Book Review – 101 Reasons to Love The Cardinals
I’m finally off jury duty and am visiting my dad in the great blue state of Missouri. He picked up some Cardinals books to help me keep my eye on the ball during the offseason. The first one I was able to read in about 45 mins today – 101 Reasons to Love the Cardinals by Ron Green, Jr. The book has some great photos, all the important history, and some interesting trivia (for instance, did you know Babe Didrikson once pitched for the Cards?). The writing could be punchier (i.e., entry 68 – The New Ballpark – "The Cardinals took ownership of their new home, adjacent to Busch Stadium, as the 2006 season began. With a classic design that brings together the old and the new, the park keeps alive the history of the Cardinals while offering dramatic views of the Gateway Arch and the St. Louis skyline. It is also called Busch Stadium." Snore).
Since there are only 101 entries, you can imagine some of your favorite moments and players might be left out. I was hoping for an entry on Darrell Porter but had to settle for a cool pic of him at the ’82 victory parade. There’s no entry on new hall of famer Bruce Sutter. Pujols gets an entry, but I thought his 2005 NLCS homer deserved an entry all its own. Vince Coleman gets an entry, but there’s no mention of the killer tarp.
But I won’t quibble too much, because the book succeeds overall. It’s largely a collection of soundbites about the key moments, players, and managers in Cardinal history, and it’s a nice addition to any fan’s bookshelf. It’s a visually stimulating Cliff Notes to the Cardinals.
Have you read this book? Leave your opinion in the comments – especially if you can think of any more key moments or players that were left out.
Cardinal Girl 
I love the book reviews. Keep it up – you Cards scholar. Can you post a book list somewhere on the site as you go? One for the Cardinals and one for general baseball topix?