Title/Author:
“The Game: Inside the
Secret World of Major League Baseball’s Power Brokers” by Jon Pessah
Tags:
Baseball, history, politics,
business, Yankees
Publish date:
May 5, 2015
Length:
646 pages
Rating:
5 of 5 stars (outstanding)
Review:
The last two decades has
seen many events occur in Major League Baseball, both on and off the field. From home run records being broken to players
being tested for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) and from a player’s strike
that wiped out the 1994 World Series to the threat of contracting two teams,
the era was defined by a quest for power.
Three men were the
central characters of this quest – Commissioner Bud Selig, player’s union
director Don Fehr and New York Yankee owner George Steinbrenner – and how their
battles ultimately shaped the game are reported in this well-researched book by
Jon Pessah. Drawn upon hundreds of hours
of interviews from numerous sources, people and teams, the reporting on the
issues of the last twenty years is written in a narrative that is both
entertaining and compelling.
The back cover states
that the book was five years in the making, and given the extensive coverage of
the game’s finances and later its response to allegations of the use of PEDs,
that doesn’t sound like a stretch at all. How these three men affected these
issues will grab the reader’s interest and won’t let go. “Power” is an appropriate word to use for the
goals of these three men, as all three are portrayed as men who believe they
know what is best for the game and his constituents. Whether it’s Selig wanting to force the
owners into a revenue sharing agreement, Fehr insisting on getting the truth
about labor negotiations or Steinbrenner spending more on one player he thinks
the Yankees need for another championship than what some teams spend on the
entire payroll, this book covers all the major issues.
The sections and
passages on Selig might be considered the most damning, mainly because Pessah
portrays him as a man who is primarily concerned about what his legacy on the
game will be. Several times, this is
mentioned, including from the point of view for Selig. For example, during the tumultuous labor
negotiations that lead to the 1994 strike, Selig implemented a salary cap plan
and believed that “when history is written, they will look back on this day and
realize it was Bud Selig who saved Major League Baseball.” That, of course, did not last as it was
struck down later in court. Selig’s plan
to contract the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins in late 2001 was similarly
struck down and that is covered in detail as well with Selig again believing he
was doing the right thing with the blessing of other owners. While Fehr and Steinbrenner do not escape
scrutiny from Pessah, the most critical passages are saved for Selig.
The book, while containing critical parts, does not editorialize or offer suggestions or solutions. It is an investigative report first and foremost and reads like one. This report is one that while lengthy, is one that is must reading for every person who cares about the game of baseball.
I wish to thank Mr.
Pessah and the publisher for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an
honest review.
Pace of the book:
While very detailed and
at times the subject matter may be considered dry, this was a good paced
book. The breaks in each chapter when
Pessah switches the main character to one of the other three men helps keep the
book moving along.
Do I recommend?
This is a must read for
anyone interested in the recent history of baseball, especially for the labor
issues and the matter of performance enhancing drug use and testing. This book is important for learning about why
the game is in the current state it finds itself today.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
Buying links:
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