Pouring Six Beers At A Time: And Other Stories From A Lifetime In Baseball

Once dubbed the P.T. Barnum of Major League Baseball, Bill Giles has brought more joy and laughter to more people than any other man in the history of the game. The treasure trove of stories in Pouring Six Beers at a Time offers a hilarious, fascinating, and revealing view of the national pastime from the 1930s to the present. Born into a baseball family (his father was president of the Cincinnati Reds and later of the National League, and his godfather was Branch Rickey), Bill was literally raised in Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Ballparks were his home as a child, and he has never left. Having served in nearly every front office position you can name, from the depths of the minor leagues to Houston during the first days of the Astrodome, and on to the Philadelphia Phillies--a team he eventually "bought for $50,000"--there is no better tour guide to baseball's backstage than Bill Giles. You'll laugh out loud at the behind-the-scenes stories of pregame promotional efforts--some that worked and a few that went very much awry. You'll be fascinated by a unique perspective on players, owners, and commissioners. And you'll learn more about the business of baseball than you ever thought a fan could know. Through it all, you'll grow to appreciate this man's deep love and respect for the game that has been the Giles "family business" for nearly a century.