My Bat Boy Days: Lessons I Learned From The Boys of Summer

Six days from today, Scribner (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) will release Steve Garvey’s new book “My Bat Boy Days: Lessons I Learned from the Boys of Summer.”

With this book, Garvey tells the story of how he learned life-lessons from big leaguers who he met while serving as a batboy (in Florida) from 1956 through 1961. These players (and learnings) were: Pee Wee Reese (leadership), Gil Hodges (dignity), Carl Erskine (honesty), Jackie Robinson (passion), Duke Snider (persistence), Roy Campanella (compassion), Sandy Koufax (faith), Mickey Mantle (fortitude), and Al Kaline (perfection).

Garvey’s father was a bus driver for Greyhound in Florida and was assigned to drive charters for ball clubs during spring training. Through this connection, Steve was able to serve as batboy for the Dodgers, Yankees and Tigers.

“My Bat Boy Days” is a quick read. The book is 7.8″ by 5.3″ (in size) and is 149 pages (long).

To be candid, I enjoyed “My Bat Boy Days: Lessons I Learned from the Boys of Summer” much more than I expected going into the review process.

There are some “Yankees” ties to the story here. Garvey’s parents moved from Long Island, New York, to Tampa, Florida, while Mrs. Garvey was pregnant (with Steve). Nonetheless, according to the book, Mrs. Garvey never switched her devotion to her favorite team - the Yankees. And, as stated, Garvey included Mickey Mantle among his select group of players featured in this book.

Basically, each essay on a featured player reads like a mini-biography. And, for me, this is the true value of this book. Anyone wanting to learn more about nine great players from the late 1950’s - and a particular quality that made them special - can benefit from Garvey’s storytelling here. And, again, it’s a nice and quick read.

If there’s someone in your life who was born in 1940, or earlier, and who likes to reminisce about baseball back when they were young, or, if you know someone younger, who is just learning about baseball history, “My Bat Boy Days: Lessons I Learned from the Boys of Summer” would be a nice little surprise gift to give them.

It’s not the greatest baseball book of all-time. But, I’ve read many, many, baseball books that were so boring that I couldn’t finish them - and that’s saying a lot, coming from a baseball nut like me.

But, Garvey’s book is quick enough, and entertaining enough, that you’ll have no problem reading it. And, like me, you just might find out that you liked it better than you thought that you would (once you read it).

March 19, 2008 | Filed Under Reviews

Comments

3 Responses to “My Bat Boy Days: Lessons I Learned From The Boys of Summer”

Basura on March 20th, 2008 8:50 am

Learning life’s lessons via Steve Garvey is like learning diction from Chris Russo.
MacZig6 on April 6th, 2008 1:18 am

Basura,

Life lessons are learned by people who have experienced a great life, like Mr. Garvey. If you even know who Chris Russo is, after viewing him and his ranting, you would not be one to make such a comment. Mr. Garvey is a compassionate, wise, intelligent and caring individual! He has been a successful businessman from the very beginning of his career and continues to be so today. You cannot teach lessons of any kind, unless you have knowledge of these subjects. Whatever your problem with Mr. Garvey is, it is evident you know nothing about him, his life, or this great book that he has so graciously shared with baseball fans. Stop listening to Russo (you are worse off for it) and READ BOOKS, starting with the one you commented on while being obviously uninformed. Trust me when I tell you, I have a successful life, business and family because of the “LIFE LESSONS” I learned and am still learning from Mr. Garvey. I will continue to learn from him as long as he will graciously allow me to do so. You would be a better person for paying heed to my comments.
MacZig6 on April 6th, 2008 1:37 am

Mr Lombardi,

You wrote a great review and I thank you for your time and intelligence in your writings. I have to also say as books will always be written and continue to be, there will never be an all-time greatest. An all-time great book is in the eye of the reader and what speaks to that persons heart. But, you are correct that this is a great book. Thanks Mr. Lombardi.