Spring Training

A life-long baseball fan describes spring training with the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, Florida, in an account filled with interviews, baseball lore, and information on techniques

This light, amiable look at the spring training camp of the Pittsburgh Pirates in Bradenton, Fla., in 1988, captures the spirit of this annual American renewal. Zinsser ( On Writing Well ) is impressed by general manager Syd Thrift, who undertook to rebuild the team but was fired after the season ended. He also looks with sympathy at manager Jim Leyland, consultant Bill Virdon, former manager and nonagenarian Hall-of-Famer Edd Roush, among others. But the book is primarily a view of the spring training phenomenon, of the smaller, more intimate playing field, of the senior citizen spectators and even the umpires who, like the players, head south to hone their skills. Baseball fans will find pleasant reading here. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Zinsser artfully shares the discoveries he made from immersing himself in last spring's Pittsburgh Pirates' training camp in Bradenton, Florida. What he notices most is the camp's instructional qualities--how the youthful Pirates' organization sees the preseason as a classroom, a place for experimenting and drill work. Profiles of players, scouts, umpires, and a renegade general manager are lively and fascinating. Zinsser's own craft, especially his moving interview with elderly Hall of Famer Edd Roush, contributes to the power of the book. With few exceptions, Zinsser observes that baseball spring training in Florida is a ritualistic, joyful experience. Highly recommended for all readers.
- Thomas J. Reigstad, SUNY Coll., Buffalo
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.