108 Stitches

Loose Threads, Ripping Yarns, and the Darndest Characters from My Time in the Game

By: Ron Darling, Daniel Paisner - contributor

Narrated by: Malcolm Hillgartner

Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

This is New York Times bestselling author and Emmy-nominated broadcaster Ron Darling's 108 baseball anecdotes that connect America’s game to the men who played it.

In 108 Stitches, Ron Darling offers his own take on the "six degrees of separation" game and knits together a collection of wild, wise, and wistful stories reflecting the full arc of a life in and around our national pastime. 

Darling has played with or reported on just about everybody who has put on a uniform since 1983, and they in turn have played with or reported on just about everybody who put on a uniform in a previous generation. Through relationships with baseball legends on and off the field, like Yale coach Smoky Joe Wood, Willie Mays, Bart Giamatti, Tom Seaver and Mickey Mantle, Darling's reminiscences reach all the way back to Babe Ruth and other turn-of-the-century greats. 

Like the 108 stitches on a baseball, Darling's experiences are interwoven with every athlete who has ever played, every coach or manager who ever sat in a dugout, and with every fan who ever played hooky from work or school to sit in the bleachers for a day game. 

Darling's anecdotes come together to tell the story of his time in the game, and the story of the game itself.

©2019 by Ron Darling. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Meh

the stories aren't that great and many of the characters he talks about are unnecessarily talked down about or criticized. jeez Ron if you are an embarrassing guy for the sake of the story at least give him credit for something else so he can hold his head up high. I couldn't imagine having a cup of coffee in The Bigs only to have somebody talk about how horrible you were or an embarrassing story 35 years later in a book. I'm a fan of Ron but this was a waste of a credit.

Disappointed

I was looking forward to reading this; it was a terrible disappointment considering the high regard I had for Ron Darling.

Great Perspective.

Enjoyed Ron’s take on the game. Great stories, laughed out loud many times and learned a lot too. The Book of Joe (Maddon) touch on the same issues/transformations of baseball. I hope more bring more awareness to how analytics is ruining baseball. Very smart dude.

Interesting insider view

A pretty interesting look inside the game of baseball from a players point of you. A little harsh Times, but also self depreciating in a humorous kind of way. Thoroughly enjoyable and worth a read.

Super interesting.

This is a great peek behind the curtain. I didn’t want it to end. It was so interesting. Great read.

Nostalgia

As a life long fan of the game both past and present this was fun! Things I remember hearing about as a child to things I clearly remember as a teen and young adult to the where we are now evolution, Ron has found a way to spin on great book. Wish Ron would have narrated himself...narrated great just wish it was Ron.

108 sNitches

interesting stories, a bit mean spirited at times, self reflecting at others. Ron Darling has always seemed very intelligent but I dont know that his "stitching the game together" with stories that weren't related approach held up. overall I enjoyed it well enough

Classic RJ

a must for any SNY viewer. any fan of this great game. enjoy the beauty of baseball. .

Terrific Read!

In the tradition of Roger Kahn or Jimmy Breslin, Darling’s work transcends “baseball writing” and is simply “great writing.” Moving, informative and even sentimental in moments, I tip my Met’s cap to him. And —yes— there IS crying in baseball!

great book

thanks Ron you kept me entertained with great unheard annecdotes of the game I love.