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Dropping the Ball

Baseball's Troubles and How We Can and Must Solve Them

About The Book

HALL OF FAMER DAVE WINFIELD:

"THE GAME I LOVE IS HURTING."


Revenue has never been higher, attendance has never been better, and baseball has never had a stronger international presence. Yet, with all of the prosperity, the game has rarely faced more significant problems, both in the headlines and deep within our communities. Steroid scandals, labor strife, self-centered superstars, a dramatic decline in the number of African American players and fans, constraints on Little League facilities and resources, and competition from trendier sports and entertainment options all threaten the foundations of our national pastime.

Dave Winfield knows and loves the game and he believes baseball can be rescued and revitalized. In Dropping the Ball, Dave presents his compelling plan of action for saving this great game from self-destruction. A respected role model and ambassador of the sport, Winfield outlines his strategy for making baseball the game he knows it can be: inclusive, empowering, and entertaining. He focuses on how to make the game more fan-friendly, and especially how to reach out to the African American community. From the commissioner's office to the kids on the street, Winfield examines the game from every perspective, offering ideas and solutions for diversifying front offices; marketing the game; developing community-based programs; and working out fair, creative, and lucrative parameters for the business of baseball. Dropping the Ball inspires readers to get out of the armchair and into the action.

Urbane and entertaining, this is a trenchant, thought-provoking, and uplifting analysis of what can be done -- by the baseball giants and by all who play and love the game -- to save America's national pastime for you, your kids, and your community.

About The Author

Photo Credit:

Dave Winfield is best known as a New York Yankee and won a World Series ring with Toronto in 1992. Currently an executive with the San Diego Padres, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Scribner (March 20, 2007)
  • Length: 224 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781416551263

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Raves and Reviews

"Still a gamer, Dave Winfield's play was compelling -- and so, it turns out, are his opinions." -- The New York Times (Play Magazine)

"This is a must-read book and one that I feel has something for everyone." -- Hank Aaron

"An eloquent plea for decency and loyalty from one of today's premier ambassadors of the game." -- The Boston Globe

"If you love the game of baseball as much as Dave Winfield does, attention must be paid to his poignant and heartfelt words...full of common sense and wisdom." -- New York Daily News

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