Review of “The Lion of the League”

Books about umpires can be just as good as those about baseball players or managers. This book is one example of this. Winner of the 2025 SABR Seymour Medal for best baseball history book or biography, here is my review of “Lion of the League.”

Title/Author:

“Lion of the League: Bob Emslie and the Evolution of the Baseball Umpire” by Larry R. Gerlach

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

It’s not often that those attending a baseball game won’t hear fans, players, coaches and managers yelling and insulting the umpires. If one thinks umpires have a tough job today, it feels like an easy one after one reads what it was like for baseball umpires in the late 19th and early 20th century in this book. 

Author Larry R. Gerlach not only describes the work and life of the main subject of the book, Bob Emslie, but he also gives the reader a very good look at the difficulty arbiters face in the early days of Major League Baseball. Not only did they face criticism from those on the field, the press wasn’t kind to umpires either. The game at that time was fairly rough with many scuffles that an umpire had to settle. The rules and dimensions taken for granted now, such as balls and strikes and the dimensions of home plate, were often in flux at that time. Through it all, with all the associated train travel as well, Emslie became one of the most respected and long-lasting umpires of that era.

All this came after Emslie had an up-and-down playing career as a pitcher. When he realized that he was not going to continue as a pitcher, that’s when he decided to become an umpire to stay in the game. Whether it’s about Emslie’s pitching or his umpire skills, Gerlach writes with rich detail about individual games as well as the seasons to cover Emslie’s career that spanned more than 5 decades. The book has to be read carefully because of its rich detail, but that is well worth the time it takes to learn about one of the early pioneers of umpiring.

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Lion-League-Emslie-Evolution-Baseball/dp/149623765X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of "The Night the Referee Hit Back"

As one who loves to read books on boxing but really isn't enthusiastic about the product the sport puts out today, this book was right up my alley.  Not only does award winning author Mike Silver share some great stories from the sport's glory days, but he also includes a sharply worded critical piece on the state of the sport today.  Here is my review of his book "The Night the Referee Hit Back."  

Title/Author:

“The Night the Referee Hit Back: Memorable Moments from the World of Boxing” by Mike Silver

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

As also noted in this book, the sport of boxing has declined in both popularity and quality for the last two decades or so.  Between an alphabet-soup variety of sanctioning bodies and many different weight classes, there are far too many “champions” for even hardy fans to follow, yet alone the casual fan.  However, it hasn’t always been this way.  As one can tell from the title, respected boxing author Mike Silver has also compiled some excellent stories from the sport’s glory years.

Silver has won awards, and this book covers approximately 40 years of stories, analysis and criticisms of various boxers and trends in the sport.  The list of names covered in the book could be mistaken for a partial list of all-time greats.  This would include boxers from many different weight classes (at least from the traditional eight categories, not the wide variety in today’s version of the sport).  Muhammad Ali, Emilie Griffin, Joe Gans, and so many others are highlighted in the collection – it shows the versatility and the knowledge of boxing history possessed by Silver.

Usually, collections of past writings or stories will contain at least one or two items that don’t match up to the quality of the other selections.  That is not the case in this book as every story, article, critique and interview (there are 5 interviews included) are all excellent and well worth the time to read.  Any boxing fan, no matter the era in which they became a fan or which weight class they follow, will find something they will enjoy in this book.

Link: The Night the Referee Hit Back: Memorable Moments from the World of Boxing: Silver, Mike: 9781538136904: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Rise of Major League Soccer"

Admittedly, I don't watch a lot of soccer - MLS or otherwise, save for the World Cup.  It's mainly because while I love to see matches in person, I haven't come to fully appreciate it on TV or other media platforms.  I am certainly going to try to change this, as MLS, as explained in this book, will certainly reach the status to be in the conversation with the four main sports leagues in North America.  Here is my review of "The Rise of Major League Soccer." 

Title/Author: “The Rise of Major League Soccer: Building a Global Giant” by Rick Burton and Norm O’Reily

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: Professional soccer leagues in North America have had a very spotty history at best.  Many have come and gone, but there is one league, Major League Soccer (MLS), that has defied the odds and survived a near extinction to become a league that is getting more notice and respect around the globe. Notes sports business authors Rick Burton and Norm O’Riley look at the history and future of MLS in this excellent book.

While Burton and O’Riley wrote most of the text, there are many contributions from various soccer people, from players to business people and they are welcome but also contribute to the one minor issue I had with the book – there is a lot of repetitiveness of certain topics, such as the arrival of Lionel Messi in 2023.  While his arrival is one of the biggest events in MLS history, that and a few other items are repeated by many of the guests and by Burton and O’Reily. 

But at least the repetitions are on items that are truly landmark events for the league. In addition to Messi, there has been one huge name in soccer that changed the landscape of the league. That was David Beckham – when he agreed to sign with the LA Galaxy in 2007, it caused a seismic change in the league, all for the positive. It paved the way for many other international superstars of the game to come to MLS.  Beckham’s involvement has come full circle as he is now one of the owners of Inter Miami, the MLS club for whom Messi plays.

There are plenty of great things about this book that any soccer fan will enjoy.  Burton and O’Reily look at earlier leagues in North America, including the North American Soccer League (NASL) and their brief but exciting history. The idea to bring in international superstars was also done by them, most notably Pele, when he played for the New York Cosmos. As for MLS and its bright outlook (according to the authors), there is excellent reasoning they give for this. There are a few reasons and they are all covered well, but the most notable is the contract with Apple TV for broadcast rights, given Apple’s global name brand recognition.  The other big reason is that now the generations of soccer-playing youngsters are now adults and they are taking their love of the game to the stadiums and streaming services to ensure its growth.  The authors also note the increased diversity of nationalities of American and Canadian citizens and they bring the love of soccer with them from their nations of heritage.

Add all of these up and one gets a very interesting and informative book. Not only readers who enjoy the sport, but anyone who likes reading about the business side of sports, no matter the sport, will want to add this book to their library.

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Major-League-Soccer-Building/dp/1493086715/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=

Review of "Race and Resistance in Boston"

This was a book that was outside of my usual comfort zone, and it was well worth the time to read.  It took careful reading to fully grasp the various messages being sent in the variety of essays, but it was certainly worth it.  Here is my review of "Race and Resistance in Boston." 

Title/Author:

“Race and Resistance in Boston: A Contested Sports History” edited by Robert Cvornyek and Douglas Stark 

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Trying to write a review of this book can be a challenge – just like describing the history of racial issues in Boston, especially in the world of sports.  This collection of essays is a very noble attempt to describe how various sports played a role in this discussion and how the full history can be best described as “complicated.”

Just the well-known facts can send a mixed signal to the average person – Boston teams were the first ones to draft a Black player in the NBA (Chuck Cooper, Celtics), to have a Black player appear in an NHL game (Willie O’Ree, Bruins) and the first Black coach to win an NBA title (Bill Russell, Celtics.)  Yet, the Red Sox were the last baseball team to integrate, they held a bogus “tryout” for three players in 1945, including Jackie Robinson, and the city as a whole held Black athletes to different standards.  Even legends like Russell felt that the city was less than welcoming toward them. 

This collection of essays tries to bring to light some of the lesser-known matters of the issues, challenges and successes experienced by these athletes. One excellent example is the rich history of semi-pro baseball in the Boston area by many Black teams. They not only played excellent games, some of which are described in great detail, they also faced many white or integrated teams and received praise for their play.  This was the best chapter for one of the main goals of the book – to shine the light on lesser-known athletes and their accomplishments.  That goes for their work toward civil rights and equality for all people as well as their athletic achievements.

The variety of sports covered in the book was also impressive – baseball, hockey, basketball, cricket, tennis and golf are just a few of the sports in which Boston-based Black athletes made contributions to both their sport and the fight for equality.  That was the biggest takeaway I had with this book – the sheer number of unknown athletes whose contributions have been lost in time.  It should also be noted that the subjects of equality for women, non-binary athletes and the LBGTQ+ community are also addressed in the book as well as racial issues.

The book is a more scholarly one in nature, has many notes and references and is one that a reader must read carefully to fully grasp the message being sent by the writer.  However, that time will be well spent after learning the amazing work done by these athletes.

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: Race and Resistance in Boston: A Contested Sports History: Cvornyek, Robert, Stark, Douglas, McCourty, Devin: 9781496232687: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Life in Two Worlds"

Knowing I would be in my car for a few hours when I drove to New Hampshire, I decided to download a book for the trip.  This one has been on my TBR for a while, so figuring it was time to take it off that pile, I listened to it and finished over the weekend trip.  Here is my review of Ted Nolan's memoir. 

 

Title/Author:

“Life in Two Worlds: A Coach’s Journey from the Reserve to the NHL and Back” by Ted Nolan with Meg Masters, narrated by James Malloch

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

In 1997, Ted Nolan was named the Jack Adams Award winner which goes to the Coach of the Year in the NHL.  He guided the Buffalo Sabres to a surprise division title and made it to the second round of that year’s playoffs.  But in the offseason, the team offered a contract that he (and everyone else) felt was an insult and he did not return to the team.  His story of his life in the NHL as both a player and a coach, as well as his life growing up in a First Nation reserve, is told in this great memoir narrated by James Malloch.

I usually prefer memoirs narrated by the author/subject, but in this case, Malloch gave a strong performance and while I knew this was not Nolan speaking, it certainly felt like it was Nolan describing not only the cruelty and racism (some subtle, some not so subtle) while playing or coaching hockey, but also of the pride he had in his heritage.  While this did include some well-known bad treatment of students at schools on reserves, this only strengthened his resolve to live his life the way his heritage taught him and to show that he and other indigenous people belonged in the world of hockey.

Nolan frequently mentions that it is important for those who have been affected by racism to tell their stories and it is just as important for those who haven’t been affected to listen. This was the biggest takeaway of the book for me, as he did this without the same type of stories that other activists share.  Instead, he blended this with his hockey career.  First with his playing days for the OHL’s Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (where he later coached after the NHL and was very happy with that job) and later the NHL Detroit Red Wings, then in his coaching career where he had two stints with the Sabres sandwiched around a stint with the New York Islanders, Nolan’s message never was far away. 

This was one of the better hockey memoirs that I have read or listened to, and I do recommend this for any hockey fan.  From outposts like Glens Falls, New York to the bright lights of cities like New York and Detroit, Ted Nolan (and his two sons who also played in the NHL) have brought pride and hockey schools to the First Nation in efforts to bring the game to underserved populations. 

Link: Amazon.com: Life in Two Worlds: A Coach's Journey from the Reserve to the NHL and Back (Audible Audio Edition): Ted Nolan, Meg Masters - contributor, James Malloch, Viking: Books

Review of “Jim Gilliam: The Forgotten Dodger”

 It wasn’t easy to convince me to review a book that starts off with a play from a very painful day for us Twins fans - game 7 of the 1965 World Series. But the author of this book told me put aside the painful reminder and take an objective look at the book. Boy, am I glad I did. Here is my review of “Jim Gilliam, The Forgotten Dodger.”

Title/Author:

“Jim Gilliam: The Forgotten Dodger” by Stephen Dittmore 

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: “The Play”. This is how a photo of Jim Gilliam’s catch of a Zoilo Versailles line drive to third base in the seventh game of the 1965 World Series was captioned and it’s a very appropriate moniker for the defining moment of Jim Gilliam’s long career with the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers. This book by Stephen Dittmore captures the life and career of “Junior” and is a very good tribute to a much beloved player for this storied franchise. 

 “The Play” is not a spectacular snag of a ground ball with a miraculous throw to first base, like Brooks Robinson did in the 1970 World Series. It is not a no-look catch of a deep fly ball running full speed toward the wall like Willie Mays did in the 1954 World Series. It was simply Gilliam knowing what situation was in the game (Fifth inning, his team ahead 2-0 and his pitcher having trouble throughout the game so far) and what he needed to do to give his team its best chance to win. 

This is really a perfect illustration of not only Gilliam’s baseball career with the Dodgers but also a good analogy to the book and Dittmore’s  writing. There’s really nothing fancy or very different about this than other sports biographies but it’s well-written, well-researched and provides a lot of insight into Gilliam’s personal life as well as his baseball life.

A reader will not only learn that Gilliam played well in the Negro Leagues but had to wait his “turn” during the early days of the integration of Major League Baseball, but also his frustrations during his time with the Dodgers that even despite all-star game apoeances and solid play every season, he never really had a chance to settle in one position. Gilliam’s personal life and his two marriages as well as his competitive nature away from the diamond, like in bridge and golf.

The other aspect of the book I really enjoyed, mainly because it makes a reader stop and think, was Dittmore’s description of racism in organized baseball. While he does write about Gilliam’s encounters with this during his playing career, what sets this book apart from others on this topic is Dittmore’s description of the “Four Gates” of denial to Blacks of various positions in the game. The First Gate was broken by Jackie Robinso to allow Black players. The Second Gate was to break the unwritten quota system to allow only a small number of Black players in any one team. The third Gate was for Blacks to gain coaching positions (a natural for Gilliam who did become a Dodgers coach) and finally the Fourth Gate - managing a Major League team, accomplished by Frank Robinson in 1975.

There’s plenty to learn in the book not only about Jim Gilliam and the game of baseball, including some unique terms. If you have never heard of the phrase “snatch coconuts” and want to learn about ot and so much more about the life of Jim Gilliam, this book comes highly recommended. For the record, I never heard this term before reading the book and it refers to changing a player’s position.

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

Link: https://www.augustpublications.com/products/jim-gilliam-the-forgotten-dodger 

Review of "A Giant among Giants"

As we near the end of January, it's time to start thinking about baseball - soon we will hear the four magical words every fan loves to hear during a cold and snowy winter - "pitchers and catchers report."   So, as I anticipate the start of another baseball year, time to catch up on some baseball reading.  Here is my review of a book on the Hall of Fame first baseman for the San Francisco Giants, Willie McCovey. 

Title/Author:

“A Giant among Giants: The Baseball Life of Willie McCovey” by Chris Haft

Rating: 

3 ½ of 5 stars (good)

Review:

Through the 1960’s, the San Francisco Giants had two of the most feared sluggers in the National League – Willie Mays and Willie McCovey.  While Mays was considered to be the better all-around player, McCovey certainly had a special place in the hearts of Giants fans.  His baseball story is captured in this book by Chris Haft.

The vast majority of pages are about McCovey’s time on the diamond, whether it was at Candlestick Park with the Giants or other teams either in the minor leagues or his three seasons with the San Diego Padres.  Very little time is spent discussion his personal life and at times, this would be good information to go alone with the baseball or his life after retirement – whether that involved baseball or not.  One example of where this might come into play is the very little amount of text about McCovey’s first marriage and daughter during his playing days.  When he was struggling, did that affect his life at home – or maybe it was the other way around and if there were troubles at home, was that affecting his performance?  Most other sport biographies include this type of personal information, and it was surprising to see so little of it in this book.

The baseball text, however, is good and a reader will likely learn something new about McCovey – even if that person felt they already knew a lot about him. One example would be one that I didn’t expect to read – that McCovey was more popular among Giants fans than Mays.  Considering that many non-baseball fans have heard of Willie Mays, but probably don’t know about McCovey, I found that surprising.  Haft does a good job of explaining how this came about.  Other interesting tidbits about McCovey revealed in the book is how McCovey got the nickname “Stretch” (his stretch at first base when taking throws from infielders) and the great reception he received from fans when he returned to the Giants after a three-year stint in San Diego.  Also, a reader will certainly learn even more about the most famous at-bat in McCovey’s career, which was an out.  There is an entire chapter dedicated to his famous line out to Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson to end the 1962 World Series.

Overall, this book was decent for describing the baseball career of the first ballot Hall of Famer. One might stop short of calling it a “biography” due to the lack of much information outside of the diamond but for baseball fans, it will certainly help shake off the winter blues while awaiting the start of spring training.

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: A Giant among Giants: The Baseball Life of Willie McCovey: Haft, Chris: 9781496236241: Amazon.com: Books