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	<title>City Slickers &#8211; Baseball by The Letters</title>
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	<description>Hand-written memories from those who lived The Game!</description>
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		<title>Billy Crystal&#8217;s New Book Is A Baseball Love Letter</title>
		<link>https://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/09/26/billy-crystals-new-book-is-a-baseball-love-letter/</link>
					<comments>https://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/09/26/billy-crystals-new-book-is-a-baseball-love-letter/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tom Owens]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 27 Sep 2013 02:27:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Billy Crystal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[City Slickers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Joe DiMaggio]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mickey Mantle]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Still Foolin' 'Em]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ted Williams]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[Billy Crystal can&#8217;t fool me. His new Still Foolin&#8217; &#8216;Em: Where I&#8217;ve Been, Where I&#8217;m going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?&#160;book purports to be about turning 65. Sure, he covers the bases on aging issues. However, I think he might have wanted to call the book Baseball and Other Stuff. His words sparkle ... <a title="Billy Crystal&#8217;s New Book Is A Baseball Love Letter" class="read-more" href="https://www.baseballbytheletters.com/2013/09/26/billy-crystals-new-book-is-a-baseball-love-letter/" aria-label="Read more about Billy Crystal&#8217;s New Book Is A Baseball Love Letter">Read more</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p></p>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.baseballbytheletters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CrystalBook.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img decoding="async" border="0" src="http://www.baseballbytheletters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/CrystalBook.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>Billy Crystal can&#8217;t fool me.</p>
<p>His new <em>Still Foolin&#8217; &#8216;Em: Where I&#8217;ve Been, Where I&#8217;m going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?</em>&nbsp;book purports to be about turning 65. Sure, he covers the bases on aging issues.</p>
<p>However, I think he might have wanted to call the book <em>Baseball and Other Stuff</em>. His words sparkle when discussing his favorite sport.</p>
<p>He writes adoringly but honestly. Crystal encountered Mickey Mantle at his best&#8230;and alcoholic worst.</p>
<p>Joe DiMaggio dissed Crystal&#8217;s wife when she tried to get a vintage jersey signed by the crankiest Yank. Joe D brushed her aside, saying that he had an exclusive signing deal with a card company. (We&#8217;ve heard that one before, right?)</p>
<p>At least, the Hall of Famer never punched YOU in the stomach. Crystal relives both moments in fan-friendly fashion.</p>
<p>I love the chapters about the movie <em>*61</em>, and Crystal&#8217;s one-day career as a New York Yankee. Somehow, he fudges on only one detail about his single at-bat <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/al/yankees/2008-03-12-crystal_N.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a spring training game</a> against the Pirates. </p>
<p>&#8220;My wife made fun baseball cards of me as a present&#8230;&#8221; he recaps, telling of the gifts he left for each teammate. </p>
<p>These were no homemade knock-offs. Topps produced the 1952-style cards of Billy. A year later, he&#8217;d autograph a few for inserts, found in just one of an estimated 60,000 packs. (Did his Yankee brothers get the facsimile autograph version?)</p>
<p>Of course, there&#8217;s choice material about Crystal&#8217;s acting, too. He ties in Hollywood lore with his baseball passion. How could he have agreed to wear a Mets cap instead of a beloved Yankees topper in <em>City Slickers</em>? There was a $40,000 licensing issue! Again, in baseball terms, Crystal does both play-by-play and color commentary in his career recounting.</p>
<p>G-rated readers, take note: Crystal&nbsp;seems to launch at least one F-bomb per chapter. Aside from the frequent off-color color, readers can soak up chapters of gleeful gratitude from this senior funnyman.</p>
<p>The book can be summed up in Crystal&#8217;s recounting of a phone call from Ted Williams. Teddy Ballgame praised Crystal&#8217;s Oscar hosting in baseball terms.</p>
<p>&#8220;Ted, is everything hitting to you?&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;You bet,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s a great metaphor, isn&#8217;t it?&#8221;</p>
<p>Crystal&#8217;s book is a great metaphor for fans, collectors and viewers. He enjoys every day and every game. I enjoyed every word.</p>
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