Book excerpt: Hall of Fame broadcaster Chuck Thompson, with the assistance of veteran Associated Press sportswriter Gordon Beard, shares a personal play-by-play account of his celebrated career and life in this newly updated paperback edition of Ain't the Beer Cold! Since his broadcasting beginnings fresh out of high school in 1939, Thompson has served with the Armed Forces in World War II, relaxed as a one-man audience for a crooning Bing Crosby, and done sportscasting for the Phillies, A's, Senators, and Orioles. In 1993, Thompson's broadcasting achievement was honored with a place in the Broadcasters' Wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Here he offers a delightful and insightful perspective on his profession, its people, and its place in the heart of American sports.