2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the "Miracle Mets", the first championship won by the New York Mets. Many people, fans and players alike, have fond memories of that team and one of the players, Art Shamsky, has shared them in a book co-written with Erik Sherman. Here is my review of "After the Miracle"
Title/Author:
“After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood by the ’69 Mets” by Art
Shamsky and Erik Sherman
Tags:
Baseball, history, memoir, Mets, championship
Publish date:
March 19, 2019
Length:
336 pages
Rating:
4 of 5 stars (very good)
Review:
The 1969 New York Mets are known for a very surprising championship season
that was considered by some to be a miracle, hence they got the moniker “the
Miracle Mets.” One of the players from
that team, outfielder Art Shamsky, got together with three of his teammates and
author Erik Sherman to relive that glorious season and share many baseball
stories.
Shamsky and Sherman, along with Bud Harrelson and Ron Swoboda, paid a
visit to Tom Seaver’s home in California and there all four players shared some
great stories together, laughing frequently despite the health issues of
Harrelson and Seaver. While those passages
made up the best parts of the book, they really did not take up a lot of the
book. Instead a great portion of the
book is a full season recap of that 1969 season, mainly from Shamsky’s
viewpoint.
However, because Shamsky obtained many different quotes on the season
from many of his teammates, it is far from a dry recap of games and
victories. The various viewpoints from
many players, stars and bench players alike, give the reading of the 1969 Mets
season a fresh look. It also helps to validate the notion that every player
contributed to that special season, not just a few star players. While Shamsky writes his recollections in a
nice conversational manner, the stories from others give it a nice touch.
While this reader wishes the heartwarming reunion between the four
teammates in a nice California home was a bigger part of this book, it is
nonetheless a book that every Mets fan should have on his or her shelves. With so many people remembering this team
fondly, even if they weren’t born yet to witness them, any book on the 1969
Mets is sure to be enjoyed by the team’s fans of any age.
I wish to thank Simon and Schuster for providing a copy of the book via
NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Book Format Read:
E-book (Kindle)
Buying Links:
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/after-the-miracle-art-shamsky/1128863841?ean=9781501176524#/
Lance I suspect someone we both know is not going to want to have anything to do with this book. Sounds good though.
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