Touching All the Bases - by Dave Winfield (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"An ex-Yankee star's entertaining tell-all details his long-running feud with the team's mercurial owner." --Kirkus

A fearless and insightful portrait of power, race, and resilience from one of baseball's most unique and dynamic Hall of Fame legends, offering an unflinching look at the battles fought both on and off the field.

Few athletes have lived a story as riveting--and as revealing--as Dave Winfield. In Touching All the Bases, the Hall of Famer pulls back the curtain on his life in the game, giving an unvarnished account of his childhood in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the bright lights of Yankee Stadium, where his decade-long clash with owner George Steinbrenner became one of the most infamous feuds in sports history. With honesty and conviction, Winfield recounts the triumphs, controversies, and showdowns that shaped not only his career but also the culture and path of baseball itself.

This is not just another baseball memoir--it's a reckoning with power, loyalty, commitment, and the costs of standing tall when others expect you to bow. Alongside the unforgettable stories of contracts, confrontations, distractions, and championships are moments of generosity, grit, and forgiveness that reveal a nuanced portrait of the man behind the No. 31 jersey. Reflecting on battles won and lost, Winfield shares the wisdom and perspective that only come from a lifetime at the center of the game and American sports:

• The behind-the-scenes truth of Winfield's battles with Steinbrenner, and how those fights mirror larger struggles in American life
• Lessons in leadership drawn from the pressures of playing under the brightest lights in sports
• The resilience it takes to turn public criticism and personal setbacks into lasting legacy
• What it takes to achieve the status of one of the world's best athletes

Touching All the Bases is a story of courage, defiance, achievement, and ultimate redemption--an unforgettable account of what it means to fight for your name, your principles, and your place in history.

Review Quotes

"If you believe you already know Dave Winfield's story, this memoir will challenge you. It is one of the most compelling leadership narratives I've encountered from the world of sports--a story of courage, discipline, faith, and vision."
--Robert Smith, Chairman, Vista Equity Partners Venture Capital Firm

"Dave's journey gives us a glimpse of all that went into making him the player and person we have come to respect and admire so much. Dave is a Hall of Famer in every way, and I am proud to call him my friend."
--Cal Ripken Jr., National Baseball Hall of Fame Shortstop; World Series Champion; AL MVP; and CEO, Ripken Baseball

"In the business world we define greatness by sustained excellence and the ability to thrive under pressure. For Dave Winfield, talent, strategy, and execution is what earned him a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame. His story is a master class in professional resilience and life. He's truly touched every base in sports, business, and philanthropy, and has lived his life with integrity."
--Ken Chenault, former CEO and Chairman, American Express, and Chairman, General Catalyst

"Dave Winfield is one of the coolest people I know. He's one of the greatest athletes in American history, a legendary ballplayer, a devoted family man, and someone who strives to make the world a better place. Now, finally, he tells his story--the whole story--and it will surprise you, entertain you, and, more than anything, inspire you."
--Joe Posnanski, New York Times Bestselling Author and 5x National Sportswriter of the Year

"In his memoir, Dave Winfield absolutely touches all the bases with his life story both on and off the field. He shares the mindset and actions it takes to become a Hall of Fame athlete."
--Harvey Mackay, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive, and Businessman

About the Author

Dave Winfield is a Hall-of-Fame baseball player and World Series champion. He played 22 major league seasons, 17 of them in San Diego and New York. A 12-time All-Star, he was among the first professional athletes to start a charitable foundation. The David M. Winfield Foundation, launched in 1977, provided health care, holiday meals, and educational scholarships to underprivileged families. Dave was also a key figure in the development of one of the strongest and most successful labor unions in the country and world, the Major League Baseball Players Association. A two-sport collegiate athlete, Big Ten champion, and an All-American baseball player, he is the only athlete to ever be drafted by four professional sports leagues: MLB, the NBA, the ABA, and the NFL. Following his major league career, he spent more than a decade as an executive in professional baseball and six years in media with FOX Sports and ESPN. He is an acclaimed speaker and the author of a 1988 autobiography (W.W. Norton & Company) and a 2008 book about how to revitalize baseball (Scribner). He's been married for more than 30 years, has three children, and lives in Los Angeles.

Alan Maimon is the author of Twilight in Hazard: An Appalachian Reckoning and six sports books. As a reporter with the Louisville Courier-Journal, he was a finalist for the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for a series about gaping holes in Kentucky's justice system. His work for the Las Vegas Review-Journal on police shootings and the court system garnered national awards and acclaim. He started his professional writing career as a news assistant and reporter in the Berlin bureau of The New York Times. Alan is a Philadelphia native and graduate of Brown University, where he received a Fulbright fellowship to study and work in Austria.