Review of "The Real Hoosiers"

Hoosiers is certainly considered to be one of the best basketball movies ever made.  This book is not about the movie, nor about Milan High, the school on which the fictional Hickory High is based.  Instead, it is about the team that lost the game - and then won the next two Indiana state championships. 

Title/Author:

“The Real Hoosiers: Crispus Attucks High School, Oscar Robertson, and the Hidden History of Hoops” by Jack McCallum

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

In the mid-1950’s, an all-Black school, Crispus Attucks, won the Indiana state high school championship in back-to-back seasons.  The previous season, it lost to Milan, a much smaller school and the game on which the film Hoosiers was based. Three championship game appearances and back-to-back titles was a major accomplishment in the time of school segregation, even though it had just been declared unconstitutional. The story of Crispus Attucks and its most famous player, Oscar Robertson, is told in this book by Jack McCallum.

The story of Crispus Attucks cannot be told without background information on the social and racial climate of Indiana and its capital, Indianapolis, at that time. While the book does have enough basketball text to be considered a book on the sport, it does spend a lot of time on the subject of racism in Indiana – mostly off the court, but it does make its way into the game as well, such as several references to white players and teams getting favorable calls from referees.  At times, the text feels a bit heavy-handed and repetitive – but that doesn’t take away the need to tell those stories, nor does it make the message any less meaningful.

Having not previously read any memoir or book on Oscar Robertson aside from his involvement in the early days of the NBA players’ union, I found some of the stories on him to be the best parts of the book.  Here, McCallum did some of his best work and research since Robertson declined to be interviewed for the book.  Nonetheless, a reader will be able to capture not only the greatness he was already showing on the court, but also the complicated personality of the young man. Having learned a lot about Robertson in this book when McCallum could not speak to him says a lot about the research done to portray “The Big O”. 

Some parts of the book were a slog to get through and other parts were page-turning exercises because I couldn’t get enough. That averages out to a book that was a good one to pick but will not be one I will be reading again.

I wish to thank Grand Central Publishing for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: The Real Hoosiers: Crispus Attucks High School, Oscar Robertson, and the Hidden History of Hoops: McCallum, Jack: 9780306830754: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Last Manager"

This is one of the books I completed cover to cover on my recent trip to a conference in Washington, DC.  One reason I prefer train travel when I can do so - more reading time!  It was an excellent book on legendary Orioles manager Earl Weaver. 

Title/Author:

“The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented and Reinvented Baseball” by John W. Miller

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Earl Weaver is considered to be one of the feistiest and colorful managers in the history of Major League Baseball.  He was also very successful, leading the Baltimore Orioles to two World Series championships and five American League championships during his tenure from 1968 to 1982 (and a brief but unsuccessful return in 1985).  His life and career are captured in this very good book by John W. Miller.

While Weaver was mostly known for his legendary arguments with umpires, he had respect for the arbiters of the game and there is plenty of praise for them sprinkled in the pages.  What is also known about Weaver was that he was an early adopter of using data to develop game strategy.  While it is heavily in use today by baseball front offices, Weaver did not have people from the office handing him data and suggesting strategy from the data – he did all that himself. It is just one reason that this book is appropriately titled “The Last Manager” since on-field managers had much more autonomy in making game decisions than today’s managers.

While I enjoyed this aspect of the book, the writing by Miller about Weaver’s playing days in the minor league and his experience in 1952 at training camp for the St. Louis Cardinals (Weaver’s favorite team growing up in Missouri) was probably the best writing in the book.  As a reader, I really could feel Weaver’s frustration at performing so well and yet not making the major league roster because the player-manager saved that roster spot for himself.  It is also clear that Weaver was going to have to make it in baseball in some capacity to succeed in life – and managing turned out to be that capacity.

That managing career, as noted above, was a good choice for Weaver.  The bulk of the book is about his time with the Orioles and also makes for good reading.  In addition to his use of data for strategy and his famous rants to umpires, Weaver knew how to spot pitching talent – his 1971 staff of four 20-game winners is a testament to that.  The relationship Weaver also had with his players is on full display here.  He may have rubbed many players the wrong way while playing but in the end they respected Weaver, were appreciative of how he helped them improve and of course, enjoyed the success of the team. 

For a very good read on an era of baseball where team managers had much more control over the team and the strategy of the game than they do in the current structure of baseball, pick up this book.  You won’t be disappointed.

I wish to thank Avid Reader Press for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: The Last Manager: How Earl Weaver Tricked, Tormented, and Reinvented Baseball: Miller, John W.: 9781668030929: Amazon.com: Books

Catching up - review of "A Mic for All Seasons"

Having been away for a few days in Washington, DC, I haven't had the opportunity to post reviews, but did get some quality reading in.  This book was one of those completed and while I was slightly disappointed (mainly because I had high expectations), it still is a decent book.  Here is my review of Kenny Albert's memoir.

Title/Author:

“A Mic for All Seasons” by Kenny Albert

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

If you have watched network telecasts of any sport, chances are you have heard the voice of Kenny Albert.  He is the only sports broadcaster in the 21^st century who has broadcast games from all four of the major North American leagues (NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA), not to mention several other sports he has covered as well.  He shares stories about his career and his family (including his famous father Marv Albert) in this memoir.

Kenny had what he called a privileged childhood since he was able to accompany his father to many of the events Marv called, especially Knicks games in Madison Square Garden (MSG).  Kenny also enjoyed attending the games of the other primary tenant of MSG, the Rangers, and from there he became engrossed in hockey.  While he is lauded for all the sports he covers, it is clear from the book that he likes hockey best, including playing on the club team at New York University.

As one might expect, Kenny Albert has great stories to share about the thousands of games he has broadcast and the many different journalists and athletes-turned-broadcasters with whom he has worked.  These stories are overwhelmingly positive and rarely does Albert criticize anyone.  While that can be seen as a good thing to keep friendships and relationships good, it just feels a little unrealistic as a reader as there had to be at least some arguments or bad results.

The other aspect of the book that was less than good for me was the sheer number of names that Kenny Albert mentioned throughout the book.  Something else that is reasonable to expect given how long he has been in the business, but again, as a reader, it was hard to keep up with everyone.  Especially when there was no organization to these stories – they just popped up when Kenny decided to write about them.  Not necessarily a bad thing as this will happen a lot in conversation – it was just hard to follow in a book. 

None of this overshadows the excellent work that Kenny Albert has done in his broadcast career, nor is this is meant to discourage anyone to pick up this book because it still is a good read for any current sports fan who is familiar with his work. I may try this in the audio version because it may come across better as a conversation (even if just one way) than it did while reading.

I wish to thank Triumph Books for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: A Mic for All Seasons eBook : Albert, Kenny: Books

 

Review of “Roll With It”

Taking advantage of some significant downtime that allows for more reading, I finished this book within 24 hours of starting it. It was just so fun to read this one that I spent large chunks of time enjoying the stories of a former roller hockey team’s GM. Here is my review of “Roll With It.”

Title/Author:

“Roll With It: A Trip Back to the ‘90s - Gen X Style” by Brad Porteus

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  

Being named the general manager of a professional sports franchise is a notable achievement in anyone’s career. To have that title bestowed upon one before the age of 30 is highly unusual, no matter what sport or league. But that honor went to Brad Porteus in 1993 when through a strange sequence of events he became the GM of the San Jose Rhinos of Roller Hockey International (RHI). His adventure to get there is described in this fun, humorous and entertaining memoir.

Porteus was determined to land a job in sports and went through various methods to do so. Through connections, hustle and some good luck, he landed a job in the merchandise warehouse of the San Jose Sharks, who at the time were a new expansion team in the NHL. With the same work ethic and some mentoring, he became an important part of that crew. But when the Sharks left the Cow Palace, their temporary home for the first two seasons, for the new San Jose Arena and Aramark would be running the merchandise sales there, Porteus left that job.

While with the sharks, he did make one important connection - NHL Hall of Fame defenseman Doug Wilson. Wilson ended his career with the expansion Sharks and knowing Brad’s work with them (it should be noted that at the time, Sharks gear was the hottest item in the NHL), Wilson put him in touch with the ownership of the Rhinos, a new team in the second year of RHI.

Porteus’ accounts of his times with both teams, as well as his journey to get there, was just so much fun to read. The subtitle is very appropriate as there are a lot of Generation X references and the lifestyle of that time is captured very well. At the end Porteus states that there were over 50 references in the book and asks the reader if they found them all. While I can’t say I was keeping score, I certainly understood them. There were so many times I was nodding my head while reading and thinking, “Yup, I remember that” or “I can relate.” This was the case whether he was writing about his work with the two hockey teams or about his personal life.

That topic is just as interesting and entertaining for a reader as everything else in the book. His account of his trip to a Grateful Dead concert where Sting was the opening act was excellent. This coming from a reader who was certainly no Deadhead but nonetheless enjoyed reading about the experience at one of their shows. This is just one portion of the plentiful stories that have nothing to do with hockey, so it will appeal to even non-sports fans who are part of Generation X. A must read when one just wants to chill while the VCR is flashing 12:00 and need a break from reviewing the paper maps to chart out the next road trip. 

I wish to thank the author for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Roll-Trip-Back-90s-Style-ebook/dp/B0DJL9GCN4 

Review of “Don Drysdale: Up and In”

With spring training in full swing, it’s time to start reading the new baseball books coming out this year. This one that was published in February is a good look at Dodger great Don Drysdale. 

Title/Author:

“Don Drysdale: Up and In” by Mark Whicker

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  

Baseball fans in the 1960’s saw some very good Los Angeles Dodgers teams and some of the best pitching in the history of the game, capped off by the “year of the pitcher” in 1968. A pair of Dodgers pitchers were among those pitchers who enjoyed much success and this by Mark Whicker tells the career of one of them, Don Drysdale.

Drysdale was the last player from the Brooklyn Dodgers to retire after the team relocated to Los Angeles. That move, along with a lengthy section on Walter Johnson’s scoreless streak for pitchers (why that’s included will be noted later) and many shorter passages about the many political and social issues of that time are interspersed in the book along with some excellent coverage of Drysdale’s baseball career. That is the bulk of the text Whicker includes in this book, so it doesn’t feel like a full biography but there’s still enough material on his life off the diamond to give a reader a good feel for the type of person he was.

While Drysdale was a California native and thrived after the team moved to his native state, he was gaining a reputation as being difficult as well as a pitcher who was more interested in hitting batters than throwing strikes. For the former, there are many examples of this in the book. This can range from mild, such as his frequent complaints about the dimensions of the baseball configuration of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (the home stadium for the Dodgers before Dodger Stadium was built in 1962), to the dangerous, such as the accusation by his first wife Ginger that Don had beaten her “30 times.” This is the only time in the entire book that any hint of domestic violence is mentioned. It is a good example to show that much of the book was dedicated to Drysdale’s activities on the diamond (although there are nice stories about his second marriage to basketball Hall of Famer Ann Meyers).

The baseball sections are excellent. Whicker writes about Drysdale’s successful accomplishments in great detail, and even some of his less than stellar days. For the latter, the best example is when he became the starter in game 1 of the 1965 World Series after Sandy Koufax famously refused to pitch that day as it was Yom Kippur. After the Minnesota Twins roughed up Drysdale to win the game 8-2, Drysdale quipped to manager Walter Alston “I bet you wish I was Jewish.”

However, as one would expect from a Hall of Fame pitcher’s career, there was much more good than this type of bad. He won a Cy Young award in 1962, pitched and won games on three World Series championship Dodger teams (including 1965 where he won game 4) and setting a new scoreless inning streak for pitchers of 58 ⅔ innings in 1968. This is his most famous accomplishment, the one that likely ensured his place in the Hall of Fame and is the best section of this book. It is where Whicker starts off with the passage about Walter Johnson, takes the reader through Drysdale’s amazing streak, and later illustrates the similarities between him and the Dodger pitcher who broke Drysdale’s record, Orel Hershieser. 

Lastly, while Drysdale mostly played second fiddle to Koufax during this stretch of Dodger greatness (and otherworldly pitching by Koufax) the two would always be linked as teammates and of course for their famous holdout for new contracts in the spring of 1966. This event is also covered in the book and with good detail, especially on Drydale’s role. This is a book that any Dodgers fan will want to read to learn more about “Double D” and the legacy he left on one baseball’s most storied franchises.

I wish to thank Triumph Books for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Don-Drysdale-Life-Dodgers-Legend/dp/1637275749/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review - A.J. Foyt Volume 1

Lately, there have been several interesting books on auto racing, and this is certainly one of them.  A.J. Foyt has had a long and successful racing career, and this book does his work justice - at least until 1977.  This is just the first volume of his storied career.  Here is my review of this volume. 

Title/Author:

“A.J. Foyt – Volume 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend” by Art Garner

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

When an athlete’s name is recognized by people who are not fans of that sport, it says a lot about that athlete’s talent. A.J. Foyt is a name many people will associate with auto racing, mainly because of his four victories in the Indianapolis 500 in the 1960’s and 1970’s.  But there is SO much more to the man than just his victories.  This book, the first of two planned volumes about Foyt’s life and racing, is Art Garner’s complete biography of the famous racer.

It is clear early in the book that Garner is going to devote most of the text to Foyt’s racing and how that shapes the man he becomes.  Even his childhood revolves around racing.  The story of him racing around his parents’ house in a small car was a prelude to what his life would be like for the next several decades.

It doesn’t matter what level or which circuit Foyt would be racing in, his years in the sport are covered in excellent detail by Garner.  Volume 1 ends after the 1977 season in which Foyt won his 4^th Indy 500, the first driver to do so.  He has since been joined by Al Unser, Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves but it is Foyt whose accomplishments at the Brickhouse are fondly remembered.  It should also be noted that Foyt isn’t an Indianapolis legend solely for his driving.  Garner also documents his involvement in designing, building and testing the cars as well as Foyt’s involvement in many decisions that affect the teams, such as who will be the drivers for either the second car the team runs or who will be backup drivers. 

This is where Foyt’s legendary stubbornness or principals, whichever view one prefers, is on display quite well.  Even though he did not graduate high school, Foyt has a sharp eye for business contracts, details to every aspect of race cars and of course, how to drive one of the cars. It should also be noted that all of these traits, on and off the track, were also on display in other racing circuits.  Foyt was also the first driver to win three of the biggest events in motorsports – the Indianapolis 500, the 24 hours at Le Mans and the Daytona 500.

One last comment about this book.  Something that race fans should note, especially those who have followed the sport for many years, is that it is scary to read about all the deaths to drivers in the 1960’s and early 1970’s in this book.  Nearly every year covered has multiple drivers who succumbed to injuries in crashes. While reading this, it did feel macabre to reading about so many men dying in their prime, but as Foyt mentions often in this volume, it’s a part of the sport and he did have some fear every time he stepped into a race car.

A well-researched and well-crafted biography, this book is one that every race fan of every level should pick up.  I know that I will be eagerly awaiting volume 2.

I wish to thank Octane Press for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: A.J. Foyt: Volume 1: Survivor, Champion, Legend eBook : Garner, Art, Andretti, Mario: Kindle Store

Short review - "Riding With the Rocketmen"

While both reading this book as part of a challenge and trying to clean out some books previously sent to me, I found this one.  Having enjoyed other books on cycling, this premise sounded very interesting. However, while the book was one that cycling enthusiasts will like, it wasn't really for me.  Here is my review of the book.

Title/Author: "Riding With the Rocketmen: One Man's Journey on the Shoulders of Cycling Giants" by James Witts

Rating: 3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review: The book was far beyond my knowledge of cycling and the equipment, training and vocabulary used. It is clear Mr. Witts uses his extensive experience in writing about the sport in order to undertake this challenge, but because I am at best a casual fan of the sport - watching some of the Tour de France and read about some of the history is about the extent of how much I follow cycling - this book was certainly not written for a reader like me.

The humor, especially the self-deprecating kind, was excellent and it was okay to read about his own adventures as he attempts to complete a leg of the famous course. But all of the technical jargon, the many people involved in his journey and the sheer volume of this material in a fairly short book made it very tough for me. I am rating this book three stars as while it wasn't my cup of tea, cycling enthusiasts will really enjoy this one and that is the intended audience, not the casual, occasional fan like me.

I wish to thank Bloomsbury Sport for providing a copy of the book.  The opinions in this review are strictly my own. 

Link: Riding With The Rocketmen: One Man's Journey on the Shoulders of Cycling Giants: Witts, James: 9781399403504: Amazon.com: Books