This summer has been a whirlwind for me, and for as much as I thought I was going to have time to get some leisure reading in , I haven't had any. Now that the summer is winding down, I'm attempting to get some reading in before I bury my nose in photography and journalism textbooks.
I've had a piece of paper with a list of books on it for the longest time, all books of different sports. Biographies, rule books, inspirational stories, and compilations of short stories. Some have been bought, some I have yet to purchase. The list that follows is awfully long, but I'm determined to complete it sooner rather than later.
If you have a review on any of these books, any input you think I should know, or a book you think needs to be added to the list, feel free to send it my way!
Baseball
The Last Days of Shea - Dana Brand
The Complete Game - Ron Darling
Koufax - Edward Gruver
Game Six - Mark Frost *purchased
Joe Dimaggio: The Hero's Life - Richard Ben Cramer
The Boys of Summer - Roger Kahn
Watching Baseball Smarter - Zack Hample *currently reading
Faith and Fear in Flushing - Greg W. Prince, Jason C. Fry *currently reading
100 Things Mets Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die - Matthew Silverman
Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball's Last Hero - David Maraniss
Summer of '49 - David Halberstam
Hustle: The Myth, Life, and Lies of Pete Rose - Michael Sokolove
Sports Illustrated: Great Baseball Writing
Wait Till Next Year - Doris Kearns Goodwin *purchased
Willie Mays: The Life, The Legend - James S. Hirsch *purchased
The Long Ball: The Summer of '75 - Tom Adelman *purchased
Throwing Heat - Nolan Ryan, Harvey Frommer
Summer in the City: New York Baseball 1947-1957 - Vic Ziegel
Joe: Rounding Third and Heading for Home - Greg Hoard *purchased
The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball - Tom M. Tango, Mitchel G. Lichtman, Andrew E. Dolphin
Nine Innings: The Anatomy of a Baseball Game - Daniel Okrent
Unwritten Rules of Baseball - Paul Dickson
Forever Blue - Michael D'Antonio
Moneyball - Michael Lewis *purchased
The Machine - Joe Posnanski *purchased
Tales from the Dugout - Mike Shannon
Amazing: The Miracle of the Mets - Joseph Durso
Ball Four - Jim Bouton
The Year the Mets Lost Last Place - Paul D. Zimmerman, Dick Schaap
Faithful - Stewart O'Nan, Stephen King
Screwball - Tug McGraw, Joseph Durso
Pure Baseball - Keith Hernandez, Mike Bryan
Sports Illustrated: 50 Years of Great Writing *purchased
Cardboard Gods: An All-American Tale Told Through Baseball Cards - Josh Wilker
Football
The Blind Side - Michael Lewis
Invincible: My Journey from Fan to NFL Team Captain - Vince Papale and Chad Millman
More Than a Game: The Glorious Present-and Uncertain Future- of the NFL - Brian Billick, Michael MacCambridge
Bloody Sundays: Inside the Rough-and-Tumble World of the NFL - Mike Freeman
The Legends: Cincinnati Bengals : The Men, The Deeds, The Consequences - Chick Ludwig
Paul Brown: The Rise and Fall and Rise Again of Football's Most Innovative Coach - Andrew O'Toole
Hockey
The Good, the Bad & the Ugly Philadelphia Flyers: Heart-pounding, Jaw-dropping, and Gut-wrenching Moments from Philadelphia Flyers History - Adam Kimelman and Keith Primeau
Walking Together Forever: The Broad Street Bullies, Then and Now - Jim Jackson
The Broad Street Bullies: The Incredible Story of the Philadelphia Flyers - Jack Chevalier
Birth of a Dynasty: The 1980 New York Islanders - Alan Hahn *purchased
Fish Sticks: The Fall and Rise of the New York Islanders - Peter Botte, Alan Hahn
Deceptions and Doublecross: How the NHL Conquered Hockey - Morey Holzman, Joseph Nieforth
The Boys of Winter: The Untold Story of a Coach, a Dream, and the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team - Wayne R. Coffey, Jim Craig *purchased
The Game - Ken Dryden
The Official Illustrated NHL History: The Story of the Coolest Game - Arthur Pincus, David Rosner, Len Hockberg, Chris Malcolm
General
The Games Do Count: America's Best and Brightest on the Power of Sports - Brian Kilmeade *purchased
Bearcats Rising - Josh Katzowitz *purchased
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Brandon Phillips Profile
Brandon Phillips is an integral piece of the Cincinnati Reds ballclub. On the field, off the field, in the dugout, in the community, he has more than enough character to go around. He’s a dependable performer and always dependable for a good laugh. He’s not the ballplayer you see on the field and can expect composure from at all times. He plays with his heart on his sleeve, and it’s just him being true to himself. What you see is what you get, and in Cincinnati, we love what we are getting from Brandon Phillips.
Born in 1981, the Raleigh, North Carolina native Phillips attended Redan High School in Georgia, and was drafted by the former Montreal Expos in 1999. Just as many of the best in the game, he grew up idolizing famed Reds shortstop Barry Larkin. After being considered one of the top prospects in the Expos farm system, Phillips was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2002. He spent much of his time with the Indians in the high Minor Leagues, and after the team found his progress not speedy enough, he was traded to the Reds in April 2006. He made an immediate impact with the Reds and became the starter at second base. Phillips earned NL Player of the Week the same month he was acquired by the Reds, during which time he also hit his first career grand slam.
Since joining the Reds, Brandon Phillips has become a well-known and idolized second baseman. In 2007, he became the first ever second baseman to earn 30-30 honors for the Reds, meaning he hit at least 30 or more home runs and stole at least 30 bases in one season. He also became just the second second baseman in history to receive the honor behind Alfonso Soriano. He makes the split-second catches, makes a few appearances on highlight reels, and is sure to entertain.
His character and emotion isn’t something you’ll only see expressed on the field. Brandon Phillips is the player you’ll find who makes time for the fans, for the children, the people who love him the most. Brandon Phillips is an example of a player who is one of the most active in the community, and one of the best performers the team has to offer. It’s no surprise you can find him during batting practice in Great American Ball Park signing for fans down the baselines or behind the cage.
In 2008, Brandon Phillips received the Roberto Clemente Award for community service. That same year, he paired up with the Reds Community Fund to begin work on what would be called “Brandon Phillips Field.” The location of the site was at Clark Montessori High School on Winton Road. It housed the high school’s varsity and junior varsity teams, as well as the Reds Community Fund’s RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program. Phillips donated the $7,500 he received from being nominated for the Roberto Clemente award, as well as $25,000 of his own to the construction of the new field. The field was dedicated on May 23, 2009.
If there’s a Reds event out in the community, you can almost count on Brandon Phillips to make an appearance, and making the best out of it. He’s taken part in many of the Reds Caravan tour stops; he’s made appearances at the famed Rubber Duck Regatta Auction, and in 2008 he befriended a 16-year-old cancer patient and housed her and her family at the ballpark for a game.
Brandon Phillips is the face of a team, and the face of a true athlete through and through. His generosity and kindheartedness off the field is a perfect match for his intensity on the field. He is a great ambassador for sportsmanship and athleticism alike.
Born in 1981, the Raleigh, North Carolina native Phillips attended Redan High School in Georgia, and was drafted by the former Montreal Expos in 1999. Just as many of the best in the game, he grew up idolizing famed Reds shortstop Barry Larkin. After being considered one of the top prospects in the Expos farm system, Phillips was traded to the Cleveland Indians in 2002. He spent much of his time with the Indians in the high Minor Leagues, and after the team found his progress not speedy enough, he was traded to the Reds in April 2006. He made an immediate impact with the Reds and became the starter at second base. Phillips earned NL Player of the Week the same month he was acquired by the Reds, during which time he also hit his first career grand slam.
Since joining the Reds, Brandon Phillips has become a well-known and idolized second baseman. In 2007, he became the first ever second baseman to earn 30-30 honors for the Reds, meaning he hit at least 30 or more home runs and stole at least 30 bases in one season. He also became just the second second baseman in history to receive the honor behind Alfonso Soriano. He makes the split-second catches, makes a few appearances on highlight reels, and is sure to entertain.
His character and emotion isn’t something you’ll only see expressed on the field. Brandon Phillips is the player you’ll find who makes time for the fans, for the children, the people who love him the most. Brandon Phillips is an example of a player who is one of the most active in the community, and one of the best performers the team has to offer. It’s no surprise you can find him during batting practice in Great American Ball Park signing for fans down the baselines or behind the cage.
In 2008, Brandon Phillips received the Roberto Clemente Award for community service. That same year, he paired up with the Reds Community Fund to begin work on what would be called “Brandon Phillips Field.” The location of the site was at Clark Montessori High School on Winton Road. It housed the high school’s varsity and junior varsity teams, as well as the Reds Community Fund’s RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities) program. Phillips donated the $7,500 he received from being nominated for the Roberto Clemente award, as well as $25,000 of his own to the construction of the new field. The field was dedicated on May 23, 2009.
If there’s a Reds event out in the community, you can almost count on Brandon Phillips to make an appearance, and making the best out of it. He’s taken part in many of the Reds Caravan tour stops; he’s made appearances at the famed Rubber Duck Regatta Auction, and in 2008 he befriended a 16-year-old cancer patient and housed her and her family at the ballpark for a game.
Brandon Phillips is the face of a team, and the face of a true athlete through and through. His generosity and kindheartedness off the field is a perfect match for his intensity on the field. He is a great ambassador for sportsmanship and athleticism alike.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Rounding Third and Heading Back Home
It’s 2007. I’m working my first job at Lids, being a reckless college freshman, making some of the worst decisions I have ever had the misfortune of making. I am a bad judge of character, and trying to figure out what to do with my life. Fast forward. I’m preparing to begin my senior year and finish my degree at the University of Cincinnati, I work at one of the best restaurants in the city, I’m a Cincinnati Reds intern, I have a great sense of self, and I’m with the one guy I have no idea how I ever lived without.
Talk about a 180 spin on your life. I didn’t even notice all of these things happened. All I know is I look back now, and have no idea who I was back then and I owe a lot of that to the experiences I’ve had in the last year. From getting compliments from professionals, to getting my first gig as a photographer for GoBearcats.com, to working alongside the professionals with a Major League Baseball team. The last year has been a whirlwind, and one of the busiest and most stressful years of my life, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
In the late winter, early spring of 2010, I received a direct message from Michael Anderson, an employee in the public relations department at the Cincinnati Reds. We had followed each other on Twitter for a few months, and he told me that they had an internship for an editorial intern open for 2010, and that I should check it out. There was no way I was going to let the offer pass by. I immediately updated my resume, popped out a cover letter, and emailed it over to both Michael Anderson and to John Hale, the head of the human resources department. I waited anxiously for a phone call for a number of weeks, nervous and praying that this opportunity would come my way. All the time that I endured between sending in the resume and the phone call I was hoping for, my boyfriend, Dylan, and one of my best friends, Marty Siry, kept my spirits up and reassured me that I’d be perfect for this and that there’s no way I don’t deserve it.
The phone finally rang.
“Hi Elise, this is John Hale with the Cincinnati Reds. I wanted to let you know that I received your resume, and I wanted to know when you may be available for an interview.”
My dad was the only person home at the time, and I was jumping around my living room like I had won the lottery. He stared at me like I was absolutely insane, but he knew who was on the other end of the phone.
I accepted, and a week later I showed up for the interview. I felt confident in my abilities, and I’ve never been a nervous interviewee. (This was my first real interview, in relation to a job. I wouldn’t say my interview at Lids actually counted.)
About a week later, I received another call from Mr. John Hale, this time to offer me the position. I was relieved, I was elated, and I had no idea what to do with myself. I went out that night with some of my closest friends to celebrate and have a few drinks. I was on cloud nine.
I remember the first day I came to work at the Reds front office. I was so nervous and I had no idea what to expect. My supervisor, and managing editor, Jarrod Rollins, took me under his wing and made me feel comfortable. I was given my own cubicle, and I got down to work. Before I go on, I’ll tell you this; the image you have engrained in your head as to what an intern does, was nothing like my experience. I wasn’t getting anyone’s coffee, I wasn’t running errands, and I wasn’t treated as an “intern.” I immediately became a member of the Creative Services department. Within a week, I was working to complete my first feature story for Reds Magazine on Nick Masset and Arthur Rhodes. The great thing about writing these pieces was that I had free creative reign over everything I did. There was no, “This is the piece. This is who I want you to do it on. This is how I want you to do it.” They put their trust in me and had enough confidence in my writing abilities, that they could give me a player and a slight direction, and I could whip something up worthy of publishing for thousands of people to read.
Before I knew it, I was writing promotional pieces, calling players’ agents, and taking photographs at the open batting practice before Opening Day. I was really doing it. I was exactly where I had always wanted to be, doing exactly what I had dreamt of doing, and my hard work got me there.
Over time, I was assigned to photograph events in the Fan Zone, player meet and greets in the Reds Hall of Fame and on the field, I took the photos for the group brochures, first pitches, on-field ceremonies, the works. This experience definitely put my photographic skills to the test. I had never done event photography before, and I am very proud at how all of it turned out.
I was fully prepared to begin writing for the second edition of Reds Magazine and they assigned me my favorite piece of the entire 2010 season; a profile on the very talented, Mike Leake. Not only was I to write a story about him, I was to interview him. (Yes, I still have the audio from the interview on my recorder and my laptop.) I had the pleasure of not only figuring out what he’s about during this interview, but this opened the doors for the rest of the season for me to truly get to know who he is. This was the most easy-going interview I have ever done. We’re two months into the season, he’s the new kid on the block, I’m fairly new to interviewing professional athletes, and I was completely at ease. (Interviewing someone the same age as me, born and raised on the west coast makes for a good atmosphere.)
Needless to say, I was very happy with the story that came out, and with the second piece I wrote for that issue, an opposing player spotlight on Lance Berkman. I began writing more pieces for the Reds after that. I wrote player profiles for the Cincinnati Herald, our African-American newspaper. I wrote event pieces and e-newsletters.
For the third installment of Reds Magazine, I was assigned the cover feature, a piece on Brandon Phillips and how he plays the game his way. I think everyone knows this has a bit more meaning now than it did then, but this was after the events of the series in D.C., with his chest pounding “controversy.” I was beyond excited to have the cover story, and to write my first piece that had more of a personal touch to it, rather than just a profile. I was always giddy when they’d place a new edition on my desk. To see it finished, in print, with photos and my name underneath was more than I could have ever imagined. I made sure to always send my grandmother in North Carolina a copy, which she would then take around the town to show everyone what her granddaughter did, bless her heart.
I have just finished my final piece for the last issue of Reds Magazine, which focuses on the strength of the club’s young pitching, and an opposing player spotlight on Corey Hart. The issue will be out soon, so keep on the lookout for my feature titled “Armed and Dangerous.”
This experience has exceeded my expectations. I never in a million years imagined I would be sitting at my own cubicle in the Cincinnati Reds front office. I never thought any of this would happen for me, and it has. I’ve met some of the best people and made some great contacts: my supervisor Jarrod Rollins, Michael Anderson, Jamie Ramsey, the current players, various employees of local news stations, and some of the greatest Reds to have ever played the game.
I’ve endured mocking and teasing by Brandon Phillips and Tom Browning, I’ve personally been given Eric Davis’ email address so I could send the photos I’ve taken of him, I’ve photographed a kid’s dream coming true as he met Jay Bruce and played toss with him on the field, I’ve had Billy Hatcher teach me how to stay cool in 95 degree heat (it’s all in your head,) and I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing and getting to know Mike Leake multiple times. I’ve had a Cincinnati Enquirer photographer talk to me about job experiences and opportunities, and even use his camera for a bit. I’ve seen my name published by a Major League organization, spent time in the dugout with the New York Mets and various other teams and interacted with their players, and I have spent my summer working with the Reds during one of the best seasons the club has had in a decade.
This was much more than a resume builder for me. This was an experience of a lifetime. I can say, if I never get to do this again, that for a period of my life I was doing everything I had ever dreamt of doing. I was taking photos of and writing pieces on America’s pastime and the best game to have ever been played. Where do I go from here? I told myself to dream big, I did, and this is where it has gotten me. I guess it’s time to dream bigger.
Talk about a 180 spin on your life. I didn’t even notice all of these things happened. All I know is I look back now, and have no idea who I was back then and I owe a lot of that to the experiences I’ve had in the last year. From getting compliments from professionals, to getting my first gig as a photographer for GoBearcats.com, to working alongside the professionals with a Major League Baseball team. The last year has been a whirlwind, and one of the busiest and most stressful years of my life, and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.
In the late winter, early spring of 2010, I received a direct message from Michael Anderson, an employee in the public relations department at the Cincinnati Reds. We had followed each other on Twitter for a few months, and he told me that they had an internship for an editorial intern open for 2010, and that I should check it out. There was no way I was going to let the offer pass by. I immediately updated my resume, popped out a cover letter, and emailed it over to both Michael Anderson and to John Hale, the head of the human resources department. I waited anxiously for a phone call for a number of weeks, nervous and praying that this opportunity would come my way. All the time that I endured between sending in the resume and the phone call I was hoping for, my boyfriend, Dylan, and one of my best friends, Marty Siry, kept my spirits up and reassured me that I’d be perfect for this and that there’s no way I don’t deserve it.
The phone finally rang.
“Hi Elise, this is John Hale with the Cincinnati Reds. I wanted to let you know that I received your resume, and I wanted to know when you may be available for an interview.”
My dad was the only person home at the time, and I was jumping around my living room like I had won the lottery. He stared at me like I was absolutely insane, but he knew who was on the other end of the phone.
I accepted, and a week later I showed up for the interview. I felt confident in my abilities, and I’ve never been a nervous interviewee. (This was my first real interview, in relation to a job. I wouldn’t say my interview at Lids actually counted.)
About a week later, I received another call from Mr. John Hale, this time to offer me the position. I was relieved, I was elated, and I had no idea what to do with myself. I went out that night with some of my closest friends to celebrate and have a few drinks. I was on cloud nine.
I remember the first day I came to work at the Reds front office. I was so nervous and I had no idea what to expect. My supervisor, and managing editor, Jarrod Rollins, took me under his wing and made me feel comfortable. I was given my own cubicle, and I got down to work. Before I go on, I’ll tell you this; the image you have engrained in your head as to what an intern does, was nothing like my experience. I wasn’t getting anyone’s coffee, I wasn’t running errands, and I wasn’t treated as an “intern.” I immediately became a member of the Creative Services department. Within a week, I was working to complete my first feature story for Reds Magazine on Nick Masset and Arthur Rhodes. The great thing about writing these pieces was that I had free creative reign over everything I did. There was no, “This is the piece. This is who I want you to do it on. This is how I want you to do it.” They put their trust in me and had enough confidence in my writing abilities, that they could give me a player and a slight direction, and I could whip something up worthy of publishing for thousands of people to read.
Before I knew it, I was writing promotional pieces, calling players’ agents, and taking photographs at the open batting practice before Opening Day. I was really doing it. I was exactly where I had always wanted to be, doing exactly what I had dreamt of doing, and my hard work got me there.
Over time, I was assigned to photograph events in the Fan Zone, player meet and greets in the Reds Hall of Fame and on the field, I took the photos for the group brochures, first pitches, on-field ceremonies, the works. This experience definitely put my photographic skills to the test. I had never done event photography before, and I am very proud at how all of it turned out.
I was fully prepared to begin writing for the second edition of Reds Magazine and they assigned me my favorite piece of the entire 2010 season; a profile on the very talented, Mike Leake. Not only was I to write a story about him, I was to interview him. (Yes, I still have the audio from the interview on my recorder and my laptop.) I had the pleasure of not only figuring out what he’s about during this interview, but this opened the doors for the rest of the season for me to truly get to know who he is. This was the most easy-going interview I have ever done. We’re two months into the season, he’s the new kid on the block, I’m fairly new to interviewing professional athletes, and I was completely at ease. (Interviewing someone the same age as me, born and raised on the west coast makes for a good atmosphere.)
Needless to say, I was very happy with the story that came out, and with the second piece I wrote for that issue, an opposing player spotlight on Lance Berkman. I began writing more pieces for the Reds after that. I wrote player profiles for the Cincinnati Herald, our African-American newspaper. I wrote event pieces and e-newsletters.
For the third installment of Reds Magazine, I was assigned the cover feature, a piece on Brandon Phillips and how he plays the game his way. I think everyone knows this has a bit more meaning now than it did then, but this was after the events of the series in D.C., with his chest pounding “controversy.” I was beyond excited to have the cover story, and to write my first piece that had more of a personal touch to it, rather than just a profile. I was always giddy when they’d place a new edition on my desk. To see it finished, in print, with photos and my name underneath was more than I could have ever imagined. I made sure to always send my grandmother in North Carolina a copy, which she would then take around the town to show everyone what her granddaughter did, bless her heart.
I have just finished my final piece for the last issue of Reds Magazine, which focuses on the strength of the club’s young pitching, and an opposing player spotlight on Corey Hart. The issue will be out soon, so keep on the lookout for my feature titled “Armed and Dangerous.”
This experience has exceeded my expectations. I never in a million years imagined I would be sitting at my own cubicle in the Cincinnati Reds front office. I never thought any of this would happen for me, and it has. I’ve met some of the best people and made some great contacts: my supervisor Jarrod Rollins, Michael Anderson, Jamie Ramsey, the current players, various employees of local news stations, and some of the greatest Reds to have ever played the game.
I’ve endured mocking and teasing by Brandon Phillips and Tom Browning, I’ve personally been given Eric Davis’ email address so I could send the photos I’ve taken of him, I’ve photographed a kid’s dream coming true as he met Jay Bruce and played toss with him on the field, I’ve had Billy Hatcher teach me how to stay cool in 95 degree heat (it’s all in your head,) and I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing and getting to know Mike Leake multiple times. I’ve had a Cincinnati Enquirer photographer talk to me about job experiences and opportunities, and even use his camera for a bit. I’ve seen my name published by a Major League organization, spent time in the dugout with the New York Mets and various other teams and interacted with their players, and I have spent my summer working with the Reds during one of the best seasons the club has had in a decade.
This was much more than a resume builder for me. This was an experience of a lifetime. I can say, if I never get to do this again, that for a period of my life I was doing everything I had ever dreamt of doing. I was taking photos of and writing pieces on America’s pastime and the best game to have ever been played. Where do I go from here? I told myself to dream big, I did, and this is where it has gotten me. I guess it’s time to dream bigger.
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