|
|
|
|
Confessions
of a Baseball Purist
By Jon Miller and Mark Hyman, 1998
Simon & Schuster, 269 pages
Fans know Jon Miller as the voice of ESPN Baseball but his current job
is just the latest he has held since being hired by the Oakland A’s at
the age of 24!
Over nearly a quarter of a century, Miller’s lungs, wit and baseball knowledge
have led him to Boston, Texas, and San Francisco, where he calls games
for Giants’ fans when he's not at ESPN.
In Confessions of a Baseball Purist, Miller talks about recently leaving
Baltimore for the Bay area, a move that was surprisingly bittersweet,
considering the broadcaster grew up rooting for his hometown Giants. He
talks about his disappointment at failing to reach an agreement with the
Orioles and leaves no doubt he feels O’s owner Peter Angelos pushed him
out.
“It shouldn’t have come as a surprise. There had been too many frustrating
phone calls, too many delays in getting down to business. The Orioles
had given me all the signals,’’ he reflects.
The book starts out slowly, with Miller dispensing his thoughts on Bud
Selig, interleague play and speeding up games. But things pick up when
he talks of his quest to enter the world of broadcasting. In fact, when
Miller tells of sitting in the upper regions of Candlestick Park as a
youngster, calling the games into a tape recorder, you can almost smell
the peanuts and Crackerjacks he surely consumed.
Miller also reminisces about time spent with such baseball legends as
Cal Ripken Jr., Reggie Jackson and, of course, current ESPN partner Joe
Morgan.
Confessions of a Baseball Purist may not be a home run but, from where
we’re sitting, it’s certainly an extra-base hit.
I Bet You Didn’t Know: “Purist” Miller insists the players
of today are not only faster and stronger but also better than those of
yesteryear.
No Surprise Here: After 14 years with the Orioles, Miller
can’t knock Ripken, insisting that Cal’s consecutive games streak never
hampered his ability or hurt his team. Doubtful.
A Chapter To Celebrate: Miller’s book really hits its stride
when the broadcaster talks of his partners and play-by-play idols. Particularly
interesting is the genuine affection he displays for his buddy Morgan.
By Randy Williams
For
the main baseball page, click here
Today's Lineup | Sports
Pages | Features | Newsstand
| Sports Links
Speak Out | Mailing
List | Scouting Dept. | About
Us | Home
