Lucky Bastard
My Life, My Dad, and the Things I'm Not Allowed to Say on TV
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4.5 • 152 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
In this New York Times bestselling memoir, the announcer of the biggest sporting events in the country—including the 2017 Super Bowl and this century's most-watched, historic, Chicago Cubs–winning World Series—reveals why he is one lucky bastard.
Sports fans see Joe Buck everywhere: broadcasting one of the biggest games in the NFL every week, calling the World Series every year, announcing the Super Bowl every three years. They know his father, Jack Buck, is a broadcasting legend and that he was beloved in his adopted hometown of St. Louis.
Yet they have no idea who Joe really is. Or how he got here. They don’t know how he almost blew his career. They haven’t read his funniest and most embarrassing stories or heard about his interactions with the biggest sports stars of this era.
They don’t know how hard he can laugh at himself—or that he thinks some of his critics have a point. And they don’t know what it was really like to grow up in his father’s shadow. Joe and Jack were best friends, but it wasn’t that simple. Jack, the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals for almost fifty years, helped Joe get his broadcasting start at eighteen. But Joe had to prove himself, first as a minor league radio announcer and then on local TV, national TV with ESPN, and then finally on FOX. He now has a successful, Emmy-winning career, but only after a lot of dues-paying, learning, and pretty damn entertaining mistakes that are recounted in this book.
In his memoir, Joe takes us through his life on and off the field. He shares the lessons he learned from his father, the errors he made along the way, and the personal mountain he climbed and conquered, all of which have truly made him a Lucky Bastard.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this entertaining memoir, sportscaster Buck writes a tongue-in-cheek memoir about bonding with his father, sportscaster Jack Buck; the importance of family; and a worthy profession he feels fortunate to be in. Buck considers how lucky he was that his father was the adored "Voice of the St. Louis Cardinals," and acknowledges that he learned broadcasting from his idol and never considered any other job. His debut gig was as a commentator for the Cardinals' Triple-A team at age 19. His meteoric rise, complete with a few hiccups, is well chronicled here, from his first game with the Cardinals in 1990 to his current high-flying status as the lead Fox Sports announcer for the World Series, the Super Bowl, the Major League Baseball All-Star game, and the U.S. Open. Buck sings the praises of legends Mel Allen, Harry Caray, Bob Costas, Al Michaels, and Vin Scully. With a comic yet reverent approach to his life and broadcasting, Buck effectively captures the merging of his career and the popularity of American sports.
Customer Reviews
Great story of a good guy
Liked how he opened up about some of his insecurities and how he over came them. You don’t think people like him have problems but they certainly do, just like the rest of us.
Lucky Bastard - a great, enjoyable read!
Great book - a down to earth read about a modern day sportscaster. I grew up listening to his Dad on radio and in adult life listening and watching Joe become the entertaining sportscaster that he is today! Highly recommend whether you are a sports fan or not.
What a great read!
Im not sure what drew me to read this book but I'm glad I did! Joe is funny, self-deprecating and sensitive. He opens himself to the reader and I found that I respect who he is as a human being. No one really knows what it is like to walk in someone else's shoes but Joe takes you there. Great job Joe!