More Pat Jordan

Following my posting (Productivity buster alert) that featured the Pat Jordan article about Canseco, I found a great roundtable discussion featuring Yanks fan/blogger/author Alex Belth and Jordan. Belth has a book coming out featuring Jordan's best works over his career: The Best Sports Writing of Pat Jordan.

Here's a snippet of the roundtable:

[Interviewer]: Let me start off with you, Alex. On the surface, you and Pat have nothing in common other than your love of baseball and writing. Now that is not insignificant by any means. But, my goodness, how in the heck did a new school, soon-to-be 37-year-old liberal New York Yankees fan and resident of the Bronx hook up on a book with an old school, 67-year-old conservative former minor league pitcher-turned-baseball author from the paradise known as Ft. Lauderdale?

Alex: First, I try to avoid talking politics, not only with Pat but with just about everyone else, you included. So that cuts through our differences to start. Actually, when I started my blog, I wanted to run long interviews with sports writers. I thought it would be a great way to drum up some attention for the site. I had read both of Pat's memoirs and loved them, so he was on my short list of guys to contact. And when I called him out of the blue, he sounded happy to hear from me and was more than willing to be candid. Now that I know him, he always sounds miserable to hear from me. Where did I go wrong?

Pat: Actually, Alex was thrilled I was still alive when he called. So was I. He said he wanted to interview me for his blog. I said no problem. What the fuck's a blog? I figured what harm could it do. Blogs, Internet. What do I know? I write on a typewriter. Besides, Alex was one of the few people who read any of my books, and seemed to like them...I must admit for the right reasons. It's always nice when people know what you tried to do in your books. Alex is my ideal reader. If he doesn't like something, I have to think three times about it. Most of the times he's right. Sometimes not, but he has a better batting average than anyone on the Yankees right now. As for his politics, I'm waiting for him to grow up and become a Republican. I bought a new gun just for him.

So I emailed Alex afterwards, commenting about his blog, his work, Jordan and to introduce him to my site here.

Alex was kind enough to send the following back, more links to more Pat Jordan:

Pat's three round curse a thon at Pos:

• http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/04/18/not-especially-safe-for-work-or-anywhere-else/
• http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/04/20/jordan-leads-swear-off-whos-the-better-bowler/
• http://joeposnanski.com/JoeBlog/2008/04/21/all-hail-patty-the-king-of-them-all-yall/

Pat's interview on Playboy's blog:

• http://www.playboy.com/blog/2008/04/pitch-and-catch-with-pat-jordan.html#more

Thanks to Alex for the links. Also, Alex's Bronx Banter blog has been added to the blogroll to the left.