Synopses & Reviews
In descriptions of athletes, the word and#8220;heroand#8221; is bandied about and liberally attached to players with outstanding statistics and championship rings. Gil Hodges: A Hall of Fame Life is the story of a man who epitomized heroism in its truest meaning, holding values and personal interactions to be of utmost importance throughout his lifeand#8212;on the diamond, as a marine in World War II, and in his personal and civic life. A New York City icon and, with the Brooklyn Dodgers, one of the finest first basemen of all time, Gil Hodges (1924and#8211;72) managed the Washington Senators and later the New York Mets, leading the 1969 and#8220;Miracle Metsand#8221; to a World Series championship. A beloved baseball star, Hodges was also an ethical figure whose sturdy values both on and off the field once prompted a Brooklyn priest to tell his congregation to and#8220;go home, and say a prayer for Gil Hodgesand#8221; in order to snap him out of the worst batting slump of his career.
Mort Zachter examines Hodgesand#8217;s playing and managing days, but perhaps more important, he unearths his true heroism by emphasizing the impact that Hodgesand#8217;s humanity had on those around him on a daily basis. Hodges was a witty man with a dry sense of humor, and his dignity and humble sacrifice sometimes masked a temper that made Joe Torre refer to him as the and#8220;Quiet Inferno.and#8221; The honesty and integrity that made him so popular to so many remained his defining elements. Firsthand interviews of the many soldiers, friends, family, former teammates, players, and managers who knew and respected Hodges bring the totality of his life into full view, providing a rounded appreciation for this great man and ballplayer.
Review
"Kurlansky effectively adds admirable layers to a 'quintessential secular Jew' often misunderstood and certainly deserving of more appreciation, on and off the field."and#8212;Post and Courier
Review
"Mark Kurlansky, a historian and a fan, zeroes in on Greenberg like Hammerin' Hank teeing off on a fastball."and#8212;Allen Barra, Newark Star-Ledger
Review
"Kurlansky's...volume puts a fascinating period of sports history into a vivid cultural context."and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Review
"A graceful appreciation."—Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today San Francisco Chronicle
Review
"Kurlansky...shows how the American Jewish experience can be a secular one, that playing baseball served as part of the Americanization process for immigrant families....For fans of baseball's golden greats, of interpretive biographies, and of [the Jewish Lives] series."and#8212;Library Journal
Review
and#8220;Always winning. . . . Kurlansky adroitly weaves the reluctance with which Greenberg wore this symbolic tallit throughout his life.and#8221;and#8212;New York Times Book Review
Review
"The prolific Kurlansky has outdone himself."—Jan Gardner, Boston Sunday Globe Bill Scheft - New York Times Book Review
Review
"It's the best of the lot because it kept surprising me."and#8212;Steven V. Roberts, The Washington Post
Review
"Context is vital to the craft of biography. Kurlansky provides excellent context over and over. What he offers about Greenberg playing or not playing on Yom Kippur constitutes valuable context about Judaism"and#8212;Steve Weinberg, Jewish Journal
Review
andquot;Reuss is a gifted storyteller, and he ably communicates his love for the game in an easy, conversational style that makes for pleasurable reading. His book will appeal to any reader interested in 1970s and 1980s baseball, as well as many other fans.andquot;andmdash;Library Journal
Review
andquot;If you've ever wondered about what goes on behind the scenes in major league baseball, particularly in the clubhouse, this is a must-read book.andquot;andmdash;Ron Cervenka, thinkbluela.com
Review
"As he did throughout a career that touched an amazing four decades (1969-1990), Reuss delivers plenty of strikes on the page."and#8212;John L. Smith, Las Vegas Review-Journal
Review
and#8220;In Bring In the Right-Hander! Jerry Reuss delivers a revealing and remarkable performance.and#8221;and#8212;Fred Claire, former Los Angeles Dodger executive vice president and general manager and author of Fred Claire: My 30 Years in Dodger Blue
Review
and#8220;Jerry Reuss had one of the great deliveries in baseball. And he has pitched a strike again with an insightful look at a career that transcended the and#8216;Golden Eraand#8217; of the and#8217;60s, and#8217;70s, and and#8217;80s. I couldnand#8217;t put it down!and#8221;and#8212;Steve Garvey, 1974 National League Most Valuable Player and ten-time All-Star
Review
"Clark, having called well over 3,000 MLB games, offers a perspective that is engaging as well as steeped in personal experience. It will be of interest to any baseball fan."and#8212;Brian Renvall, Library Journal
Review
and#8220;Al Clark never threw me out of a game, but Billy Martin wasnand#8217;t so fortunate. I not only witnessed his confrontations with Al but enjoyed remembering them in this book.and#8221;and#8212;Ron Blomberg, first designated hitter
Review
and#8220;Some of the nicest conversations Iand#8217;ve had in forty-two years of baseball have been with umpires. I loved any time spent with my friend Al Clark. Enjoy some great baseball stories from a man who once had a front-row seat in our great game.and#8221;and#8212;Chris Wheeler, Phillies broadcaster
Review
"Of interest to any baseball fan who wants to know about the business side of the game's history."and#8212;Library Journal
Review
and#8220;Russell Buhite makes a significant contribution to the rapidly growing scholarly work on baseballand#8217;s past.and#8221;and#8212;Charles C. Alexander, author of Breaking the Slump: Baseball in the Depression Era
Review
and#8220;Russell Buhite, a former Minor League baseball player and an accomplished historian, is well equipped to provide this entertaining, informative, insightful, and personal account of Branch Rickeyand#8217;s abortive Continental League.and#8221;and#8212;James Giglio, Distinguished Professor of History Emeritus at Missouri State University and author of Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man
Review
and#8220;Andy McCue has written the definitive biography of the fascinating and elusive Walter Oand#8217;Malley, the man who changed the way a country thinks about its national pastime. Wise and engaging. A must-read for every historian of the game.and#8221;and#8212;Michael Shapiro, author of The Last Good Season
Review
"This book goes beyond baseball, also giving readers an understanding of America itself after the turn of the century. An excellent choice."and#8212;Library Journal starred review
Review
and#8220;It took more than a century, but weand#8217;ve finally got the book we deserve about baseballand#8217;s most infamous batting race. Thanks to Rick Huhn, it was worth the wait.and#8221;and#8212;Rob Neyer, national baseball editor of the website Baseball Nation.com
Review
and#8220;With graceful writing and exhaustive research, Huhn gives life to one of baseballand#8217;s great untold stories.and#8221;and#8212;Jon Wertheim, senior writer for Sports Illustrated
Review
and#8220;This is the kind of baseball history we need more ofand#8212;a book grounded in a great story, shaped by intelligent assessments of the evidence, committed to accuracy and truth-telling, and presented in vigorous prose.and#8221;and#8212;Reed Browning, author of Cy Young: A Baseball Life
Review
and#8220;
The Chalmers Race seamlessly weaves its compelling stories and is a deftly told saga of a game-changing and living controversy.and#8221;and#8212;Gerald C. Wood, author of
Smoky Joe Wood: The Biography of a Baseball LegendReview
"This longtime attorney remains a gentle, always enthusiastic questioner, interested in his subjects' love for the game, their experiences with anti-Semitism and their connection to their faith."and#8212;Kirkus
Review
"Jews have played a key role in baseball history, as has been frequently noted. There is now a celebratory tone to the topic, and this book is firmly within the new tradition."and#8212;Library Journal
Review
"American Jews and America's Game is a highly personal, heartfelt collaborative exploration between the interviewer, his subject and its participants and devotees."and#8212;Andrew P. Fleischer, Jewish Journal
Review
andldquo;A compelling, detailed and richly nuanced biography,
Mover and Shaker shows Oandrsquo;Malley as a shrewd and daring businessman who became a major force behind key changes in the sport. . . . The real insight of Mr. McCueandrsquo;s book is that Oandrsquo;Malley was a man who embraced risk and adapted well to new situations.andrdquo;andmdash;Paul Dickson,
Wall Street Journaland#160;
Review
"If you are interested in the details of baseball's backroom machinations during the 1940s to the 1970s; the blow by blow account of building Dodger Stadium and the true story of the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn, including a highly credible analysis of his motivation for moving his team and family across the country, then I highly recommend Moverand#160;and Shaker by Andy McCue."and#8212;Paul Hirsch, seamheads.com
Review
and#8220;The most versatile man I know; sports, music, writing, the law, he could do it all.and#8221;and#8212;Tim McCarver
Review
and#8220;When it came to baseball, Cashen had the magic touch.and#8221;and#8212;Nelson Doubleday Jr., former president of Doubleday and former owner of the New York Mets
Review
and#8220;Frank Cashen, through shrewd trades and organizational development, put together two of the most complete pitching staffs in baseball history. Through the use of both the numbers and his great appreciation of the eyes and ears of the game (the scouts), Mr. Cashen assembled iconic franchises. Orioles and Mets fans applaud.and#8221;and#8212;Ron Darling, New York Mets pitcher in the 1980s
Review
and#8220;Frank Cashen liked being a sportswriter, liked being a lawyer, liked running a brewery, but loved being a baseball general manager. He took his intellect, people skills, great judgment, and passion and became one of the best baseball GMs ever.and#8221;and#8212;Jim Palmer, broadcaster and Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame pitcher
Review
and#8220;Cashen is a hero to the little people in baseball. He believed in scouting and the Minor Leagues and persuaded the big league owners to provide a retirement plan for the forgotten people of baseball.and#8221;and#8212;Harry Minor, long-time New York Mets scout
Review
andquot;Everything about Called Out But Safe is personal, and thank goodness for it.andquot;andmdash;Don Laible, Utica Observer-Dispatch
Review
"A graceful appreciation."and#8212;Bob Minzesheimer, USA Today
Review
"If this fine biography is any sampleand#160;of [the series] previously published and those still to come, theseand#160;publications will make a stellar contribution to our understanding of notable Jews. . . . Mark Kurlansky offers an excellent, well-written analysis of the life and times of Hank Greenberg. . . . This account of Greenberg's life is thorough, insightful, and well-written."and#8212;Morton I. Teicher, National Jewish Post and Opinion
Review
"Well-written, clear and concise."and#8212;Zachary Munson, The Weekly Standard
Review
"This account of Greenberg's life is thorough, insightful and well-written. It achieves distinction by describing his character and career, setting them against the background of a turbulent era in Jewish history."and#8212;Morton Teicher, Jewish Journal
Review
"[Winning in Both Leagues] delivers a refreshingly compact and unpretentious change of pace."and#8212;Henry D. Fetter, Wall Street Journal
Review
and#8220;A Game of Their Own reveals a thrilling and too-long-hidden part of our collective sports history. We owe Jennifer Ring a debt of gratitude for assembling this terrific text. We owe a similar debt to the women in these pages who fiercely and rebelliously love a sport that for too long has refused to return their affections. I donand#8217;t think a person can say they have a comprehensive sports history library without the inclusion of A Game of Their Own.and#8221;and#8212;Dave Zirin, sports editor of The Nation
Review
andldquo;Ring does not bring comfort to those comfortable with the status quo in baseball. She raises tough questions and follows up with a poignant account of the girls and women who must continue to fight for their place on the field. Meticulously researched, eloquently told.andrdquo;andmdash;Jean Hastings Ardell, author of
Breaking into Baseball: Women and the National Pastimeand#160;
Review
and#8220;Jennifer Ring has written a book that fills a painful gap in baseball history. It is so much more than the story of the playing careers of a group of ballplayers. It is an examination, through the words of the players themselves, of their trials and struggles to be accepted as ballplayers.and#8221;and#8212;Leslie Heaphy, associate professor of history at Kent State University at Stark and coeditor of Encyclopedia of Women in Baseball
Review
andquot;Dan Austin's appreciation of Alexander provides baseball fans with a sense of how scouts discovered and cultivated players before the advent of the Major League Scouting Bureau.andquot;andmdash;Bill Littlefield, Only a Game
Review
and#8220;Baseballand#8217;s Last Great Scout was a great pleasure for me to read. Hugh Alexander was one of the most interesting and unique men I ever met. As far as baseball: his best quality was enthusiasm for the game along with confidence and desire to make his teams better. He was a great help to me and everyone else he worked with over the years.and#8221;and#8212;Jim Frey, former Major League Baseball coach and manager
Review
and#8220;and#8216;Uncle Hughieand#8217; was truly an icon, a legend, and, as the book shows, a super scout. Iand#8217;ve always felt the scouting profession in baseball has been underappreciated because so few fans really understand the trials and tribulations of the people who are the lifeblood of any organization. Danand#8217;s book delves into one of the real old-time scoutand#8217;s daily efforts to find the next Major League Baseball player. Hughieand#8217;s efforts played out in every change in scouting from true free agency to several changes in the draft rules. And because of his efforts and shrewdness in adapting to these changes, he helped all his teams get better. A fun read about a true character that I know youand#8217;ll enjoy.and#8221;and#8212;Dallas Green, senior advisor to the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
Review
and#8220;Armour and Levitt have given the reader an inside look into the different cultures and challenges facing professional sports executives. Their management styles might differ, but the objective never changes: and#8216;Be a consistent winner.and#8217;and#8221;and#8212;Pat Gillick
Review
and#8220;A rare combination of a must-have reference book and engaging storytelling by distinguished baseball historians Armour and Levitt.and#8221;and#8212;Vince Gennaro, president of the Society for American Baseball Research and author of
Diamond Dollars: The Economics of Winning in Baseballand#160;
Review
and#8220;A great source of well-researched front office stories. . . . Armour and Levitt give an insiderand#8217;s look at the teamsand#8217; efforts to innovate in this highly competitive industry.and#8221;and#8212;Sig Mejdal, director of Decision Sciences for the Houston Astros
Review
and#8220;If Moneyball is the tale of how a modern front office works, In Pursuit of Pennants is the prequel that ably sets the stage.and#8221;and#8212;Jonah Keri, author of the bestselling The Extra 2% and Up, Up, and Away
Review
andldquo;The definitive and wonderfully told tale of a baseball icon. Mort Zachter has given Gil Hodges the biography he has long deserved.andrdquo;andmdash;Michael Shapiro, professor of journalism at Columbia University and author of
The Last Good Season: Brooklyn, the Dodgers and Their Final Pennant Race Togetherand#160;
Review
andldquo;Whether focusing on Hodges the Hoosier, the marine on Okinawa, the home runandndash;hitting slugger, or the Brooklynite on Bedford Avenue, Mort Zachter has given us Gil, right down to the nub of his Marlboro. His mincing steps to the mound are remembered along with the candles lit in church and the day Brooklynandrsquo;s heart skipped a beat with his. This one spikes high into your heart; the Hodges epic is a lesson in humanity for all seasons.andrdquo;andmdash;Bob McGee, author of The Greatest Ballpark Ever: Ebbets Field and the Story of the Brooklyn Dodgersand#160;
Review
andldquo;Zachter brings the same grace and precision to the page that Hodges brought to first base at Ebbets Field and with methodical research, insight, and pure affection gives life to the man behind the astounding stats, proving once and for all that Hodges truly belongs in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Kudos to Mort Zachter for giving a beloved Brooklyn legend his due.andrdquo;andmdash;Marty Markowitz, former Brooklyn Borough president
and#160;
Review
andldquo;As a Marine, one of Brooklynandrsquo;s beloved Boys of Summer, and the manager of the Miracle Mets, Gil Hodges lived a great American life, though one cut too short. In these pages you understand how Hodges defined what it meant to be a role model in a golden age.andrdquo;andmdash;Tom Verducci, senior writer for
Sports Illustratedand#160;
Review
and#8220;Mashi Murakamiand#8217;s impact can still be felt in baseball stadiums on both sides of the Pacific. He is a pioneer in every sense of the wordand#8212;a true ambassador for the game of baseball.and#8221;and#8212;Allan H. and#8220;Budand#8221; Selig, the ninth commissioner of baseball
Review
and#8220;Rob Fitts has fabulously transported us back to Mashiand#8217;s family roots, childhood passion for the grand game, and his trajectory to become the first Major Leaguer from Japan. It is a discovery and rediscovery of culture, baseball dynamics/politics, and the man who transcended the sport as a gigantic touchstone and#8216;pioneerand#8217; for future players from Asia.and#8221;and#8212;Kerry Yo Nakagawa, author of Through a Diamond: 100 Years of Japanese American Baseball
Review
and#8220;Miller Huggins and Jacob Ruppert are two of baseballand#8217;s all-time great characters, and they finally get the treatment they deserve in this highly entertaining, meticulously researched book. You donand#8217;t have to be a Yankees fan to enjoy this wonderful story from baseballand#8217;s golden age.and#8221;and#8212;Jonathan Eig, New York Times best-selling author of Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig
Review
and#8220;The foundation of the legendary New York Yankees that we know today was arguably built on the shoulders of three men: Ruth, Ruppert, and Huggins. While Babe Ruthand#8217;s exploits have been well documented over the years, we now finally have the definitive story of Yankees owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert and his diminutive giant of a manager, Miller Huggins. . . . A and#8216;must-readand#8217; for any fan of the history of this great game.and#8221;and#8212;Vince Gennaro, president of the Society for Baseball Research and professor of sports business management at Columbia University
Review
and#8220;Everyone thinks that it was Babe Ruth who turned the suffering Yankees of New York into the Crusaders of Baseball. The Babe helped, surely, but it was two invisible charactersand#8212;the teamand#8217;s owner, Jacob Ruppert, and the manager, Miller Hugginsand#8212;who played major roles in the Yankees' everlasting turnaround. Our blessings to Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz for finally bringing Ruppert and Huggins to new generations of fans.and#8221;and#8212;Al Silverman, former editor of Sport Magazine and editor and publisher at Viking/Penguin
Review
"The very best history includes a compelling story replete with seminal characters, provides thorough research (including extensive footnotes and bibliography) and combines a masterful understanding of the era with a vivid style. When a century-old subject continues to inspire debate and controversy, there's no doubt that the reading public anxiously awaits the definitive treatment from just the right author. Rick Huhn is that author, and The Chalmers Race is that subject."and#8212;Spitball
Review
"A well-researched, entertaining read."and#8212;Bob D'Angelo, Tampa Tribune
Review
"Whether you've heard the stories before, or whether some of the information is totally new, Cashen's is a good read."and#8212;Pete Kerzel,
Mid Atlantic Sports NetworkReview
"Bring In the Right-Hander is a revealing look at Reuss's career, from his start with the Cardinals all the way through his final days as a Pirate."and#8212;Cardinal Conclave
Review
and#8220;One of the best and most important baseball books of the year, and one thatand#8217;s been a long time comin.and#8217;and#8221;and#8212;Allen Barra,
Dallas Morning Newsand#160;
Review
and#8220;Outstanding. . . . I really canand#8217;t recommend Mover and Shaker highly enough.and#8221;and#8212;Rob Neyer, FoxSports.com
and#160;
Review
and#8220;McCue covers this with an expertand#8217;s hand . . . in this highly readable account of perhaps the most influential baseball owner of the last century.and#8221;and#8212;Seamheads.com
and#160;
Review
andquot;Mover and Shaker . . . must be counted a brilliant success.andquot;andmdash;Spitball
Review
andquot;A top-notch sports biography.andquot;andmdash;Kirkus starred review
Review
andquot;Mort Zachter captures the essence of Hodges in his biography.andquot;andmdash;Bob Dand#39;Angelo, Tampa Tribune
Review
andquot;This revealing book, which makes an important contribution to sports and womenand#39;s history, will interest anyone curious about an overlooked segment of amateur athletics.andquot;andmdash;Craig Clark, Booklist
Review
andquot;[An] excellent biography.andquot;andmdash;Jacqueline Cutler, Newark Star Ledger
Review
andquot;Fans who remember the Brooklyn Bums and the Miracle Mets will find this a must-read.andquot;andmdash;Jim Burns, Library Journal
Review
andquot;Mashi is a nice look at a man and career that deserved to be more than footnotes in baseball history.andquot;andmdash;Bob Dand#39;Angelo, Tampa Tribune
Review
andquot;Read this book for its treasure trove of baseball history and because it is a damn good read.andquot;andmdash;G. Louis Heath, ARETE
Review
andquot;The Colonel and Hug explores that remarkably fruitful relationship in a meticulous account brimming with quotes from the period.andquot;andmdash;Edward Achorn, Weekly Standard
Review
and#8220;Capturing the inner life of an NFL player is challenging enough. Revealing the torment, hubris, and shame that marked Darryl Henleyand#8217;s downfall is a task that only the bravest reporter could undertake.and#8221;and#8212;Adam Schefter, NFL reporter for ESPN
Review
and#8220;[
Intercepted is] engrossing, heartbreaking, upliftingand#8212;and dynamic. A fantastic book.and#8221;and#8212;Jeff Pearlman, author of the
New York Times bestseller
Sweetness: The Enigmatic Life of Walter PaytonReview
and#8220;Intercepted is rivetingand#8212;the perfect pairing of saga and author. The twisted, tragic, stranger-than-fiction journey of Darryl Henley is sensational in the hands of Michael McKnight, a gifted storyteller who also happens to be one of Americaand#8217;s best investigative journalists.and#8221;and#8212;Austin Murphy, senior writer for Sports Illustrated and author of The Sweet Season
Review
and#8220;Gritty and intimate, Intercepted is a mind-blowing account of an NFL starand#8217;s fall from fame. McKnight is a first-rate reporter who masterfully tells a story that will leave readers unable to put the book down. The detail and the drama are breathtaking.and#8221;and#8212;Jeff Benedict, Sports Illustrated contributor and author of Poisoned
Review
and#8220;This tormented tale of hubris and corruption, loaded with seedy characters, reads like a legal thriller. But McKnightand#8217;s thorough examination of former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Darryl Henleyand#8217;s sordid fall from grace is a cautionary all-too-real story of sex, drugs, and murder. . . . Sports Illustrated writer McKnightand#8217;s meticulous research and attention to detail nearly indicts the U.S. justice system and its own glaring flaws.and#8221;and#8212;Publishers Weekly
Review
and#8220;In the end what proved the fatal flaw of a man who looked as if he should have succeeded in the NFL and beyond? William Kopeny, an attorney who helped Henleyand#8217;s defense team, offered McKnight this explanation: and#8216;Vanity and cool . . . Thatand#8217;s the only thing I can come up with. Vanity and cool.and#8217;and#8221;and#8212;Bill Littlefield, Boston Globe
Review
and#8220;A legal/mystery novel with a compelling tale of both justice and injustice of our legal system. There were definitely two sides to this story of Henley.and#8221;and#8212;
Gridiron Greats Book Reviewand#160;
and#160;
Review
and#8220;[A] crime story page-turner.and#8221;and#8212;Library Journal
Review
andldquo;Absolutely fantastic. It was truly a pleasure to read.andrdquo;andmdash;Josh Lewin, New York Mets broadcaster and#160;
Review
andquot;The Colonel and Hug explains admirably how the Yankees became the Yankees. Steinberg and Spatz draw heavily on their research to provide a readable, lively narrative.andquot;andmdash;Bob Dand#39;Angelo, Tampa Tribune
Review
and#8220;The historian Jacques Barzun was right when he said, and#8216;Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball.and#8217; Larry Ruttman knows that too, and that is why I chose to write this Foreword to his book American Jews and America's Game. His stories cover almost one hundred years of American history and the place of American Jews in that history. . . . This is a book that celebrates familyand#8212;baseballand#8217;s, yours, and mine.and#8221;and#8212;from the foreword by Allan H. and#8220;Budand#8221; Selig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball
Review
andquot;Fitts, coupled with Murakamiand#39;s voice and experiences, tells the proud tale of a young man who was whisked into the spotlight and became a shining example of the equality that could be reached between the Japanese and Americans on the baseball diamond. Reading Mashi brings us all a few steps closer to what it was like to be there on this landmark journey.andquot;andmdash;Examiner
Review
andquot;Robert Fitts has undertaken a great task with this book.andquot;andmdash;Greggand#39;s Baseball Bookcase
Review
andquot;Mashi will take you along on his eventful ride from Yamanashi Prefecture to San Francisco.andquot;andmdash;Rashaad Jorden, JETwit.com
Synopsis
One of the reasons baseball fans so love the sport is that it involves certain physical acts of beauty. And one of the most beautiful sights in the history of baseball was Hank Greenberg's swing. His calmly poised body seemed to have some special set of springs with a trigger release that snapped his arms and swept the bat through the air with the clean speed and strength of a propeller. But what is even more extraordinary than his grace and his power is that in Detroit of 1934, his swingand#8212;or its absenceand#8212;became entwined with American Jewish history. Though Hank Greenberg was one of the first players to challenge Babe Ruth's single-season record of sixty home runs, it was the game Greenberg did not play for which he is best remembered. With his decision to sit out a 1934 game between his Tigers and the New York Yankees because it fell on Yom Kippur, Hank Greenberg became a hero to Jews throughout America. Yet, as Kurlansky writes, he was the quintessential secular Jew, and to celebrate him for his loyalty to religious observance is to ignore who this man was.
In Hank Greenberg Mark Kurlansky explores the truth behind the slugger's legend: his Bronx boyhood, his spectacular discipline as an aspiring ballplayer, the complexity of his decision not to play on Yom Kippur, and the cultural context of virulent anti-Semitism in which his career played out.
What Kurlansky discovers is a man of immense dignity and restraint with a passion for sport who became a great readerand#8212;a man, too, who was an inspiration to the young Jackie Robinson, whoand#160;said, "Class tells. It sticks out all over Mr. Greenberg."
Synopsis
The remarkable life story of the first Jewish superstar athlete, by New York Times best-selling author Mark Kurlansky
One of the reasons baseball fans so love the sport is that it involves certain physical acts of beauty. And one of the most beautiful sights in the history of baseball was Hank Greenberg's swing. His calmly poised body seemed to have some special set of springs with a trigger release that snapped his arms and swept the bat through the air with the clean speed and strength of a propeller. But what is even more extraordinary than his grace and his power is that in Detroit of 1934, his swing--or its absence--became entwined with American Jewish history. Though Hank Greenberg was one of the first players to challenge Babe Ruth's single-season record of sixty home runs, it was the game Greenberg did not play for which he is best remembered. With his decision to sit out a 1934 game between his Tigers and the New York Yankees because it fell on Yom Kippur, Hank Greenberg became a hero to Jews throughout America. Yet, as Kurlansky writes, he was the quintessential secular Jew, and to celebrate him for his loyalty to religious observance is to ignore who this man was.
In Hank Greenberg Mark Kurlansky explores the truth behind the slugger's legend: his Bronx boyhood, his spectacular discipline as an aspiring ballplayer, the complexity of his decision not to play on Yom Kippur, and the cultural context of virulent anti-Semitism in which his career played out.
What Kurlansky discovers is a man of immense dignity and restraint with a passion for sport who became a great reader--a man, too, who was an inspiration to the young Jackie Robinson, who said, "Class tells. It sticks out all over Mr. Greenberg."
Synopsis
From the prizewinning Jewish Lives series, the remarkable life story of the first Jewish superstar athlete, by New York Times best-selling author Mark Kurlansky
One of the reasons baseball fans so love the sport is that it involves certain physical acts of beauty. And one of the most beautiful sights in the history of baseball was Hank Greenberg's swing. His calmly poised body seemed to have some special set of springs with a trigger release that snapped his arms and swept the bat through the air with the clean speed and strength of a propeller. But what is even more extraordinary than his grace and his power is that in Detroit of 1934, his swing--or its absence--became entwined with American Jewish history. Though Hank Greenberg was one of the first players to challenge Babe Ruth's single-season record of sixty home runs, it was the game Greenberg did not play for which he is best remembered. With his decision to sit out a 1934 game between his Tigers and the New York Yankees because it fell on Yom Kippur, Hank Greenberg became a hero to Jews throughout America. Yet, as Kurlansky writes, he was the quintessential secular Jew, and to celebrate him for his loyalty to religious observance is to ignore who this man was.
In Hank Greenberg Mark Kurlansky explores the truth behind the slugger's legend: his Bronx boyhood, his spectacular discipline as an aspiring ballplayer, the complexity of his decision not to play on Yom Kippur, and the cultural context of virulent anti-Semitism in which his career played out.
What Kurlansky discovers is a man of immense dignity and restraint with a passion for sport who became a great reader--a man, too, who was an inspiration to the young Jackie Robinson, who said, "Class tells. It sticks out all over Mr. Greenberg."
About Jewish Lives:
Jewish Lives is a prizewinning series of interpretative biography designed to explore the many facets of Jewish identity. Individual volumes illuminate the imprint of Jewish figures upon literature, religion, philosophy, politics, cultural and economic life, and the arts and sciences. Subjects are paired with authors to elicit lively, deeply informed books that explore the range and depth of the Jewish experience from antiquity to the present.
In 2014, the Jewish Book Council named Jewish Lives the winner of its Jewish Book of the Year Award, the first series ever to receive this award.
More praise for Jewish Lives:
"Excellent" -New York Times
"Exemplary" -Wall Street Journal
"Distinguished" -New Yorker
"Superb" -The Guardian
Synopsis
The remarkable life story of the first Jewish superstar athlete, by New York Times best-selling author Mark Kurlansky
Synopsis
New York Times best-selling author Mark Kurlansky delivers the compelling life story of Hank Greenberg, the first Jewish player elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Synopsis
One of only twenty-nine Major Leaguers to play in four different decades, Jerry Reuss pitched for eight teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates twice. So when Reuss tells his story, he covers about as much of baseball life as any player can.and#160;
Bring In the Right-Hander! puts us on the mound for the winning pitch in Game Five of the 1981 World Series, then takes us back to the schoolyards and ball fields of Overland, Missouri, where Reuss first dreamed of that scene. His baseball odyssey, dedicated to the mantra and#8220;work hard and play harder,and#8221; began in 1969 with his hometown team, the St. Louis Cardinals (who traded him three years later for mustache-related reasons). Reuss carries us through his winning seasons with the Dodgers, taking in a no-hitter and that World Series triumph, and introducing us to some of baseballand#8217;s most colorful characters. Along the way, as the grizzled veteran faces injuries, releases, and trips to the Minors, then battling his way back into the Majors to finish his career with the Pirates, we get a glimpse of the real grit behind big league life, on and off the field.
and#160;
Synopsis
If an umpire could steal the show in a Major League game, Al Clark might well have been the one to do it. Tough but fair, in his thirty years as a professional umpire he took on some of baseballand#8217;s great umpire baiters, such as Earl Weaver, Billy Martin, and Dick Williams, while ejecting any number of the gameand#8217;s eliteand#8212;once tearing a hamstring in the process. He was the first Jewish umpire in American League history, and probably the first to eject his own father from the officialsand#8217; dressing room. But whatever Clark was doingand#8212;officiating at Nolan Ryanand#8217;s three hundredth win, Cal Ripkenand#8217;s record breaker, or the and#8220;earthquakeand#8221; World Series of 1989, or braving a labor dispute, an anti-Semitic tirade by a Cy Young Award winner, or a legal imbroglioand#8212;it makes for a good story.
and#160;Called Out but Safe is Clarkand#8217;s outspoken and often hilarious account of his life in baseball from umpire school through the highlights to the inglorious end of his stellar career. Not just a source of baseball history and lore, Clarkand#8217;s book also affords a rare look at what life is like for someone who works for the Major Leaguesand#8217; other team.and#160;
and#160;
Synopsis
Long before there was
Moneyball, a group of investors led by baseball legend Branch Rickey proposed a new economic model for baseball. Based on an innovative approach to evaluating and developing talent, the Continental League was the last serious attempt to form a third Major League. The leagueand#8217;s brief history affords a glimpse of any number of missed chances for Americaand#8217;s game.
and#160;As one of the original Continental Leaguers, historian Russell D. Buhite isand#8212;literallyand#8212;talking and#8220;inside baseballand#8221; when he describes what happened in 1959 and 1960. Part memoir, part history, his account of the origin, development, and eventual undoing of the Continental League explores the organizationand#8217;s collective corporate structure as well as its significant role in building a thriving Minor League and forcing expansion on Major League Baseball. Buhite captures a lost era in baseball history and examines its lasting impact on the game.
and#160;
Synopsis
One of the most influential and controversial team owners in professional sports history, Walter Oand#8217;Malley (1903and#8211;79) is best rememberedand#8212;and still reviled by manyand#8212;for moving the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. Yet much of the Oand#8217;Malley story leading up to the Dodgersand#8217; move is unknown or created from myth, and there is substantially more to the man. When he entered the public eye, the self-constructed family background and early life he presented was gilded. Later his personal story was distorted by some New York sportswriters, who hated him for moving the Dodgers.and#160;and#160;
and#160;In Mover and Shaker Andy McCue presents for the first time an objective, complete, and nuanced account of Oand#8217;Malleyand#8217;s life. He also departs from the overly sentimentalized accounts of Oand#8217;Malley as either villain or angel and reveals him first and foremost as a rational, hardheaded businessman, who was a major force in baseball for three decades and whose management and marketing practices radically changed the shape of the game.
and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
In 1910 auto magnate Hugh Chalmers offered an automobile to the baseball player with the highest batting average that season. What followed was a batting race unlike any before or since, between the greatest but most despised hitter, Detroitand#8217;s Ty Cobb, and the American Leagueand#8217;s first superstar, Clevelandand#8217;s popular Napoleon Lajoie.
The Chalmers Race captures the excitement of this strange contestand#8212;one that has yet to be resolved.
and#160;The race came down to the last game of the season, igniting more interest among fans than the World Series and becoming a national obsession. Rick Huhn re-creates the drama that ensued when Cobb, thinking the prize safely his, skipped the last two games, and Lajoie suspiciously had eight hits in a doubleheader against the St. Louis Browns. Although initial counts favored Lajoie, American League president Ban Johnson, the sportand#8217;s last word, announced Cobb the winner, and amid the controversy both players received cars. The Chalmers Race details a story of dubious scorekeeping and statistical systems, of performances and personalities in conflict, of accurate results coming in seventy years too late, and of a contest settled not by play on the field but by human foibles.
and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
Most fans donand#8217;t know how far the Jewish presence in baseball extends beyond a few famous players such as Greenberg, Rosen, Koufax, Holtzman, Green, Ausmus, Youkilis, Braun, and Kinsler. In fact, that presence extends to the baseball commissioner Bud Selig, labor leaders Marvin Miller and Don Fehr, owners Jerry Reinsdorf and Stuart Sternberg, officials Theo Epstein and Mark Shapiro, sportswriters Murray Chass, Ross Newhan, Ira Berkow, and Roger Kahn, and even famous Jewish baseball fans like Alan Dershowitz and Barney Frank.and#160;
The life stories of these and many others, on and off the field, have been compiled from nearly fifty in-depth interviews and arranged by decade in this edifying and entertaining work of oral and cultural history. In American Jews and Americaand#8217;s Game each person talks about growing up Jewish and dealing with Jewish identity, assimilation, intermarriage, future viability, religious observance, anti-Semitism, and Israel. Each tells about being in the midst of the colorful pantheon of players who, over the past seventy-five years or more, have made baseball what it is. Their stories tell, as no previous book has, the history of the larger-than-life role of Jews in Americaand#8217;s pastime.
Synopsis
In Winning in Both Leagues J. Frank Cashen looks back over his twenty-five-year career in baseball. Best known as the general manager of the New York Mets during their remaking and rise to glory in the 1980s, Cashen fills the pages with lively stories from his baseball tenure during the last half of the twentieth century. His career included a stint with the Baltimore Orioles of the late andrsquo;60s and andrsquo;70s, working with manager Earl Weaver and the great teams of the early andrsquo;70s, including such players as Jim Palmer, Frank Robinson, and Brooks Robinson. Later, tapped by Mets owner Nelson Doubleday Jr. to bring the Mets to the pinnacle of Major League Baseball, Cashen, with the rise of superstars Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, led the Mets to the thrilling come-from-behind victory over the Boston Red Sox leading to the World Series championship in 1986.and#160;
Winning in Both Leagues also chronicles the drafting of Billy Beane, who would later be the focus of the New York Times bestseller Moneyball. Cashen, who was a central figure in the fierce competition with New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, excelled at building winning ball clubs and remains one of only two general managers ever to win a World Series in both leagues.
Synopsis
In 2010 twenty American women were selected to represent Team USA in the fourth Womenandrsquo;s Baseball World Cup in Caracas, Venezuela; most Americans, however, had no idea such a team even existed.and#160;A Game of Their Own chronicles the largely invisible history of women in baseball and offers an account of the 2010 Womenandrsquo;s World Cup tournament. Jennifer Ring includes oral histories of eleven members of the U.S. Womenandrsquo;s National Team, from the moment each player picked up a bat and ball as a young girl to her selection for Team USA. Each story is unique, but they share common themes that will resonate with young female players and fans alike: facing skepticism and taunts from players and parents when taking the batterandrsquo;s box or the pitcherandrsquo;s mound, self-doubt, the unceasing pressure to switch to softball, and eventual acceptance by their baseball teammates as they prove themselves as ballplayers. These racially, culturally, and economically diverse players from across the country have ignored the message that their love of the national pastime is andldquo;wrong.andrdquo; Their stories come alive as they recount their battles and most memorable moments playing baseballandmdash;the joys of exceeding expectations and the pleasure of honing baseball skills and talent despite the lack of support.and#160;With exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and administrators, A Game of Their Own celebrates the U.S. Womenandrsquo;s National Team and the excellence of its remarkable players. In response to the jeer andldquo;No girls allowed!andrdquo; these are powerful stories of optimism, feistiness, and staying true to oneself.
Synopsis
Late in 1937 Hugh Alexander, a kid fresh out of small-town Oklahoma, had just finished his second year playing outfield for the Cleveland Indians when an oil rig accident ripped off his left hand. Within three months he was back with the Indians, but this time as a scoutand#8212;the youngest ever in Major League history. In the next six decades he signed more players who made it to the Majors than any other scout.
His story, Baseballand#8217;s Last Great Scout, reads like a backroom, bleacher-seat history of twentieth-century baseballand#8212;and a primer on what it takes to find a winner. It gives a gritty picture of learning the business on the road, from American Legion field to try-out camp to beer joint, and making the fine distinctions between and#8220;performanceand#8221; and and#8220;tools of the tradeand#8221; when checking out prospects. Over the years Alexander worked for the Indians, the White Sox, the LA Dodgers, the Phillies, and the Cubsand#8212;and signed the likes of Allie Reynolds, Don Sutton, and Marty Bystrom. This book, based on extensive interviews and Alexanderand#8217;s journals, is filled with memorable characters, pithy lessons, snapshots of American life, and a big picture of Americaand#8217;s pastime from one of its great off-the-field players.
Synopsis
The 1936 Yankees, the 1963 Dodgers, the 1975 Reds, the 2010 Giantsand#8212;why do some baseball teams win while others donand#8217;t?
General managers and fans alike have pondered this most important of baseball questions. The Moneyball strategy is not the first example of how new ideas and innovative management have transformed the way teams are assembled. In Pursuit of Pennants examines and analyzes a number of compelling, winning baseball teams over the past hundred-plus years, focusing on their decision making and how they assembled their championship teams.
Whether through scouting, integration, instruction, expansion, free agency, or modernizing their management structure, each winning team and each era had its own version of Moneyball, where front office decisions often made the difference. Mark L. Armour and Daniel R. Levitt show how these teams succeeded and how they relied on talent both on the field and in the front office. While there is no recipe for guaranteed success in a competitive, ever-changing environment, these teams demonstrate how creatively thinking about oneand#8217;s circumstances can often lead to a competitive advantage.
Synopsis
In the spring of 1964, the Nankai Hawks of Japanand#8217;s Pacific League sent nineteen-year-old Masanori Murakami to the Class A Fresno Giants to improve his skills. To nearly everyoneand#8217;s surprise, Murakami, known as Mashi, dominated the American hitters. With the San Francisco Giants caught in a close pennant race and desperate for a left-handed reliever, Masanori was called up to join the big league club, becoming the first Japanese player in the Major Leagues.
Featuring pinpoint control, a devastating curveball, and a friendly smile, Mashi became the Giantsand#8217; top lefty reliever and one of the teamand#8217;s most popular playersand#8212;as well as a national hero in Japan. Not surprisingly, the Giants offered him a contract for the 1965 season. Murakami signed, announcing that he would be thrilled to stay in San Francisco. There was just one problem: the Nankai Hawks still owned his contract.
The dispute over Murakamiand#8217;s contract would ignite an international incident that ultimately prevented other Japanese players from joining the Majors for thirty years. Mashi is the story of an unlikely hero who gets caught up in an American and Japanese baseball dispute and is forced to choose between his dreams in the United States or his duty in Japan.
Synopsis
From the teamand#8217;s inception in 1903, the New York Yankees were a floundering group that played as second-class citizens to the New York Giants. With four winning seasons to date, the team was purchased in 1915 by Jacob Ruppert and his partner, Cap and#8220;Tiland#8221; Huston. Three years later, when Ruppert hired Miller Huggins as manager, the unlikely partnership of the two figures began, one that set into motion the Yankeesand#8217; run as the dominant baseball franchise of the 1920s and the rest of the twentieth century, capturing six American League pennants with Huggins at the helm and four more during Ruppertand#8217;s lifetime.
and#160;The Yankeesand#8217; success was driven by Ruppertand#8217;s executive style and enduring financial commitment, combined with Hugginsand#8217;s philosophy of continual improvement and personnel development. While Ruppert and Huggins had more than a little help from one of baseballand#8217;s greats, Babe Ruth, their close relationship has been overlooked in the Yankeesand#8217; rise to dominance. Though both were small of stature, the two men nonetheless became giants of the game with unassailable mutual trust and loyalty. The Colonel and Hug tells the story of how these two men transformed the Yankees. It also tells the larger story about baseball primarily in the tumultuous period from 1918 to 1929and#8212;with the end of the Deadball Era and the rise of the Lively Ball Era, a gambling scandal, and the collapse of baseballand#8217;s governing structureand#8212;and the significant role the Yankees played in it all. While the hitting of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig won many games for New York, Ruppert and Huggins institutionalized winning for the Yankees.
Synopsis
Hailing from suburban Los Angeles, raised by supportive parents, and educated at a boys-only parochial school, Darryl Henley had it all. He earned a history degree from UCLA, became a first-team All American for the Bruins in 1988, and was a rising star as the starting cornerback for the LA Rams in the early nineties. How Henley, in the space of three short years, went from golden NFL role model to federal inmate is one of the most bizarre stories in the annals of sport-stars-turned-criminal.
The product of eight years of investigative research and over one hundred interviews, Intercepted takes us into Henleyand#8217;s fourth season in the NFL, when he met Rams cheerleader Tracy Donaho and bumped into a boyhood friend named Willie McGowan, a onetime youth-league standout who had since turned to drug trafficking. Henley, Donaho, and McGowan embark on a scheme to transport cocaine that lands Henley in federal prison, where he attempts to arrange a Mafia hit on the sentencing judge and Donaho, who had been the star witness against Henley at his trial. Detailing how one of the best and brightest of our professional athletes destroyed himself through temptation, arrogance, and anger at a justice system that he felt had failed him, Intercepted is also a cautionary tale about American culture, as disturbing as it is impossible to ignore.
About the Author
Mark L. Armour is the author of Joe Cronin: A Life in Baseball, the editor of The Great Eight: The 1975 Cincinnati Reds, and a coeditor of Pitching, Defense, and Three-Run Homers: The 1970 Baltimore Orioles, all available from the University of Nebraska Press. Winner of the 2015 Bob Davids Award from the Society of American Baseball Research, Daniel R. Levitt is the author of Ed Barrow: The Bulldog Who Built the Yankeesand#8217; First Dynasty (Nebraska, 2008) and The Battle that Forged Modern Baseball: The Federal League Challenge and Its Legacy. He is the coauthor (with Mark L. Armour) of Paths to Glory: How Great Baseball Teams Got That Way.