Once Around the Bases: Bittersweet Memories

Dick Tellis gives us the stories of players who "came up to the show" for only a few brief moments...but what moments! Whether they struck out or won the game, Dick Tellis captures the feeling most of us only dream about. The sadness of only getting one shot, but also the glory of having that one shot, is treated with great skill from someone who must have also shared in that dream. One of the great baseball books of all time, and one I highly recommend.

I enjoyed the book, having gone through many of the anxieties and disappointments the players went through. However, I noticed a couple of errors that I would like to mention. On Page 110 of the Bert Shepard segment, you describe the P-38 as the Thunderbolt. I believe the P-38 was known as Lightening. The P-47 was known as the Thunderbolt.On page 174 of the Guy Morton segment, you say that Chattanooga was a member of the Sally League. I remember this team, Managed by Cal Ermer as being in the Class AA Southern Association in 1956.Finally, I would like to contact Maurice Fisher. We were teammates in 1955 with the San Francisco Seals. He lives some forty five miles north of Columbus, Ohio. Can you give me his exact address?I have been trying to get the Box scores for August and September 1954. Can you help me?

Once Around the Bases is a good read but falls short of what it could have been. Tellis starts with a great idea, interviewing players that came to the show for a "cup of coffee." However, many of the stories rely on who they met rather than their own struggles. Tellis may have limited himself too much to players that only played one game. A sequel on players that lasted a few months or a single season might gel a little better. The chapter layout makes it a good book to read when you don't have time to read. All in all though its a good book.