{"product_id":"they-called-me-god-the-best-umpire-who-ever-lived","title":"They Called Me God: The Best Umpire Who Ever Lived","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe incredible memoir from the man voted one of the Best Umpires of All Time by the Society of American Baseball Researchfilled with more than three decades of fascinating baseball stories.  In the pageantry of baseball  one select group is virtually unknown in the outside world  derided by fans  faced with split-second choices that spell victory or defeat. These men are up-close observers of the action  privy to inside jokes  blood feuds  benches-clearing brawls  and managers expletive-filled tirades. In this wonderful memoir  Hall of Fame umpire Doug Harvey takes us within baseball as youve never seen it  with unforgettable inside stories of baseball greats such as Willie Mays  Sandy Koufax  and Whitey Herzog.  Doug Harvey was a California farm boy  a high school athlete who nevertheless knew that what he really wanted was to become an unsung heroa major league umpire. 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 bigs 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.  This colorful memoir takes the reader behind the plate for some of baseballs most memorable moments  including:   Roberto Clementes three thousandth and final hit   The I dont believe what I just saw heroic three-and-two pinch-hit home run by Kirk Gibson in the 88 World Series   The nail-biting excitement of the close-fought 68 World Series  when Doug called St. Louis Cardinal Lou Brock out at home plate and turned the trajectory of the 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.  A book for anyone who loves baseball  They Called Me God is 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 sport  Doug Harvey tells a gripping story of responsibility  fairness  and honesty.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44946475909173,"sku":"ByrdShop_1476748780","price":27.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9781476748788.jpg?v=1769951539","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/they-called-me-god-the-best-umpire-who-ever-lived","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}