Has anyone read this book?

Ormondbeachdan · 03-19-2019, 05:53 AM

"The Universal Baseball Association Inc". By Robert Coover.
It is over 20 years old. It is the story of a guy J. Henry Waugh, who is OBSESSED with simulation baseball (imagine that?). His entire life revolves around it (imagine that as well).
He "creates" a dice game and naturally keeps records by hand etc.. It is a must read.. You will probably see yourself in this.. Could be scary..lol

jtnlange · 03-19-2019, 08:10 AM

Read it twice. Very good book.

italyprof · 03-19-2019, 09:18 AM

Great book.

BirdWatcher · 03-19-2019, 09:21 AM

This book is probably the main reason that, although I built an analog process into my OOTP fictional universe where former players eventually die, I did not go so far as to allow current players to die mid-career.
As we see in Coover's riveting book, that is a bridge too far for those of us who get emotionally involved with our imaginary baseball players.

joefromchicago · 03-19-2019, 09:49 AM

I read it a long time ago. As I recall, I thought it would make a good entry in the "Bad Hemingway Contest."

BirdWatcher · 03-19-2019, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joefromchicago

I read it a long time ago. As I recall, I thought it would make a good entry in the "Bad Hemingway Contest."

That's fascinating. I wonder if you would have the same impression if you re-read it now?
Coover is a quite celebrated novelist and short story writer. (Granted, on the avant-garde side of things- an influence on writers like David Foster Wallace, Dave Eggers, Rick Moody, etc.) My sense is that in the literary world he isn't generally regarded as a bad anything.
Not that this means your take on this is incorrect. It's just a bit surprising to me (as a lover of literature/failed writer/English major/etc.)

joefromchicago · 03-19-2019, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BirdWatcher

That's fascinating. I wonder if you would have the same impression if you re-read it now?

That's quite possible. I read it over thirty years ago, so my tastes may have matured. Still, I remember finishing the book only because I was a big Strat-O-Matic player in the day and was captivated by the intricate tabletop world created by Coover. As for his writing style, on the other hand, I found it to be excruciating.

italyprof · 03-19-2019, 10:31 AM

He is much more profound than anything Hemingway wrote. In the end the book is about why God has to tie his own hands by allowing free will. Why an omnipotent being would be bound by his own laws.

Dr.K · 03-19-2019, 10:35 AM

Yes came across this book 10 years ago it's a masterpiece!

TomVeal · 03-19-2019, 01:45 PM

I bought the book when it first appeared in paperback (1969) but for some reason never finished it, probably because that was a busy period in my life. I must exhume my copy sometime.

JaBurns · 03-19-2019, 03:50 PM

Read it, scarily had me thinking about my SOM days.

HWallbanger · 03-19-2019, 05:58 PM

Loaned to me by my brother in law decades ago. Had been happily playing a dice game developed with a friend. Was stunned by plot developments as Coover brought real life grown up issues into imaginary baseball. Great book. Unexpectedly dark. Hamilton Crafts, right? Thanks for the memory jog.

Dark Horse · 03-19-2019, 06:43 PM

read an excerpt from the book.. i'll get around to reading the hole thing someday.

For my fictional dynasties, i have started naming my commissioners either Robert Coover or J. Henry Waugh.

plannine · 03-19-2019, 09:29 PM

One of my favorite books.Always hoped it would be a movie.

The cover has changed a bit since the earlier editions
Somewhere I have a hardback version (with a different cover then those below or above)

My 1st Printing (1971) and 1st Printing (1968) paperbacks:

RANGER11JP · 03-20-2019, 01:55 AM

I did come across a baseball game, not quite up to OOTP, that has some interesting features, one of which was an embodiment of that league from the book.

Tyke · 03-20-2019, 03:28 AM

Teams in my fictional dynasty always play for the Robert Coover Trophy.

Arobbins · 03-20-2019, 03:40 AM

What does this have to do with ootp 20?

italyprof · 03-20-2019, 05:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arobbins

What does this have to do with ootp 20?

It is a book about a man who creates a table top baseball world of his own, that becomes more real to him than the real world around him, his job, his (sort of) girlfriend, his friends.

He becomes so involved with it that he makes questionable moral decisions, leading to his having to make himself accountable to the people he has created in the baseball league.

Hard to think of a better book for the OOTP-addicted like us.

Pallas · 03-20-2019, 05:19 AM

I just hopped on Amazon and bought the paperback because of this thread.

Ormondbeachdan · 03-20-2019, 05:21 AM

Exactly... And I wanted to share it with other "addicted" sim peeps

03-19-2019, 05:53 AM	#1
Ormondbeachdan Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ormond Beach Fl Posts: 299	Has anyone read this book? "The Universal Baseball Association Inc". By Robert Coover. It is over 20 years old. It is the story of a guy J. Henry Waugh, who is OBSESSED with simulation baseball (imagine that?). His entire life revolves around it (imagine that as well). He "creates" a dice game and naturally keeps records by hand etc.. It is a must read.. You will probably see yourself in this.. Could be scary..lol Attached Images

03-19-2019, 09:49 AM	#5
joefromchicago Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 3,630	I read it a long time ago. As I recall, I thought it would make a good entry in the "Bad Hemingway Contest." __________________ American-Ethnic (and Canadian) Namesets Historical Minor League Schedules 1870s City/Team Nickname Randomizers "It's Usually Sunny in Philadelphia" weather mod

03-19-2019, 06:43 PM	#13
Dark Horse Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas! Posts: 2,633 Blog Entries: 5	read an excerpt from the book.. i'll get around to reading the hole thing someday. For my fictional dynasties, i have started naming my commissioners either Robert Coover or J. Henry Waugh. __________________ A Justafan Fan LBA Geo Bahn Rock Hounds fan of the ISLANDIAN PRO ALLIANCE Last edited by Dark Horse; 03-19-2019 at 06:45 PM.

03-19-2019, 09:29 PM	#14
plannine All Star Reserve Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 555	One of my favorite books.Always hoped it would be a movie. The cover has changed a bit since the earlier editions Somewhere I have a hardback version (with a different cover then those below or above) My 1st Printing (1971) and 1st Printing (1968) paperbacks: __________________ Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa - Casey Stengel Last edited by plannine; 03-20-2019 at 05:34 AM.

03-20-2019, 01:55 AM	#15
RANGER11JP All Star Starter Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,353	I did come across a baseball game, not quite up to OOTP, that has some interesting features, one of which was an embodiment of that league from the book. __________________ BASEBALL, HOCKEY AND BOXING FAN

03-19-2019, 08:10 AM	#2
jtnlange Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Racine,WI Posts: 255	Read it twice. Very good book.

03-19-2019, 09:18 AM	#3
italyprof All Star Reserve Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 983	Great book.

03-19-2019, 09:21 AM	#4
BirdWatcher Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 4,262	This book is probably the main reason that, although I built an analog process into my OOTP fictional universe where former players eventually die, I did not go so far as to allow current players to die mid-career. As we see in Coover's riveting book, that is a bridge too far for those of us who get emotionally involved with our imaginary baseball players.

03-19-2019, 10:31 AM	#8
italyprof All Star Reserve Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 983	He is much more profound than anything Hemingway wrote. In the end the book is about why God has to tie his own hands by allowing free will. Why an omnipotent being would be bound by his own laws.

03-19-2019, 10:35 AM	#9
Dr.K Major Leagues Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: UK Posts: 367	Yes came across this book 10 years ago it's a masterpiece!

03-19-2019, 01:45 PM	#10
TomVeal All Star Starter Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Spanaway, Washington Posts: 1,181	I bought the book when it first appeared in paperback (1969) but for some reason never finished it, probably because that was a busy period in my life. I must exhume my copy sometime.

03-19-2019, 03:50 PM	#11
JaBurns All Star Starter Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Kelowna, British Columbia Posts: 1,266	Read it, scarily had me thinking about my SOM days.

03-19-2019, 05:58 PM	#12
HWallbanger Bat Boy Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 5	Loaned to me by my brother in law decades ago. Had been happily playing a dice game developed with a friend. Was stunned by plot developments as Coover brought real life grown up issues into imaginary baseball. Great book. Unexpectedly dark. Hamilton Crafts, right? Thanks for the memory jog.

03-20-2019, 03:28 AM	#16
Tyke All Star Starter Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Brighouse, West Yorkshire, U.K. Posts: 1,122	Teams in my fictional dynasty always play for the Robert Coover Trophy.

03-20-2019, 03:40 AM	#17
Arobbins Minors (Double A) Join Date: Aug 2018 Posts: 132	What does this have to do with ootp 20?

03-20-2019, 05:19 AM	#19
Pallas Minors (Rookie Ball) Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 25	I just hopped on Amazon and bought the paperback because of this thread.

03-20-2019, 05:21 AM	#20
Ormondbeachdan Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Ormond Beach Fl Posts: 299	Exactly... And I wanted to share it with other "addicted" sim peeps