From Peanuts to the Pressbox: Insider Sports Stories from a Life Behind the Mic by Eli Gold



An enjoyable read from one of the true nice guys in American sports broadcasting

I've listened to Eli Gold for years as one of the radio (and from time to time TV) voices of NASCAR. He's always come across as a nice guy and a straight shooter who is not out to grind any axes.

From Peanuts to the Pressbox: Insider Sports Stories from a Life Behind the Mic is Eli Gold's story of how he went from being a peanut vendor at Madison Square Garden to being a nationally known sports announcer. Eli tells it in an entertaining, light-hearted style and keeps it classy by not airing anyone's dirty laundry.

He does include lots of funny and interesting stories, including his tale of the day that he went to the airport with David Pearson, Bobby Allison's distinctive ritual when he flew his plane home after a win and the strangest thing Richard Petty ever signed (a duck!). The revelation that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is a big NASCAR fan who attends in his own RV was a bit surprising.

A good gift for the NASCAR (or Alabama or hockey) fan that has everything.

 4 stars out of 5.

This book can be found on Amazon.com here: From Peanuts to the Pressbox: Insider Sports Stories from a Life Behind the Mic by Eli Gold.

Reviewed on December 15, 2009.

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