Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? - The Improbable Saga of the New York Mets' First Year

Jimmy Breslin

Summary

A “hilarious” look back at the worst baseball team in history—the 1962 Mets—by the New York Times–bestselling author (Newark Star-Ledger).   Five years after the Dodgers and Giants fled New York for California, the city’s National League fans were offered salvation in the shape of the New York Mets: an expansion team who, in the spring of 1962, attempted to play something resembling the sport of baseball.  Helmed by the sagacious Casey Stengel and staffed by the league’s detritus, the new Mets played 162 games and lost 120 of them, making them statistically the worst team in the sport’s modern history. It’s possible they were even worse than that. Starring such legends as Marvin Throneberry—a first baseman so inept that his nickname had to be “Marvelous”—the Mets lost with swashbuckling panache. In an era when the fun seemed to have gone out of sports, the Mets came to life in a blaze of delightful, awe-inspiring ineptitude. They may have been losers, but a team this awful deserves to be remembered as legends. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Jimmy Breslin including rare photos and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

Available since: 02/14/2012.

Print length: 128 pages.

Other books that might interest you

Pujol - More Than the Game

Scott Lamb, Tim Ellsworth

“He matches in his personal life the excellence that he demonstrates on the diamond. You will love this book and will love Pujols if you don’t already.” —Mike Huckabee, forty-fourth Governor of Arkansas, host of the Huckabee show

After a decade starring for the St. Louis Cardinals, Albert Pujols is already compared with names in the highest reaches of baseball’s pantheon: Ruth, Gehrig, Aaron, Mays. Slugging his way toward the Hall of Fame, Pujols has raised the game’s standard for greatness beyond any statistical measure. But the standard by which Pujols measures himself has less to do with baseball performance than with honoring God and exemplifying his faith for the millions who follow him.

From his birthplace in the Dominican Republic to his high-school days in Kansas City, from a single season in the minor leagues to the World Series and nine All-Star Games, Pujols has developed his immense talents on the baseball diamond, all the while focusing his direction—and the direction of his family—with the belief that a higher power is behind every achievement.

Authors Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth spare no tale of this growing baseball legend, all the while accentuating “the unseen hand of divine providence” that has shaped the man Albert Pujols has become. It’s a story that will inspire, and a reminder of the human quality behind superhuman achievement.

A story—still in the making—of allowing God’s strength to guide one man’s path to be the best his game has ever seen.

“Lamb and Ellsworth lucidly describe both the season-by-season baseball exploits of Pujols and the impact he’s having on some lives for eternity.” —Marvin Olasky, Editor-in-Chief, World

Show book

Drive for Five - The Remarkable...

Christopher Price

This program is read by the authorForeword by Patriots safety Devin McCourtyAfterword by Patriots wide receiver Matthew Slater 
A behind-the-scenes look at the legendary 2016 New England Patriots season from the rocky start to the superbowl finish by award-winning sportswriter Christopher Price. 
There are certain moments that simply transcend sports. They become larger than life and bigger than anyone ever thought possible, leaping off the field, the court, or the diamond and into the annals of not only history, but the very fabric of the American milieu. We all just witnessed such a moment on February 5th, 2017, when the New England Patriots battled back from the largest deficit in Super Bowl history to once again become world champions and secure Tom Brady's legacy as the greatest quarterback of all time.  
Amid a season of controversy, turmoil, and the most tumultuous political climate of our lifetime, the Patriots won. In spite of becoming entangled in the national spotlight on several occasions, the Patriots won. And in spite of being faced with any number of circumstances that would sink almost every other franchise in the NFL, the Patriots won. 
The season began with the fallout around Deflategate and losing their MVP-caliber quarterback for the first four games of the season, but honestly, the Deflategate saga was just a small part of it all. 
This is the story of how the Patriots rallied together as a team to surpass their obstacles on and off the football field and how that led to a remarkable run to the title – and the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history. 
Complete with player interviews, behind-the-scenes stories never told before, and content provided by Patriots players themselves, Drive for Five provides a unique level of insight and access to the story behind the legendary New England Patriots' 2016 season.

Show book

Bugatti - Type 35 Grand Prix Car...

Lance Cole

This expert volume examines the engineering, design, and modeling of this classic sportscar through the years—fully illustrated with color photos.     Innovative car designer Ettore Bugatti changed the history of both motorsports and engineering with the legendary T35.  Introduced at the Grand Prix of Lyon in 1924, its clever engine design, new suspension thinking, and distinct body style marked the beginning of a new era in car racing.   Automotive journalist, industrial designer and Bugatti expert Lance Cole pays tribute to this iconic automobile in a detailed yet engaging commentary. Fully illustrated with color photos, this volume chronicles the story of the T35’s design and evolution. For the car modeling enthusiast, Cole also details the modeling options in synthetic materials and die cast metals.

Show book

The Tree Climber’s Guide

Jack Cooke

‘After I finished this book I alarmed my family by going into the garden and climbing the apple tree.’ – Damian Whitworth, The Times 
‘One of the publishing sensations of the year … For anyone who has ever felt a little overwhelmed in a big city, or wanted to step out of the rat race for an hour or two, Jack Cooke will be something of an inspiration.’ – Robert Hardman, Daily Mail 
A wonderful cocktail of engaging writing, beautiful illustration and heartfelt appreciation for the natural world. An essential oddity for any book collection. 
In this charming, witty and exquisitely illustrated companion, Jack Cooke explores the city through its canopy; teetering on the edge of an oak’s branches, scurrying up a Scots pine, spying views from the treetops that few have ever had the chance to see. He takes us through the parks, over the canals and rivers and into secret gardens on his journey sometimes only ten foot above the street. 
Part guidebook, part meditation on the consolations of nature, The Tree Climber’s Guide is as uniquely odd, alluring and motley as the trees themselves. It is a journey into the tangle of bark and branches that surround us all and a welcome reminder that the best things in life are free – they just sometimes require a step in the right direction. 
The Tree Climber’s Guide is not just a book, it's a journey through the wilderness of the city, a recreation of the urban landscape that encourages healthy living and fitness. Cooke's travel through the forests of the city, his walks in the ecosystems and habitats above us, is a testament to the beauty of nature that exists in our everyday lives. 
For fans of Ben Aitken (The Gran Tour), John Lewis-Stempel (The Wood), James Aldred (Goshawk Summer), Tina Brown (The Palace Papers), and Merlin Sheldrake (Entangled Life).

Show book

Fasting Cleanse: Beginner Guide...

Green Greenleatherr

This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to perform the 8:16 intermittent fasting diet properly and successfully. Have you ever seen Hugh Jackman’s impressive physique in Wolverine? Will you believe me if I tell you that you can have Wolverine-like body, too? 
This diet will help you achieve the body you want without making yourself feel extremely hungry for days. You can achieve steady weight loss with intermittent fasting and still have enough energy to perform the things you love and enjoy life. 
Intermittent fasting is not an entirely modern invention. Our ancestors have been doing this. We have been performing this unknowingly. We have done IF at some point in our lives but we are unaware of it. 
This book will give you all there is to know about IF. Moreover, you will also learn how to perform the 8:16 IF diet properly to achieve your best form and healthiest status. 
You will find methods on how to use apple cider vinegar for health and beauty the natural way. In this book, you will find:Recipes for detox and weight lossRecipes for better skin healthBenefits of ACVHow to make apple cider vinegar at home 
This book will also teach you how this wonderful vinegar can help make you healthier, look younger and feel better. From now on, you will no longer throw your apple peels and cores as you can turn them into something wonderful and important.

Show book

Casey at the Bat - A Poem

Ernest Lawrence Thayer

Considered the greatest baseball poem of all time, "Casey at the Bat" is the beloved tale of the Mudville Nine, a hapless baseball club entering the ninth inning of a ballgame down two runs and with little hope of succeeding...unless their star slugger Casey can manage to get a turn at the plate. With two outs, the outlook is grim but...when the two players preceding Casey manage to get on base, the stage is set for a grand finale, giving the citizens of Mudville hope that their hero can save the day! Ernest Lawrence Thayer originally wrote this poem for the San Francisco Examiner and it would go on to become what Baseball Almanac called "the single most famous baseball poem ever written." It is here presented in its original and unabridged form and enhanced with music and sound effects to bring the listener right into the ballpark!

Show book