[.ca] The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip: A Fan's Guide to Major ... (ISBN 1592281591)

This is one fantastic book:
I got this book in the mail a couple days ago, and have not been able to put it down. It's much more than just a travel guide. It's full of interesting local trivia, tales of local ballpark celebrities, and entertaining little stories about two ordinary baseball fans on the roadtrip of a lifetime. I never expected a "travel book" to be so engaging. This book is just what every baseball fan needs to get him through the long winter months and plan his summer vacation. There's also a lot of information about things to see and do around the ballparks, which might make such a vacation idea a little easier to pitch to the wife (or significant other.) I highly recommend this book to anyone contemplating or even just dreaming of a baseball roadtrip.

Good Baseball Reference:
I bought this book because I enjoy reading about ball parks both old and new. This is a different type of book because it helps people make the most out of their ballpark experiences while avoiding the pitfalls. The best parts of the book are the insider tips on little known aspects of the ball parks such as Bill Veeck's showerhead in New Comiskey Park or the secret of what is actually in Rocky Mountain Oysters. The book is also strong on information about parks no longer with us, especially parks like the old Polo Grounds or Ebbets Field or even newer ones like Candlestick or Riverfront. One problem with the book and the only thing keeping it from getting a five star rating is that numerous errors keep popping up. If it isn't a speling error (Louis Gonzalez or Louis Aparicio), its a factual error (Expos, Padres, Angels and Mariners joining the National League in 1969 or Ernie Banks playing shortstop from 1953 to 1971). Also, the pictures they use are not always the clearest. The book could have used an editor who has more baseball savvy. This is still a useful book and handy for people who want to travel to different major league ballparks. Hopefully, they can revise it a bit to clean up the inaccuracies.

Clearly a Labor of Love.:
The back cover of this book says that it's a "comprehensive guide to all the diverse and fascinating major league baseball ballparks throughout the country." And it is. But more than that, it's an tribute to the entire baseball experience from a tailgate barbecue, to commentaries on players salaries, to what area of the ballpark to sit, along with a very amusing skill with words. Clearly a labor of love, these two guys seem to have found a way to make a living (well maybe earn at least a little) out of an obsession. The resulting book, all 530 pages is clearly the work of people loving everything about the game, and it shows.

Baseball lovers gotta get this book:
The Ultimate Baseball Road Trip - that's for sure! Well, I must say this is a book definitely worth reading. The authors lived a dream that many baseball fans could only imagine. Their humorous writing coupled with obvious enthusiasm for baseball and its parks is infectious. I found the book very useful/informative and it would be a necessary companion for future trips to major league cities. Nine parks have already been crossed off my list so I have my work cut out but after reading this book I have the motivation to make it to some of the other stadiums and cities around major league baseball. I'd say the authors went 3-4 with 2 doubles, 3 RBI's and a game winning hit!

"The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip: A Five-Tool Player":
As an avid reader of baseball books, I am often skeptical of new baseball publications. Baseball books can be tediously academic (it is a game after all, Mr. Will) or, in the case of guide books, short on substance. Other works just seem to repeat the stories and cliches I hear every year during rain delays. When I saw "The Ultimate Baseball Road-Trip," I thought it might be another coffee-table book. But it has been a fun, informative read. The book appeals to the historian in me, especially in its efforts to tell about the Negro League and minor league entries in each respective MLB city and in its attempts to document old stadiums. Yet, O'Connell and Pahigian write in a style that is witty and engaging, and wise to the role of trivia in the seamhead's life . I have found myself continually sneaking a quick read at my desk or on the train. (The book is addictive and perfect for summer reading.) Finally, I can recommend this book as a travel guide nearly on par with the "Let's Go" or "Rough Guide" series. I used it on a trip to the Midwest and found it especially useful in less celebrated cities like Milwaukee and St. Louis. It is rare that a book of this type can succeed on so many levels.