Ball Four

The Final Pitch

By: Jim Bouton

Narrated by: Jim Bouton

Length: 18 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

Ball Four: The Final Pitch is the original book plus all the updates, unlike the 20th Anniversary Edition paperback.

When Ball Four was published in 1970, it created a firestorm. Bouton was called a Judas, a Benedict Arnold and a “social leper” for having violated the “sanctity of the clubhouse.” Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn tried to force Bouton to sign a statement saying the book wasn’t true. Ballplayers, most of whom hadn’t read it, denounced the book. It was even banned by a few libraries.

Almost everyone else, however, loved Ball Four. Fans liked discovering that athletes were real people--often wildly funny people. Many readers said it gave them strength to get through a difficult period in their lives. Serious critics called it an important document.

David Halberstam, who won a Pulitzer for his reporting on Vietnam, wrote a piece in Harper’s that said of Bouton: “He has written… a book deep in the American vein, so deep in fact that it is by no means a sports book.”

In 1999 Ball Four was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the “Books of the Century.” And Time magazine chose it as one of the "100 Greatest Non-Fiction" books.

Besides changing the image of athletes, the book played a role in the economic revolution in pro sports. In 1975, Ball Four was accepted as legal evidence against the owners at the arbitration hearing, which lead to free agency in baseball and, by extension, to other sports.

Today Ball Four has taken on another role--as a time capsule of life in the 60s. "It is not just a diary of Bouton's 1969 season with the Seattle Pilots and Houston Astros," says sportswriter Jim Caple. "It's a vibrant, funny, telling history of an era that seems even further away than four decades. To call it simply a "tell all book" is like describing The Grapes of Wrath as a book about harvesting peaches in California."

©1970, 1981, 1990 Jim Bouton (P)2012 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"A book deep in the American vein, so deep in fact it is by no means a sports book." (David Halberstam)

" Ball Four is a people book, not just a baseball book." ( The New York Times)

" Ball Four is out in a new e-book edition, available on Kindle. It also is available as an audio book, read by Bouton himself, through audible.com. The only thing better than reading Ball Four again might be listening to Bouton read it to you." (R. A. Dickey, columnist and senior writer for ESPN.com.)

All-time great book.

Love it, he told the hard cold truth about what actually happens in a locker room and showed how hard it was to negotiate a decent contract in the days before free agency.

For baseball fans of all ages!

For Baseball fans of all ages well done, well narrated and just plain fun ! Yea!

A great story!

Read “Ball Four” when it first came out and now have heard it again and all the updates. With Jim Bouton reading his own book it truly adds to the pleasure and charm of the book!

Classic and meaningful

I’d always heard that Bouton’s Ball Four was the stuff of legend and it sure was - truly enjoyed the stories of baseball shenanigans and characters from yesteryear. The section on his daughter was heartbreaking. Overall, I enjoyed his narration as very authentic coming from the author himself but I really wish there had been some edits done with lots of distracting swallows and breathing that made it a choppy audiobook. Maybe I’m too picky as a narrator myself. Overall, well done.

Great Story

He gets a little preachy and "back in my day" at the end, but always a classic read.

Tickled

Would you consider the audio edition of Ball Four to be better than the print version?

Yes & then some .

What did you like best about this story?

Almost Everything - The Only Thing That I Did Not Enjoy Is Something That You Will Have To Listen To The Book To Understand .

What about Jim Bouton’s performance did you like?

GREAT !
He will get So Tickled at times reading/remembering that You just have to laugh along with Him .
There are other times You will feel other emotions as well.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The Part That I Did Not Enjoy

Any additional comments?

Great Book - Great Narration

A Human Story

When the original Ball Four, circa 1970, came out, I found myself somewhat uninterested, therefore didn't read it (or listen to) till now, 40 years later. In some respects I'm glad I waited. The expanded version Ball Four is more than a story about baseball its one of the human condition. Bouton goes beyond the original tome to his life after baseball which I found just as fascinating. While I am considerably younger than him I certainly appreciate the struggles that life leaves many of us . In his case the passing of a loved one was particularly tender. The raw honesty in his story telling along with a lively sense of humor makes Ball Four an excellent work.

Laughter, sadness, thought provoking

This book was wonderful in so many ways - struck a nerve in me about baseball management and managing (I managed JV Baseball for 21 years in high school- never had losing season but you are only as good as your players I believe) officiating and people who want control. I believe is has lot to say about our culture good and bad in today’s world. By narrating it himself it was like I was sitting their listening to a friend telling me stories of his life. He had me laughing, crying, and amazed. I told my wife I wish I had read this before I managed then I thought no it was better now. Thank you so very much

Wow, wonderful old memories rekindled!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes I recommend this book, especially to baseball fans. I read this book when I was young in the early 70's, and now enjoying it once again with the perspective of time made it a wonderful treat to listen to.

Any additional comments?

Normally, I don't care for an author reading their own material, but this book turns out to be the exception. Bouton does a mavelous job of narrating his own work.

Ball Four revisted

13 years old/64 years old. Close almost 50 years. Much different perspective but still an amazing thought provoking book. Bonus to hear Jim read it. RIP Bulldog