Review of "The Zen of Zim: Baseballs, Beanballs and Bosses," by Don Zimmer and Bill Madden

 Review of

The Zen of Zim: Baseballs, Beanballs and Bosses, by Don Zimmer and Bill Madden ISBN 0312334303

Five out of five stars

A grand old man of baseball speaks

 With a career in baseball that spanned portions of 8 decades, Zimmer witnessed dramatic changes in the game. From the integration of major league baseball to the dramatic rise in salaries, Astroturf and new stadiums, he was a part of it all. He was a marginal player that became a coach and manager once his playing days were over.

 This book is not an autobiography, although it has some of the elements of such works. It is a nonlinear expression of some of the events he was a part of. As a baseball name dropper, he mentions most of the great ones of over a half-century of major league baseball. Not only a mention, but specific events where they were involved. There is also mention of encounters with major political leaders.

There is little in the way of dirt, although when necessary he mentions the specific circumstances. Zimmer was also nearly became the second baseball fatality due to being hit by a pitch. His description of that event is more matter-of-fact than what you would expect.

 A baseball man to the core, Zimmer was a fixture in baseball for decades and one that belongs in the Hall of Fame.