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Harmon Killebrew
Harmon Killebrew

Harmon Killebrew

Ultimate Slugger
By Steve Aschburner

SPORTS & RECREATION

256 Pages, 5.5 x 8.5

Formats: Cloth, PDF, EPUB, Mobipocket

Cloth, $25.95 (US $25.95) (CA $28.95)

ISBN 9781600787027

Rights: WOR

Triumph Books (May 2012)

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Overview

"Killebrew can knock the ball out of any park, including Yellowstone." —Paul Richards, Baltimore Orioles manager, 1959
When Hall of Famer Harmon "Killer" Killebrew died in May 2011, the baseball world lost one of its best hitters and one of the finest ambassadors the game has ever known. Killebrew was second only to Babe Ruth in home runs by an American League slugger, and finished his career with 573 home runs and in 11th place for all-time Major League Baseball history. This book takes a look at the 22-year career of a perennial Most Valuable Player candidate and baseball powerhouse, reviewing his life in and out of baseball and peeling back the mystery surrounding this intensely private athlete. This biography is a look not only at Killebrew's long career as a player, but his life as an announcer and businessman after his retirement from baseball.

Reviews

"[Harmon Killebrew] captured the spirit of Killebrew and the insights into Major League Baseball as it existed in the 50s and 60s."  —KnuckleBalls 

 "Those whose boyhoods were filled with Killebrew's towering home runs and unassuming quotes...are going to love this book."  —Twinkie Town, Minnesota Twin's blog for SB Nation 

Author Biography

Steve Aschburner
See Author
Steve Aschburner is a sports journalist. He is the author of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Minnesota Twins. He has written for the Minnesota-Star Tribune, NBA.com, and Sports Illustrated. He lives in Lisle, Illinois.

Media

Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger was reviewed on Dugout Dirt, a Fansided blog. The post also features reviews of Al Kaline (9781600788239), Billy Williams (9781600780509), Fergie (9781600781711) and Mike Schmidt (9781600783180).
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Steve Aschburner, author of Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger, was interviewed on "Dan Keating" (KMAV) on August 28th.
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Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger was featured in a round-up of new titles by Minnesotans in the Pioneer Press.
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Harmon Killebrew was mentioned in a round-up of books in the Star Tribune.
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Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger was featured on the blog Classic Minnesota Twins.
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Steve Aschburner, author of Harmon Killebrew, interviews on Boers and Bernstein on WSCR.
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Steve Aschburner, author of Harmon Killebrew, interviews on WCCO 4 News at Noon on WCCO-TV.
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Steve Aschburner, author of Harmon Killebrew, interviewed on "Davis and Emmer" on KTCN.
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Steve Aschburner, author of Harmon Killebrew, interviews on "Sports Talk with Craig and Chris" on KWSN.
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Steve Aschburner, author of Harmon Killebrew, interviewed on "5 Eyewitness News at 10" on KSTP-TV, an ABC-TV affiliate.
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Press Releases

Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger
By Steve Aschburner
Foreword by Jim Thome

 

Before the days of steroids and synthetic strength, the drug of choice for men like Harmon Killebrew was a milkshake and records were set on the merit of natural athletic prowess. A character straight out of baseball's romantic past, Harmon Killebrew is famous for his warm, gentle personality and tremendous swing that resulted not only in a record-breaking number of homers but also defined what it truly meant to be a power hitter.

 

Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger by Steve Aschburner chronicles the amazing career of one of the last great home run hitters, from his early days growing up in the tiny town of Payette, Idaho and cutting his teeth with the Washington Senators to becoming the AL's all-time home run leader among right-handed batters-a title he held for 37 years. Drawing on interviews with his friends and family, this biography covers such insights as:

 

  • His time as one of the "Bonus Babies" of 1953-1957 and how it influenced the rest of his career
  • His experience playing with the unforgettable 1965 Minnesota Twins and the tough World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers
  • The personal and financial struggles he encountered after his playing career and how his return to baseball and the Twins organization was his salvation

 

An incredible teammate and role model as well as friend and partner, Harmon Killebrew was a natural born athlete with a kind, soft-spoken demeanor that stood in stark contrast to his "Killer" nickname that came from his last name and the brute power he packed in his commanding swing. Recently succumbing to a battle with esophageal cancer, he remains to this day a baseball luminary and an inspiration to up-and-coming baseball stars. A riveting read for both Killebrew fans and baseball enthusiasts, Harmon Killebrew: Ultimate Slugger celebrates this all-American gentleman and baseball legend.

 

About the Author:
Steve Aschburner is a longtime sports journalist in the Minnesota area and current senior writer for NBA.com. He is the author of four books, including The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Minnesota Twins and has also written for the Minnesota-Star Tribune and SportsIllustrated.com.

 

CONTACT: Josh Williams ∙ Independent Publishers Group ∙ 312.337.0747 ∙ jwilliams@ipgbook.com

 

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