Reviews (7)

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson Belongs in the Hall of Fame
Donald Gropman is the leading historian on the life of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. In his revised edition of the book, Gropman gives an objetive look at the life of Joe Jackson, including the scandal that ended his career. Gropman's argument leaves little doubt that this legend belongs in the baseball hall of fame. Quite simply, the hall of fame is incomplete without him.

The other members of the Black Sox sought to add Jackson to the fix. Jackson never committed. Jackson even went so far as to tell Sox owner Charles Comiskey and attempted to sit out the World Series to demonstrate his innocence. These actions which would have exonerated him were rejected. Comiskey just felt Jackson was hearing rumors. When the scandal hit full force, Comiskey tried to save his players. Unfortunately, Comiskey's lawyer was only interested in saving Comiskey, not the players. The great tragedy is that Comiskey, depite his Richard Nixon-like tactics, is in the hall of fame while "Shoeless" Joe Jackson is not.

Gropman lays out a tremendous amount of evidence that supports Jackson's innocence. Despite this mountain of evidence and growing support for Joe Jackson's reinstatement, baseball's commissioners have largely ignored the case for Joe Jackson.

This book sets the standard for "Shoeless" Joe Jackson's life as well as the case for his reinstatement into baseball and his induction into the hall of fame. With the additions of transcripts, letters, and other pieces of evidence, this book is more than worth its price. Gropman also provides information for joining the Shoeless Joe Jackson Society and fighting to clear his name. I would encourage you to join.

Excellent Biography
Mnay biographies focus on human interest rather than factual information. This is not one of those. This book is meticulously researched and presents all the facts Mr. Gropman came across. The reader can make his or her own conclusion based on the facts the author presents, but the facts will probably lead the reader to conclude that Joe Jackson was not involved in the Black Sox scandal that nearly ruined baseball.

Mr. Gropman clearly demonstrates what many authors are unable to do: the ability to present an opinion based on fact, rather than speculation. I was impressed with this book because it provided me with much information on Joe Jackson's life, particularly on whether he was or wasn't involved in the scandal. The facts lead to the conclusion, not the other way around, and I like that. Baseball fans interested in the history of the game should read this book. They will enjoy it.

Shoeless Joe should be in the Hall
I loved this book! Joe Jackson should be in the hall of fame! After reading this book and all the insights to his life, I have become a huge fan of Shoeless Joe. This book will tell you all about his involment with the "Black Sox". Like how he tried to tell Comiskey about the scandle before the 1919 series. And, how he also tried to give the money to Comiskey before the news hit the papers. If you want to know about one of the best players you need to read this book. By the way it was a life time band from baseball....his life ended in December 1951.

easy and pleasant reading about the great shoeless joe.
The book sheds tremendous light on shoeless joe jackson and his era. the book gives deeper insight into the black sox scandal of 1919.Jack M. Purvin,M.D.

Must-read for those wanting Jackson in the Hall of Fame!
Gropman states early on that he intends to provethat Jackson had no involvement in the Black Soxscandal of 1919 and succeeds. He demonstrates the hows and whys of Jackson's "involvement" and shows why Jackson took money when he didn't participate in the fix. Though Gropman goes out of his way to glorify Jackson in some instances, for the most part this is highly readable, well-researched bio of "Shoeless Joe" and demonstrates once and for all that Jackson belongs in the Hall of Fame. ... Read more

Book Description

This biography of Charles "Commy" Comiskey is one of the earliest and most important—and, up to now, one of the hardest for baseball researchers to get their hands on—in the baseball canon. Comiskey spent half a century in the big leagues as a successful player-manager and owner, his clubs winning nine pennants along the way. But the dark cloud that hangs over him is the 1919 Black Sox scandal, in which he is inextricably tangled, fair or not. Comiskey’s tight-fistedness is often cited as a principal cause of the 1919 World Series scandal. Commy suspected that the fix was on after the White Sox lost the first two games, and even implored his old friend, American League president Ban Johnson, to suspend the Series, but the tide of history could not be dammed.

Historians of the game will find much valuable insight here on the rise of baseball in the Windy City, Comiskey’s playing career (as an innovative first baseman), his long stint as St. Louis Browns player-manager (which included four straight pennants from 1885 to 1888), his helping Johnson form the American League, and his keeping the White Sox a family-owned franchise for nearly 60 years.

Surprisingly, this is the only biography of Comiskey ever published. Fortunately, Axelson allows "The Old Roman" to speak for himself briefly in the last seven pages of the book. Here Comiskey comes across as humble and earnest, concluding his message with, "What I have tried to do [in baseball] has been my level best." ... Read more

Book Description

Christy Mathewson (1880-1925) was baseball's first superstar pitcher who still ranks among the all-time leaders in wins, earned run average, and shutouts. Mathewson was in the first group elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, with Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, and Walter Johnson. At a time when professional ballplayers were regarded as hard-living rogues, Matty was a soft-spoken college boy who espoused clean living and did more than any other athlete to elevate the place of sports in American life. Parents longed for their children to model their lives after his. He even wrote children's books to help instill the values of hard work and determination. With a diverse cast of characters including Teddy Roosevelt, Edith Wharton and Scott Fitzgerald, The Player is an exciting, cinematic evocation of a singular American life — and what that life means today. Photographs are featured. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not very deep
This book is a decent read but it is less a biography of Mathewson than it is a commentary on the times and events that he lived through. I had hoped to learn about who Christy Mathewson was and what made him so great and instead I felt like I read an overview of the major events in baseball and history during the late 1800's to the mid 1900's.

Decent but too broad
As a fan of baseball history, I have been looking for a modern, definitive biography of Christy Mathewson ever since I grew to admire him many years ago. I was hoping that Philip Seib's The Player would be that elusive work, but I was wrong. Although it covers the major events of Matty's life, Seib works very hard to put him in context as the first major baseball star and the times that he lived in, so what we're left with is less of a biography and more of a social history.

This is all well and good, and the premise is an interesting one, except that Seib doesn't take it far enough and when he tries to expound on his theory, he ends up giving more info on other figures of the times like Billy Sunday and Woodrow Wilson than on Mathewson.

Almost contradictorally, the main problem is that it all just feels too thin. At less than 200 pages it's a one and a half day read at best and you come away not knowing anything more about Mathewson than you would reading any history of baseball. Were I Seib's editor, I would have recommended that he go in the opposite direction and really blow out his research. Joseph Durso wrote an excellent double biography of John McGraw and Casey Stengel that captured the general history of American society as well as baseball and that is clearly what Seib is aspiring to but falls short.

I don't want to knock the book too much since I enjoy general history as much as anyone, but I guess I just expected so much more. Also, Seib labors in spots to draw his conclusions and ends up being extremely repetitive. His reverence for Mathewson is well-appreciated, but borders on overindulgence.

If you are interested in reading more on Mathewson, I would recommend seeking out the Jonathan Yardley essay "The Real Frank Merriwell" for a terrific mini-bio and tribute to a great pitcher.

I Was Plesantly Surprised
Considering the book is less than 200 pages long I wondered what this book would tell me about Christy Mathewson I haven't already read somewhere else. Author Philip Seib emphasizes the positive role model Matty played both as a player and as a private citizen. The author also provides us with details of former major leaguer Eddie Grant who lost his life fighting in World War I. His monument used to appear in center field in the Polo Grounds, and I was pleased to read details I hadn't read before. Mathewson enlisted in World War I, and came in contact with poisonous gas in a training drill in Europe shortly before The Great War ended. He returned from Europe to help McGraw as a coach with the Giants, and once again encountered the crooked Hal Chase whom Matty had in his brief tenure as manager of the Cincinnati Reds after his (Matty's) playing days were over. He was an observer of the 1919 World Series between the White Sox and Reds, and to his dismay, observed what he believed to be crookedness in the play of the Chicago team. His cough persisted, and progressed to tuberculosis. Matty spent time at Saranac Lake in upstate New York where the dry air was thought to be helpful to patients. He felt well enough to join the Boston Braves in the front office, but had to return to Saranac Lake where he died during the 1925 World Series. This would be an excellent book for both beginning readers of Christy Mathewson, or those who have a more extensive knowledge of one of the first five members elected to baseball's hall of fame.

One Of Baseball's Greats Gets His Due
It's been almost 90 years since Christy Mathewson last threw a pitch in a major league baseball game, and more than 75 years since his untimely death from tuberculosis. Yet time has left his on-the-field achievements and his greater legacy undiminished. His 373 career wins are still third highest in major league history. In this slim, gracefully written volume Philip Seib explores not only Mathewson's role in the game, but in the context of the larger society as well.

Professional baseball at the dawn of the 20th century was still seen as a haven for rowdies. The college-educated Mathewson represented a new standard, one in harmony with President Theodore Roosevelt's affirmation of the active life. As America moved toward involvement in World War I under the idealistic Woodrow Wilson, Mathewson's willingness to serve was once again in synch with the mood of the era. When Matty stood against the corruption that infected the game in the late teens, it was a precursor to greed and scandals that seemed to dominate national life in the 1920s.

Seib's book is a worthy tribute to a great player, and more significantly, a great man. ... Read more

Amazon.com

He was a big man, and The Babe is a big book--a four-bag celebration of the Bambino,the greatest baseball legend of them all. Lawrence S. Ritter, author of The Glory of Their Times, the classic oral history of America's national pastime in the first decades of the 20th century, weaves together a workmanlike, often elegiac, narrative of Babe Ruth's life and career. But it is the all-star collection of photos--of the Babe in action, the Babe just hanging around being the Babe, and rare Ruth collectibles--that sends this volume where the Babe used to send high fastballs: out of the park. Hank Aaron, whosent a few out himself, pens a warm introduction to the idol whose career home-run record he ultimately surpassed. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Babe would have been proud.
If you like baseball, you will love this book. It's a "coffee table" type book that every true baseball fan needs in his/her sports library.

It comes with a Homerun Derby CD. For me, the game was a little hard to figure out because the directions are a little unclear. I'm working on it and will master it one day.

Enjoyed the book. Easy reading with great photos. ... Read more

Book Description

Hank Greenberg, a special man with an independent spirit, was the first Jewish ballplayer to be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Greenberg was a legend in many Jewish households in the 1930s and '40s. His powerful home runs hit during those years were sometimes a dramatic reply to Nazi actions in Europe and to anti-Jewish sentiment in America.

Ira Berkow's stimulating biography will inspire young readers to look at their own conduct and sportsmanship towards others and discover the meaning of standing tall. ... Read more

Book Description

Could Confucius hit a curveball?
Could Yoda block the plate?
Can the Dalai Lama dig one out of the dirt?

No, there is only one Zen master who could contemplate the circle of life while rounding the bases.

Who is this guru lurking in the grand old game? Well, he's the winner of ten World Series rings, a member of both the Hall of Fame and the All-Century Team, and perhaps the most popular and beloved ballplayer of all time. And without effort or artifice he's waxed poetic on the mysteries of time ("It gets late awful early out there"), the meaning of community ("It's so crowded nobody goes there anymore"), and even the omnipresence of hope in the direst circumstances ("It ain't over 'til it's over").

It's Yogi Berra, of course, and in What Time Is It? You Mean Now? Yogi expounds on the funny, warm, borderline inadvertent insights that are his trademark. Twenty-six chapters, one for each letter, examine the words, the meaning, and the uplifting example of a kid from St. Louis who grew up to become the consummate Yankee and the ultimate Yogi.

... Read more

Reviews (3)

Yogi takes time out from life to explain it all for you
When it comes to the wit and wisdom of Yogi Berra you have to realize that are two types of Berraisms that you have to keep separate.First there are his classic examples of logic, where they sound wrong but they make sense, such as "Ninety percent of this game is mental and the other half is physical" and "It ain't over `till its over."For example, the latter works because "over" has two different meanings in that sentence, which reflects the fact that baseball does not have a clock.Second there are those that are simply the man misspeaking, such as "I want to thank everybody for making this night necessary" and "You saw Dr. Zhivago? Why?Aren't you feeling well?"Do not mistake the two forms because there is a major difference.The first category is the important one because it proves that while he was uneducated Lawrence Peter Berra was one of the smartest people to ever walk on a baseball diamond.You be sure to distinguish between the two types of sayings that serve as the basis for this book "What Time Is it? You Mean Now?: Advice for Life from the Zennest Master of Them All."(The title would fall in the second category for my money.)

All of this, of course, assumes that Yogi actually did say any particular comment in the first place (we give the man the benefit of the doubt although he admits he did not say everything he has said).There are twenty-six of these sayings, arranged in alphabetical order using the most liberal of standards¸ each with a black and white illustration by Alan Dingman.We are then provided with several pages of reflections and commentary by Yogi, which work in stories from his family life and baseball career.I wonder whether Yogi was actually given these sayings and then proceeded to hold forth on this thoughts or whether Dave Kaplan interviewed the Hall of Fame catcher and then cut and pasted them into this volume.Not that it makes much of a difference, but I am curious.The main thing here is not the recycled sayings, most of which I have heard before in my consumption of all things Yogi (in the fourth grade there were three of us with the same name and I had a catcher's mitt so I was actually called "Yogi" for a year), but to hear what he has to say about the mysteries of time, the meaning of community, and the omnipresence of hope in the direst circumstances (and you thought this would just be light reading).Smart move of Yao Ming in one of his first commercial to team up with Yogi, the most loved and loveable sports figure in the United States today.

Yogi's thoughts on many topics . .. including life
Read and enjoyed Yogi Berra's WHAT TIME IS IT? YOU MEAN
NOW? . . . the book, written with Dave Kaplan, is subtitled
ADVICE FOR LIFE FROM THE ZENNEST MASTER OF THEM
ALL . . . it contains 26 chapters, one for each letter from A
to Z, that has me believing that Berra was not only a great
baseball player--he's also quite a guy.

Although I have my doubts as to what he wrote vs. what
Kaplan did, I nevertheless enjoyed the thoughts on such
varied topics as family, competition and living in New York City.

Naturally, I also chuckled at a bunch of quotes that have
been attributed to Berra--although he admits that he did not
say them all . . . among them:
Little League is good because it keeps parents off the
streets and the kids out of the house.

It's so crowded nobody goes there.

If you ask me questions I don't know, I'm not going to answer.

You saw DR. ZHIVARGO? Why? Aren't you feeling well?

There were several other parts of the book that I liked; most notably:

I'm Lucky that Carm is a very upbeat, positive person and doesn't dwell on this stuff either. One time, though she did ask me where I should be buried. Our families are from St. Louis, where I grew up; my career was in New York; we live in New Jersey. I told Carm, "I don't know, just surprise me."

If I'm buying a car, I'll leave my wallet home the first time and just ask questions. What are the payments? What kind of warranty? What's the downside of the car? The right questions can help you make the right decisions.

It's no big secret-winning makes you feel better about everything, and losing doesn't. Everybody wants to win, who doesn't? Winning is important, that's why you keep score, but I think maybe overall it's gotten too much so, especially in kids' sports where there's too much stress on winning and not enough fun. I guess that's what's happened as sports have gotten so big in our country. Instead of asking their kids after a soccer or a Little League game, "Did you win?"
maybe the parents should ask, "Did you give it your best?" or
"Did you have fun?"

I only like books I'm going to like
I still dont know what inspired me to buy this book, but after every page, I was glad I did. This book was a very unique combination of philosophy, self-help, humor, historical sports and general good writing. I had never been familiar with Yogi Berra other than some of his more famous quote but I understand his way of thinking now and I believe some of the secrets to life lie between the covers of this book.

The book never gets dry, points arent beaten to death and he doesn't try to cram his personal way of thinking down your throat. I like that and really was able to take more out of this book because it approaches everything in a very level-headed and laid back way. There were a lot of interesting stories that presented a nice way to explain a situation. I also appreciated the fact that there were references to very recent happenings as of 2002. There were also some comical and cartoonish illustrations that started off or ended each chapter and the chapter names were "Yogi-isms" which was also a nice touch.

The only problem I had with this book was that I ended up reading it too fast because I couldn't put the thing down. I was very impressed with Yogi Berra, he is truly the man, the myth, the legend that people have made him out to be and I believe that meeting him one day has just been put on my to-do list. As far as the book goes, I highly recommend it. It is a smooth reading book that you will enjoy and recall upon in the future. As I stated, I only like books I'm going to like, and this was one of them. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Best Bio of Brooklyn Dodgers
Duke Snider has filled this autobiography with wonderful stories and anecdotes and made it a thoroughly enjoyable read for baseball fans. No muckraking, no scandals, just the good stuff that we're really interested in as fans. He does state, as I've always asserted, that Roger Kahn made a lot of mistakes in "Boys of Summer" which is a totally disappointing book. Duke gives us insights into those great days of Brooklyn, the move to L.A., and his own struggles and triumphs as a ballplayer. The only thing missing was an appendix with his career statistics - that would have capped it off nicely. Thanks Duke !

A Rosy look at baseball in 1950s New York
I've been a Dodger fan my whole, but I never got to see Duke Snider play. But seeing old interviews and photos he always looked like a pretty sunny guy. In "Duke of Flatbush", sunny is pretty much how Snider comes across.

Throughout the book, which is written in a breezy, not always chronological way, Snider talks about what great friends and teammates he had. How they hated the Giants and Yankees, but always in a congenial sportsmanlike manner. How fairly treated he was by Dodger management. How the Depression was tough but made him stronger.

At first, I resented this a little. I wanted to know how tough his childhood was, whether his father pushed him too hard. I wanted to know if he and his teammates drank and caroused like Mickey and Whitey over in the Bronx. But Snider never abandons his rosy demeanor. He follows the golden rule of not saying anything unless it's something nice. He only allows himself to say that Roger Kahn in his Dodger book "The Boys of Summer" was mistaken in a lot of the things written about his teammates - but he was nice about it.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't looking for sensationalistic muckracking. I just wanted to know what was going on in the Duke's mind. What made him such a great hitter, how did he overcome his youthful penchant for striking out so often? What did he think of the men he played against? How was life on the road in those days? None of that is in here. By the end of the book, I felt like I'd been listening to the Duke speaking to a school group. I wanted to feel as though I were sitting on a barstool a few feet away overhearing the Duke swapping stories with other oldtimers. But all in all I thought, "Wow what a great guy even after all these years."

And then my friend sees the book and says, "Isn't that the guy who was convicted of felony tax evasion a few years ago?" Say it ain't so, Duke.

Reliving Baseball's "Golden Era"
Duke Snider recalls the days of his baseball career and his associations with the "Boys of Summer". His recollections of Jackie Robinson, Gil Hodges, Reese, Campanella, etc. is a must-read! It not only talks about the ballplayers in their prime, but how they stayed close after they retired. Their friendships and how they cope with life's ups and downs shows us how they are human as well ... Read more

Book Description

Though many of his contemporaries considered him second only to Babe Ruth in the 1920s and 1930s, Mickey Cochrane is often overlooked by fans and historians. The hard-hitting catcher played on three World Series winners. Cochrane was a highly regarded member of the A's championship teams. But in Depression Detroit, he was an inspiration. The pressure of that adulation and his duties as player, manager and Tigers vice president led to a breakdown. Later, he was hit in the head by a pitch that ended his career. This story of Cochrane's career and his life was researched from primary documents and interviews with his family. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A SHORT AND SWEET LOOK AT A GREAT PLAYER
THIS BOOK IS A VERY QUICK LOOK AT THE GREAT CATCHER FOR THE A'S AND TIGERS. I ENJOYED THIS BOOK ALOT. THE ONLY COMPLAINT IS THAT IT IS TOO SHORT AND NOT VERY DETAILED. IT HAS SOME INTERESTING FACTS, ESPECIALLY THE PART OF TY COBB HELPING HIM FINANCIALLY. STILL HE WAS A HARD NOSED PLAYER AND MANAGER. HE WAS HUMAN, AND THIS BOOK DOES A GOOD JOB OF SHOWING HIS GREATNESS AND FAULTS. I RECOMMEND THIS FOR BASEBALL HISTORIANS AND FOR THOSE WHO APPRECIATE A GREAT PLAYER AND GOOD PERSON.

Is That All There Is?
I was so looking forward to reading this book.The effort by Charlie Bevis is good.The content is short and sweet.Seems that 180 or so pages just does not seem like enough information about as fascinating a baseballcharacter as you will ever find.I was left wanting so much more.Ofnote, I found it somewhat distressing that towards the end of this book,the author did his bit to dispell the rumours about Cochrane being assistedby Cobb in his down and out years of the 50's decade.Even though he gotthe word from Cochrane's daughter herself that this was totally false, Iwas not convinced by the author himself.Anyone can flip a story orsubject anyway they choose, good or bad.It is up to the author to relayand convince the reader of the truth.Sadly, this is one truth that stillhas not been nailed down, regardless of denials.Considering the historyand negative knowledge of this particular period in Mike's life, it reallyis too bad that Charlie Bevis had the opportunity and really did nothingwith it to solidify claims to the opposite.Too bad for Mike too.Thebook is good, as is the effort, but lacking in content and duration. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The Best Baseball Book I Ever Read
This book faithfully recreates the world of Frazier Robinson and the Negro Leagues.Outstanding and fascinating.It would make a perfect gift for any baseball fan.Paul Bauer inserts nothing between you and his subject.It is a must have book for any serious fan of the game.

Catching Dreams
This is a wonderful book that needed to be written.I had the opportunity to meet Frazier while living and I am so glad that his stories live on in this book. It brings back the memory of the time when players played the game for the love of the game and not for what they were being paid. And worrying about what deal they could acquire in the off season. Also in a time when color mattered over talent it should remind us that never again should we engage in human exclusion

Quite Simply, a Truly GreatRead
Being a baseball history buff (addict) for the past 42 years, I've readjust about everything I could get my hands on.I cannot now think of anautobiographical book to which I could attach a higher recommendation that"Catching Dreams" by Frazier "Slow" Robinson.Thistrue gentleman travelled the dusty roads that connected the sites of NegroLeague baseball during the 30's, 40,s and even the 50's. Althoughproduced by the University of Syracuse press, there is no attempt to makethe book erudite or complicate it with an assortment of exotic literarytechniques and obscure words.Instead, the publisher and co-author, PaulBauer have presented the story of Slow Robinson in language truly spoken bythe man himself. When you read this book, you will feel that you are seatedbeside Mr. Robinson as he speaks with words, terms and expressions uniquelythose of a man with little formal education, who gained his lessons in lifeon the fly and had to learn his own language.His ability to recall avoluminous list of names and anecdotal material from his experiences, andto relate them descriptively, suggest a man who would have had littletrouble dealing with a formal post-secondary school education.Hisrelationships with such Negro League stalwarts as Josh Gibson, Cool PapaBell, Leon Day and Satchel Paige are detailed with humour, insight andcompassion.He is forthright without offending his old friends, as in BallFour by Jim Bouton.In his own words, his goal in life was to beremembered as a nice guy; he passed with flying colors. If you chooseonly one book to read on this subject, you simply cannot go wrong withCatching Dreams.

Honest and outstanding in every regard.
I consider myself a student of Negro League history, and I read virtually everything I can locate on the subject. I have also developed friendships with many of these players over the years, and many of them have writtenbooks/memoirs regarding their playing days. In speaking with these greatpioneers of professional sport, one quickly surmises that certain"stars" spent a fair amount of time embellishing legends andperfecting the art of self-promotion once their playing days ended. Ahandful have even managed to parlay this ability into a modest supplementto their income via baseball memorabilia shows, and I sincerely hope thistrend continues for all who have mastered it.

Truthfully however, thisgroup comprises only a tiny percentage of the remaining Negro Leaguers(they're just the loudest, so they garner the most notoriety, I suppose).Should you attend any gathering of former players, you will notice thatthese "showmen" are generally shunned or otherwise discredited bytheir peers. That speaks louder than anything I could write here. Whilethese spotlight-lovers' ability to spin a yarn surely brings furtheredinterest and financial benefit to personal appearances by ALL formerplayers, it likely also speaks to the historical accuracy one can expectfrom their books.

A select few didn't go the Barnum route -- they werewho they were, they did what they did, and, while proud of theiraccomplishments on the diamond with arguably the greatest ballplayers ofANY era, they continued to live as they always had after their baseballcareers ended. I am thankful when any player publishes a book, but when oneof these select players leaves a record of what they saw, heard,accomplished and/or overcame, free of hyperbole, that book takes on a"treasured" status on my bookshelf. More than just a treasure,CATCHING DREAMS is flat-out the best of the genre. Buy it, read it, andlearn something. I wouldn't recommend it this highly if it wasn't thisgood. It is.

Kudos to Paul Bauer for his efforts in faithfullydocumenting what was said and getting it published. I was fortunate enoughto know Mr. Robinson well, and this book is an accurate representation ofhis character and personality -- it's honest, accurate, and self-effacing.You could waste time and money on lesser efforts by better-known players,or you could read something that captures the feel of a private audiencewith the author (with the added bonus that it's all TRUE!). I knew him wellenough to know. I find myself wishing everyone else could have, too. Trustme. Buy the book.

Please find and read books by these authors,too:

Wilmer Fields (another honest account), Monte Irvin (yet anotherhonest account), Effa Manley (difficult to find, but remarkable), KevinKeating/Michael Kolleth (guide to the Negro League autograph collectinghobby, exhaustively researched and thoroughly enlightening), PhilDixon/Patrick J. Hannigan (also hard to find, but still the best collectionof negro league photos ever, and also well-researched).

VERY REALISTIC AND HART WARMING STORY LOVED IT!!!!!!!
This book tells how things realy were back then. When Mr.Robinson told his story, he did not sugar coat anything.You don't find this in alot of the other books that were written about the Nego Leagues. I highly recommendthis to book to anybaseball fan. ... Read more

Book Description

In Koufax, the first book in more than 30 years on the legendary baseball player, Edward Gruver tells the life story of the man many consider to be the greatest left-handed pitcher of all time.

For five seasons, from 1962-1966, Sandy Koufax of the Los Angeles Dodgers wowed fans with his hard-throwing talent and dominated the game as no pitcher had before or since.In the 1963 season alone, he went 25-5 with a 1.88 ERA, struck out a major league record 15 Yankees in a game one win over New York in the World Series, and was named the Most Valuable Player of the series.

Also an observant Jew, Koufax inspired a generation of youths to embrace their religious identity. He refused to pitch the opening game of the 1965 World Series since it fell on Yom Kippur, the most solemn of Jewish holidays, and he gained lasting admiration among Jewish people for observing other religious occasions. For all his athletic brilliance, however, Koufax held the national spotlight for a relatively short time.His dazzling career was marred by severe arthritis in his throwing arm.A shy and private man, he retired in 1966 at the young age of 30 while still at the height of his game.After a brief stint as a national broadcaster, he went into self-imposed exile from the media and lived in relative seclusion.

Koufax includes extensive interviews with childhood friends; Dodger teammates, opponents, and front office personnel; and sports journalists who covered his career. Koufax will reacquaint fans with a legendary player from their youth and introduce a new generation to one of baseball's greatest pitchers. ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Recommended for All Sports Fans
Koufax...The name evokes visions of perfection. One who had it all and dominated baseball like no pitcher before or since. Stricken by arthritis, the great Dodger southpaw walked away from the game in 1966 and seemingly vanished from the public eye. In his book, aptly titled "Koufax", author Ed Gruver successfully recreates the dynamic career of Sandy Koufax from the sandlots of Brooklyn to his final outing in the '66 World Series.

The only shortcoming of the book is Gruver's inability to unravel the mystery of Koufax the man. But, then again, the Koufax mystique has reached DiMaggio-like proportions over the years and it is doubtful that anyone will ever crack it. Mystique is what makes Koufax such an intiguing subject.

Koufax was not interviewed for the book, so Gruver relies on the input of former teammates and sportswriters. The details of Sandy's career are neatly framed within a series of flashbacks from his gutsy victory in Game 7 of the '65 World Series (A nice touch a la Kevin Costner's "For Love of the Game"). Gruver describes, in horrific detail, the sheer torture that Koufax endured not only during the crucial 7th game, but during the final three years of his career. In 1964 a mysterious circulatory ailment nearly prompted the amputation of a finger on his pitching hand. The following year Koufax pitched a mindboggling 336 innings (modern day aces usually rack up only 250 innings), while striking out what was then a record 382 batters. After each game his left arm , permanently bowed from arthritis, would swell to the size of his leg. The man never complained, he just "treated" his arm with an oinment so hot it seared his skin. So great was Koufax -- he won 26 games in '65, and 27 in '66 --that opposing players had difficulty believing his golden left arm was ravaged by arthritis. Ironically, by relaying such tales of anguish, Gruver inadvertently reveals a great deal about Koufax the person, not just Koufax the pitcher. We learn of the utter devotion and selflessness that this remarkable athlete possessed. We discover the drive and the relentless pursuit of perfection that landed the great hurler in the Hall of Fame. Most of all, we are left remembering the class act that was, and still is, Sandy Koufax. Recommended for all sports enthusiasts. (This is a rewrite of my review orginally submitted Aug. 21, 2000).

A MUST READ for any baseball fan
I was one of the 69,000 in attendance who jammed into Yankee Stadium to see Sandy Koufax top Whitey Ford in the World Series opener in 1963 . . . in doing so, he set a World Series record of 15 strikeouts . . . I also remember the game because Frank Howard hit the hardest ball I've ever seen . . . if memory serves me correctly, it hit the bottom of the center field fence on a fly . . . but I digress . . . I mention the preceding because i recently finished KOUFAX by Edward Gruver, the story of the
three-time Cy Young award winner and Jewish icon who refused to pitch on High Holy days . . . this is a MUST READ for any baseball fan . . . it provides insight into the elusive, enigmatic hero who left the spotlight at the height of his powers.

There were many memorable passages; among them:
Koufax was aware of the edge his fastball gave him in pitcher-batter confrontations, and he used it to his advantage. "The art of pitching," he said, "is to instill fear in a man by making him flinch."

Koufax enjoyed the confrontations with great hitters. Baseball, he said once, is a form of warfare. He never believed in fraternizing with opposing players, because the guys in the other uniforms represented the enemy. He never wanted to get to know an opponent well enough to feel anything towards them except, as he put it, "sheer hostility."

[on loss of income when he was forced to retire] ". . . let's put it this way. If there was a man who did not have the use of one of his arms and you told him it would coast a lot of money if he could buy back that use, he'd give every dime he had, I believe. That's my feeling, and in a sense, maybe this is what I'm doing. . . . I don't regret one minute of the last twelve years, but I think I would regret one year that was too many."

Koufax Acquaintance From N.Y.
"Koufax", as written by Ed Gruver, is a highly focused book that covers the life and times of this most private man with flair and tact.

The strength of this book is the combination of the author's narrative with the insightful quotes from interviews he conducted with Sandy's friends and former teammates.

Gruver covers Koufax's life and career through the spectrum of one game - Game 7 of the 1965 World Series. It's an interesting approach, and it works here since this game is regarded as the defining game in Koufax's great career. (Interesting that Jane Levy's book, published one year later, uses the same format, though with a different game).

"Koufax" is a wide-ranging story of the life and career of the man many consider the greatest left-handed pitcher in history. It's filled with interesting anecdotes and brings to life a highly private individual.

Overall, I found it an accurate portrayal of one of sports' most enigmatic figures.

As boring as football fans claim baseball is!
Sandy Koufax is frequently described as a shy, introverted, and very private man. Perhaps because of this truth, it's hard to really get to know the real man... and even a biographer has trouble shedding any light on Sandy.

Gruver's book doesn't offer any new insight into Sandy's personality or private life. And the book frequently repeats several phrases over and over again! His pitching motion is described at least five times using the same description, and everyone interviewed for the book chimes in with the same description of his private side. Very repetitive! Lacking any real depth or anything new to say about Sandy Koufax, I guess the author decided to pad the book with repeated phrases. Sandy threw a great curve because of his "long fingers and overhead delivery." Sandy's lack of a good curve in the World Series forced him to "rely almost entirely on his fastfall." I can't tell you how many times I read this same information within the space of this short book.

Taking up the rest of the book is a pitch-by-pitch retelling of Game 7 of the 1965 World Series. Koufax was amazing to see pitch, and his dominance over other players was exciting to watch. But retold by Gruver in minute detail doesn't recreate the drama, it only puts us to sleep. Football fans have long said that "baseball is boring," and Gruver helps prove them right.

The author attempts to frame Koufax's story on the aforementioned 1965 World Series game 7, and jumps forward and backward between that game and the rest of Koufax's life and career. It's a literary device that doesn't work; I found myself confused about what year it was and what important game was being played. Also, Gruver's segue phrases between the 1965 World Series and moments earlier in Koufax's career are forced... moving from the eighth inning of Game 7 to an earlier Koufax pitching start, Gruver might say, "It was just like that time in San Francisco in 1962," and - BOOM - now he's recounting the details of a game played three years earlier. And then back to the 1965 World Series for the bottom of the eighth. And so on.

Hopefully, that newer Koufax biography ("Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy") is better and more exciting than this one. I don't think I've ever read a more boring baseball book, and certainly never one as monotonous as this one.

Doesn't do justice to the man
Koufax was the greatest, he deserves a better book. I suspect that some of the more positive reviews posted are more a reflection of the reviewers' feelings about Koufax, rather than the book. This book is poorly written and incredibly boring. How any writer could make the subject of Sandy's brilliant career boring is beyond me. But Gruver finds a way. The writing is dry and disorganized, there is little flow to the material, too many meaningless quotes from others are included without sufficent editing, and a plethora of unimportant details not only overwhelm the narative but are frequently repeated, sometimes three or four times. I've just ordered Jane Leavy's book, it's got to be better. ... Read more

Book Description

The Kid portrays the life of Hall of Fame baseball player Ted Williams before he made it to the majors. The book digs into Ted's high school baseball and the semipro games he played on the sandlots with more detail than any full-life biography could hope to offer. Contains extensive accounts of his three seasons in organized ball, before his major league debut in 1939. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

One of The Best Baseball Bios
The book covers all phases of Musial's life, including his personal life and post-baseball life. Unlike many baseball bios, it covers some weaknesses in the personal characteristics of this great star, although there were very few in Musial. What I especially liked about the book is that the author contacted and obtained interesting information from numerous former major league players and others who knew Musial. The author had apparently written letters to more than 500 former major leaguers.

I couldn't put the book down. I'd rate it even better than the recent book I read about Ted Willimas, which I rated as the best baseball bio I had ever read. Stan Musial was my favorite ball player wehn I was growing up in the 1950s, and I wasn't disappointed.

If anything, I would have liked to hear even more about Musial's post baseball life, although there's a lot in the book. However, I understand Stan did not cooperate with the author.

An Objective Look At Stan The Man
Author James Giglio did not receive the blessings from Stan Musial to write this book, and Stan apparently discouraged others, at least according to the author, from aiding in this book as well. I found the book to be enjoyable and portrays Stan as both the baseball icon he so deservedly is along with frailities that make him human like the rest of us. I found it to be disappointing that he and Joe Garagiola, who are godfathers to each other's children, had a falling out that has apparently ended their friendship over problems involving their Redbird Lanes bowling alley partnership. According to Gigllio, Garagiola has tried to mend the friendship, but Stan wanted no part of it. Stan is not one to get involved in controversial matters such as race relations and the reserve clause which bound players to one team. Musial, while not against integration, did not use his superstar status to speak in support of it. In like manner when Bob Feller wanted him to support revisions to the reserve clause, Musial backpeddled when he (Musial) had suggested free agency after ten years of service and then stated he was satisfied with the status quo. He was in his element when he was in a relaxed atmosphere among people, but controversy made him back off. I did find a few errors in the book, primarily with first names of former players. Hall of Fame Cincinnati manager Bill McKechnie is referred to as "Joe". Former Chicago Cubs catcher Elvin Tappe is referred to as "Ted". Former Brooklyn Dodgers pitchers Chris Van Cuyk and Ben Wade are referred to as "Johnny" and "Jake" respectively. One additional error I found takes place during Stan's retirement party sponsored by the St. Louis chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Ernie Banks spoke and pretended to read a telegram from the NAACP which he said stood for "the National Association for Advancement of Colored Pitchers." Banks actually said, the "National Association for the Advancement of Cubs' Pitching." I have a copy of the highlights of the St. Louis BBWAA on a phonograph record and this portion of the speech is on it. These are errors I caught in the book that I felt should not be there. Four well known players of the time period should have their first names listed correctly, in addition to the error in the speech by Banks. There are probably others, but these are the ones I found. In any case I enjoyed the book, and it was worth my time.

Excellent Biography of Musial
Giglio, a professional historian, spent many years researching his subject and produced, in my view, the first serious examination of Musial's life.

Given Musial's well-desrved reputation as a perfect gentleman and role model, many biographical accounts of his life slip into hagiography, but Giglio carefully avoids this trap. He cuts through much of the Musial mythology, and assesses the facts (laboriously compiled from archival research and interviews with many of Musial's contemporaries) in order to present Musial as a real human being.

You wont find much dirt in this book--Musial really was a good guy for the most part. About the only blemish Giglio uncovered from Musial's personal life was that he impregnated his wife 6 months before they were married--a mere peccadillo by contemporary standards, especially considering that Stan and Lil Musial have remained happily married for over 60 years.

Musial's only serious character flaw, according to Giglio, was an unwillingness to take provocative and controversial positions publicly on important issues of his time. For example, although Musial personally detested racism and bigotry, he never publicly condemned racist teammates like Enos Slaughter. According to at least one second-hand account, Musial and Slaughter once came to blows over the matter in private, but Giglio couldn't substantiate this, and publicly Musial has always denied that he and Slaughter, who died just a few weeks ago (12 August 2002), fought over the issue.

The only criticism I have of Giglio's book is his embarrassingly amateurish statistical analysis. In comparing Musial to the other greats of his era (Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and Mickey Mantle), Giglio uses a simplistic ranking methodology incorporating some common statistics like batting average, home runs and RBIs among others, but he ignores walks and on-base percentage completely, and he doesn't even attempt to account for fielding statistics or ballpark affects. Anyone familiar with serious scientific analysis of baseball (e.g. the work of Pete Palmer, Bill James or the gang at Baseball Prospectus) will laugh out loud at obvious lack of sophistication in Giglio's analysis. Mercifully, Giglio's statistical analysis only takes up a few pages.

Overall though, I give Giglio high marks for producing an excellent biography of Musial. I feel I know Musial much better than I did before, and ultimately that's the best test of any biography.

Good book on Musial- just short of greatness
This is a wonderful book on probably the most underrated player in baseball history. I was astounded by some of the numbers Musial put up year in and year out- I knew he was good, but this book really did a good job of presenting his accompishments and his persona in an objective way.
This book would have been a 5-star except that the author was unable to collaborate with Musial (for some reason, Musial declined to meet with the author) which left me aspiring for something from Stan the Man himself.
However, even without Musial's cooperation, this book stands on its own. It does Musial justice in that it portrays him as one of the nicest and most genuine players in the history of the game. I do not think it tried to dig up dirt on Stan at all (as one previous reviewer stated); in fact, I don't think it could have been more complementary of Stan!
Though this book isn't one of the best baseball books I have ever read, I certainly think that it is a noteworthy accomplishment of a man who did not and maybe has still yet to receive his due. He is without question one of the top five greatest players in the history of the game, something which he is not always recognized for. I think baseball fans would enjoy this book on Stan Musial.

Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man
I have read every book written about Stan Musial. I felt when I read this one the author was only interested in finding all the dirt he could find on this most wonderful person. I grew up watching this man play baseball. But most of all, I grew up watching a top rated human being. I really don't care about his personal life since I have met him many times and I don't have to have a book to tell the kind of person Stan Musial was or is. If you want to read dirt, than read Ball Four. That will keep you busy. If you want to read about a true baseball hero, I would suggest you read one of the other books about Stan Musial. They are what you could call real baseball books, ones by people know or knew the game. ... Read more

Book Description

Baseball fans love to second-guess managers' strategies and speculate about their styles of managing and Leonard Koppett is no exception. Koppett brings 52 years as a working baseball writer to his understanding of these men in the dugout.

His analysis is based on personal interaction with all of the managers active since 1950 and their descriptions and judgments of the generation of men who preceded them. Every manager inherits his method from some influential manager he played for. Three seminal figures—John McGraw, Connie Mack, and Branch Rickey—form the trunk of a genealogical tree whose branches have eventually intertwined, but whose key characteristics remain identifiable nearly a century later in the style of current headliners like Joe Torre, Jim Leyland, Tony LaRussa, Dusty Baker, and Bobby Cox.

This highly acclaimed study, first published in 1993, has been updated to the year 2000 and now includes some recent winning managers and completes the careers of others. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Strategy galore!
Book has in-depth views of each hall-of-fame manager, and some other lesser known and modern managers that have made their mark on the game.

Unlike The Bill James guide to Baseball, this book focuses on the man and his managerial career, and his stategy. James seems to have written a book on how baseball was generally managed in certain eras. He doesn't focus much on indivual men, as this book does.

For a diehard like me, this book is money well spent. If you are only a causual man, save your money. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THIS BOOK GETS A SOLID HIT
MISS POSTEMA WAS AN UMPIRE FOR MANY YEARS IN THE MINOR LEAGUE AREA FOR MANY YEARS. THIS IS HER STORY AND MANY ARE VERY INTERESTING. THE BOOK ITSELF IS VERY EASY TO READ AND IS HUMOROUS, HONEST, WELL TOLD, AND OPINIONATED. PAM WAS A WOMAN TRYING TO CRACK THE SHOW IN A MAN'S WORLD. I GIVE HER ALOT OF CREDIT FOR STAYING WITH IT FOR SO LONG. I RECOMMEND THIS FOR ALL BASEBALL FANS WHO WANT A LOOK AT WHAT IS LIKE TO ATTEND UMPIRE SCHOOL, LIFE ON THE ROAD, GAME CONDITIONS AND ALL THE ABUSE AN UMPIRE ENDURES. A LINE DRIVE BASE HIT. ... Read more

Amazon.com

How good a pitcher was Washington Senator ace Walter Johnson? Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Joe Jackson considered him the best ever. His career strikeout record lasted for half a century, and no one's ever come close to his mark of 110 shutouts; some of his Senator teams were so bad, the only way Johnson could win was literally to keep opponents from scoring. Of course, the numbers alone don't tell the story. Johnson was a towering figure in the first quarter of the baseball century. One of the most respected--and liked--men in the game, he was something of an anti-Cobb: straight, honest, and clean, with a life off the field as content as it was accomplished on it. This is an excellent, exhaustive biography, showing clear affection for Johnson from the first pitch: Thomas is Johnson's grandson. Despite the blood tie, Thomas doesn't just go straight down the middle; he is willing to work the corners of his grandfather's life, which actually allows his relationship to his subject to add to the work's significant depth. --Jeff Silverman ... Read more

Reviews (11)

What a pitcher! What a book!
One of the best baseball books I have ever read- easily on my top ten list and maybe even in my top five. I was not aware that the book was written by Johnson's great grandson until I began reading; this certainly gave the material a lot of credibility.
Walter Johnson was, without question, the greatest pitcher in baseball history. Along with Al Stump's work on Ty Cobb, Robert Creamer's work on Casey Stengel, and the recently published Cy Young biography (author's name escapes me), this book establishes a lasting legacy of Johnson on and off the field.

The Big Book on The Big Train
Written from the heart, and it shows. Truly a magnificent piece of work from Henry Thomas. I loved this book from beginning to end. Follow Walter Johnson from beginning to end through the eyes of someone that actually cares about Walter Johnson, his grandson. I cannot say enough great things about this book. Such a teriffic treat about a wonderful character in the history of baseball.

A BIG BOOK ABOUT THE BIG TRAIN
THIS BOOK IS ONE VERY DETAILED AND FACT FILLED BOOK. I DON'T LIKE LONG AND DETAILED BOOKS BUT THIS IS AN EXCEPTION. THE AUTHOR DOES A GREAT JOB TELLING OF HIS STORIED CAREEER. JOHNSON WAS ONE OF THE NICEST AND RESPECTED MEN THE GAME HAS EVER SEEN. HE TRULY HAD ONE OF THE GREATEST ARMS EVER. I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN FOR IT TRULY IS A MUST READ. THE STORIES ABOUT HIM PITCHING TO SUCH GREATS AS BABE RUTH AND TY COBB AS FASCINATING. FOR HISTORIANS AND ALL NOSTALGIA FANS OF THE GRAND OLD GAME.

Who's the best? Walter
Simply stated, this is the most detailed as well as accurate baseball bio, at least of a player from pre-WWII years, we have. Yet Thomas keeps the story moving, and we get the full picture of the man and his family life as well. Jack Kavanaugh's "Ol' Pete" (Grover Alexander), and Reed Browning's "Cy Young" make excellent relievers, but here's your starting pitcher, and Big Train didn't need bailing out very often.

too much game description
I stopped after the first 300 pages or so, because the detailed game descriptions were just getting to be too much. I felt like I never got to know anything about Johnson the man, or his life, or the times that he lived in. If you like reading those expanded box scores that they usually have in USA Today during the World Series, and which tell every play in the game, then this is the book for you. ... Read more

Book Description

Though they never led the league in double plays turned, and though at times they actively disliked one another, Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance of the Chicago Cubs have for decades been called one of the greatest, most colorful and most memorable double-play combinations of all time. But their places in the Hall of Fame have been disputed by some who believe their reputation rests with a piece of Franklin P. Adams doggerel.

This triple biography of Tinker, Evers, and Chance covers each man’s career and life before and after baseball, giving special attention to their relationship on and off the field. The author also considers the trio’s induction into the Hall of Fame in 1946 and examines the arguments made on both sides of the debate. ... Read more

Book Description

He was the winner of 511 major league baseball games, nearly a hundred more than any other pitcher. He threw three no-hitters, including the first perfect game in the new American League. He was among the original twelve players inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame, and his name is now attached to the game's most prestigious pitching award. Yet for all his accomplishments, Cy Young remains to most baseball fans a legendary but little known figure.

In this book, Reed Browning re-creates the life of Denton True "Cyclone" Young and places his story in the context of a rapidly changing turn-of-the-century America. Born in rural Ohio, the son of a Civil War veteran, Young learned his trade at a time when only underhand pitching was permitted. When he began his professional career in 1890, pitchers wore no gloves and stood five feet closer to the batter than they do today. By the time he retired in 1911, the game of baseball had evolved into its modern form and claimed unquestioned status as America's "national pastime."

As Browning shows, Young's extraordinary mastery of his craft owed much to his ability to adapt to the changing nature of the game. Endowed with an exceptional fastball, he gradually developed a wide array of deliveries and pitches-all of which he could throw with astonishing control. Yet his success can also be attributed, at least in part, to the rustic values of loyalty, hard work, and fair play that he embraced and embodied, and for which he became renowned among baseball fans of his day. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Well-researched and well written
It is a sheer joy to read a baseball biography as carefully and authoritatively done as is this excellent book. Young was an admirable man and this book examines his life and career as fully and as interestingly as is I think possible. I don't think I have ever read a more carefully done baseball book, and while I first heard of the author when I read his excellent The War of Austrian Succession, I enjoyed this excellent book much. He has a book on the 1924 baseball season which, judging from the care taken with this book, would no doubt be a delight to read. I for one am grateful that a real historian has chosen to give us a book such as this biography: a most satifying and informative study of a great pitcher full of interesting facts about baseball during the years from 1890 to 1911.

"Boring" book about an amazing "boring" pitcher
THis book really is pretty boring, I have been an ardent baseball fan for over 50 years.Denton T. Young was a very boring person.My definition of the word is steady, hardworking,solid as a rock and honest as the day is long.I am sick and tired of reading about the Sammy Sosa,s and Kobe Bryant scandals. Boring is really good.
THis is a fascinating book in many ways.The author does the best possible to illuminate the man AND the times, no easy thing to do with so little material.Young got up at 5am and went to bed at 9, his favorite summer "hobbies" were chopping wood and digging for coal in the coal rich soil near his home in a tiny burg in Ohio.Poorly educated and a very simple man, "Cy" just got it done.Time after time after time. 511 wins .
THis book is really best for serious fans for much of it is the tedium of schedules,managers,other personalites of the times, number of wins etc etc etc.FOrtunatly,the author does uncover and write well about a simple, honest,quiet, hard working man who happened to have a great bent for throwing pitches.What is really missing is what should have been the soul of the book.What was he really like as a pitcher?How did he approach various hitters, what was his favorite pitch, when did he rely on his curve etc etc.This is all missing in the tedium of statistics.
When "Pee Wee" Reese, of DOdgers fame died a few years ago, Bob Feller said, "They don,t make men any better than Pee Wee Reese.Surely the same can be said for Denton T. Young. Surely most managers of today would build a forest for this man off season if "all" he could do was win 22 games a year and not be a lush,steroid popper or whatever.We would not have been.

the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball--CY YOUNG!!!
CY YOUNG IS BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THE GREATEST PITCHER IN BASEBALL HISTORY!TO THINK THAT HIS HIGHEST SALARY WAS ONLY $5,000!
THE PITCHERS OF TODAY CANNOT HOLD A CANDLE TO THE GREAT MR.YOUNG.THE MAN PITCHED OVER 7,000 ININGS,WAS A FIVE TIME 30 GAME WINNER,HAD THREE NO HITTERS,PICCHED 77 SHUTOUTS AND WAS STILL CHOPING WOOD AT 80 YEARS OF AGE.I AM PROUD TO OWN AN ORIGINAL CY YOUNG AUTOGRAPH,IT IS ONE OF MY MOST TREASURED POSSESSIONS OF BASEBALL HISTORY.FINALLY IN THE YEAR 2000 A DIFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OF DENTON TRUE YTOUNG WAS PUBLISHED.NOW EVERYONE WHO READS THIS GREAT BOOK WILL KNOW THAT THE PITCHERS OF TODAY ARE OVERPAID,NOT REALLY VERY GOOD AND IN TOTAL RESPECT OF THE MASTER OF THEM ALL CY YOUNG!!!!!!!I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO EVERYONE WHO RESPECTS REAL PITCHING GREATNESS-THE ONE THE ONLY CY YOUNG!!!!!!!

Old Cy Young
Considering that one of baseball's most prestigious awards was named after this man, it's astonishing that no comprehensive biography ever was written about him - until now. There was a juvenile bio here and there, a brief excursion through Young's life by Ralph Romig in 1964, but nothing else.

Professor Reed Browning filled the gap, and he did so admirably. Some argue that Cy Young was such an uninteresting person that he left biographers little about which to write. But if you're truly a baseball fan and a student of the game, the basic facts of Young's life and career are inherently fascinating. Even for that period in baseball history Young's accomplishments and feats of endurance were extraordinary enough that they help the book write itself.

In this scholarly work Professor Browning highlights the contexts in which Young lived and played the game of baseball. He ties together the strands of Young's long career in a well-organized and engrossing format. He avoids wandering and speculation and binds his commentary close to the available data.

I thoroughly enjoyed this work and it clearly is a major contribution to the research on baseball history.

In my opinion even the casual fan of baseball, who wants to understand the history of the game better, will prize this book.

Mark Wernick, Ph.D.

Sports fan "must read"
As a Boston fan for over 60 years I found some pride in reading this. Oh that we could find such pitchers with such talent and morality (if not mortality) in this day and age.

I did notice on page 228, 14th line from the botton that a calculation error was made and I can't find the publisher on the web to report it. Both records should "tally to 38 games" would be the correction.

An excellent buy and worthy of recommendation. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Another time, another place...
Bill Werber shares his experiences and remembrances of playing the National pastime in the 1930's. It was an era that is difficult for modern fans to imagine. Thanks to the memories of Werber and the skill of co-author Paul Rogers at detailing them, the life of a ballpayer pre-intercontinental travel, airplanes, multi year contracts and night games comes alive for the reader.

Werber was somewhat of an anomaly for the time; College educated, well read and intellectually curious, he made a stark contrast to the typical little educated, hard living, hard drinking, brawling ballplayer of that generation. Yet, he possessed a toughness of his own. A toughness that enabled him as a rookie to