Triumph Reviews

Baseball's minor leagues, like the major leagues have had a long and storied history. This book details its history and shows how greed and paranoia among major league baseball owners denied the minors their chance to bask in the major league sun.

Many major league teams around today, like the Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers were originally long-time minor league teams which should have had an opportunity to become major league teams on their own. The book devotes a chapter to the original Baltimore Orioles who had a dynasty of their own in the 1920s, and another chapter to the Newark Bears' dynasty of the 1940's and early 1950s. Chapters are also devoted to the American Association, the Texas League and Branch Rickey. Rickey revolutionized minor league baseball with his idea of developing major league talent by "farming out" new players to minor league teams.

Sullivan also talks about the PCL's attempt to become the third major league in the late 1940s. Alas, many minor leagues before had attempted this and all were 'shot down' in their attempts. The last section of the book details the fall and subsequent rise of the minor leagues.

Although it's a bit dated now, this book does an excellent job cataloging the history of the minors.

A different way to consider some of the Murillo's paintings. A must for any spanish art lover.The book is an attempt to say something new. A no-nonsense book.A book to learn, for people really interested in art, not for those who pretend to care about it.

If you want hockey stats, look no further than The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book. Not only is it comprehensive, but the layout makes finding information as easy as an empty netter.

If you love college hoops and love reliving all of the past tourneys, you'll love this
book. My wife gave it to me for Valentine's Day and I haven't been able to put it down.
You get scores for every tourney game in history, seedings rankings, records, coaches records
, in short if there's info relating to the NCAA tourney, its in here. I can't think
of a better reference for a college basketball fan. GET IT ASAP!!!

If you're like me, for three weeks in March and April you make sure to sit down and see as many tournament games as possible. That element of surprise and the do-or-die nature of the NCAA tourney is what makes it--to me--the finest sporting event in the world. The Final Four records book is the most invaluable book I own, and even if it only gets heavy use for a few weeks, it has serves as such a nice resource while watching the games. When was the last time Duke lost in the first round? And if you don't know (to Eastern Michigan, 96) you can look it up instantly. As a tourney lover there's nothing better: complete brackets, stats, records. Everything's here, and this should be purchased every year because it has earned it. With the tourney we fans are given such great moments that paying a few bucks to keep informed each year is well worth it.

Okay, let's start with my admission that I'm not a baseball fan. I knew the game from childhood but the big money and greed have alienated many of us who enjoyed baseball as kids. That being said, I found that The New Face of Baseball refreshing enough to evoke some of those feelings that made me appreciate baseball in the first place. The book has to do with talented Latino baseball players like Clemente, Cepeda, and Sosa. The common element is that these players played the game elsewhere before coming the United States, places where the game is more sacred and believe it or not more important than here in America.

The books consists of short stories about many of today's heroes that have quickly become baseball superstars, and those older stars who paved the way for the younger Latino players much the way Robinson and Dobry did for African American players. The author uses player interviews and past experiences of his own to give the reader a greater appreciation for what players Latin America have done for today's game.

Maybe the most interesting part is the All Century Latino team listed at the end of the book. It's a lineup that would challenge any other all-star team, past or present.

This collection of essays provides a clear, thorough and very readable introduction to contemporary British politics. It explains why Labour (aka "New Labour") won the biggest majority in the British House of Commons since 1945, and offers some excellent insights into both the immediate future of the Conservative Party and the longterm development of British democracy.

David's story starts on the day the German army attacked Poland at the beginning of World War II. It chronicles one man's struggle to save his family from the Nazis and the heroic efforts he made to save hundreds of other people in the process. David never stopped believing in life and he never stopped believing in God. Through every twist and turn first, while hiding from the Nazis then in the Warsaw Ghetto and finally in Bergen Belsen his quick thinking kept his family safe.

You will not put this book down until David's final liberation. This book is a tribute to his zest for life. Through all the death and destruction David never lost his faith.

David Gilbert is a true hero. His story makes personal what now seems so far removed. It should be read by all those who want to learn from the inhumanity of the Nazi era. This book should be required high school reading. David's story is about life and one man's triumph over incredible odds.

I learned so much from this book. I thought that it might be too hard to read, but it was worth it: I will never watch sports -- especially the Olympics -- the same way again. There's too much to list contained here: the Olympics, the media, race, sexuality, women -- it goes on and on. I think everyone should read it.

What can I say, I love hockey and rules are easy on the face but truly intricate on deeper inspection. Do you know what constitues goalie interference if a player is moving toward the netminder with the puck and elbows him during the act of shooting? Do you know what is considered too many men on the ice when it seems that, for each line change, the fresh players come off the bench before the outgoing stickers are technically off the ice? Do you know if it is a legitimate goal if a player scores a goal off his kneepad by inadvertantly deflecting an opponenets pass into the net? If you do not care about these types of questions, then might I suggest that you take up badminton. If you do, then keep this little dandy in your pokcet or TV stand for the next game and enjoy it on a whole new level. Who knows, you might be wearing the white and black stripes in your favorite easy chair. Note to book purchasers: whistle not included. Skate hard!