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Joe Tait: It's Been a Real Ball - by Terry Pluto (Paperback)

Joe Tait: It's Been a Real Ball - by  Terry Pluto (Paperback)
Store: Target
Last Price: 15.99 USD

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<p/><br></br><p><b> About the Book </b></p></br></br>Legendary broadcaster Joe Tait is like an old family friend to three generations of Cleveland sports fans. This book celebrates the inspiring career of "the Voice of the Cleveland Cavaliers" with stories from Joe and dozens of fans, colleagues, and players. Hits the highlights of a long career and also uncovers some touching personal details.<p/><br></br><p><b> Book Synopsis </b></p></br></br><p><strong>"An easy, fun book to read and will surely bring back good memories for Cleveland sports fans who listened to Tait's trademark calls since 1970."</strong> -- 20SecondTimeout.com</p><p>Joe Tait is like a family friend to three generations of Cleveland sports fans. This book celebrates his Hall-of-Fame broadcasting career with stories from Joe and dozens of fans, media colleagues, and players. </p><p>He was "the Voice of the Cleveland Cavaliers." But to fans, Joe was also "one of us." Cavs basketball, Indians baseball, or Mount Union football, he made the game come alive, and wasn't afraid to speak his mind--even when it might get him in trouble with the coach or the owner. </p><p>In high school, Joe loved sports but wasn't always good enough to make the team. Then he discovered play-by-play announcing. Combining two passions, he began to carefully build a broadcasting career that would eventually touch the lives of countless other sports fans. </p><p>Pluto weaves a roughly chronological narrative that hits the highlights of a long career. It also uncovers some touching personal details. For example, one chapter describes how Joe's father, a stern man with a deep-rooted distrust of black people, came to become good friends with Cavaliers center Nate Thurmond, to Joe's surprise and delight. </p><p>With fans, Joe was often more popular than the players on the court--especially during the Cavs' dimmer days. When notoriously incompetent team owner Ted Stepien fired Joe in the 1980s, fans protested and staged a rally in his honor. When new owner Gordon Gund took over the team, the first thing did was hire Joe back. "He is the franchise," Gund said. "To have a basketball team in Cleveland, you have to have Joe Tait." </p><p>His work inspired a generation of young broadcasters. Language he invented became part of the common broadcast language in Northeast Ohio. "Left to right on your radio dial" ... "Wham, with the right hand" ... "It's a beautiful day for baseball!" ... "To the line, to the lane ..." </p><p>The stories in this book will make fans feel like they're sitting alongside Joe enjoying a play-by-play recap of the remarkable career they shared together. </p><p/><br></br><p><b> Review Quotes </b></p></br></br><br>A fun, eclectic read telling a variety of stories from Joe's life on and off the radio.--Aaron Dorksen "Daily Record" (1/24/2012 12:00:00 AM)<br><br>A wonderful tribute to a true icon in the business that is sports media.--Don McCormack "Ashtabula Star Beacon" (12/14/2011 12:00:00 AM)<br><br>Honest, interesting, and thoroughly entertaining.--Brendan Bowers "StepienRules.com" (11/11/2011 12:00:00 AM)<br><br>Tait comes across in print just as he did when doing Cavaliers games: he's honest, unpretentious, and at times funny. Pluto deftly balances Joe's life as a broadcaster with the events happening around him, and the result is a memoir that reads like his sports history books.--Ryan Richards "letsgotribe.com" (11/20/2011 12:00:00 AM)<br><br>The book is just a delight. While it covers much of Joe's life biographically, it is just as much a book of Cleveland sports history from 1970-2011 as anything else. I guarantee you will not be able to put it down.--Tim Lones "clevelandclassicmedia.com" (11/15/2011 12:00:00 AM)<br>

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Cheapest price in the interval: 15.99 on May 23, 2021

Most expensive price in the interval: 15.99 on November 8, 2021