Me and My Dad : A Baseball Memoir

[Wolf Hopper]

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060524057/netshrinecom-20

Me and My Dad : A Baseball Memoir
by Paul O'Neill

I read the first 50 pages of this book this AM. So far, I'm riveted. I recommend it for ANY baseball fan. It's very moving and shows a side of O'Neill that few baseball fans know.
It reminds me of Ripken's "The Only Way I Know" - so far.
These guys love baseball. No question.

[Wolf Hopper]

Just about done with this one now - - awesome book
He's a great family man and a humble star - - like the reviews say.
If you love baseball and love your Dad, it's a must.

Interesting to me 'tho - - O'Neill went out of his way to say WONDERFUL things about many Yankees - Don Mattingly, Joe Girardi, Andy Pettitte, Alfonso Soriano, Scott Brosius, Bernie Williams, David Wells (true!), Roger Clemens, Showalter, Torre, and Zimmer, for example.

However, on Jeter, he did write that he's a great player and a future Hall of Famer; but, to me, he did not go on as much as he did on the others. I think he even said more about Knoublach than he did Jeter.

Not sure what this means. But, it's interesting, to me. If anyone else reads the book, let me know if you had the same impression. Thanks.

[Craig S.]

I'm a big O'Neill fan, but I had a tough time enjoying this book. I just didn't feel like he was opening up enough about anything, especially about the guys he played with.

The game recounts were painful, things like "Two homers in a game! I couldn't believe it!," and the whole thing had an "Aw, shucks" feeling that got old very quickly. I didn't even feel like we were really hearing his feelings about his dad, but instead a watered-down version put forward by the co-author. It all felt superficial, which isn't a comment towards the player and his dad, but only against the way the book was written. After a while, the stories all sounded the same.

They would have been better off kicking the cowriter out of the room, and just letting O'Neill go to work on the keyboard.

[Wolf Hopper]

Originally posted by Craig S.
the whole thing had an "Aw, shucks" feeling

But, that is O'Neill.

This is not an act/cover IMHO. That's the way the guy really is.

[Craig S.]

Originally posted by Wolf Hopper
But, that is O'Neill.

This is not an act/cover IMHO. That's the way the guy really is.

You're likely right - he still lives around here, and by all accounts he's very down-to-earth.

I guess the style just made it a dull read for me.

[Wolf Hopper]

I think it's an "old fashion" story - the relationship with his Dad, marrying the girl next door, playing for your hometown team, making the World Series, etc.

A stark contrast to the David Wells story.