Me and My Dad: A Baseball Memoir

I am not a Yankee fan at all but I loved Paul O'Neill's book. It brought back memories of playing in little league and brings hope and inspiration for me as I attempt to play college baseball. I loved the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in baseball or developing a good relationship with their father or mother.

Paul O'Neill's semi-autobiography tells of his relationship with his father, Charles "Chick" O'Neill, and how baseball became a way through which the O'Neill family bonded--the game being passed down from generation to generation. Paul, a die-hard perfectionist, contrasts with his father, an eternal optimist. Through his father, Paul was taught how to not only play baseball, but how to carry himself on the baseball field. His team-first style of play seems to be dwindling today in baseball, which is a shame. But there was more to the relationship between Paul and his father than just baseball, as the book explains; they shared an intimate father-son bond that not many fathers and sons have. When Chick died during the 1999 World Series, Paul mentions how deeply saddened he was by the loss of his father, yet he knew in his heart what his father believed he should do, and he went out and played Game Four. This is a great book about the life of a father and son, the life of a father's relationship with his family, and the life of the Ultimate Warrior, Paul O'Neill (this nickname came from George Steinbrenner, which goes to show how much reverence he holds for Paul).As a Yankee fan I look at right field today and no matter who in pinstripes is playing there, no matter how good he is, he could not replace Paul O'Neill. O'Neill's selfless personality and genuine love of the game is evident to any fan who watched the Yankees during his tenure with the team. I miss seeing O'Neill hitting watercoolers and throwing his helmet, but what I miss most about him is the way he played the game. Whenever he hit a ball he knew was going to be a home run, unlike many players today who start their home-run trot and admire their ball fly away, he simply put the bat down and rounded the bases without any flair. As hard as he was on himself, he never vented his anger toward his teammates. He was the ideal team player whose personality earned the respect of his teammates and all Yankee fans.

Paul - I'd have to admit that I was one of the people who *might* have yelled "You Suck" back in the early years - but I'm a Dodger fan and you just killed us every time. Sorry.I was very impressed with the book - I found myself choked up when you talked about the service for your dad - an example of the type of dad any kid would dream of - and a major influence on the type of person you are as an adult. If more Major Leaguers conducted themselves in this manner baseball would be alot better off. BTW - thanks for the nuggets on Donnie Baseball - truly a guy who played the game as it was meant to be played.I feel I got to know the "real" Paul O'Neill - and Chick, too, thanks to this book. Anyone who likes baseball and has a dad who does too will really enjoy this book - Yankee fan or not.Highly Recommended

Anyone who has watched the New York Yankees play since the 2001 postseason has noticed something different about the world's most famous and successful franchise. The team's early exit from the 2002 postseason was assessed to a number of variables: the starting pitching didn't hold up, overconfidence, or lack of intensity and desire. It is the latter that has been cited often from Yankee fans, and sadly, though the Yankees have a strong team yet again this season, it may have carried over to 2003 as well. Often times last season, I wondered what the 2002 Yankees might have been had Paul O'Neill patrolled right field for the Yankees, for he was the heart of the Yankees most recent championship run of the last six years and his passion has yet to be replaced by anyone on the Yankee team. Not that Paul O'Neill is someone who is going to dazzle you with eye-popping statistical numbers, for his prime had since passed on the baseball field. But as is the case with many people in life, Paul O'Neill's significance could never be limited to his statistics alone. Always a quiet, introspective player, O'Neill was never one to find comfort in the public eye. Though he got better about his shyness in the last few years of his career, rare was the occasion where Paul would offer his thoughts in public. Which is why, when I got word that Paul was going to write an autobiography/memoir about his father, I marked down the release date of the book on the calendar. One of Yankee fans' most enduring memories of the last few years was Paul O'Neill crying during the team's celebration on October 21, 1999 when the Yankees swept the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. Tears of joy? Yes and no. Paul's father had passed away in the wee hours the night before Game 4, the culmination of a difficult year for Paul as his father was in and out of the hospital. This is the book that explains his relationship with his father as well as O'Neill the man. Unlike another recent Yankee autobiography, this book does not tell stories in and out of the clubhouse at all. Paul has some complimentary things to say about various teammates, particularly Bernie Williams, and very poignant comments about the relationship between he and his father figure, manager of the Yankees, Joe Torre. I was touched by his childhood memories of backyard home run derbys with his brothers as well as his father's words of optimism throughout his life. O'Neill really brought his Dad to life in this book to where, by the end of the book, I felt as though I knew "Papa Chuck" as though he were an uncle of mine. Baseball fans who dislike the Yankees might be surprised to find the "embracing of Paul O'Neill" as nothing more than fan worship, for Paul was often very emotional on the field: throwing his helmet, punching a water-cooler, arguing with an umpire, etc. But Paul O'Neill, as he explains in his book, is a perfectionist who is harder on himself than anyone. Whether or not this is a result of being the youn

Anyone who has watched the New York Yankees play since the 2001 postseason has noticed something different about the world's most famous and successful franchise. The team's early exit from the 2002 postseason was assessed to a number of variables: the starting pitching didn't hold up, overconfidence, or lack of intensity and desire. It is the latter that has been cited often from Yankee fans, and sadly, though the Yankees have a strong team yet again this season, it may have carried over to 2003 as well. Often times last season, I wondered what the 2002 Yankees might have been had Paul O'Neill patrolled right field for the Yankees, for he was the heart of the Yankees most recent championship run of the last six years and his passion has yet to be replaced by anyone on the Yankee team. Not that Paul O'Neill is someone who is going to dazzle you with eye-popping statistical numbers, for his prime had since passed on the baseball field. But as is the case with many people in life, Paul O'Neill's significance could never be limited to his statistics alone. Always a quiet, introspective player, O'Neill was never one to find comfort in the public eye. Though he got better about his shyness in the last few years of his career, rare was the occasion where Paul would offer his thoughts in public. Which is why, when I got word that Paul was going to write an autobiography/memoir about his father, I marked down the release date of the book on the calendar. One of Yankee fans' most enduring memories of the last few years was Paul O'Neill crying during the team's celebration on October 21, 1999 when the Yankees swept the Atlanta Braves in the World Series. Tears of joy? Yes and no. Paul's father had passed away in the wee hours the night before Game 4, the culmination of a difficult year for Paul as his father was in and out of the hospital. This is the book that explains his relationship with his father as well as O'Neill the man. Unlike another recent Yankee autobiography, this book does not tell stories in and out of the clubhouse at all. Paul has some complimentary things to say about various teammates, particularly Bernie Williams, and very poignant comments about the relationship between he and his father figure, manager of the Yankees, Joe Torre. I was touched by his childhood memories of backyard home run derbys with his brothers as well as his father's words of optimism throughout his life. O'Neill really brought his Dad to life in this book to where, by the end of the book, I felt as though I knew "Papa Chuck" as though he were an uncle of mine. Baseball fans who dislike the Yankees might be surprised to find the "embracing of Paul O'Neill" as nothing more than fan worship, for Paul was often very emotional on the field: throwing his helmet, punching a water-cooler, arguing with an umpire, etc. But Paul O'Neill, as he explains in his book, is a perfectionist who is harder on himself than anyone. Whether or not this is a result of being the youn