Because I’m awful at self-promotion, I haven’t managed to get this out until the last minute. Still, if you’re in San Francisco tonight, don’t have tickets to the Giants game, and want to check out a fabulous panel of sportswriters, stop by the Hemlock Tavern for Litquake’s It’s All Over but the Crying: A Night of Authors on Sports.

I’ll be reading along with ESPN’s Howard Bryant (The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron), Dan Epstein (Big Hair and Plastic Grass: A Funky Ride Through Baseball and America in the Swinging ’70s), David Henry Sterry and Alan Black (co-authors of The Glorious World Cup) and old pal Dan Fost (Giants Past & Present), along with iconic A’s photographer Michael Zagaris.

Having listened to him opine on several occasions, I can honestly say that giving Zagaris the mic for an hour would itself be worth the price of admission.

The event will be at 1131 Polk St. in San Francisco at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10, and can be purchased here.

The Boston Red Sox are the only team in Major League Baseball to sponsor their own writers series, and today I was lucky enough to take part in it.

Today I read to a packed house in one of the ballpark’s banquet rooms, as part of the Great Fenway Park Writer’s Series. My own discussion of the the unwritten rules turned into a lively Q&A, for which the Q’s were intelligent and well spoken. One would expect no less from Boston sports fans.

Thanks to Dan Urman for taking these photos.

I write this from the press box at Fenway Park, as the Red Sox attempt to overcome a 6-1 ninth-inning deficit against Detroit. Um . . . scratch that. David Ortiz‘s grand slam just brought Boston to within 6-5. (Update: Mike Cameron strikes out looking with the tying run at second to end it.)

All in all, a pretty fantastic day.

– Jason

My mini Midwest swing is coming to a close, and it’s been a bit of a whirlwind.

In St. Louis on Wednesday I did morning TV (they wanted to discuss Steinbrenner), late-morning phone-in radio (to Tennessee), in-person radio on KTRS (the Cardinals flagship), phone-in radio (to Milwaukee), in-person radio (KMOX) and a reading at Left Bank books.

It’s enough to tire a guy out. (Also that day, the Richmond Virginian-Pilot’s Style Weekly published a lovely review of The Baseball Codes. It all set the stage for Baseball Digest’s launch of I-70 Baseball, focusing exclusively on the Cardinals and Royals.)

Milwaukee was beautiful (great reading at Boswell Books), Detroit was hopping (on Fox there, as well; also took in the Motown Museum), and Des Moines (in studio at KXNO-AM, and on both Fox and NBC TV), and packed the house at Beaverdale Books.

Thanks to all of you who came out. I’ll be heading to Boston and New York at the end of the month. More details soon.

– Jason

Reminder: I’ll be reading tonight in Milwaukee at 7 p.m. tonight, July 12, at Boswell Books (2559 N. Downer Ave.).

Wednesday, July 14, I’ll be in St. Louis, at St. Louis, at Left Bank Books (399 N. Euclid Ave.), also at 7 p.m.

Come by and say hello.

– Jason

A reminder for those of you in or near Iowa: I’ll be reading at Beaverdale Books in Des Moines (2629 Beaver Avenue, Suite 1) this Sunday, July 11, at 1 p.m.

Tivo the World Cup final and come say hello.

– Jason

For those of you in the Detroit area (or if you’re in surrounding states and are particularly motivated), I’ll be reading at Borders in Birmingham, Michigan (34300 Woodward), at 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 8. Hope to see you there.

– Jason

Some of my Midwest tour dates have just been set. If you’re in or near any of these cities, swing by and say hello. If you know someone who is, be sure to spread the word.

July 8
Birmingham, Michigan
Borders Books, 7 p.m.
34300 Woodward

July 11
Des Moines, Iowa
Beaverdale Books, 1 p.m.
2629 Beaver Ave., Suite 1

July 12
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Boswell Books, 7 p.m.
2559 N. Downer Ave.

July 14
St. Louis, Missouri
Left Bank Books
399 N. Euclid Ave.

– Jason

If you’re in downtown San Francisco tonight, Michael and I will be speaking at the main library, from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

As part of the presentation, we’ll be offering a video look back at the crazy fight between the Padres and Braves in 1984, which Padres infielder Kurt Bevacqua later called “the Desert Storm of baseball fights.” Total damage: six brushback pitches, three hit batters, four bench-clearing incidents, two full-on brawls that nearly spiraled out of control when fans rushed the field, nineteen ejections, five arrests, and a nearly unprecedented clearing of the benches by the umpires.

Plus, we’ll be talking some baseball. Come on down.

– Jason

Michael and I will be at the Public House restaurant at AT&T Park this Sunday, immediately following the Giants-Cardinals game. If you’re at the ballpark, swing on by. Even if you’re just passing through the neighborhood, you won’t need a ticket to get in.

We’ll have books for sale, and conversation for all. Come down and talk some baseball.

– Jason