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Author
Tim Sommer
Publisher
Infinity Publishing

4 Review Copies Left

Few little boys have a chance to realize their dream of playing professional baseball. Fewer yet ever experience the thrill of wearing their own custom fitted uniform in a major league spring training camp. “Beating About the Bushes” allows the reader to ride the emotional wave of my eight year career starting with the realization at age 12, I was the “big fish in the small pond”.

The 60's were the beginning and end of the age of innocence for many facets of life. Professional baseball players still played for the love of the game and not money. Today's average major league player makes more in one game than the average yearlywage for a player in 1960.

For a decade I was both a player and scout in professional baseball. This provided a broad overview for the playing and business side of baseball and how little control a player had over his destiny. By maintaining contact with teammates who chose to enter management after their careers, I was able to follow the evolution of the game.

“Beating About the Bushes” takes the reader back to an era where life was much simpler. It was possible to buy a cap gun along with caps to play cowboys and indians without fear of legal entanglements.

Reviews

Beating about the Bushes: Minor League Baseball in the ‘60’s

I come from a family that loves baseball. Our extended family would always play baseball when we got together at my grandparent’s farm for Easter, Mother’s Day and other holidays. All 18 grandchildren played and most of their 8 children and we loved it. I also grew up outside Baltimore and so my team was always the Orioles. We joined the Junior Orioles and went to many games. If not there we would watch the games on tv when they were on but mostly listened to Chuck Thompson’s play by play on the radio. I also have gone to quite a few minor league games in the Orioles farm system: Frederick Keys and DelMarVa Shore Birds.

That is why I couldn’t wait to read Tim Sommer’s book about his 8 year professional career with the Baltimore Orioles organization. I was not disappointed. He gives many details in his time as a pitcher from 1963 through 1970. He rubbed shoulders with many great Orioles who I grew up watching such as Jim Palmer, who he would have pitching contests to see who threw faster, Cal Ripken, Sr., who was his manager and took a real interest in his players, Frank Robinson and Earl Weaver who would work hard to get the players that would work best on his team.

There were other Oriole players, not as famous to those outside Baltimore but who I remembered such as Curt Blefary and Don Baylor. Hearing stories about some of your childhood heroes was fun and sometimes disappointing as you heard some not so flattering stories.

Sommer gives an inside look to life on the road with the minor leagues during a time that it was definitely more about loving the game then making money though he stood up for himself to increase his pay. You also hear the stories during the 60’s of the civil rights movement and how that affected the minor leagues when they did have black players who could not do the same things as the white players. He addresses some of the drug and alcohol issues too, without being sensational.

The book is divided into short chapters and is an easy read though several times I wanted the transitions to be smoother. Sommer is a good storyteller and whether you know the players or not you will enjoy learning about them. If you like stories and especially if you are sports lover you will enjoy this book.

Janice M. Hidey

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Beating About the Bushes

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Reviewed on 02/08/2010 by ReviewTheBook.com Member Janice Hidey

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