Sixty Feet, Six Inches
A Hall of Fame Pitcher & a Hall of Fame Hitter
Talk about How the Game is Played
by Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson, with Lonnie Wheeler
Monte Cely
(512) 310-9777
Sixty Feet, Six Inches is a conversation between Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson about their approaches to playing baseball, their recollections of their careers, and their thoughts on current baseball topics.
The two Hall of Famers are “in character” throughout the book. Jackson is articulate and self-centered; Gibson blunt and focused. On a particular topic, Jackson may speak for four paragraphs, Gibson for two sentences. Both still display their fierce competitiveness, while effectively relaying their insight about the game on the field.
The bulk of the book is devoted to in-game tactics surrounding the pitcher-hitter confrontation, and the authors’ approach to that battle. Other chapters are devoted to the authors’ relationships and thoughts on other players, umpires, and owners; the atmosphere around the ballpark and specifically during the World Series; the characteristics of good player “makeup”; and the changes that baseball has gone thru over the decades since the authors have retired from the field.
For those SABR members that like in depth discussion about game tactics, this book is for you. If extended discussion of the pitcher-hitter confrontation isn’t your cup of tea, Sixty Feet, Six Inches still has much to offer, especially if you’re a fan of either of the authors.
Here are the key statistics:
Book: Sixty Feet, Six Inches
Author: Bob Gibson and Reggie Jackson, with Lonnie Wheeler
Authors Credentials: Gibson and Jackson need no introduction to SABR members. Wheeler is a veteran sportswriter who has collaborated on several baseball books, including I Had a Hammer with Hank Aaron.
Published: 2009, Doubleday, ISBN 978-0-385-52869-6
Length: 273 pages
Price: Retail list – $26.00; Online: from $15.00 (used) + shipping.