Despite the big market, bright lights and World Series rings, many Hall of Fame level players from the Mets and Yankees have been passed over by voters, often by good margins. The biggest reason: they didn't accumulate those traditional lifetime stats in hits, home runs or wins that typically punch Hall of Fame tickets. New York fan favorites Keith Hernandez, Ron Guidry, David Cone and others had the misfortune of playing before today's accepted measurement tools like on-base percentage, slugging percentage and ERA-plus (adjusting a pitcher's earned run average to the league norm in a given year) became commonplace. Some players were overshadowed by bigger personalities who were better able to take advantage of the New York spotlight. This book makes an in-depth case for the induction of seven Mets and Yankees, and evaluates many more who have been looked over for a spot in the Hall of Fame. Giving these players a fresh look, it uses advanced stats that weren't around when these men were playing and places traditional stats in the context of their era.

An entertaining look back at the most memorable year in Boston sports history. The year 1986 was a special one for Boston sports fans. Surprising everyone, the Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox played in the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and World Series, the first time and still the only time that’s ever happened to the city. But what really made it so memorable was the way it happened, making it a sports year beyond anyone’s expectations. In The Glory of '86: The Year Boston Ruled the Sports World, Tom Van Riper tells in absorbing detail the story of Boston’s greatest year in sports. The cast of characters runs the gamut, from the franchise faces of Larry Bird, Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, and John Hannah to the prime young talent of Roger Clemens, Bruce Hurst, and Craig James. While the Celtics carried high expectations going into the 1985-86 season, the Patriots hadn’t won a single postseason game since joining the NFL in 1970 and the Red Sox were still living with the “curse” of 1918. But in 1986, to the delight of Boston fans, everything broke right for all three teams. The Glory of ’86 is a rollercoaster ride through three amazing seasons. It features a dominant champion, two unexpected runs through the playoffs, season-ending joy, and season-ending heartbreak. There never was a more glorious year in Boston sports.

Call it the forgotten rivalry. The Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers may not share geographical boundaries, and today they don't even play in the same division, but for a period of time in the 1970s Dodgers vs. Reds was the best rivalry in Major League Baseball. They boasted the biggest names of the game-Johnny Bench, Steve Garvey, Pete Rose, Don Sutton, and Ron Cey, to name a few-and appeared in the World Series seven out of nine years. In Cincinnati Red and Dodger Blue: Baseball's Greatest Forgotten Rivalry, Tom Van Riper provides a fresh look at these two powerhouse teams and the circumstances that made them so pivotal. Van Riper delves into the players, managers, executives, and broadcasters from the rivalry whose impact on baseball continued beyond the 1970s-including the first recipient of Tommy John surgery (Tommy John himself), the all-time hit king turned gambling pariah (Pete Rose), and two young announcers who would soon go on to national prominence (Al Michaels and Vin Scully). In addition, Van Riper recounts in detail the 1973 season when both teams were at or near their peak form, particularly the extra-inning nail-biter between the Reds and Dodgers that took place on September 21 and effectively decided the divisional race. Cincinnati Red and Dodger Blue includes never-before-published interviews with former players from the rivalry, providing a personal and in-depth look at this decade in baseball full of upheaval and change. Baseball's realignment in 1994 may have rendered this great rivalry nearly forgotten, but its story is one that will be enjoyed by baseball fans and historians of all generations.