Bush League: Because You Forced Us Too! By Paul Vann
Welcome to the hilarious and surprisingly insightful world of Little League baseball, where the real game happens off the field. Mike Callahan thought coaching Little League would be simple—teach kids to hit, catch, and run the bases. Instead, he finds himself navigating secret player drafts that resemble espionage operations, managing parents who treat ten-year-old games like the World Series, and partnering with Dave, an assistant coach whose statistical analysis would make professional scouts blush. From the chaos of draft day, where parents strategically hide their kids’ talents, to the battlefield of travel baseball, where every rule becomes a negotiation, and every game requires a parent containment strategy, this book takes you behind the scenes of America’s favorite youth sport. You’ll discover why the infield fly rule causes more controversy than it should, how a double catcher system can revolutionize your season, and why sometimes the worst team really does win the championship.
With sharp wit and genuine heart, these stories celebrate the absurdity and joy of volunteer coaching. Whether you’re dodging helicopter parents, decoding league politics, or just trying to remember which kid plays shortstop, you’ll find yourself laughing at the chaos while appreciating the deeper lessons about community, growth, and what youth sports should really be about. Perfect for coaches, parents, and anyone who has ever wondered what really happens at those mysterious league meetings.
‘Ster It Up by Jim Buckley
“Ster It Up: The Story of America’s Most Successful Summer Baseball Team” is about baseball, but it’s also about love, hope, joy, challenge, heartbreak, and inspiration that the game brings to the plate. It tells the story of the best summer college baseball program in America—located in one of the best places to live. The Santa Barbara Foresters have won a record 10 NBC World Series championships since 2006 and more than 1,000 games since 1991. Led by Hall of Fame manager Bill Pintard, they have sent 70 players to the major leagues, but their story is much more than just winning; it’s about their Hugs for Dubs program—designed to help hundreds of families and children battling cancer. This Little League baseball team has a huge impact, not only on the field but also in the world. Inside, you will find the team’s many achievements, including a year-by-year look at the team’s success.
Let Them Play by Eric Byrnes
As a journey through the stages of youth sports as seen through the lens of both a parent and a coach, Eric Byrnes delves into the primary takeaways and paths to success. Inside, he discusses the benefits of autonomous decision-making and experiences in the sport through recalled moments while sharing coaching perspectives to create independent and driven athletes. Through the power of individual ownership, process orientation, relentless work ethic, and constant pursuit of learning, Eric leaves readers with the tools that will help them become their best through their own work—not simply for the field or court, but applicable across life and its own lessons.
Do You Want to Work in Baseball? by Bill Geivett
Do you want to know the process of acquiring employment in Major League Baseball? Have you ever wondered how baseball scouts evaluate players? Do you want to know more about professional baseball player development? Bill Geivett draws on his 28 years of experience in professional baseball to answer these questions. He offers his insights from his time as a player, scout, and front office executive. “Do You Want to Work in Baseball?” is more than just a “how to” description of details to remember; it’s filled with Bill’s real-life lessons learned from the varied roles he has held for the MLB clubs, including the California Angels, New York Yankees, Montreal Expos, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Colorado Rockies. For anyone who desires a career in Major League Baseball or any professional sport, as well as athletes, parents, and fans, “Do You Want to Work in Baseball?” offers a unique and practical look into a world that only a few have seen firsthand.
Ducks on the Pond by R. Scott Murphy
“Ducks on the Pond” is a love letter to baseball, but it’s not just diamonds, dust, and Dodgers—it’s about youth, wonder, and nostalgia-simpler times when Pluto was a planet & reality stars were not. Steal away to Kool Aid-stained summer days, wiffle ball, BBQ hot dogs, and “American Top 40” with Casey Kasem. Award-winning writer, R. Scott Murphy uses his “storyteller mashup” style to blend
Award-winning writer R. Scott Murphy uses his “storyteller mashup” style to blend “Cultural Literacy” with “Schoolhouse Rock” and take snapshots of the grand game. He morphs generations of Bronx Bombers in “Revelry in the House of Ruth,” the ultimate conversation starter for Yankee Nation. Liven up your longball lingo with “The Home Run Alphabet.” Take a poetic excursion to every MLB stadium & every World Series played since 1965. Count down Murphy’s favorite baseball nicknames with music references as assigned by ESPN’s Chris Berman. Albert Pujols becomes “E Pluribus Pujols” and “The Monsters Are Raging On Huston Street.” As Casey Kasem would say, “Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars.”
We Need A Hit by Lois Ann Nicolai
This is the true story about little girls living in the small rural town of St. Paul, Indiana, in the 1970s. They began playing softball in 1971 when they were between six and nine years old, and they played together for seven years when their coach and sponsor entered them in the 1977 Indiana Slow-Pitch Girls Softball State Tournament, where they succeeded in becoming the Indiana State Champions. Their coach, Lois Leffler-Nicolai, settled in St. Paul and quickly realized—along with her six children—that there was nothing for children to do in the small town. There was no kindergarten, no Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, no swimming pool, nothing. So, with her history of softball behind her, she recruited every girl in their town between the ages of six and nine to join their girls’ softball league.
The girls named their team the Saint Paul Super Stars and began improving each year until they became undefeated in 1976, winning every game and both season play-offs. In 1977, the girls were between the ages of thirteen and fifteen and again were undefeated in both Decatur and Shelby counties. Soon the girls gained their first sponsor and entered the Indiana softball state playoffs!
Playing Catch with Dad by Christopher R. Ford
Ronnie Williams loves baseball—he loves pitching and adores playing catch with his dad. So, when the Williams family has to move to Texas, and Ronnie has to start all over to make new friends and a baseball team, he uses his knowledge of baseball to help! Ronnie goes through ups and downs making the team, dealing with a demanding coach, a bully, and the losses the team endures, but through it all, his dad is there to give him advice while playing catch in the backyard. When he finally gets the biggest opportunity of his life, can Ronnie overcome his nerves and remember the lessons from his dad so he can show everyone what he’s really got?