The Umpire Strikes Back

I'm too young to remember Ron's umping days; so naturally I was skeptical that a book by an umpire would be that funny. But, believe me, folks, this is one of the funniest books you will ever read. His story about how he got Harmen Kilibrew picked off second made me laugh so hard I almost choked. Not only was he a funny person, but he was also a great writer and had a very clever style.

This is a great book about umpiring. A lot of it is irreverent, but that is Luciano -- respectful, but humorous. The book is easy to read and broken into sections that make for easy reading a couple pages at a time (ahem, for reading in the family "library"). There is a lot more here than just umpiring. You get the inside scoop on players, managers and some owners. Interesting reading that is a little off the beaten path.

THIS IS ONE OF THE FUNNIEST BOOKS I HAVE READ. MR. LUCIANO IS HILARIOUS IN HIS RETELLING OF MANY ENCOUNTERS WITH EARL WEAVER, BILLY MARTIN, AND MANY OTHERS. JUST READ THIS BOOK AND IT WILL HELP BREIGHTEN UP YOUR DAY WITH HIS WIT AND HUMOR. VERY VERY RECOMMENDED.

Ron Luciano, a former major league umpire, does a wonderful job of conveying some of what goes on inside the major leagues. His stories are humorous and occasionally hysterically funny. This book is a must for any baseball fan with a sense of humor.

Being an umpire myself, I truly enjoyed reading how one mancould turn his job into something he really enjoyed. I saw Ron Lucianoump several times when I was a kid and didn't totally understand his antics on the field. In his book, he details his career as the umpire everyone loved to watch; everyone except Earl Weaver. You will love hearing how he ejected Earl even before the first pitch of the game and how Earl literally "stole" second base. You will enjoy hearing how he played third for one player as he umped the game and how rookies would beg him not to "shoot" them out at firstbase. This book is full of stories from one of the men who helped make baseball America's most entertaining past-time.