Baseball Comics FREE Series | Volume 2 Sports Comic Book Copyright 2014 | 3rd Edition 2016 Jim Sweeney More than 150 years ago, no one could have imagined how playing with a bat, ball and glove on a diamond-shaped field would ultimately emerge as America’s favorite pastime – Major League Baseball. Before TV and the internet - and long before the popularization of professional basketball, football and hockey - American athletes and sports fans “passed their time away” watching or playing baseball. Since its first formal game in Hoboken, NJ back in 1863, baseball quickly evolved into family friendly sports entertainment. Since then, Major League Baseball has enraptured fans for decades. From Spring Training to the dog days of summer and into the Fall Classic, Americans love their favorite pastime. Because of this beloved sport, baseball historians, collectors, fans and trivia buffs have flourished in the past century and will quickly find themselves attracted to this informative, light-hearted book. In FREE Baseball Comics, you’ll discover inventive images and brief commentaries about some of baseball’s most iconic players, teams and clichéd expressions. You’ll applaud the success of Major League Baseball’s best team ever (the 1927 NY Yankees) and marvel at baseball’s most surprising champion (the 1906 Chicago Cubs). You’ll read about baseball’s Big Red Machine, Big Unit and Big Hurt. In addition, you’ll see featured favorite former baseball luminaries: Babe Ruth, Henry Aaron, Yogi Berra, Pete Rose, Brooks Robinson and Reggie Jackson. In addition to legends, this book’s clever comics capture MLB’s most favorite stars.. Plus, you’ll learn about two true baseball heroes - Three Finger Brown and Jackie Robinson - as well as an MLB all-star who also excelled as an NFL running back. This FREE book will take you to the Boston’s landmark Green Monster and transport you high above the playing field to Pigeon Heaven. This book brings to life some of the sport’s most colorful terms, like pinch hitters, pitchers dueling and napping runners. Enjoy the read. It’s entertaining and, better yet, it’s FREE. Just don’t forget that this book won’t end until every baseball fan’s most beloved gal - The Fat Lady - belts out a few final bars. Straight talk. No static. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! Why Read This Book? Favorite #25: Jackie Robinson Favorite #24: Big Red Machine Favorite #23: Hammerin’ Hank Aaron Favorite #22: Caught Runner Napping Favorite #21: The Wizard of Oz Favorite #20: Bo Jackson Favorite #19: Mr. October Reggie Jackson Favorite #18: Mr. November Derek Jeter Favorite #17: Mordecai Three Finger Brown Favorite #16: Joey Votto-matic Favorite #15: Pinch Hitter Favorite #14: Big Unit Randy Johnson Favorite #13: Big Hurt Frank Thomas Favorite #12: Pigeon Heaven Favorite #11: Yogi Berra Favorite #10: Shoeless Joe Jackson Favorite #9: Charlie Hustle Pete Rose Favorite #8: Pitcher’s Duel Favorite #7: The Green Monster Favorite #6: Pitcher Took Something Off Ball Favorite #5: Murderers’ Row Favorite #4: Brooks Robinson Favorite #3: Hitless Wonders Favorite #2: Sultan of Swat Favorite #1: The Fat Lady Thank You & Affiliate Disclosure FREE Books Podcast – MIKE on Sports! Meet the MIKE Makers Acknowledgements Baseball fans enjoy the sports humor and always learn something new about baseball history. Plus, the unique sports comics that accompany each chapter cleverly capture the essence of the featured player, team, coach, play or baseball expression. As an added bonus, I always offer something for FREE in each of my sports comic books. See the back of this book for details. Check out my author profile on Amazon.com, follow me on Twitter, fan me on Facebook and subscribe to my podcast – MIKE on Sports! MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! On April 15, 1997 Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig mandated an unprecedented edict. It was never before witnessed in any American professional sport. Selig ordered all Major League Baseball teams to officially retire the #42 jersey in honor of Brooklyn Dodgers great Jackie Robinson. Selig’s historic move recognized Jackie Robinson on the 50th anniversary of his 1947 professional debut. That was the day that Robinson became the first black baseball player to cross the color barrier that existed in the sport. The courageous Robinson became an American sports hero. The major motion picture, entitled simply 42, chronicles Jackie Robinson’s struggles and success as one of America’s most respected athletes ever – regardless the sport. In addition, I also feature Robinson in another of my ebooks on Amazon entitled Favorite Overcoming Athletes. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! The Cincinnati Reds’ Big Red Machine ruled as Major League Baseball’s best team from 1970 – 1976. The Reds captured four National League pennants: 1970, 1972, 1975 and 1976. The team also won back-to-back World Series titles in both 1975 and 1976. Bob Hertzel of the Cincinnati Enquirer originally used the simple Big Red Machine nickname in 1969. Many believed the talented Reds team effortlessly churned through Major League Baseball opponents like a giant combine machine driving through a wheat field’s crop. The Cincinnati Reds starting line-up consisted of Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez as well as Pete Rose, baseball’s all- time hits leader. Read more about this dominating team and other baseball greats in my ebook MLB Favorites available on Amazon. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! Hammerin’ Hank Aaron hauled a hammer of a bat whenever and wherever he entered the batter’s box. Voted by The Sporting News as the fifth best baseball player of all- time, Aaron retired in 1976 as one of baseball’s greatest hitters ever. The Hammer ended his career with 3,771 hits and a lifetime batting average of .308. In addition, this 1957 National League MVP and World Series Champ won two National League batting titles and three National League Gold Gloves. He also made 21 all-star appearances. One of the most amazing athletes of the past century, Hammerin’ Hank Aaron will always be remembered for his brilliant play during a 23 year Major League Baseball career. More importantly, he will be credited with helping “hammer out” the ugly scourge of racism that existed for far too long in America’s favorite pastime. Hank Aaron will always be remembered as a great player, and an even greater man. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! The MLB Network would more than likely broadcast this scenario over and over again - if it ever really occurred. One of Major League Baseball’s most colorful clichés is to say that a careless base runner was caught napping when he’s picked off base by an alert pitcher. In this comic, the runner is literally napping. I love that he’s peacefully sleeping with both a teddy bear and his beloved bat. This is an easy call for the umpire, and a legitimate reason for the sleeping player’s coach to be upset at the napping runner. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! Osbourne Earl Ozzie Smith retired in 1996 as arguably the greatest shortstop in Major League Baseball history. Smith's incredibly quick reflexes, accurate arm and unparalleled aptitude with his glove added to his magical, wizard like play at shortstop. His amazing skills earned him the clever Wizard of Oz nickname. This magician with a glove captured the National League Gold Glove Award an unprecedented 13 years in a row. He ended his stellar 19-year career as the all-time leader with 8,375 career assists and 1,590 double plays by a shortstop. The Wizard of Oz's defensive brilliance and impressive 2,460 career hits enabled him to easily whisk down Major League Baseball's proverbial "yellow brick road". He went directly into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot in 2002. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! A 1985 Heisman trophy winner, Bo Jackson didn’t just dominate on the football field for the Auburn University Tigers. He excelled at two other sports: baseball and track. Jackson was the number one overall pick in the 1986 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Because the Bucs inappropriately contacted Jackson outside NCAA rules, the running back was ruled ineligible for baseball during his senior season at Auburn. As a result, Jackson chose not to sign with Tampa Bay and agreed, instead, to play professional baseball with the Kansas City Royals. Jackson played eight years in Major League Baseball with the Kansas City Royals, the Chicago White Sox and the California Angels. He also left an indelible mark in the NFL while playing four seasons with the Oakland Raiders. This phenomenal athlete is still the only person ever to be voted an all-star in two different professional sports (MLB and NFL). Oddly, he was not voted into either sport’s Hall of Fame. MIKE – thee ultimate talking head on sports! This Hall of Fame baseball slugger wore the colorful uniform of the Oakland A’s and the traditional pinstripes of the New York Yankees. He normally starred during the spring and summer months of the Major League Baseball season. However, Reggie Jackson flourished on the baseball field during the fall. That’s when he earned his nickname - Mr. October. NY Yankees teammate Thurmon Munson first used the title when questioned during the 1977 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Munson told a reporter to interview Jackson. He referred to the Yankees right fielder’s history of fantastic post season games and said, “Go ask Mr. October.” A 1999 Cooperstown Hall of Fame inductee, Reginald Martinez Jackson enjoyed a stellar 21 year Major League Baseball career.