David Stinson - David B. Stinson Author

Field of Dreams and A Worthy Cause – April 14th

By David Stinson on April 3, 2013

Come see Field of Dreams on the big screen at the historic AFI Silver Theater on Sunday April 14, 2013, as part of Shepherd’s Table’s 30th Anniversary celebration. “If We Build It They Will Come” celebrates Shepherd Table’s 30 years of service in our community, helping those who are homeless or in need by providing basic services, including meals, social services, medical support, clothing, and other assistance in an effective and compassionate manner.

The event begins at noon with a silent auction, scrumptious food, wine, beer, water, sodas and great music. The program begins at 1:55 p.m. and the movie, Field of Dreams, begins at 2:30 p.m. Tickets for the event are only $50, well worth it, and for a good cause ($30 for Shepherd’s Table volunteers).

I am honored to be there, selling and signing copies of my book Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, with proceeds going to Shepherd’s Table. I hope to see you there.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged 30th Anniversary celebration., AFI Silver Theater, Deadball A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, Field of Dreams, If you build it they will come, Shepherd's Table.

Save The Date – April 6 – I’ll Be At The Smithsonian With Paul Dickson

By David Stinson on March 26, 2013

Looking for a post baseball season opener fix? On Saturday April 6, 2013, I’ll be at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History from noon until 2:00 pm signing copies of Deadball, a Metaphysical Baseball Novel. I’ll be appearing with author Paul Dickson who will be signing copies of his Casey Award winning book Bill Veeck, Baseball’s Greatest Maverick.

The American History Museum is located at 1300 Constitution Avenue, N.W. DC 20004. We’ll be just outside the Mall Museum Store on the 2nd floor. Here’s a link to the event, Hope to see you there.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged American History Museum, Bill Veeck, book signing, David B. Stinson, Deadball, Deadball A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, Paul Dickson, Smithsonian.

Byron Bennett’s Latest Post on deadballbaseball.com

By David Stinson on March 17, 2013

Walter Johnson 1909 T-206 Card (Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C.)

If you are a fan of the game and a student of the National Pastime’s grand history, be sure to check out Byron Bennett’s latest post on deadballbaseball.com about Walter Johnson\’s life after baseball as a farmer in Montgomery County, Maryland.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Byron Bennett, Deadballbaseball.com, National Pastime, Walter Johnson.

Touring the Lost Ballparks of Baltimore With Author Burt Solomon

By David Stinson on March 14, 2013

Burt Solomon and Terry Hartzell Touring the Former Site of Union Park

As a die-hard Baltimore Orioles fan and amateur historian, one of my all-time favorite books is Burt Solomon’s Where They Ain’t, The Fabled Life and Untimely Death of the Original Baltimore Orioles, the Team That Gave Birth to Modern Baseball, ranking right up there with James Bready’s Baseball in Baltimore, The First Hundred Years. Thanks to Terry Hartzell, a fan of both Burt’s book and my book Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, I had the opportunity to take both Burt and Terry on one of my Lost Ballparks of Baltimore Tours. Our first stop was the former site of Union Park at the corner of East 25th Street and Guilford Avenue, followed by a walking tour up Barclay Street to East 29th Street and the former site of American League Park, which is now a McDonald’s.

Burt Solomon and David Stinson Standing in Front of Memorial Stadium's Former Infield, Now a Youth Baseball Park Courtesy of the Ripken Foundation.

Next we walked across East 29th Street to the former site of Terrapin Park/old Oriole Park, where we confirmed that the 16 original row houses that sat behind what was once right-center field all remain at the site. After walking back to the car, we drove less than a mile from Union Park to the former site of Memorial Stadium, where pieces of brick and concrete from the stadium still can be found amongst the dirt, exposed by the weather.

After bidding adieu to Burt, Terry and I continued on to New Cathedral Cemetery, where four Hall of Fame Orioles are interred (John McGraw, Joe Kelley, Ned Hanlon, and Wilbert Robinson). Our final stop for the day was the former site of St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys, where a young Babe Ruth was raised as a ward of the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The historic baseball site includes the field where Babe Ruth learned to play the game, a building from St. Mary’s dating back to Ruth’s time at the school (the former Industrial Arts Building), and the former St. Mary’s Chapel, which was converted into a school building prior to Cardinal Gibbons High School arriving there in 1962.

I hope to conduct another Lost Ballparks of Baltimore Tour some time this spring. If you are interested in coming along, just send me a comment to this post.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Babe Ruth, Baseball In Baltimore The FIrst Hundred Years, Burt Solomon, Deadball, Deadball A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, James Bready, Joe Kelley, John McGraw, Memorial Stadium, Ned Hanlon, New Cathedral Cemetery, Oriole Park, St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, Terrapin Park, Terry Hartzell, Union Park, Where They Ain't The Fabled Life and Untimely Death of the Original Baltimore Orioles the Team That Gave Birth to Modern Baseball, Wilbert Robinson. | 20 Comments

Reading Out Loud In Baltimore’s Ivy Bookshop

By David Stinson on March 13, 2013

Photographic proof I can read!

Many thanks to the fine people at the Ivy Bookshop in Baltimore – Ed and Ann Berlin, and event coordinator Rebecca Oppenheimer – for including me in the store’s inaugural Starts Here Reading Series and allowing me to read from my book Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel. In addition to dusting off my reading out-loud-skills, developed long ago when my kids were still young and still wanted me around, I also had the pleasure of meeting and listening to fellow authors Jill Yesko, author of Murder in the Dog Park, and Lisa Airey, author of Touching the Moon. Thanks to everyone who came out.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Ann Berlin, Deadball, Deadball A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, Ed Berlin, Ivy Bookshop, Jill Yesko, Lisa Airey, Murder in the Dog Park, Rebecca Oppenheimer, Touching the Moon..

Reading At The Ivy Bookshop Friday March 8th

By David Stinson on March 6, 2013

Shake the snow off your boots this Friday March 8th and head on out to Baltimore for a book reading at the Ivy Bookshop. I’ll be there reading from my book Deadball as part of the store’s debut Starts Here Series. The reading also features Jill Yesko, author of Murder in the Dog Park, and Lisa Airey, author of Touching the Moon. “Meet some of Baltimore’s most intriguing authors” and “discover new literature of all genres from across the Baltimore metropolis and new talent in your own back yard.”

The readings start at 7 pm. Jill will read first, I will read second, and Lisa will read third. Books wll be available for purchase and signing after the readings. The Ivy Bookshop is located at 6080 Falls Road, just a few miles north of downtown Baltimore. Hope to see you there!

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Deadball, Deadball A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, Ivy Bookshop, Jill Yesko, Lisa Airey, Murder in the Dog Park, Starts Here Series, Touching the Moon..

Smithsonian Bound

By David Stinson on February 24, 2013

I’m back at the Smithsonian today February 24th signing copies of Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel. It’s a beautiful day to spend some time down on the Mall. Stop by and say hello if you’re in the area. I’ll be at the National Museum of American History from noon until 3:30 pm, 1300 Constitution Avenue, N.W. My table is just outside the Museum Store on the Second Floor near the museum entrance off the National Mall. Here’s a link to the event: Smithsonian Institution Events Calendar

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged author event, book signing, David B. Stinson, Deadball A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, National Mall, National Museum of American History.

Greetings and Readings In Baltimore

By David Stinson on February 13, 2013

Greetings and Readings

This Saturday February 16, 2013, I will be at Greetings and Readings book store from 1 pm until 3 pm, signing copies of Deadball, A Metaphysical Baseball Novel. Greetings and Readings is located just north of Baltimore at the Hunt Valley Towne Centre, 118-AA Shawan Road, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030. Come out, buy a copy of Deadball, and be sure to browse through the store’s extensive selection of Ravens Super Bowl Collectibles. Here is a link: Greetings and Readings

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged A Metaphysical Baseball Novel, Baltimore, book signing, Deadball, Greetings and Readings, Hunt Valley Town Centre.

Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl XLVII Parade

By David Stinson on February 7, 2013

Me and 100,000 of my closest friends stopped by Baltimore, Maryland, on February 5 to catch some Charm City sports history. For your viewing pleasure, I’ve posted a video I took of the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl parade. My vantage point was excellent, looking down on the parade route from the West Hamburg Street overpass which splits M&T Bank Stadium and Orioles Park at Camden Yards. Be sure to watch the ending to see the huge throng of fans running behind Ray Lewis in the Maryland National Guard vehicle as the parade comes to a close.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Baltimore, Baltimore Ravens, Ed Reed, Joe Flacco, John Harbaugh, M&T Bank Stadium, Orioles Park at Camden Yards, Ray Lewis, Steve Bisciotti, Super Bowl Parade, Super Bowl XLVII, West Hamburg Street.

Baltimore Ravens and Memorial Stadium Circa 1996

By David Stinson on February 4, 2013

Ravens Preseason Game August 3, 1996

In honor of the Baltimore Raven’s second Super Bowl Championship, I’ve posted a photograph I took at their very first game ever played. It was a preseason game at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore on August 3, 1996 versus the Philadelphia Eagles. It also was Ray Lewis’s first game as a Raven (he recorded a sack in his preseason debut). Baltimore lost to Philadelphia 17 to 9.

For more pictures of this game and other pictures of old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, see deadballbaseball.com.

This entry is filed under DBS Blog and tagged Baltimore, Memorial Stadium, Philadelphia Eagles, Preseason, Ravens, Ray Lewis.