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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland upskirt photography suspect arrested ... Rogue Valley doctor runs for governor on climate change platform ... Our View: Learning to survive ... Ashland upskirt photography suspect arrested ... Rogue Valley doctor runs for governor on climate change platform ... Our View: Learning to survive ... 3 new baseball books worth a read this season Comment By Dennis Anderson The Peoria Journal Star DailyTidings.com By Dennis Anderson The Peoria Journal Star Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 9:00 AM Updated Apr 7, 2015 at 9:01 AM By Dennis Anderson The Peoria Journal Star Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 9:00 AM Updated Apr 7, 2015 at 9:01 AM » Social News Each spring dozens of baseball titles hit the bookstores. This year, there are several titles about some of the game’s biggest names, such as Ty Cobb, Billy Martin and Marvin Miller. But here are a few also worth notice. “Mystery Ball ’58: A Season-Long Whodunit” Many baseball fans discover the dice baseball game Strat-O-Matic around age 12, only to leave it on a shelf of their parents’ home when they leave for college. Others, such as journalist Jeff Polman, have turned the game into a cottage industry. Polman writes a regular column for Strat-O-Matic’s website and now has published his third novel based on a season replay, “Mystery Ball ’58: A Season-Long Whodunit” being the latest. The baseball portion of “Mystery Ball ’58” ($12.99; 262 pages; Grassy Gutter Press) is based on games Polman played using Strat-O-Matic’s player cards from the 1958 season, the year the Giants and Dodgers moved from New York to California. The mystery part of the book comes from Polman’s creative mind, mixing real players and figures of the time with fictional characters. The plot revolves around a murder under the grandstand of Seals Stadium, home of the Giants. Someone is trying to frame Snappy Drake, a former minor-league pitcher turned usher, for the murder. Drake tries to clear his name and solve the mystery behind the backdrop of a pennant race. This is a fun and breezy read, a mix of a time of baggy uniforms, ring-a-ding-ding swagger and pulp fiction. “The Essential W.P. Kinsella” It’s been nearly 30 years since the last time I read W.P. Kinsella’s “Shoeless Joe,” the novel on which the movie “Field of Dreams” is based. It’s comforting to get reconnected with his work again, reading “The Essential W.P. Kinsella” ($15.95; 432 pages; Tachyon Publications) released this spring to commemorate the author’s 80th birthday. This collection of 27 short stories includes four previously unpublished pieces as well as many all of the author’s favorites. Baseball is the root of Kinsella’s stories, but so are science fiction and fantasy. He creates a world of rural dusty streets, diners with coffee so strong the pages smell of it and vivid characters who haunt your mind between stories. Kinsella remains one of the game’s best storytellers. “Man Versus Ball: One Ordinary Guy And His Extraordinary Sports Adventures” Jon Hart loves sports and looks for any opportunity to get involved in a game, even if it means selling $6.50 pretzels to New York Mets fans as a Citi Field vendor. The result of his eclectic experiences is his book “Man Versus Ball: One Ordinary Guy and His Extraordinary Sports Adventures” ($24.95; 171 pages; Potomac Books). A writer by trade, Hart takes on a variety of opportunities. Along the way he suits up for semi-pro football team and a roller basketball squad, leading the league in rebounds for two seasons. He also becomes a U.S. Open ball boy as well as a wrestler, complete with a trip to the hospital. The writing is fast-paced and eye-opening. For instance, many of us may have toyed with the idea of retiring to become a ballpark vendor. No more, as Hart explores the drama, politics, battles with drunken fans and the bumble-bee uniforms that are all part of selling ballpark food. “Man Versus Ball” is worthy of a summer read. Dennis Anderson writes for The Peoria (Illinois) Journal Star. By Dennis Anderson The Peoria Journal Star DailyTidings.com By Dennis Anderson The Peoria Journal Star Posted Apr. 7, 2015 at 9:00 AM Updated Apr 7, 2015 at 9:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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