Baseball in Paradise: A Century of Spring Training in Bradenton, Florida

Like any paradise, the world of baseball can be explored in two ways: a fast-paced whirlwind of adventure, or a relaxing, life-changing deep dive. Baseball in Paradise, uniquely, takes both approaches.

First, frenetic forces pull the author into a bar which Babe Ruth once owned-this quickly spurs him on toward the discovery of a beach cottage which Warren Spahn sold to his Milwaukee Braves teammate, Eddie Mathews. Adventures like these (which inspired the author to write this book) are set against the idyllic backdrop of an island paradise-a paradise which is almost as enticing as an afternoon at Fenway or Wrigley.

After this sprint of discovery and joy, we sink into a one-hundred-year timeline of baseball history, diligently researched and stocked with hundreds of statistics. Famous tales are interwoven with lesser-known backstories, such as Joe DiMaggio coaching Reggie Jackson while both were with the Athletics, and the career chronicle of the pitching coach of Cincinnati's Big Red Machine.

Baseball is a paradise, and this book serves as your tour guide. Adventure calls, curiosity beckons-it's time to step up to the plate and let the journey begin.

Pasquale (Pat) Carlucci is the author of A Baseball Birthright: Chronicles & Connections and is a lifelong fan of baseball. He has worked in sales and marketing in the food and beverage industry since being recruited in college and as an executive search consultant for the last twenty years. He lives in Washington, D.C. and vacations annually on Anna Maria Island in Florida with his family and grandchildren.