a sport - and it's my Web Site! Everything you ever wanted to know about the three major food groups: beer, wine and spirits. This wonderful collection of the greatest stories, essays, drinking songs, toasts and odes to the romance of alcohol includes contributions by Shakespeare, Mencken, Thackeray and Lord Byron. Full of great cartoons and illustrations. Cheers, Skol, Salute and "Up Yours!!!!"