Synopses & Reviews
Who was better, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays? At their peak, who was more valuable, Joe DiMaggio or Ted Williams? If Lefty Grove, Sandy Koufax, and Roger Clemens had pitched at the same time against the same hitters, who would have won the most games? If Jackie Robinson had been white, would he be deserving of the Hall of Fame? Who was the greatest all-around player of the last century?and#160;Clearing the Bases is the first book to tackle these and many other of baseballand#8217;s most intriguing questions and offer hard, sensible answersand#8212;answers based on exhaustive research and analysis. Sports journalist Allen Barra, whose weekly sports column and#8220;By the Numbersand#8221; attracted millions of fans and whose outspoken opinions are discussed regularly on National Public Radio, takes on baseballand#8217;s toughest arguments. Using stats and methods he himself has developed, Barra takes you to the heart of baseball's ultimate questionand#8212;and#8220;Who's the best?and#8221;and#8212;in this, the ultimate baseball debate book, one guaranteed to spark thousands of heated discussions and to supply the fuel for thousands more.
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“For all sports collections.”—Library Journal Library Journal
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and#8220;A knowledgeable sportswriter and radio personality who strives to bring fresh perspectives to his criticism, Barra is in top form here, and his obvious passion for his material makes him unfailingly fun to read.and#8221;and#8212;Kirkus
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and#8220;If you love the game for what it is . . . step up and dig in.and#8221;and#8212;New York Times
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and#8220;A real hackle raiser, but utterly fascinating.and#8221;and#8212;Boston Globe
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"A knowledgeable sportswriter and radio personality who strives to bring fresh perspectives to his criticism, Barra is in top form here, and his obvious passion for his material makes him unfailingly fun to read."-Kirkus(Kirkus)
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and#8220;Barra constantly challenges his readers to think outside the bounds of conventional sports analysis, using a seemingly innocuous but ultimately deadly combination of statistics (and#8220;the life blood of the sportand#8221;) and common sense. Barra writes for thinking people, not simply by slaughtering baseballand#8217;s sacred cows, but by demonstrating to the reader that anything less would be dishonest.and#8221;and#8212;Publishers Weekly
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“If you love the game for what it is . . . step up and dig in.”—New York Times --Bruce Miller - Montana the Magazine of Western History
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“A knowledgeable sportswriter and radio personality who strives to bring fr --The New York Times
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and#8220;[Barra] goes about the job with meticulous care, with energy and delight. Every conclusion is supported by a wealth of data, well-balanced. Great book for the armchair athlete.and#8221;and#8212;Houston Chronicle
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“A real hackle raiser, but utterly fascinating.”—Boston Globe --Publishers Weekly
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and#8220;For all sports collections.and#8221;and#8212;Library Journal
About the Author
Allen Barra is a sports columnist for the Wall Street Journal, the Village Voice, and the New York Sun and is the author of several books, including The Last Coach: A Life of Paul and#8220;Bearand#8221; Bryant and Big Play: Barra on Football.and#160;Bob Costas is a sportscaster for the NBC network.