After decades of abuse and spittle, Major League umpire Durwood Merrill strikes back with some pretty incisive, funny, and no-holds-barred anecdotes. When his book stays in the game, it's a real hoot, light and folksy; how can you not laugh with a guy who can admit that "Folks around the American League say I've sent a few pitchers to the Hall of Fame before their time because my strike zone tends to swell like George Steinbrenner's ego"? It's his own ego, though, that has him swinging for the seats and coming up short; he's not much of a memoirist. Thankfully, like a good umpire, he keeps his personal interference to a minimum and mostly sticks to business, offering some tough prescriptions for what ails the game, and some solid dissection of the intricacies of his craft. His thoughts on Pete Rose might lead you to believe that Charlie Hustle is the book's title character. -- Jeff Silverman, Sports editor


From Library Journal
Sports fans will enjoy this flamboyant author's uplifting story of his ascent from a simple life as a Midwestern farmboy to one of the big leagues' premier umpires. In a down-to-earth and oftentimes outspoken style, Merrill calls them like he sees them when it comes to his views on major-league players, managers, and the commercialization of our national pastime. Adams Morgan's fast-paced, energetic narration fits Merrill's bold, self-assured personality and conveys his passion for the craft of calling major-league baseball games. Like most sports biographies, this entertaining program should circulate well in public libraries large and small.?Mark Tierney, Charles Cty. Pub. Schs., Waldorf, MDCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


The New York Times Book Review, David Davis
The meandering memoirs of Durwood Merrill won't tax the intelligence or imagination: this is baseball writ extremely light. But Merrill's good-ol'-ump approach has a certain charm.


From AudioFile
Durwood Merrill may be one of the best umpires in the American League, though even he would admit he's a less-than-brilliant reader. His Texas drawl sputters, halts and cracks as he labors through this recording, but he's got an infectious charm, entertaining behind-the-scenes anecdotes and some great turns of phrase. Whether he's sharing his recipe for Southern fried chicken or recalling the times Baltimore Orioles manager Earl Weaver got on him "like stink on a fresh cow chip," he's a natural storyteller. And his lists of the best and the worst in various categories ("Durwood's Dozens"), particularly his "All-Bitch Team" of the whiniest players he's ever umpired, are just dang funny. D.B. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Review
"By nature, umpires aren't a particularly lovable breed, but it'll be hard to dislike Merrill after reading this funny and candid memoir of his career."-- USA Today Baseball Weekly

"He's the greatest storyteller in baseball. And his stories are often metaphors for life's experiences and lessons. He's a wonderful, sensitive person, but he's also a hell of an umpire and performer. The man has a great lust for life. He's an entertainer and a real hot dog. And when I say hot dog, I mean it as a term of endearment."-- Former Umpire Steve Palermo

"Durwood, a lot of people say, is the funniest umpire in all of baseball. I happen to think he's the funniest man in baseball. Just watch him on the field sometime and your sides will hurt from laughing so much. He puts a kid's perspective back in the game, and that's what baseball needs."-- George Brett, former All Star



Book Description
He calls it as he sees it...

Big, loud, and beyond intimidation, Durwood Merrill is one of the most colorful characters in baseball. The man Reggie Jackson calls "The Reggie Jackson of umpires" has brought a new level of showmanship and excitement to the ballpark and has attracted his own legions of fans. In You're Out And You're Ugly Too!, Merrill gives fans an in-your-face dose of hilarious anecdotes, hard-hitting opinions, and gushing admiration for America's favorite pastime. Find out the real deal on:

* The Managers: From Anderson to Piniella to Weaver, Durwood reveals his explosive relationships with baseballs's most notorious managers

* The Players: No one knows Reggie, Junior, or Cal the way Durwood does-- read his dead-on observations of baseball's most talented players

* The Big Picture: Get behind the diamond with Durwood to discover what goes on in the clubhouse, in the umpire's room, on the mound, at the plate, and beyond

No corner of modern baseball is "safe" from Durwood Merrill's razor-sharp wit, and no fan can afford to miss his fascinating and revealing play-by-play.



From the Publisher
"By nature, umpires aren't a particularly lovable breed, but it'll be hard to dislike Merrill after reading this funny and candid memoir of his career." --USA Today Baseball Weekly

FROM THE PUBLISHER

He calls it as he sees it...

Big, loud, and beyond intimidation, Durwood Merrill is one of the most colorful characters in baseball. The man Reggie Jackson calls "The Reggie Jackson of umpires" has brought a new level of showmanship and excitement to the ballpark and has attracted his own legions of fans. In You're Out And You're Ugly Too!, Merrill gives fans an in-your-face dose of hilarious anecdotes, hard-hitting opinions, and gushing admiration for America's favorite pastime. Find out the real deal on:

* The Managers: From Anderson to Piniella to Weaver, Durwood reveals his explosive relationships with baseballs's most notorious managers

* The Players: No one knows Reggie, Junior, or Cal the way Durwood does--read his dead-on observations of baseball's most talented players

* The Big Picture: Get behind the diamond with Durwood to discover what goes on in the clubhouse, in the umpire's room, on the mound, at the plate, and beyond

No corner of modern baseball is "safe" from Durwood Merrill's razor-sharp wit, and no fan can afford to miss his fascinating and revealing play-by-play.

SYNOPSIS

Big, loud, and beyond intimidation, Durwood Merrill is one of the most colorful characters in baseball. The man Reggie Jackson calls "The Reggie Jackson of umpires" has brought a new level of showmanship and excitement to the ballpark and has attracted his own legions of fans. In You're Out and You're Ugly Too!, Merrill gives fans an in-your-face dose of hilarious anecdotes, hard-hitting opinions, and gushing admiration for America's favorite pastime. Fine out the real deal on:
-THE MANAGERS: From Anderson to Pinella to Weaver, Durwood reveals his explosive relationships with baseball's most notorious managers
-THE PLAYERS: No one knows Reggie, Junior, or Cal the way Durwood does--read his dead-on observations of baseball's most talented players
-THE BIG PICTURE: Get behind the diamond with Durwood to discover what goes on in the clubhouse, in the umpire's room, on the mound, at the plate, and beyond