Beyond the techniques and training, baseball begins with one player facing another and the psychological battle that they wage-the head game. In his critically acclaimed and bestselling new book, Roger Kahn presents the story of this supreme war of wits and the people who changed the course of baseball by playing, what he calls, chess at 90 miles an hour. In The Head Game, Kahn investigates not only grips, tactics, and physics, but also the intelligence, maturity, and competitive fire that has inspired some of the greatest hurlers in history. By covering renowned pitchers and pitching minds-from Christy Mathewson, Cy Young, Don Drysdale, Bob Gibson, and Bruce Sutter to today's reigning pitching coach, Leo Mazzone-Roger Kahn sheds new light on baseball's most pivotal contest. A delightful and edifying tour of America's favorite pastime seen through the pitcher's eyes, The Head Game "is as lively and familiar and old-shoe as the game itself, even today" (Los Angeles Times).
Inside the great expanse of a ballgame is the essential core of what Roger Kahn, one of the national pastime's most esteemed chroniclers, calls "chess at 90 miles per hour." That core, of course, is the duel between pitcher and hitter. At its best--which is where Kahn wants to play--it's as cerebral, complex, and psychological a contest as exists in sports, hence the title of this fascinating exploration of how baseball's basic confrontation, told from the pitcher's perspective, has evolved over time.
Drawing from his vast knowledge and long experience, Kahn parses the battle from every angle, dissecting the wizardry of hurlers both ancient--Candy Cummings, Hoss Radbourn, Cy Young, Christy Mathewson, Walter Johnson--and modern--Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Bruce Sutter, Tom Glavine. It is vintage Kahn--he manages to mix personal memoir with astute analysis. He examines tangibles, such as the height of the mound, and intangibles, such as the fear factor carried by every pitch, without ever taking his eye off the ball. And he's not above a few laughs and surprises. When he makes out his subjective list of the best pitchers of all time, he naturally includes Matty, Koufax, and Warren Spahn, but he also throws in a guy named Jerry Solovey. Jerry who? Kahn tells us he played in the low minors. So why's he here? "He could," Kahn admits, "almost always get me out." Like an able hurler, Kahn knows how to mix it up. He's got enough command as a writer to know how--and when--to bounce an occasional curveball or scroogie in the dirt for effect. --Jeff Silverman
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
One Of Kahn's Most Enjoyable & Knowledgable Baseball Books:
Roger Kahn became famous for writing about "The Boys of Summer," but I think this was his most readable book about baseball.....kind of a treatise on pitchers and what makes them tick. He looks at great pitchers ranging all the way back to Christy Matthewson to modern-day men like Tom Glavine. Kahn really opened my eyes to the achievemnts of longtime Braves hurler Warren Spahn. Anyone who knows baseball history knows Spahnie" was a great left-hander, but this good? Wow. This isn't just a book... more info
Barely rates as a quality start:
You can hardly go wrong reading a baseball book written by Roger Kahn. But The Head Game: Baseball Seen from the Pitcher's Mound barely rates as a quality start (in keeping with pitching lingo). Kahn divides his work into two sections--essentially pitching prior to World War I and pitching after World War II (the modern era). The book is equally divided, but it doesn't come alive until page 140 when Kahn starts to write about Warren Spahn. In the first half, Kahn writes about Hoss Radbourn, Cy... more info
Great Read:
A great read off the back of a sports journalist's life experience among both the baseball and sports writer's fraternity. Some great quotes and stories from hall-of-fame pitchers, and the pioneers of the modern game. Not just for those who like pitching, but a great book for all baseball fans who want to hear about spending a life studying the players and the game, and written by a well educated person who has spent his life writing about baseball without the ego of a player talking about himself.
Readable, Insightful, Superb:
Roger Kahn has given fans another winner with this revealing look at pitchers and their mental approach to baseball. Readers learn about life on the hill from ancient masters like Christy Mathewson, mid-Century stars like Warren Spahn, and modern artists like Tom Glavine. Along the way we learn about different pitches, grips, exercise regimens, and mental strategies. We also learn about their long hours of practice, varying exercises to reduce strain on the arm, and experimentation with the baseball. As... more info
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