A Fun Holiday Shopping Guide

by Paul Semendinger

December 3, 2022

***

It's that time of year.

I used to love to look at the old Sears Christmas Wish Book catalogs and just dream and hope for the coolest things to arrive at Christmas. In that spirit and just for fun, I share the following as gift ideas for the baseball fan in your life (or as great things for you to ask for):

• My Favorite (by far!) Baseball Board Game:

Strat-o-Matic Baseball is one of the greatest board games out there. I never get enough of it...and I've been playing it since 1981. The players perform realistically. The game is easy to learn. The game play is quick. There are old timers, new players, almost every aspect of the game is covered in a playable and terrifically fun manner. (For a few years, Ethan and I also played the football board game and we both LOVED it.)

• Highly Recommended Baseball Books:

The following are some of the baseball books I have enjoyed the most in recent years (and my favorite baseball book of all-time).

And, yes, the first two on the list are books I've written, but, they're great and if you haven't read them, I think you'll love them. The third book (that I wrote with Roy White) is ready for pre-order!

Scattering the Ashes by Paul Semendinger (baseball is a major theme throughout)

The Least Among Them by Paul Semendinger

Roy White: From Compton to the Bronx by Roy White with Paul Semendinger

Ball Four by Jim Bouton

The Baseball 100 by Joe Posnanski

The Cooperstown Trilogy by J.B. Manheim

Tony Lazzeri by Lawrence Baldassaro

Full Count by David Cone and Jack Curry

Turn Your Season Around by Darryl Strawberry and Greg Laurie

The Church of Baseball by Ron Shelton

The Next Mickey Mantle by Barry Sparks

• Old, But Good and True Standards for the Baseball Fan:

Baseball cards (old or new)

A team jersey (if it's the Yankees, with no name on the back)

A great new baseball hat

A vintage jersey from a fun old-timer team

Tickets to a future baseball game

• Some Very Cool Original Items I Found On-Line

Note - I have had no communication with these sellers or any interaction with the products. I just think they look fun or interesting. I cannot speak to the quality of the items or the reliability of the sellers or anything like that. I'm not recommending the products, the sellers, the companies, or anything like that. I'm just listing some cool items I saw (and did not purchase) on-line:

Yankees Plays Slate Coasters

1926 Yankees Team Photo

Periodic Table Yankees T-Shirt

Yankees Stadium Seats

Yogi and Don Larsen Photo

Yankee Ticket Office Sign

Chalkboard Scoreboard Sign

Look at these great items on Pinterest

• Finally, Some Companies (that have advertised on SSTN) Who I Have Been Pleased With:

Groovy Guy Gifts

FOCO

and, finally, from Groovy Guy Gifts, here is another link of baseball items.