{"product_id":"they-called-me-god-the-best-umpire-who-ever-lived-9781476748801","title":"They Called Me God: The Best Umpire Who Ever Lived","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe incredible memoir from the man voted one of the \"Best Umpires of All Time\" by the Society of American Baseball Research--filled with more than three decades of fascinating baseball stories.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eDoug Harvey was a California farm boy, a high school athlete who nevertheless knew that what he really wanted was to become an unsung hero--a major league umpire.\u003c\/b\u003e Working his way through the minor leagues, earning three hundred dollars a month, he survived just about everything, even riots in stadiums in Puerto Rico. And while players and other umps hit the bars at night, Harvey memorized the rule book. In 1962, he broke into the big leagues and was soon listening to rookie Pete Rose worrying that he would be cut by the Reds and laying down the law with managers such as Tommy Lasorda and Joe Torre. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eThis colorful memoir takes you behind the plate for some of baseball's most memorable moments, including Roberto Clemente's three thousandth and final hit; the heroic three-and-two pinch-hit home run by Kirk Gibson in the '88 World Series; and the nail-biting excitement of the '68 World Series. But beyond the drama, Harvey turned umpiring into an art. He was a man so respected, whose calls were so feared and infallible, that the players called him \"God.\" And through it all, he lived by three rules: never take anything from a player, never back down from a call, and never carry a grudge. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA book for anyone who loves baseball, \u003ci\u003eThey Called Me God \u003c\/i\u003eis a funny and fascinating tale of on- and off-the-field action, peopled by unforgettable characters from Bob Gibson to Nolan Ryan, and a treatise on good umpiring techniques. In a memoir that transcends the sport, Doug Harvey tells a gripping story of responsibility, fairness, and honesty.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDoug Harvey is a Hall of Fame umpire whose career total of 4,673 games--including five World Series--ranks third in major league history. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePeter Golenbock has written eight \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestsellers, among them some of baseball's most important books, including \u003ci\u003eDynasty: The New York Yankees 1949-64\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eThe Bronx Zoo\u003c\/i\u003e (with Sparky Lyle); \u003ci\u003eNumber 1\u003c\/i\u003e (with Billy Martin); \u003ci\u003eBalls\u003c\/i\u003e (with Greg Nettles); and \u003ci\u003eIdiot\u003c\/i\u003e (with Johnny Damon), as well as \u003ci\u003ePersonal Fouls\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAmerican Prince\u003c\/i\u003e (with Tony Curtis).\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Gallery Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50524536078610,"sku":"9781476748801","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_bba9d749-9fbf-4a0f-a279-8113fb6d6737.jpg?v=1731181911","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/they-called-me-god-the-best-umpire-who-ever-lived-9781476748801","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}