Review: Boston Red Sox and the Meaning of Life

As the Red Sox try to claw their way out of a 5-1 hole against the A's here at the end of the first week of the new season, I've been asked to take a look at some of the new Sox-related media making its way to the bookstores this spring.

I'll start with the book, Mark Rucker's Boston Red Sox and the Meaning of Life (MVP Books, 2009). Its a book that's in a weird place as far as my rankings. On the outside, I tend to snobbily disdain anything that doesn't present something historically, emotionally or statistical novel to my sense of fandom, but on the inside I've been known to curiously flip through those 150-page, picture-heavy novelty books and trivia collections that pepper the baseball section at Borders. Rucker's book falls into the latter category, not something I'd normally purchase, but a book I would definitely have looked through. Thing is, that's not really fair.

True, Boston Red Sox and the Meaning of Life is not the kind of book you'd pick up for the sabermetrician in your family, but it would certainly make a solid gift for the casual fan. The basic premise is that, through various quotes from select characters in Sox (and sports) history and accompanying photographs, one can get a chuckle and a little more perspective on the outside world. While there's a solid number of mediocre quotes from such baseball greats as Liverpool's Steven Gerrard and noted baseball scribe Victor Hugo, there're also a number of classic Sox quips. Some of my favorites:

"You have two hemispheres in your brain, a left side and a right side. The left side controls the right side of your body, and the right controls the left half. It's a fact. Therefore, left-handers are the only people in their right minds." - Bill Lee, one of my all-time favorites

"Probably the best thing that every happened to me was going nuts. Nobody knew who I was until that happened." - Jimmy Piersall

"I think about the cosmic snowball theory. A few million years from now the sun will burn out and lose its gravitational pull. The earth will turn into a giant snowball and be hurled through space. When that happens it won't matter if I get this guy out." - Bill Lee, again

"All managers are losers. They are the most expendable pieces of furniture on the face of the earth." - Ted Williams

The more time I spend with the book, the more I enjoy perusing its waxed pages. The quotes, while not always insightful, frequently present readers with a different take on their favorite game, and old baseball photos are always a blast to look at. This one won't find its way into anybody's Top 10 of baseball lit, but the sheer density of content and perusable nature will give it a lasting shelf (or coffee table) life. If you're looking for a quirky, casual pickup, consider Boston Red Sox and the Meaning of Life.