Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9781596702936
Format: Illustrated
ISBN: 1596702931
Label: Sports Publishing, Inc.
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing, Inc.
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 192
Publication Date: 2008-04-01
Publisher: Sports Publishing, Inc.
Studio: Sports Publishing, Inc.

Big first baseman Kent Hrbek was one of the games true characters, a throwback whose personal tastes were every bit as Ruthian as the monstrous homers for which he is remembered. At a time when professional athletes were discovering the benefits of personal trainers and dieticians, he frequently expressed his preference for a diet of junk food and beer. He and teammates like Gary Gaetti, Tom Brunansky, and late Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett played the game with a passion seldom seen in modern sports, and brought fun and humor into the Twins clubhouse. It was a place where a manager had to ban the cleaning of fish in the trainers room, and where practical jokes were more commonplace than scouting reports. It wasnt all fun and games, however. Hrbek and Gaetti became best friends, but had that friendship strained when Gaetti found religion and tried to push his beliefs including no beer onto Hrbek. Finally, late in his career, Hrbek battled serious shoulder injuries before retiring.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Too Conflicted To Be Taken Seriously
Comment: Before my review, a little Kent Hrbek anecdote: A few years ago, while attending the annual TwinsFest event at the Metrodome, I waited in line to get a picture taken with the big guy at his booth promoting his outdoors TV show. Before the photo, I commented on how exciting it was to be there, while all Hrbek could do was mope about wanting to be out on the lake fishing.

So, with that experience firmly planted in my mind, I was only cautiously optimistic that Herbie's book would be any more exciting than the man himself. As it turned out, this book only confirmed to me that Hrbek is an arrogant jerk who never really applied himself to the sport that set him up for life.

A few (just a few, to be sure) of the things that bothered me in this book included...

-Hrbek calling baseball a "team sport", which it is, but then lauding his two World Series rings like they make him some sort of Minnesotan God.
-Hrbek not taking a stand on any issues. He claims to be this straight-shooting personality, but never comes close giving his real thoughts on things like steroids, his off-and-on friendship with Gary Gaetti, and the effort (very little) he put into improving his baseball skills. Instead, he couches his "memoirs" with enough "buts" and "althoughs" to get himself off the hook in every situation.

To me, Kent Hrbek has achieved a very false celebrity status her in Minnesota by cashing in on his Bloomington roots and dumb luck of playing on two championship clubs (he certainly didn't carry those teams). Thus, the only reason I gave this book even a two-star rating is because I encourage Twins fans to read it...not because of the actual concepts, but so you can better understand the type of man that Hrbek really is.

I don't like saying those things about a former member of the Minnesota Twins organization, but unfortunately they are true in relation to Hrbek, and this book only exacerbates his negative persona.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Bio Lite: Simplistic, Fun, and Enjoyable
Comment: This autobiography reads like it was actually written by Kent Hrbek; it's fun, enjoyable, and not an in-depth introspective look back at his life. It hits the highlights of his career, briefly touches upon his upbringing, and has no tales told out of school from the dugout. If you're looking for depth, don't bother.

Hrbek comes across as a rare athlete who realizes that the important things in life are not being bowed down to and worshiped because he could hit a baseball. He's honest about his love of beer, his family, and not caring that much about conditioning.

Long-time Twins fans like me will relish this, but wish it had just a little more.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Book by an even Better Guy
Comment: I really enjoyed this book for a couple of reasons. First, Kent Hrbek is a really likable guy who isn't out to impress anyone. He is a truly genuine individual, which is admirable and refreshing. He is also very interesting. No, this book isn't written on a graduate level, but who cares? It's about baseball, a team full of good guys, and one fun loving guy in particular. I read this book right before I read the book written by John Schuerholz. Wow, talk about opposites. The "genius" Schuerholz has no clue about things like the Hrbek charm.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Kent Hrbek... A Credit to the Integrity of Baseball
Comment: As a Minnesota Twins fan for some forty years, this may be perceived as a somewhat biased view...but I truly don't believe it is. Most of those who follow the game closely, and appreciate its significance on the national psyche for more than a century, will respect this straight-arrow summary--of Kent Hrbek's team, in particular; but, even more importantly, for the significance and integrity of the game in general. Though an unsung hero in terms of individual awards, he was, in the eyes of many objective baseball observers, as good as any--and better than most--first basemen to play the game. And he was an excellent clutch hitter (e.g., his grand slam homerun in the sixth game of the 1987 World Series) who knew the strike zone, and rarely swung at a bad pitch. But, as he emphasizes in his book, his two World Series rings, and the undying support of true baseball fans in the upper Midwest, and throughout the country, totally overshadow the fact that he was, inexplicably, overlooked for the individual honors which, in the view of many, he so richly deserved. He and others refer to his approach to the game as that of a throwback...the type of player from the game's glory days. This is arguably as high a tribute as can be given a player. And, because these qualities are, sadly, in short supply in today's go-for-the-money atmosphere, Kent Hrbek--nearly thirteen years after his early retirement--is still missed by those who love the game... for the game. And for all of those, "Kent Hrbek's Tales from the Minnesota Twins Dugout" is highly recommended. --Ron Howe / Erskine, Minnesota

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Hrbek keeps you hooked and entertained
Comment: After reading 'Tales', I felt like I had actually been in the dugout with the Twins. The book keeps moving, doesn't well on any point too long and provides just the right amount of detail. Hrbek and Brackin have delivered a baseball classic.

Hrbek's antics and honesty come through as genuine. He seems like a guy were he your neighbor you could just walk up to and have a nice, casual conversation. His views on baseball provide insight for the fan from the other side of the stadium fence. I remember watching him as a kid whenever the Twins came to Seattle, and he was always an impressive player. We ran into Hrbek on the street in downtown Seattle one day and he lived-up to his friendly guy image in person too.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it for anyone with an interest in baseball or the Minnesota Twins in particular.

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