Rating: 
Summary: Dave Kaval, We Hardly Knew Ye
Review: I was excited to read this book mainly because of its inclusion of every single ballpark in the country, and the fact that it was written by real fans -- guys in their 20s, no less -- was a big drawing factor. This turned out to be the main fault, however.Brad Null AND Dave Kaval are listed as authors, yet it's Brad who does all the writing (actually, it sounds more like he recorded his thoughts into a Dictaphone and had somebody transcribe them). We get to read, ad nauseum, all about Brad's irritations with Dave, the parks, Dave, driving, Dave, the locals, Dave, and oh, yeah, Dave. Now, I'm sure anybody traveling one month nonstop with only one other person in a Nissan Pathfinder is bound to go a little nuts, but what about Dave's esteemed opinion of Brad, let alone what he thought about the parks? Despite this, I appreciated Brad's philosophical take on things, although he seems a bit too colloquial for my taste in his descriptions, often repeating phrases or favorite words spread merely sentences apart. This may be more the fault of the editor than anything else. Also, he'll complain about a park's shortcomings and then summarize it with praise (such as in Colorado), so his continuity and logic are a little lacking. Brad also seems a little whiny about not getting freebies in every regard, and refers OFTEN to their quasi-celebrity status in touring the parks. The first couple of times he mentions it, you think he's going to lead up to a big profound conclusion, but he never does. There's also this sense of foreboding doom in some of his descriptions of what's to come next, but nothing terrible ever seems to transpire. Don't expect writing that's anything more than a little above amateurish, although this is understandable considering the dude is a recent college grad and never proclaims to be a seasoned travel author or baseball expert. This, however, leads to the best aspect of the book. The guy writes like a real fan, not just of the sport, but of everything that encompasses the genre. He whips out praise for stuff he really likes and lets you have it about the stuff he hates. His descriptions of the dirtiness or boring architecture of the parks really rings true, and I absolutely love his reviews of the ballpark food, including his distaste for some weird gravy concoction at Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Sometimes it seems as if he's trying to kiss the butt of whoever got him a freebie in a particular part, but it goes with the territory. Historical commentary seems well researched and thorough, too. There's also charts of top-ten stuff, which are funny. There are personal photos throughout the book of Dave/Brad/friends/family outside each park, holding up their surprisingly pathetic-looking handwritten "Baseball Tour '98" sign. It's not so much the sign itself, but the way Brad describes their tour and the amount of attention they get from attempting this trip, you'd think they'd at least be able to type something up on a computer and paste it to a stronger piece of cardboard. But this is petty, I know. In short, while this is probably not a book for picky baseball enthusiasts, it's an interesting travel read for people that happen to love baseball. You could probably read it in one long sitting because the details aren't technical.
Rating: 
Summary: Skip This Book
Review: I was excited when I read about this book..., but thoroughly disappointed. Most of the time, the author (and really, it's only Brad Null talking) whines about his friend, the people he meets, and complains if he doesn't get free food. There is almost no insight into the parks, the fans, the game, or the cities... and the title has nothing to do with the content. Unless you are (or, more likely, were) a friend of the authors, I could not recommend this book. I have been to 28 of the 30 baseball stadia, and I did not find this book to be comparable to my own experiences, or provide a level of insight that I enjoyed.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good book that loses sense of direction.
Review: I was very happy when I found this book. Being a huge fan of baseball ballparks I loved whenever I found a book about ballparks or trips around the country to ballparks. I bought this book knowing pretty much what it was, a book about someone's trip around the country to all the ballparks. While I enjoyed the book, some thing's were lacking that made it perfect. First, the author's do spend to much time yapping about nothing. Usually the first two pages of each ballpark or different city section they spend talking about the trip there and the problems they had or what went on. The problem is it's not interesting and boring. Second, they could spend a little more time of the games they are watching. They hardly mention the players or plays that happen during the games. There are though some good things I enjoyed about the book. The reviews of the ballparks are pretty good. They are informative and are interesting. The ballpark stats and information are also a nice touch. The photographs definately could have been better, there are some nice ones,but the ones outside the ballparks are barely average.
Rating: 
Summary: I wish I could do this too!
Review: I'm trying to see baseball games in as many stadiums as I can, but these guys went to a game in all 30 stadiums in 38 days! I enjoyed reading this book, and I think it'll be useful when I plan future trips. By the way, I've made it to 7 and I'm hoping to add the 8th this summer.
Rating:
Summary: A "must" for everyone who has ever bought a ticket
Review: In addition to homeruns, the World Series, player statistics and salaries, the national pastime of baseball is also about the stadiums, hotdogs, beer, mascots, and the team identification and loyalties of the fans themselves. In The Summer That Saved Baseball, Brad Null and Dave Kaval effectively collaborate to evaluate baseball stadiums, food, fans, and hospitality associated with professional baseball. Included are details about each stadium, the likes and dislikes involved, and even some very funny stories and anecdotes arising from their cross-country trip and the close quarter living they endured during their thirty-eight day survey. Of particular interest for dedicated baseball buffs will be the information revealed about the expenses, freebies, and general background data about each stadium, as well as the lists ranking everything from the stadium to the beer! The Summer That Saved Baseball is a "must" for everyone who has ever bought a ticket and sat in the bleachers to cheer or jeer the guys on the field.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting book
Review: Not a bad read. Though I'll admit, after 15 stadiums or so, I stopped reading the book. Lots of good info about each stadium. Hopefully I'll be able to finish off my list someday... though not in 38 days! Parts are very interesting, other parts could be left out, but all in all, a great read and nice to have as a reference guide.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting book
Review: Not a bad read. Though I'll admit, after 15 stadiums or so, I stopped reading the book. Lots of good info about each stadium. Hopefully I'll be able to finish off my list someday... though not in 38 days! Parts are very interesting, other parts could be left out, but all in all, a great read and nice to have as a reference guide.
Rating:
Summary: a unique ballpark book
Review: Null and Kaval's Summer that Saved Baseball is an entertaining and informative read. It stacks up against Bob Wood's Dodger Dogs to Fenway Franks as one of the best ballpark narratives out there. Not only does the book tell you everything you might want to know about the ballparks, but it really gives you a feeling of being there. The book goes on to make some interesting points about ballparks and the state of the game, particularly concerning the proliferation of new state-of-the-art ballparks and how they might be detrimental to the game. It carries with it a unique perspective of a couple of regular guys going on an outlandish journey and often getting swept away by the unexpected attention lavished upon them and the unanticipated rigours of the task that they have created for themselves. All in all, I wish I could have joined them.
Rating:
Summary: give a kid a chance
Review: These guys might be amateur authors and half the ballparks might have torn down by now, but Kaval and Null have so much heart and so much energy it's hard not to be taken in by their travelogue. In the end, the hot dogs are less interesting than the road trip tales, but if you've ever spent 48 consecutive hours in a car with someone else (much less a month!), the story should resonate with you. Besides, if they hadn't saved baseball, we wouldn't have been able to listen to listen to all those ball players whine and almost go on strike in 2002.
Rating:
Summary: There just a bunch of Pansys wining
Review: They wine about how Master Card copied them I want to go to all 30 Major League stadiums with my freind and I would reccommend Joe Mocks guide to Baseball
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