Foul Ball

Foul Ball chronicles Jim Bouton's attempt to save and restore Wahconah Park, a historic minor league baseball stadium in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The former MLB pitcher and Ball Four author documents his bid to prevent the demolition of the 1919 ballpark and stop the construction of a new stadium. The book details Bouton's navigation through local politics, business interests, and community dynamics as he works to preserve a piece of baseball heritage. His narrative includes city council meetings, media coverage, and interactions with both supporters and opponents of his preservation plan. Bouton presents facts, figures, and correspondence related to the stadium project while recounting his personal experiences throughout the process. The story spans multiple years and involves numerous stakeholders in the Pittsfield community. The book examines themes of corporate influence in local government, the value of historic preservation, and the intersection of business and baseball. Its investigation of small-town politics provides insight into how public projects evolve and develop.

Readers view this as a David vs Goliath story about local government, corporate interests, and baseball stadium politics. The book maintains a similar irreverent tone to Bouton's Ball Four. Readers appreciated: - The detailed exposure of backroom dealings and corruption - Bouton's persistence in documenting every meeting and interaction - The humor and sarcastic commentary throughout - The inside look at minor league baseball operations Common criticisms: - Too much minute detail about meetings and procedures - Repetitive at points - Some readers found Bouton's tone self-righteous Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (250+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (50+ reviews) Reader quote: "A fascinating look at how local politics really works, though it gets bogged down in details at times." - Amazon reviewer "The same honest, tell-it-like-it-is approach that made Ball Four great, applied to small-town politics." - Goodreads reviewer

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🏟️ Jim Bouton wrote "Foul Ball" as a follow-up to his controversial baseball diary "Ball Four," focusing on his attempt to save and restore Wahconah Park, a historic minor league ballpark in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. ⚾ The book exposes alleged corruption and backroom dealings between local politicians and corporate interests who opposed Bouton's preservation efforts in favor of building a new stadium. 📚 Despite finding a publisher initially, Bouton ultimately self-published the book after the original publisher asked him to remove certain names and details about local officials and businesspeople. 🏗️ Wahconah Park, built in 1892, is one of the last remaining ballparks in America that faces west, causing the setting sun to interfere with games and occasionally requiring "sun delays." 🗞️ The events chronicled in the book led to investigations by the Massachusetts Attorney General's office into the handling of the stadium project and the actions of local officials.