Happiness is Like a Cur Dog: The Thirty-Year Journey of a Major League Baseball Pitcher and Broadcaster Hardcover – Import, 23 September 2009

As a native Pittsburgher who has since moved around the US (too much), I look for ways to reconnect with home and this book immediately got my attention. Nellie King's years broadcasting for the Pirates (1967 - 1975) coincided with the beginning and heights of my being a baseball fan. He was a much-loved announcer alongside Bob Prince, with a knack for storytelling and enriching the play-by-play with his inside baseball knowledge. Nellie always came across as a nice guy, someone who would be easy to know. This wonderful autobiographical book is like a trip back over those years, and very like listening to Nellie on KDKA radio again. It ranges over a lot of baseball and broadcasting ground, through King's own playing years and that of the players and teams he encountered, and beyond. I have to say the title threw me for a while, but it refers to a story and advice given by Branch Rickey, the legendary GM for both the Pirates and the Dodgers, about the idea that you can't force happiness anymore than you can force a cur (mutt) dog to like or pay attention to you -- "if you go about enjoying and focusing on your work, happiness, like that dog, will remain there beside you." It's also a good book for those Pittsburgh fans who might want a reminder of how the Pirates rose to be competitive again in the 1950's after many rough years! Beat 'em Bucs.

I grew up listening to Nellie King so I found it interesting but it wasn't as well written as it could have been.

Meaning that the Nellie King you will meet in this book sounds an awful lot like the Nellie King many of us grew up listening to on baseball and basketball broadcasts. He is straight-forward with his thoughts about people and subjects without being judgemental.And, as he was as a broadcaster, in spots is overly-humble about his role and his place in Pittsburgh sports. He was never destined to be a Hall-of-Fame announcer, but was capable and enjoyment from his broadcasts over the decades never wavered.His telling of stories such as his interview of Roberto Clemente on the day of the final game at Forbes Field shows he felt as much excitement (and honor) in doing the interview as we felt as listeners to his broadcast. Time after time in the book, Nellie gives us his view of something we heard him describe on radio -- and we find that what we originally heard was just how he saw it.That in itself makes him stand out from many of today's broadcasters.Bottom line: if you listened to Nellie King broadcast sports over the years, this book fits like a comfortable sweater....a great way to relax and re-live moments...through the eyes of the man who told us all about them as they happened.