Take Me Out to the Ballgame!
October means one thing for sports fans: Major League Baseball is heating up! Are you tracking the MLB playoff schedule and anticipating the World Series? So are we. That’s why we’ve curated a collection of baseball-themed entertainment on Hoopla with something for every fan.
Books About Major League Baseball Legends and Major-League Love Stories
Nonfiction eBooks About Baseball
L.A. Story: Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and a Season for the Ages (Various Authors)
L.A. Story captures Shohei Ohtani’s groundbreaking debut season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, highlighting his offensive explosion, recovery from Tommy John surgery, and first taste of postseason glory. Veteran scribe Bill Plunkett provides an insider’s look at Ohtani’s highs and challenges, including a scandal involving his longtime interpreter, offering Dodgers fans and baseball enthusiasts an unforgettable season-long portrait.
I Felt the Cheers by Curtis Pride
Pride played 420 Major League games over 11 seasons with six teams before becoming head baseball coach at Gallaudet University and MLB’s Ambassador for Inclusion. In I Felt the Cheers, he writes with candor and humor about chasing his dream from T‑ball at age six to the majors, showing how his deafness became a unique strength.
Mets Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Art Shamsky
Art Shamsky, 1969 New York Met and noted author, shares stories and anecdotes from his 50-year connection with the team. Readers gain behind-the-scenes, firsthand accounts of the Mets’ journey from lovable losers to 1969 champions and beyond, including insights on today’s players.
The New Ballgame by Russell A. Carleton
Watching a baseball game today reveals striking changes that would have seemed unimaginable not long ago, from blazing fastballs and defensive shifts to an emphasis on home runs and strikeouts in games approaching four hours. In this well-researched book, Russell Carleton explores these transformations through a mix of statistics, history, and cognitive science, showing how modern baseball has evolved and inviting fans to see the sport in a completely new light.
Romance Audiobooks about Baseball
All on the Line by Lo Everett and read by Scott Rose and Savannah Thomas
Hendrix James is settling into his new life with the Denver Bandits, enjoying his teammates, apartment, and a budding romance—until his noisy neighbor throws his peace into chaos. Meanwhile, Poppy Byrne is chasing her dream of becoming an audiobook narrator, determined to focus on her career, but fate complicates her plans when she meets someone unexpected.
Baseball Spy by Scott Reister and read by A. W. Miller
After a tough game, Zane comes home to find his mom missing and a federal agent at his door, just as a rogue hacker teammate plans to expose a deadly government secret. Racing against time, Zane must navigate hidden devices, undercover agents, and a dangerous game of cat and mouse to save his family and protect the nation.
The Double Play by Annah Conwell and read by Charlotte North and Tim Paige
Hazel shouldn’t fall for Emmett Foster—a wealthy, gruff professional baseball player with a daughter and a painful past—but being hired to care for his little girl makes her heart betray her. Despite their undeniable chemistry, he’s sworn off love, leaving her stuck crushing on him silently in this sweet, sports-filled romcom.
The Cost of These Dreams written and read by Wright Thompson
From one of America’s most celebrated sportswriters, The Cost of These Dreams offers true stories that explore the pursuit of greatness and its sacrifices in sports. Wright Thompson delves beyond the game, revealing the ambitions, struggles, and humanity of undisputed legends with insight, wit, and profound storytelling.
Baseball BingePasses: Get seven days of unlimited access with one borrow!
You’ll find Baseball America here, with up-to-date information about players and stats, as well as player profiles. It’s a great way to develop a deeper understanding of your favorite teams and players before the MLB playoffs start. There are several other sports titles among the 100+ magazines in this BingePass.
Offers young readers aged 4-11 an exciting collection of over 300 nonfiction eBooks featuring legendary athletes, thrilling competitions, and the science and strategy behind sports. Covering a wide range of sports and including inspiring biographies, STEM-focused titles, and culturally impactful stories, it engages children with a passion for athletics and achievement.
Romantic movies abound, including The Perfect Catch: Jessica (Nicki DeLoach), a single mother and owner of a struggling diner, finds renewed inspiration when her high school boyfriend, Chase (Andrew W. Walker), now a professional baseball player, returns to town.
Comics for MLB Fans
21: The Story of Roberto Clemente by Wilfred Santiago
Tells the inspiring life of the Pittsburgh Pirates star, highlighting his courage, faith, and dignity both on and off the field. Santiago’s engaging style blends detailed realism with expressive cartooning to vividly portray Clemente’s journey from a poor Puerto Rican childhood to baseball greatness.
Batter Up, Charlie Brown! by Charles M. Schulz
Charlie Brown might not excel as a pitcher, batter, or manager, but his passion for the game never fades. No matter the home runs he surrenders, the games he loses, the errors his team makes, or the rainouts, his love for baseball remains unwavering in this baseball-themed collection.
Fuzzy Baseball by John Steven Gurney
The highly anticipated showdown is here: the Fernwood Valley Fuzzies take on the Rocky Ridge Red Claws, with star players like Jackie Rabbitson, Sandy Kofox, Hammy Sosa, Gator Gibson, Stetch Giraffolo, and Fernado del Toro ready to battle. Experience all the action from your front-row seat at Fuzzy Field as these longtime rivals face off in what promises to be the greatest game ever.
Ace of the Diamond Vol. 1 by Yuji Terajima
Eijun Sawamura dreams of winning the middle school national baseball championships, but a wild pitch of his own knocks his team out of the tournament. Determined to try again, he heads to Seido High School, where a challenging campus visit and forming a battery with rising catcher Miyuki reignite his love for the game.
Movie Soundtracks to Celebrate the MLB Playoffs
For Love of the Game by Basil Poledouris
The score for the 1999 baseball romance film combines a rich, warm, melodic orchestral backdrop with a few gritty rock tracks like “Tuttle Knockdown,” capturing both the grandeur of baseball and the emotional depth of the story. Themes such as the “Main Theme” and “Relationship Montage” highlight the protagonist’s journey, blending the excitement of his final game with his romantic longing.
The Babe by Elmer Berstein 1992
Elmer Bernstein’s score for this 1992 film delivers a nostalgic and uplifting musical backdrop that complements the film’s portrayal of Babe Ruth’s life. The soundtrack features a blend of orchestral arrangements that evoke both the grandeur of baseball and the personal journey of its legendary figure.
Angels in the Outfield by Randy Edelman
This soundtrack conveys the 1994 film’s warmth and humor with its charming, unforgettable melodies. Featuring instrumental pieces such as the iconic theme, “Rock & Roll Angels,” and a whimsical version of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” from the credits, the album lets listeners revisit the movie’s enchanting moments.
The soundtrack from the 2005 film blends classic rock and pop hits from artists like Eric Clapton, Grand Funk Railroad, Alice Cooper, and Ted Nugent with contemporary bands such as Simple Plan, Motion City Soundtrack, and Senses Fail. Composer Edward Shearmur also contributed original pieces, including a baseball-themed adaptation of Bizet’s Carmen.
October Baseball Magic
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