They said it was the ?Curse of the Bambino.? They said ?the bad guys won.? Now one of baseball?s all-time good guys, New York Mets legend Mookie Wilson, tells his side of the story?from the ground ball through Bill Buckner?s legs that capped the miraculous 1986 World Series Game Six rally against the Boston Red Sox to the rise and fall of a team that boasted such outsize personalities as Darryl Strawberry, Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, Gary Carter, Lenny Dykstra, and Davey Johnson.Growing up in rural South Carolina in the 1960s, Mookie took to heart the lessons of his father, a diligent sharecropper who believed in the abiding power of faith?and taught his son the game that would change his life.When Mookie landed in Shea Stadium in 1980, the Mets were a perennial cellar-dweller overshadowed by the crosstown Yankees. But inspired by Mookie?s legendary hustle, they would soon become the toast of New York. And even when their off-field antics?made famous by a contingency of the team ca

Mookie: Life, Baseball, and the '86 Mets

Wilson, Mookie

Sherman, Erik

Biographies & Memoirs

BERKLEY

WITH NEW UPDATES FOR THIS EDITION! They said it was the “Curse of the Bambino.” They said “the bad guys won.” Now, for the first time in trade paperback, one of baseball’s all-time good guys, New York Mets legend Mookie Wilson, tells his side of the story—from the ground ball through Bill Buckner’s legs that capped the miraculous 1986 World Series Game Six rally against the Boston Red Sox to the rise and fall of a team that boasted such outsize personalities as Darryl Strawberry, Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden, Gary Carter, Lenny Dykstra, and Davey Johnson. Growing up in rural South Carolina in the 1960s, Mookie took to heart the lessons of his father, a diligent sharecropper who believed in the abiding power of faith—and taught his son the game that would change his life. When Mookie landed in Shea Stadium in 1980, the Mets were a perennial cellar-dweller overshadowed by the crosstown Yankees. But inspired by Mookie’s legendary hustle, they would soon become the toast of New York. And even when their off-field antics—made famous by a contingency of the team called “the Scum Bunch”—eclipsed their on-field successes, Mookie stayed above the fray. In 1986, the Mets were a juggernaut, winning 108 games during the regular season and edging the Houston Astros for the National League pennant following a grueling 16-inning Game Six classic. In the World Series against Boston, in an epic at-bat that led to the Buckner error, Mookie would ignite a fire under the Mets, helping to force a Game Seven. New York would win to become World Champions. In an era when role models in sports were hard to come by, some tarnished by their own hubris and greed, Mookie Wilson remained the exception: a man of humility and honor when it mattered the most. WITH A FOREWORD BY KEITH HERNANDEZ

Community & Culture

Before Jason Collins, before Michael Sam, there was Glenn Burke. By becoming the first—and only—openly gay player in Major League Baseball, Glenn would become a pioneer in his own way, nearly thirty years after another black Dodger rookie, Jackie Robinson, broke the league’s color barrier. This is Glenn’s story, in his own words . . . Touted by scouts and coaches alike as “the next Willie Mays,” Burke, a charismatic outfielder, kept his sexuality off the radar for a good two seasons, which included a World Series appearance. He was even credited with inventing the high five with teammate Dusty Baker. But when the Dodgers’ front office got wind of Burke’s sexuality, the damage control started, including efforts by upper management to talk him into a sham marriage. When Burke refused, he was eventually traded to Oakland, where he received a less-than-warm welcome from incoming manager Billy Martin. The prejudice, coupled with an injured knee, forced Burke into retirement at only twenty-seven years old. Now, two decades after his death from AIDS-related complications, the man who started the conversation is finally being included in it. Major League Baseball recognized him as a gay pioneer at the 2014 All-Star game. And Burke has become a source of inspiration for athletes who refuse to be defined by who they love, while doing what they love. Includes a new afterword by coauthor Erik Sherman reflecting on the two decades that have passed since Burke’s death. Foreword by Billy Bean

Out at Home: The True Story of Glenn Burke, Baseball's First Openly Gay Player

Burke, Glenn

Humor & Entertainment

Penguin Publishing Group

In 1986, the bad guys of baseball won the World Series. Now, Erik Sherman, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Mookie, profiles key players from that infamous Mets team, revealing never-before-exposed details about their lives after that championship year…as well as a look back at the magical season itself. Darryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, Keith Hernandez, Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, Howard Johnson, Doug Sisk, Rafael Santana, Bobby Ojeda, Wally Backman, Kevin Mitchell, Ed Hearn, Danny Heep, and the late Gary Carter were all known for their heroics on the field. For some of them—known as the “Scum Bunch”—their debauchery off the field was even more awe-inspiring. But when that golden season ended, so did their aura of invincibility. Some faced battles with addiction, some were traded, and others struggled just to keep their lives together. Through interviews with these legendary players, Erik Sherman offers fans a new perspective on a team that will forever be remembered in sports history. INCLUDES PHOTOS

Kings of Queens: Life Beyond Baseball with the '86 Mets

In 1986, the bad guys of baseball won the World Series. Now, Erik Sherman, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Mookie, profiles key players from that infamous Mets team, revealing never-before-exposed details about their lives after that championship year…as well as a look back at the magical season itself.\nDarryl Strawberry, Doc Gooden, Keith Hernandez, Lenny Dykstra, Mookie Wilson, Howard Johnson, Doug Sisk, Rafael Santana, Bobby Ojeda, Wally Backman, Kevin Mitchell, Ed Hearn, Danny Heep, and the late Gary Carter were all known for their heroics on the field. For some of them—known as the “Scum Bunch”—their debauchery off the field was even more awe-inspiring. But when that golden season ended, so did their aura of invincibility. Some faced battles with addiction, some were traded, and others struggled just to keep their lives together.\nThrough interviews with these legendary players, Erik Sherman offers fans a new perspective on a team that will forever be remembered in sports history.\nINCLUDES PHOTOS

Historical

This laugh-out-loud guide will introduce readers to the offbeat people, places, and events of the Bay State.

Massachusetts Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff

Gellerman, Bruce

Humor

Globe Pequot Pr

Discover more than 200 of the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things the Bay State has to offer in this completely revised and updated edition.

Massachusetts Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series)

Reference

Globe Pequot

Your round-trip ticket to the wildest, wackiest, most outrageous people, places, and things Beantown has to offer!

Boston Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities, And Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series)

Globe Pequot Press

Out at Home: The Glenn Burke Story

Excel Pub

Following an epic American League Championship Series win over the California Angels and just one out from winning their first World Series in sixty-eight years, the 1986 Boston Red Sox lost Game Six to the New York Mets in unforgettable and devastating fashion. Then they lost Game Seven and the Series itself. Two Sides of Glory portrays the losing side of the story about one of baseball's most riveting World Series match-ups. With the benefit of years of reflection from the men who made up the '86 Sox, this will be the definitive book on this iconic yet most Shakespearian of Boston teams for years to come. After telling the Mets' side of the story, Erik Sherman turns here to the Red Sox's version, with recollections from players that are both insightful and surprisingly emotional. Bill Buckner, whose name became synonymous with a muffed grounder, speaks openly about the cruel aftermath. Pitcher Bruce Hurst broke down three times while being interviewed. Dwight Evans confesses in his interview that he had never before talked at length about the '86 team. And Roger Clemens talks candidly not only about the '86 squad but also accusations of alleged steroid abuse later in his career and the toll it has taken on his family. In each player's retelling, there is the excitement of history never told and old mysteries answered. The story of the '86 Red Sox is well known, but now, after thirty years, the players have opened up to Sherman like never before. It's an in-depth, first-person account with the intriguing key players who made up this once-in-a-generation Boston team, and also a look at how the extremes of tantalizing victory and heart-wrenching failure shaped and influenced their lives--both on the field and off. &nbsp;

Two Sides of Glory: The 1986 Boston Red Sox in Their Own Words

History

Americas

University Of Nebraska Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sherman, Erik. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Sherman, Erik

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Sherman, Erik. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Mookie: Life, Baseball, and the '86 Mets

Mookie: Life, Baseball, and the '86 Mets

Out at Home: The True Story of Glenn Burke, Baseball's First Openly Gay Player

Kings of Queens: Life Beyond Baseball with the '86 Mets

Kings of Queens: Life Beyond Baseball with the '86 Mets

Massachusetts Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff

Massachusetts Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities & Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series)

Boston Curiosities: Quirky Characters, Roadside Oddities, And Other Offbeat Stuff (Curiosities Series)

Out at Home: The Glenn Burke Story

Two Sides of Glory: The 1986 Boston Red Sox in Their Own Words