{"product_id":"the-wizard-of-college-baseball-how-ron-fraser-elevated-miami-and-an-entire-sport-to-national-prominence-hardback-9781496220431","title":"The Wizard of College Baseball; How Ron Fraser Elevated Miami and an Entire Sport to National Prominence (Hardback) 9781496220431","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eThe Wizard of College Baseball\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eHow Ron Fraser Elevated Miami and an Entire Sport to National Prominence\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eDavid Brauer (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781496220431\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 1 June 2024\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e232 pages, 25 photographs, 1 appendix\u003cbr\u003e22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.666 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\"Brilliant and Fantastic. . . . This is one of the best books I have read in many years. It is informative and delightful for this Central Illinois baseball fan. I have new respect for Hurricanes baseball.\"-Tom Knuppel, tomknuppel.com\u003c\/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e\"Brauer's attention to detail, his anecdotal prose and insights from his interviews make \u003ci\u003eThe Wizard of College Baseball\u003c\/i\u003e a success.\"-Bob D'Angelo, \u003ci\u003eSports Bookie\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e“Ron Fraser was the king of college baseball. \u003ci\u003eThe Wizard of College Baseball\u003c\/i\u003e chronicles the marvel of big crowds and media attention he established at Miami that launched the sport into a growth explosion leading to today’s national enthusiasm.”-Ron Polk, Hall of Fame baseball coach and author of \u003ci\u003eThe Baseball Playbook\u003c\/i\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e“Having coached alongside Ron Fraser for eight seasons, I can say this book captures the essence of his brilliance, his entertaining persona, and the adoration felt for him as a coach and mentor. He was to college baseball what Muhammad Ali was to boxing.”-Skip Bertman, five-time national champion and Hall of Fame LSU baseball coach\u003c\/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e“This book details the life and times of the P.T. Barnum of college baseball, but the book is so much more than that. It’s an in-depth, well-researched read about one of the most interesting and influential men in the history of the sport. Ron was a little bit like Charlie Finley, a little bit like Bill Veeck, and mostly one of a kind. Ron Fraser was indeed the ‘wizard,’ and this terrific book tells us why he was a wonderful wizard and ahead of his time.”-Roy Firestone, ESPN interviewer\u003c\/div\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e“\u003ci\u003eThe Wizard of College Baseball\u003c\/i\u003e captures the magic of Miami’s three-ring circus with Ringmaster Ron Fraser! He was college baseball’s George Bailey: everything he touched he made better, and the sport grew thanks to the Wizard, who had a Wonderful Life!”-John Routh, Miami Maniac mascot (1983–1993) and executive director of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame and Museum\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eNamed a Top 20 Best College Baseball Book of All Time by Book Authority\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e No one changed the landscape of college baseball like Ron Fraser. The sport enjoyed little national interest until Fraser arrived at the University of Miami in 1963 and built his program into an entertainment empire and a national champion. Nationally televised college baseball games on ESPN can be traced back to Fraser’s lobbying work in the network’s early days. His efforts resulted in coverage growth and paved the way to making the College World Series one of ESPN’s marquee events. He created zany, one‑of‑a‑kind promotions, such as an open-heart surgery for one “lucky” fan (redeemable in a five‑year window) and the first mascot devoted to a college baseball team (the Miami Maniac). Aimed at gaining attention for his program and putting fans in the seats, his innovations achieved desired results on both fronts. Miami Hurricanes baseball became widely popular as the sport’s main draw in South Florida long before Major League Baseball expanded to the market full time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Fraser’s biggest impact was on the field. Before the Miami Hurricanes football program became a household name, he put the school’s athletics program on the map by winning its first national championship. Fraser inherited a floundering baseball program that had no equipment or following and could pay him only as a part-time employee; he built that program into a perennial national power that made regular appearances at the College World Series. Along the way, he developed countless players into All‑Americans, MLB Draft picks, and eventual Major Leaguers. While some coaches have matched his wins and championships, none compare to his trailblazing and impact on an entire sport. David Brauer traces the roots of modern-day college baseball’s success to Fraser’s work at Miami. \u003ci\u003eThe Wizard of College Baseball\u003c\/i\u003e is an inspirational and entertaining reflection on how one man forever changed college baseball-accelerating the sport’s growth and setting a new standard for modern college baseball well ahead of his time.\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePreface\u003cbr\u003e Acknowledgments\u003cbr\u003e 1. Early Days at Miami\u003cbr\u003e 2. Progress\u003cbr\u003e 3. Omaha\u003cbr\u003e 4. Business Decision\u003cbr\u003e 5. Roaring Eighties\u003cbr\u003e 6. End of an Era\u003cbr\u003e 7. International Influence\u003cbr\u003e 8. Coaching Wisdom\u003cbr\u003e 9. College Baseball Trailblazer\u003cbr\u003e 10. Professional Baseball\u003cbr\u003e 11. Community and University Impact\u003cbr\u003e 12. Player Mentor\u003cbr\u003e 13. Personal Life\u003cbr\u003e Appendix\u003cbr\u003e Note on Sources\u003cbr\u003e Bibliography  \u003cbr\u003e  \u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"University of Nebraska Press","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52599905190168,"sku":"9781496220431","price":22.26,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/the-wizard-of-college-baseball-how-ron-fraser-elevated-miami-and-an-entire-sport-to-national-prominence-hardback-9781496220431","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}