Loria Wrote a Book About Peanuts? Mind: Blown.

This afternoon I found myself on Jeff Loria's Wikipedia page, where I learned that he has written two books, both out of print. The first, Collecting Original Art, seems like the kind of thing you'd expect him to write. But the second, What's It All About, Charlie Brown? Peanuts Kids Look at America Today, kind of blows my mind. If you're looking for an ironic gift for the Marlins (or Expos!) fan in your life, here it is (starting at 82 cents on Amazon!).

Also, I ran across this New York Magazine profile of Loria from 2003, featuring the best encapsulation of the Marlins owner I have ever seen:

"Jeffrey is a genuinely nice person," one former business associate says. "But he struggles with the fact that he’s not given as much respect in life as he feels he deserves. Baseball is his stage." A Yankees-season-ticket holder for more than twenty years, Loria once had an intermediary deliver a bid for minority ownership to George Steinbrenner. The Boss said no thanks.

I guess our Loria-as-Steinbrenner characterization is not that far-fetched after all.