Review of "The Whiz Kids"

With summer winding down, I'm trying to catch up with copies of books sent to have reviews posted before the fall season of new publications.  Here is one that was sent that was a good look at the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies.

 

Title/Author:

“The Whiz Kids: How the 1950 Phillies Took the Pennant, Lost the World Series and Changed Philadelphia Baseball Forever” by Dennis Snelling

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

Before 1950, the Philadelphia Phillies had not won a World Series and had only been to one other Series in 1915.  They certainly played second fiddle in their own city to the Athletics and Connie Mack who had 9 pennants and 5 championships under their belt.  But a surprise National League pennant in 1950 changed the perception of the team and this book by Dennis Snelling gives a good look at the team and at Philadelphia baseball history.

The book can be considered to have three separate sections.  The first third of the book deals with Philadelphia baseball prior to the mid 1940’s, primarily about the Phillies of course.  I found this section to have some good information but was somewhat dry.  Admittedly, I was getting antsy to read about their magical 1950 season, especially when Snelling would talk about members of that team in their performance before they gelled that year.

Then came a complete rundown of the 1950 season up to game 4 when the New York Yankees completed a four-game sweep of the Phillies.  From spring training to the last out, Snelling gives a thorough and excellent look at the team, their performance on the field and their chemistry and interactions during the season.  Far beyond focusing on the stars of the team like Robin Roberts and Curt Simmons, just about anything you wanted to know about the “Whiz Kids” are covered there.

The third part of the book then describes how baseball in Philadelphia changed after that 1950 season.  It started off by describing what each player, coach, manager and owner did during that off season.  Also covered is the departure of the Athletics to Kansas City, Connie Mack stepping down as manager and then further talk about Philadelphia baseball.  Much like the first section, I found the information good, but the reading fairly dry, especially when compared to the actual baseball talk in the second section.

Any Philadelphia baseball fan will enjoy this book, dry or not, as this will cover just about anything they will want to know about that team that is one of the most beloved teams that lost a World Series.

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

Link: The Whiz Kids: How the 1950 Phillies Took the Pennant, Lost the World Series, and Changed Philadelphia Baseball Forever: Snelling, Dennis: 9781496242686: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “1960”

This book had been sitting in my Kindle Unlimited library for a while. When I won a brand new Kindle from my local library in their summer reading challenge, I decided to make this one the first book read on the new device and it was a good choice - excellent book on the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Title/Author: “1960: When the Pittsburgh Pirates Had Them All the Way” by Wayne Stewart

Rating:  5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: The only time a World Series has been won by a walk-off home run in game 7occurred in 1960 when Bill Mazeroski of the Pittsburgh Pirates belted a home run to give the Pirates a thrilling 10-9 victory  over the New York Yankees. This book by Wayne Stewart is a very good account of that special season for the Pirates.

One of the best things about this book is how complete Stewart’s account is of the 1960 Pirates. Going well beyond game summaries and brief biographies, Stewart conducted hundreds of interviews with various players, managers and other people associated with the team. These also included others who observed the team - his interviews with Yankees who played in the 1960 World Series is a great example of this. 

Something that is good about the book is that he goes beyond the walls of 1960 in his accounts of various personnel. The best example of this is his write ups on Branch Rickey and Bobby Bragan. Both men worked in the Pirates organization as general manager and field manager respectively. Both were not with the team in 1960, but both men are credited with helping mold the team into what it became in 1960. Keep in mind these write ups are done mostly through interviews, which is how the bulk of the information in the book is obtained. 

Stewart also addresses many myths or outright falsehoods that may still be said today about that World Series or the team. The most notable one is that the Yankees were a much superior team to the Pirates. While it was true that the Yankees had more star players and were in the midst of a dynasty in which they won 14 American League championships and 9 World Series championships, in 1960 they had only two more wins in the regular season than the Pirates (97 for New York, 95 for Pittsburgh). It was also considered an upset because all three Yankee wins were blowouts (combined score was 39-3) while all four Pirates wins were close. Also, Stewart address other stories such as why Mazeroski wasn’t with the team after the clubhouse celebration and why Roberto Clemente was upset about being snubbed for being named Most Valuable Player as it went to teammate Dick Groat.

If a reader wants to know anything new about that championship Pirates team, this is a great source to find it. Practically no item is left out in capturing that wonderful year in Pirates history.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/1960-When-Pittsburgh-Pirates-Them/dp/B0DFCZ6HNG/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2W9ZXCYR6VM0U&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0OxccJZxxb9bYMzN-pAGE9eTNqvvlSfrcpIMEKVNSuHqU3QJbTRjG1lRn8FzJwgzDBdTkFSq3d5rIQwwnDIYZNrIoCGGYdFiYzRgUdlqbxpJavWT9ANbFD3fWb8awJHYSqMxjF92dKm4Z2ENhlxhzwSgVD7bGev-3Noyhs20EmNutQsN32SQ7dCVGfcUfsr2owIs8l0kV7_p_ywRlvWmvt7orrqkYDy_YOPigQEAEX8.X_06qGj49fhScstvMtazSlqMmLrg4NjdNtn2eeTUrI4&dib_tag=se&keywords=1960+pirates&qid=1755362804&sprefix=1960+pirates%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-1 

Review of "Uncommon Favor"

It's not often I can post two reviews in two days, but I had enough time on my trip to Brooklyn for the basketball game between the Minnesota Lynx and the New York Liberty that I not only was able to read the Candace Parker memoir, but I was also able to start listening to another memoir by a legendary women's basketball figure, Dawn Staley.  This one was even better.  Here is my review. 

Title/Author: “Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother and the Life Lessons I Learned From All Three” written and narrated by Dawn Staley

Rating:  5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Whenever a person can start with humble beginnings and succeed in nearly every aspect and goals they set out to do, that makes a wonderful and uplifting story. Dawn Staley’s life has been that kind of story and her memoir, narrated by her, is one that any reader or listener will enjoy.

Of course, since Staley’s success has occurred on the basketball court, it does help if the reader is interested in basketball, especially women’s basketball.  Staley was an All-American point guard at the University of Virginia. She played and won on US Olympic Teams, including the 1996 gold medal winning team that was the spark that created the WNBA.  Staley played in that league as well before becoming a college head coach, leading first the Temple Owls and then the South Carolina Gamecocks.  It is with South Carolina where she has won two national championship and gained not only prominence but is also noted for her advocacy for addressing racism and gender equality.

Each of these topics is addressed by Staley in the book in a powerful yet humble manner.  Yes, she speaks out proudly and loudly when needed. The best example is when she talks about some unflattering comments by the Missouri athletic director after a tense game between the two schools.  After the publication of those comments, she gave a strong rebuttal and asked for an apology.  Eventually that came from the athletic director.

Speaking of athletic director, another great example of Staley advocating for change is when she discovered how much less she was making than her male counterpart coaching the men’s basketball team.  Without disparaging her colleague, she made a strong case of how much more success and visibility she brough to the women’s program and ended up with a salary that reflected her success.

Of course, the book is more than just basketball and Staley reflects much about her mother, her (and her mother’s faith) and their upbringing in North Philadelphia.  She tells the stories of the time in North Philly with as much enthusiasm and joy as she does when discussing the 2024 basketball season in which the Gamecocks won their second championship.  This was one of those books where listening to the author telling her stories was much better than reading it on paper or with an e-reader.  I always prefer audiobooks narrated by the author and this book is a great example of why I believe that is better.

 

Link: Uncommon Favor: Basketball, North Philly, My Mother, and the Life Lessons I Learned from All Three: Staley, Dawn: 9781668023365: Amazon.com: Books

Review of “The Can-Do Mindset”

 As I always do when traveling to a sporting event, I try to read a book on the sport I am attending. This past Sunday, I went to my first WNBA game where my favorite team, the Minnesota Lynx defeated the New York Liberty. The book I chose was the memoir of Candace Parker, certainly one of best women to play the game.

Title/Author: “The Can-Do Midset” by Candice Parker.

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  Candace Parker has had a very successful basketball career.  She was a member of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers championship teams in 2007 and 2008, was the #1 pick of the 2008 WNBA draft for the Los Angeles Sparks, and won three WNBA championships - two with the Sparks and one with the Chicago Sky. After retiring from playing, she has made a successful transition tothe broadcast booth. Through it all, she has time to be a wife, mother and write this very good memoir.

The title of the book comes from the nickname she was given in her childhood. She felt she could do anything with her older brothers - she had that “can-do” attitude. However, as she explains in the book, this hasn’t always been the case. But her perseverance kept her going on whatever challenge she was facing. And there were plenty.

These included injuries in both college and the WNBA, a divorce from her husband (who was also a professional basketball player), how to raise their daughter while she played in both the WNBA and overseas and later marrying a woman she met in Russia while playing in that country. So, just from that little bit of information on her, it’s easy to see she has been through a lot, both good and bad,and she shares a lot.

As one might expect given this, she opens up about racism, LGBTQ+ issues, motherhood, people who played an important role in her life and of course, basketball. While it isn’t uncommon for professional athletes to credit past coaches for their support and lessons, Parker shows a lot of love for her college coach at Tennessee, the late Pat Summitt. That is just one example of Parker’s overall positivity throughout the book. At times the text does get repetitive, but at least it’s mostly positive,despite some of the negative things that happened to her. 

There are five main topics in the book, from the letters of “can do” - Community, Authenticity, Negativity (how she dealt with it, as mentioned above), the Dash and Opportunity. Through it all, this is a very good memoir by a sure-fire Basketball Hall of Fame inductee. 

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Can-Do-Mindset-Cultivate-Resilience-Passions/dp/1638932182/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3iIFf4ymYJieQLOIpszGr4ilfi7sY5lyPDvJxFl86RH4bXL_mKm8lL_79rmA4JTEpjYcjiVF7YnaDZtOgdfpFb-P4bZaaKXSKeYgc2JNhZ8L72pCsiatqT6ycunEYezX9z0wnW_SB7BI0M7I3WYgJLdLS7P6VP6IYwbO4-Wg9ICe0vDRkb4vy3m9Pg0i2p84rA3PpP22cR6rPt8b-Jl9LEtQUst2brspnLGY6GQEUEA.pqr1PxLDso6jz6_dDyzmOhomdmlIRqejoy_eKCLXdDw&qid=1754958711&sr=8-2 

Review of "Make Me Commissioner"

When I saw this book available for review prior to its release in September, I was intrigued.  While I can't say I enjoyed all of Jane Leavy's books I previously read, I knew that she was very knowledgeable about the game, so this had to be good.  It was - glad I picked it up.  Here is my review of "Make Me Commissioner."

Title/Author: “Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It” by Jane Leavy

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  “Baseball is too slow.”  “Analytics are ruining the game.”  “Kids don’t want to play the game.”  “Television ratings for baseball are terrible.”  These and other complaints about the current state of Major League Baseball have been spoken, printed, shouted and communicated in nearly every manner for several years now. Jane Leavy, an accomplished baseball writer and fan, decided to use her experience and interview many people to come up with ways to fix the game. She tells readers about this experience and her ideas in this very good book.

Something that makes the book very interesting is that Leavy talks with many people with various viewpoints on many different issues. Leaving out names because 1) there are so many in the book that it would make this review longer than an 18-inning marathon game and 2) it would not be right to put labels on people such as “traditionalist” or “stat geek” so this review will not do so.  It is just worth noting that the conclusions Leavy makes come after weighing all opinions.

Just about every aspect of the current game is covered and either addressed or left alone by Leavy in her final suggestions (which will not be revealed in this review). I thought her best work was on the lack of Black players from the United States as her interviews were very interesting. I will note that there is a triggering sentence in that section that she at least acknowledges that was very unprofessional on a possible solution to this problem.  But the overall topic is covered well.

As is the other example I will note her, her writing on the current state of traveling baseball and how it not only will exclude kids from playing the game but also limits the opportunities for players to advance to either college baseball or possibly being drafted by MLB teams.  I also enjoyed her stories of the Cape Cod league that are interspersed in the book between writing about these issues.  They tie in nicely with the topics being discussed.  One excellent example is near the end when kids can interact with the actual play on the field using some of the advanced analytical statistics.  If that sounds improbable, it did happen and the story is great.

Improbable is the most likely outcome for either Leavy to become the actual commissioner or for many of her ideas to become reality.  But even if they don’t, this book is a very good look at the current state of the game and some possible ways of addressing them without altering the beauty of the game itself.

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

Link:  Amazon.com: Make Me Commissioner: I Know What's Wrong with Baseball and How to Fix It: 9780306834660: Leavy, Jane: Books

Review of “A Big Mess in Texas”

Looking at upcoming books makes it easy to se that fall is approaching, meaning football season is getting close. This book, about a failed NFL team in the 1950’s, is informative and entertaining. Here is my review of A Big Mess in Texas.

Title/Author: “A Big Mess in Texas” by David Fleming

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Before the Dallas Cowboys became “America’s Team”, there were two professional teams that tried to be successful in that city. The story of one of those teams that didn’t succeed is known to many football fans- the Kansas City Chiefs started out as the Dallas Texans in the same year as the Cowboys, 1960 and lasted three seasons there with a championship in 1962 before moving to Kansas City.

However, there was an earlier team in Dallas called the Texans. They lasted one season, 1952, and sported a woeful 1-11 record. The short but wacky and eventually sad state of this team is the subject of this book by David Fleming.

The 1952 Texans were previously the New York Yankees (not to be confused with the legendary baseball team) and were sold to Giles Miller, the son of the owner of a successful textile company.Fleming does a very good job of portraying Giles and his many failed attempts at business using his father’s money. Figuring it would be different to own a pro football team in a football-crazy state, Giles goes ahead and purchases the Yankees, moves them to Dallas, and then realizes there’s more than what he bargained for.

The stories about Miller, the team’s struggles, and the carousing of the Texan players are the best parts of the book and it is here that Fleming does his best work. One player readers will recognize right away is Hall of Famer Art Donovan, whose eating, drinking and carousing in the book is amazing. Just as amazing as the poor play of the Texans and the mishandling of the team's finances which led them to lose their home stadium before the season ended. But their temporary home of the Rubber Bowl in Akron, Ohio was the site of the Texans’ best moment, their upset of the Chicago Bears. 

If a reader wants to read an entertaining book on what pro football was like before the NFL became so successful, this is a good choice. Also, a it should be noted that after that one season, the franchise was on the move again. In 1953, new owners moved the team to Baltimore where they became the Baltimore Colts. That turned out to be a bit more successful that their time in Dallas.  

I wish to thank St. Martin’s Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Big-Mess-Texas-Miraculous-Disastrous/dp/1250374308/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of “Iron in the Blood”

With the calendar turning to August, that means college football season will soon be upon us. To get ready for this season, I picked up a book that is about a game played at the end of the season, the Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn. Excellent book on one of the sport’s fiercest rivalries. 

Title/Author: “Iron in the Blood: How the Alabama vs Auburn Rivalry Shaped the Soul of the South” by Jay Busbee

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: College football has many legendary rivalries, some of which are quite fierce and quite old - Michigan-Ohio State, California-Stanford, Minnesota-Wisconsin and Oklahoma-Texas to name a few. One of the best is an intrastate rivalry in the Southeast Conference, Alabama vs Auburn. This book by Jay Busbee takes a deep dive into the history of these two schools in the Yellowhammer State.  

Both schools get equal amounts of coverage in the book, something that is refreshing when one considers the storied history of Alabama Crimson Tide football and their overall success which is much greater than Auburn. Coaches for both the Tide and the Auburn Tigers are portrayed here. Especially the legendary names at both schools - Shug Jordan for Auburn, Paul “Bear” Bryant and Nick Sabin for Alabama are the most notable names among the coaches. Players such as Bo Jackson (Auburn) and Joe Namath (Alabama) also have much text dedicated in the book. Busbee does a great job of telling how the contributions of these men, plus others, have helped shape this rivalry into one of the best in college football. 

His accounts of some of the more memorable games in this series, such as the 2013 “Kick Six” game, the 1972 “Punt, Bama, Punt” game and the 2023 Gravedigger game. Each one of those chapters allowed the reader to relive those extraordinary games with enough details and storylines to give a complete picture of the intensity of the rivalry. 

But what makes this book so good are the stories away from the football field and how anyone living in Alabama will be chanting either “Roll Tide” or “War Eagles” depending on their loyalty. One of the best stories in the book was already known by many football fans even if they don’t have a rooting interest in this rivalry. An Alabama fan named Harvey Updyke poisoned two oak trees at Toomer’s Corner in Auburn. Those trees were covered in toilet paper when Auburn would win the Iron Bowl and Updyke wanted that to end after the Tigers won in 2010. He eventually pled guilty to the crime. While there have been other publications and stories about this, Busbee’s detailed and complete account of this is great reading and just one example of how he brings the deep seated passion of these rivals to life. 

Even if a reader doesn’t take sides in Iron Bowl matchups, they will be informed and entertained by reading this book. Any college football fan of any team will want to add this one to their bookshelf.

I wish to thank Ben Bella Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley, The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own. 

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Blood-Alabama-Auburn-Rivalry-ebook/dp/B0DL7D7ZP6/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0 

Review of “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty”

Keeping up with my theme of reading a book about the team or sport I am attending, I read this book on the New York Yankees on a bus trip to Yankee Stadium. Even though it’s been out for a long time, I have had it on my TBR pile for a long time and now it’s finally on the “previously read” file. 

Title/Author: “The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty” by Buster Olney

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: In the six year period from 1996 to 2001, the New York Yankees played in the World Series 5 times, winning 4 of them in 1996 and in 1998-2000. This book by ESPN baseball expert Buster Olney examines the only one they lost in that time frame and specifically game 7 in which they lost when Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera allowed two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Arizona Diamondbacks their first, and so far only, championship.

The book digs deeply into the Yankee organization, from owner George Steinbrenner and his micromanagement of the club to players who were important to the success of the team. This included the superstars like Derek Jeter, other key players like Tino Martinez and David Cone (even though Cone was not on the team in 2001) and Chad Curtis. Even if a reader has read other books or material on the Yankees during that time frame, this is still a very interesting look at the team and one might find new information on those Yankee teams. 

This type of information is inserted between chapters that describe an inning of game 7 on the 2001 World Series. If there is anything that makes the book less than enjoyable for a reader, it could be this back and forth between game 7 and the sections on the Yankee organization. I thought that structuring the book in this manner worked well, especially when the chapter on game 7 ended with a Yankee player making a hit or out and the next chapter would lead with something about that player. 

It’s a different look at that time frame of the storied Yankee history. It also isn’t too critical of the team but doesn’t sugar coat the problems that were building up beneath all the winning. It’s a fair and balanced book that baseball readers should enjoy.  

Link:https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BM2ZM2/ref=ku_mi_rw_edp_ku

Review of "Talking Baseball with Major League Stars"

Fairly short book resulting in a fairly short review - but packed with good information.  It did have a little (very little) "Glory of Their Times" feel, but it was less about the stories of these men and more about the game of baseball itself. 

Title/Author:

“Talking Baseball with Major League Stars” by Wayne Stewart

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (good)

Review:

If one wants to learn about any aspect of baseball, whether it be pitching, hitting, fielding, strategy, or any other topic related to the game, it only makes sense to talk to those who do it best.  That is the concept behind this book by Wayne Stewart, where a reader will learn about these topics and more from interviews with many Major League baseball players and managers.

Through these numerous interviews, Stewart was able to craft a decent narrative on so many different approaches to the game. This is not only due to the sheer number of people who provided quotes and information, but just because of the many nuances of the game. A great example of this is the section on pitching, which was my favorite chapter of the book. Just about any type of pitch that a reader can think of, whether it is in current use (split-finger fastball, cutter) or one that is not used as often as it used to be (forkball, knuckleball), there will be several people giving their opinions or knowledge about that topic. 

While this makes for very interesting reading and even hardcore fans can learn something new, it can get overwhelming at times to read the book.  Not so much because of the information, but because of the sheer number of players and managers interviewed.  I had a hard time keeping track of which person said which quote when many would talk about the same detail.  It was still good to read, just hard to follow who said what.

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

Link: Talking Baseball with Major League Stars: Stewart, Wayne: 9781538185285: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "This is Panther Country"

It isn't often that when I read a book involving sports, the stories that are not about the game but that are about other parts of life are what I enjoy.  This book falls into that category and it made for a very good book.  

Title/Author:

“This is Panther Country: A Memoir of Youth, Underdog Spirit and Basketball Glory” by Tom McKeown

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Some people will look back on their days in junior and senior high school with fond memories.  Some are glad they are far away in the rear-view mirror.  Tom McKeown is part of that first group, especially during his year in 8^th grade (1974-75) when his local high school, the Babylon Panthers, overcame long odds to win the Long Island basketball championship.

McKeown was a player for his junior high team but was injured for most of the season. That didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for the game as he wrote about his experience at every game the Panthers varsity team played and the action he describes is as good as any professional game. One of the playoff games went into triple overtime and the reader will be sweating out every word as much as the fans at the gym were sweating out every possession.

More than basketball, what makes this book a joy to read is just seeing the world through the eyes of an 8^th grader and for a grown adult to write in this manner nearly 50 years after experiencing it was quite a change from most memoirs.  It got to the point that more than the Panthers basketball team, I was rooting for McKeown to win over the girl he was crushing on, Virgina. Sadly, unlike the Panthers, Virginia started going out with another boy. The way McKeown wrote this side story, along with others such as after game parties, was excellent and was a great portrayal of his entire school year, with the basketball championship an extra bonus. 

If a reader enjoys reading stories like this, whether as YA fiction or memoirs like this, then pick up this book and enjoy the life of a huge basketball fan in junior high and what it was like to root for a championship team.

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

Link: Amazon.com: This Is Panther Country: A Memoir of Youth, Underdog Spirit, and Basketball Glory eBook : McKeown, Tom: Kindle Store