Synopses & Reviews
The latest and greatest in ESPN.com baseball guru Rob Neyer's
Big Book series, Legends is a highly entertaining guide to baseball fables that
have been handed down through generations.
The well-told baseball story has long been a staple for baseball fans. In Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends, Neyer breathes new life into both classic and obscure stories throughout twentieth-century baseball -- stories that, while engaging on their own, also tell us fascinating things about their main characters and about the sport's incredibly rich history. With his signature style, Rob gets to the heart of every anecdote, working through the particulars with careful research drawn from a variety of primary sources. For each story, he asks: Did this really happen? Did it happen, sort of? Or was the story simply the wild invention of someone's imagination? Among the scores of legends Neyer questions and investigates...
- Did an errant Bob Feller pitch really destroy the career of a National League All-Star?
- Did Greg Maddux mean to give up a long blast to Jeff Bagwell?
- Was Fred Lynn the clutch player he thinks he was?
- Did Tommy Lasorda have a direct line to God?
- Did Negro Leaguer Gene Benson really knock Indians second baseman Johnny Berardino out of baseball and into General Hospital?
- Did Billy Martin really outplay Jackie Robinson every time they met?
- Oh, and what about Babe Ruth's "Called Shot"?
Rob checks each story, separates the truths from the myths, and places their fascinating characters into the larger historical context. Filled with insider lore and Neyer's sharp wit and insights, this is an exciting addition to a superb series and an essential read for true fans of our national pastime.
Synopsis
Looking at every position on every major-league team, an ESPN.com baseball columnist presents a series of lineups for each franchise and explores the careers of players both famous and obscure. 25 photos.
Synopsis
The latest and greatest in ESPN.com baseball guru Rob Neyer's Big Book series,
Legends is a highly entertaining guide to baseball fables that have been handed down through generations.
The well-told baseball story has long been a staple for baseball fans. In Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends, Neyer breathes new life into both classic and obscure stories throughout twentieth-century baseball stories that, while engaging on their own, also tell us fascinating things about their main characters and about the sport's incredibly rich history. With his signature style, Rob gets to the heart of every anecdote, working through the particulars with careful research drawn from a variety of primary sources. For each story, he asks: Did this really happen? Did it happen, sort of? Or was the story simply the wild invention of someone's imagination? Among the scores of legends Neyer questions and investigates...
- Did an errant Bob Feller pitch really destroy the career of a National League All-Star?
- Did Greg Maddux mean to give up a long blast to Jeff Bagwell?
- Was Fred Lynn the clutch player he thinks he was?
- Did Tommy Lasorda have a direct line to God?
- Did Negro Leaguer Gene Benson really knock Indians second baseman Johnny Berardino out of baseball and into General Hospital?
- Did Billy Martin really outplay Jackie Robinson every time they met?
- Oh, and what about Babe Ruth's "Called Shot"?
Rob checks each story, separates the truths from the myths, and places their fascinating characters into the larger historical context. Filled with insider lore and Neyer's sharp wit and insights, this is an exciting addition to a superb series and an essential read for true fans of our national pastime.
Table of Contents
CONTENTS
Foreword Preface 1903 Rube WaddellandBeans 1914 Bill BrennanandGrover Land 1923 Clarence "Climax" Blethen 1960 Tommy LasordaandGod 1977-1988 Ron GuidryandWillie Wilson 1991-2005 Greg MadduxandJeff Bagwell 1933 Mel Ott, Ed BrandtandWalter Stewart 1915-1923 Ty CobbandCarl Mays Shoulders of GiantsTaken from the Pages of SABR Journals 1952 Johnny SainandSatchel Paige 1953 Browns Finish...Barely 1922 BrownsandYankees 1922-1927 Fred HaneyandBabe Ruth 1918 Babe RuthandLee Fohl 1962 John FelskeandHal Jeffcoat 1986 Steve BorosandSteve Garvey 1944-1948 Harry ReidandBud Beazley (sp?) 1969-1974 Mike CuellarandEarl Weaver 1977-1986 Dave KingmanandSteve Palermo 1946 Danny LitwhilerandSuits 1973 Johnny CallisonandGeorge Steinbrenner 1977 Reggie JacksonandBilly Martin 1965 Billy Martinandthe '65 Twins 1965 Maury Willsand150 Steals 1975-1988 Fred Lynn 1952-1956 Billy MartinandJackie Robinson 1977-1979 Thurman MunsonandCarlton Fisk 1936 Dick BartellandCy Pfirman 1985 Ron Oesterand.300 1929 Doc CramerandJoe Vosmik 1918 Edd RoushandZack Wheat 1952 Harvey HaddixandHank Sauer 1958 Feller's Lost His Fastball 1946 Gene BensonandJohnny Berardino 1936-1938 Lou Gehrigandthe Impostor 1947 The Death of Bob Feller's Fastball 1940 Bob FellerandBirdie Tebbetts 1956-1957 Ted WilliamsandTommy Byrne 1961 Don DrysdaleandFrank Robinson 1956-1957 Willie MaysandSal Maglie 1970-1972 Willie McCoveyandWillie Mays 1971 J. R. RichardandWillie Mays 1971-1972 MazeroskiandClemente The Glory of His EditingThe Hidden Genius of Lawrence S. Ritter 1913-1917 Honus Wagnerandthe Youngster 1906-1933 Cy RiglerandJohn McGraw 1916-1918 Hal Chase Tries to Throw One...1928 John McGrawand"Buck Lai" 1930-1932 Jimmie ReeseandJewish Yankees 1965 Don DrysdaleandWalt Alston 1959 Joe TaylorandCharlie Metro 1970 Joe FoyandGil Hodges 1947-1948 Rex BarneyandBurt Shotton 1939 Leo DurocherandRed Evans 1930 Leo DurocherandEd Barrow (& Babe Ruth's Watch?) 1926 Pete AlexanderandJoe McCarthy 1943-1953 Gerry Priddyandthe Yankees 1932-1941 Joe McCarthyandRookies 1940 Johnny Babichandthe Yankees 1947 Vic RaschiandJim Turner 1958 Casey StengelandVirgil Trucks 1985-1990 Whitey HerzogandRoger Craig 1906 Frank ChanceandJack Harper 1967-1969 Johnny BenchandGerry Arrigo 1965-1973 Sonny SiebertandDanny Cater 1926 George UhleandBabe Ruth 1932 World SeriesWhen the Babe Did...Something 1934-1941 Bobo NewsomandLefty Grove 1923-1924 Walter MailsandJim Poole 1934 Dizzy DeanandCincinnati 1932 Dizzy DeanandJohn McGraw 1960 Lou BoudreauandRon Santo 1954 Alvin Darkandthe Giants 1949 Yogi Berra 1960-1972 Bob GibsonandTommy Davis 1924 Dazzy VanceandRogers Hornsby 1970-1971 Denny RiddlebergerandBoog Powell 1957-1965 Steve DalkowskiandTed Williams 1946 Joe Tepsicandthe Dodgers 1939 Pie TraynorandCy Blanton 1967 Hawk Harrelsonandthe Orioles 1930 Al Simmons 1940 Luke ApplingandRed Ruffing 1936 Babe PhelpsandVan Lingle Mungo 1957-1959 Juan PizarroandFred Haney 1986 Dwight GoodenandGeorge Foster 1928-1934 Paul WanerandPat Malone 1966 Jimmy WynnandWillie Stargell Notes Thank You Thank You Thank You Index