Author Rick Vaughn uncovers the stories that keep Tampa's passion for the National Pastime burning . /b/p

When the Boston Red Sox faced the New York Yankees in the historic 2003 American League Championship Series, the meeting seemed to serve as the climax to perhaps the greatest rivalry in professional sports. Yet, following New York’s comeback victory in scintillating Game 7, both the Red Sox and Yankees entered the off-season without a world title--and with renewed conviction to finish the job in 2004. In A Tale of Two Cities, respected baseball writers John Harper (New York Daily News) and Tony Massarotti (Boston Herald) chronicle the Yankees and Red Sox in parallel story lines through the summer of 2004. The authors take you behind the scenes with the teams, cities, and media during one of the most intense baseball seasons in history.

Sit on the bench with Yogi and Casey, in the locker room with Mickey and the Babe, and in the bullpen with Whitey and Sparky. Tales from the Yankee Dugout is a compilation of the funniest, strangest, and most unique stories, anecdotes, and tall tales that have been attributed to the former personalities from baseball's legendary New York Yankees. Includes more than two dozen caricatures by noted sports illustrator Robert Jackson.

“A warm, sentimental look at a baseball icon” (The Tampa Tribune). Driving Mr. Yogi is the story of a unique friendship between two New York Yankees legends—a pitcher and catcher—who share rides, meals, and a bond that transcends the twenty-five-year difference in their ages. The story begins in 1999, when Hall of Famer Yogi Berra is reunited with the Yankees after a long self-exile, the result of being unceremoniously fired by team owner George Steinbrenner fourteen years before. A reconciliation between Berra and the boss means that Berra will once again attend spring training. Retired-pitcher-turned-pitching-coach Ron Guidry knows the club’s young players will benefit from “Mr. Yogi’s” encyclopedic knowledge of the game, just as Guidry had during his playing days, so he encourages his old mentor to share his insights. In Yogi, Guidry finds not just a personable dinner companion or source of amusement—he finds a best friend. At turns tender and laugh-out-loud funny, and teeming with unforgettable baseball yarns that span more than fifty years, Driving Mr. Yogi is a universal story about the importance of wisdom being passed from one generation to the next, as well as a reminder that time is what we make of it and compassion never gets old. “Funny, revealing, and surprising . . . Anything that brings new Yogi Berra stories is a good book.” —MLB.com “Lovingly documented . . . You’ll find yourself wishing it ain’t over till it’s over.” —Parade magazine

Tampa Bay Magazine is the area's lifestyle magazine. For over 25 years it has been featuring the places, people and pleasures of Tampa Bay Florida, that includes Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg. You won't know Tampa Bay until you read Tampa Bay Magazine.

Seeing baseball played at Fenway is an experience like no other for Red Sox fans and rivals alike because the park reminds us of what baseball used to be. Fenway may not offer fans the best seats or even adequate parking, but when game-goers walk through the park's gate, the smell of hotdogs and roasted peanuts, the sight of Fenway's brilliant green grass and the roar of the Fenway faithful overwhelms the most jaded of baseball enthusiasts, even Yankee fans. At Fenway celebrates the rich history of Fenway Park home to the Boston Red Sox. Told through the wit and perceptions of Dan Shaughnessy, sports columnist for the Boston Globe and one of New England's most admired sportswriters, At Fenway is the writer's hometown tribute to the park how growing up with Fenway and the Red Sox affected his life and the lives of the many die-hard fans living in "Red Sox Nation." Author of The Curse of the Bambino, Shaughnessy takes readers on a walking tour of the fabled park itself, exploring every nook and cranny that makes Fenway unique. He traces the early history of Fenway from the day owner John I. Taylor broke ground for its construction in 1911 to the building material that went into the making of Fenway's "Green Monster" wall. In addition, Shaughnessy introduces readers to some of the unrecognized figures who keep Fenway's cherished traditions alive, including Helen Robinson, who has operated the park's switchboard for more than half a century, and head groundskeeper Joe Mooney, who "protects and defends the green, green grass of Fenway Park." A book that uniquely captures the spirit of Fenway Park and what it means to be a Boston Red Sox fan, At Fenway also explores the "good, bad, and ugly" moments that have nurtured Fenway's love-hate relationship with fans. From the dark day of January 5, 1920, when Babe Ruth left the Red Sox to play for the Yankees, to the Red Sox's 1967 Cinderella-story pennant victory; from Carlton Fisk's 1975 World Series home run to the crowd-silencing homer Bucky Dent hit that clinched the Yankees' 1978 playoff birth, At Fenway recalls the park's greatest and worst moments and talks with the players who created them. Rumors that the Red Sox will close Fenway in a few years have already provoked outrage among the faithful. Closing Fenway will mark the end of an era, and Dan Shaughnessy captures this era in all its tragic glory. At Fenway will be read and cherished by Red Sox fans and all fans of baseball as it ought to be.

Every baseball fan knows that Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols are among the best to ever play the game. But how do their high-priced contracts impact their teams' abilities to compete for a World Series title? Which managers and executives are best at getting the most out of their roster, year-in and year-out? And how does sabremetrics play into all of this? In this book, veteran ESPN columnist Jayson Stark explores these questions and many more. Supplemented with insightful commentary from countless baseball insiders, it gives baseball fans a rare, fascinating glimpse into the why behind the game's winners and losers.

Baseball fans in the Bronx and beyond will delight in this incomparable, far-reaching collection of insider tales When 19-year-old Marty Appel got a job as a mail clerk for the New York Yankees, assigned to spend the summer of '68 answering Mickey Mantle's fan letters, he couldn't have known it was just the start of over a half-century entwined with the Bronx Bombers. As a PR director, television producer, writer, and historian, Appel never missed an opportunity to get to know the main characters— and supporting cast— of Yankees lore. The result is an unparalleled trove of colorful stories featuring a seemingly unending parade of characters including Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson, Derek Jeter, George Steinbrenner, and everyone in between. By turns hilarious and heartrending, Pinstripes by the Tale is an intimate look at an iconic franchise through the lens of its foremost historical authority. Told as a series of captivating vignettes, it invites readers to consider the small moments that quietly shape the contours of baseball history.

One of the greatest outfielders of his generation, Hazen "Kiki" Cuyler (1898-1950) was working as a roof assembler in an auto plant in Michigan when he seized an opportunity to realize his dream of playing major league baseball. After toiling in the minor leagues for more than three years, he took the National League by storm and became a legitimate star during his 1924 rookie season with Pittsburgh. Considered one of the fastest and smartest base runners of his era, Cuyler played for four National League pennant winners and participated in three World Series over his career, earning election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968. This definitive biography chronicles Cuyler's life and career, including his dispute with Pirate manager Donie Bush and his subsequent trade to Chicago in 1928.

Joe and Mike Cantillon: Firebrands of Baseball is a true and inspirational story. The book tells the story of two first-generation Irish-American brothers from a struggling immigrant family. They rose from hardscrabble beginnings in Wisconsin to reach the upper echelons of baseball and achieve their baseball dreams in the major leagues. The inspiration for this book was the author’s interest in his family history; Joe Cantillon was his great-great-uncle and Mike Cantillon was his great-grandfather. This is a touching tribute that documents their contributions to baseball. It is an entertaining look at the Cantillon brothers’ journey during a wild and wooly time in our favorite pastime. About the Author Michael D. Bosanko worked for thirty-four years in New York State Government in the finance field and is now retired. He has an undergraduate degree from St. John’s University in Minnesota and a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin. Bosanko is also an avid tennis player, enjoys traveling, and likes historical novels and television programs. He lives in upstate New York with his wife Marge. They have two children, Nick and Brendan. He is a professional sports fan, especially tennis, football, and baseball. He has been a member of the Society for American Baseball Research for over five years.