Overview

""A superb glimpse into the life of a master sports player ... highly recommended for baseball fans everywhere."" -- Midwest Book Review All-star shortstop Omar Vizquel tells the story of his life in baseball, from the sandlots of Caracas, Venezuela, to Game Seven of the World Series and beyond. It's a a candid look inside the locker room of those powerhouse Indians teams of the late 1990s, from one of the best shortstops ever to play the game. You don't have to be a baseball fan to be an Omar Vizquel fan. Omar doesn't just make the tough plays look easy. He makes the toughest plays look fun. Widely considered one of the best defensive shortstops in the history of baseball, he is often praised by teammates, opponents, and fans alike for working so hard at his game--and for obviously enjoying it so much. His hard work has paid off. Omar won an amazing nine consecutive Rawlings Gold Glove Awards and holds the highest career fielding percentage of anyone at the position. He has been selected for three American League All-Star teams, has played in two World Series. Includes a postscript by the author commenting on the controversial responses to the hardcover edition by Albert Belle and Jose Mesa.

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9781886228597

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Reviews

Vizquel's delightful sense of humor is evident when he explains that as a child he had always assumed that Batman and the Sesame Street characters he watched on television were Venezuelan . . . Readers will be interested in the chapter Cashing In in which the author presents eye-opening information about baseball salary contracts. -- Book Reviewer School Library Journal

""Omar"" has plenty for the baseball fan, but the candid snapshots into the private life of Cleveland's favorite Venezuelan are the real sell.--David Rottman ""WUAB TV43"" (4/24/2002 12:00:00 AM) A fine 251-page effort that details Omar's career with the Indians, along with his life leading up to arriving in Northeast Ohio. Dyer, a columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal, does a wonderful job of making sure Omar's personality comes to life on the pages . . . Does what it should--converts the nine-time Gold-Glove shortstop's memories, thoughts and ideas to print perfectly. We finished to book in two reads.--Don McCormack ""Star Beacon"" (5/16/2002 12:00:00 AM) An entertaining and light read about the life of one of the most popular players in Cleveland Indians' history and a true baseball renaissance man . . . One of the most fascinating chapters in the book captures the experiences of the 17-year-old Vizquel dealing with the culture shock of going from Venezuela to Butte, Mont.--Andy Gray ""Tribune Chronicle"" (5/2/2002 12:00:00 AM) Captures Vizquel's quick wit and his passion for baseball. But it also provides glimpses of Vizquel back home in Venezuela, painting in his garage and Jet-Skiing during a hurricane warning . . . And Vizquel writes candidly about his teammates, the 1995 season, and who really deserves to be called the best defensive shortstop in baseball.--Steve Gleydura ""Cleveland Magazine"" (5/1/2002 12:00:00 AM) Offers a superb glimpse into the life of a master sports player and is highly recommended for baseball fans everywhere.--James A. Cox ""Midwest Book Review"" (7/8/2002 12:00:00 AM) There's more to the Venezuelan-born baseball star than defense. His multifaceted personality is apparent in ""Omar!"" . . . While the book provides a thorough retelling of his baseball career . . . the true surprise comes in learning of Vizquel's passion for art.-- ""Ohio Magazine"" (7/1/2002 12:00:00 AM) Vizquel's delightful sense of humor is evident when he explains that as a child he had always assumed that Batman and the Sesame Street characters he watched on television were Venezuelan . . . Readers will be interested in the chapter ""Cashing In"" in which the author presents eye-opening information about baseball salary contracts.-- ""School Library Journal"" (8/1/2002 12:00:00 AM)

Author Information

Omar Vizquel is widely considered one of the best shortstops in the history of baseball. He is well known for his spectacular fielding, clutch hitting, smart baserunning . . . and his quick wit around the clubhouse. His remarkable streak of nine consecutive Gold Glove awards for fielding excellence set an American League record. He has been selected for three All-Star teams, and has appeared in two World Series. Bob Dyer earned more than 50 regional and national writing awards as a reporter and columnist for Akron Beacon Journal from 1984 to 2020. He was voted Best Columnist in the Nation (2008) and Best Humor Columnist in the Nation (2013) by the National Society of Professional Journalists. He was named Best Columnist in Ohio by at least one professional journalism organization for six consecutive years. A native of suburban Cleveland, Dyer was one of the lead writers for A Question of Color, a yearlong examination of racial attitudes in Akron that won a Pulitzer Prize in 1994. He has written two books.

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