Review of "Reversing the Curse"

Normally, I do not post reviews of books that are nearly 20 years old, but I picked this up on Kindle Unlimited for reading on a bus trip to Fenway Park, so it just seemed right to do so.  I was thoroughly entertained by this book, with a definite Red Sox slant, but it was hard to put down.  Glad I decided on this one - and oh, by the way, the Red Sox won the game 1-0. 

Title/Author: “Reversing the Curse: Inside the 2004 Boston Red Sox” by Dan Shaughnessy

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  Before 2004, mention the Boston Red Sox to nearly any baseball fan and immediately, the word “curse” will be brought into the conversation.  For 86 years, it was believed that the franchise was “cursed” (or fill in whatever else will fit for a lengthy time frame without a championship) until that magical fall when just about everyone who follows baseball, save for New York Yankee fans, were happy when the Red Sox finally won the World Series. This book, written by veteran Boston sportswriter Dan Shaughnessy, brings that crazy season to life.

What struck me about this book is not the overly-zealous bias toward the Red Sox, nor the frequent criticism of certain players like Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez (both of these were expected and the two pitchers did have some struggles in 2004), nor the complete coverage of the “reversing” of the curse, as that was to be expected as well.  What I really liked about the book is how it could come across as humorous for those readers who, like me, really did not have a strong rooting interest for either the Red Sox or Yankees but nonetheless got caught up in what was one of the most intense years of this “greatest rivalry in sports.” You may agree or disagree with that statement, but it is part of the book.

The research and interviews are very good – yes, some may simply have been quotes already printed, but they still made for great reading. This includes my favorite part of the book, which really did not involve 2004 until later, but the chapter on the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry.  This story about the teams’ two star catchers in the 1970’s, Carlton Fisk of the Red Sox and Thurman Munson of the Yankees, is the best example of what made that chapter fun to read.  Munson was upset that he led Fisk in every statistical category in one of their seasons except for assists.  So, in the game that day, Munson purposely avoided catching the ball on the first three Boston batters who struck out.  Instead, he picked up the ball and threw to first to retire the batter.  Three additional assists – that put Munson ahead and he was not shy to show his pleasure in that accomplishment.

Of course, the book builds up to the climax of the baseball season that year, the American League Championship Series (ALCS) in which the Red Sox became the first team to win a seven-game series after losing the first three.  That it occurred against the Yankees made it seem even more amazing to Red Sox Nation. To Shaughnessy’s credit, while practically all felt that the subsequent World Series (which the Red Sox won with a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals) was anti-climatic after the dramatic ALCS, the author covered that with just as much detail, enthusiasm, and entertaining stories as he did the ALCS and the rest of that remarkable season for the Red Sox.  If there are any Red Sox fans who have not read this book, it is highly recommended.  Not advised for Yankee fans.  If the reader is a fan  for one of the other 28 teams, then read it for good information and entertainment.

Link:  https://www.amazon.com/Reversing-Curse-Inside-2004-Boston/dp/0618711910/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0

Review of “A Damn Near Perfect Game”

 Back to baseball here, I found the audio version of this gem and decided to play it during some dead times during the workday. Here is my review of “A Damn Near Perfect Game.”

Title/Author: “A Damn Near Perfect Game: Reclaiming America’s Pastime” by Joe Kelly, narrated by L. J. Ganser

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  Sometimes the best view of a topic, be it sports, occupations or anything else, comes from someone who has actually experienced it and has done so in many different ways and levels. This short book by Joe Kelly, a relief pitcher who has been with 4 teams, most recently the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, tells readers and listeners why baseball is such a great game and also the ways it can fix itself. 

This isn’t a complete criticism of those today who feel the game is boring , too slow for today’s younger generations or similar well-worn reasons published on why baseball is not as popular as other sports. Instead, Kelly approaches this two sided. Yes, he does give suggestions on how the game can improve its appeal to younger people. The best part of this approach (and of the entire book for me) was his very productive interview with current MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. That was very enlightening and not at all what I expected. 

The other way that Kelly approaches the task is what one would expect from the title. He extols all the aspects of the game that he believes makes it so good. There are far too many individual points made about this to list them all, but we’ll just say that any reason that fans have said why they like the game is covered in some way in the book. This can come from Kelly or from one of the many famous and not-so-famous people who share their stories on the game.

Speaking of stories, Kelly shares many of his own. There is a little bit of autobiographical material when he tells his rise to the major leagues. But the best is early in the book when he made his famous “pouty face” At Carlos Correa in a 2020 game between the Dodgers and the Houston Astros. Strange as it may seem, he uses this story to tell of his love for the game and why it is so good.

Listening to the audio version of this book, I not only enjoyed L.J. Ganser’s narration, but I felt I was able to connect with the stories told. While I am not one this book seemed to be trying to reach, it is one that any level of baseball fan should enjoy and who knows, it just might convince some that baseball truly is a damn near perfect game.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Damn-Near-Perfect-Game-Reclaiming/dp/1635768896/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of “The Greatest Summer in Baseball History”

Continuing with my baseball theme to start the new season, this was an audiobook I started on the bus trip back from the Mets home opener and finished a couple days later. Title is a little over the top, but the book is solid. 

Title/Author: “The Greatest Summer in Baseball History” by John Rosenberg, narrated by Barry Abrams

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 1973 was an eventful year in both baseball and America. For the latter, several important events that would affect the nation took place. The withdrawal of American troops in Vietnam, the Watergate hearings, and the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision were among the most notable of these. In baseball, the New York Yankees were purchased by a Cleveland shipping company owner named George Steinbrenner, a legendary player played his last season while another chased a hallowed record and a team that frequently fought amongst itself was trying to repeat as champions. That is the setting for this book by John Rosengren. 

Having listened to the audio version, the narration by Barry Abrams is definitely one of the strengths of this book. His telling of some of the major stories in both America and baseball was excellent. Whichever topic was discussed, Abrams did so in a no-nonsense manner that came across much like the news anchors at that time (though non of them were ever mentioned in the book).

The title seems a little hyperbolic as while there were some excellent storylines in that 1973 baseball season, they didn’t feel to be so much better than other years. To his credit, Rosenberg doesn’t compare them to big stories in other years. He sticks with a few topics and covers them thoroughly. These would be the ending of Willie Mays’ career with the New York Mets, Hank Aaron’s pursuit of the all time home run record of 714 by Babe Ruth, the introduction of the designated hitter in the American with a focus on Orlando Cepeda of the Boston Red Sox, and the new Yankee owner who immediately let it be known it was his way or else.

On this last topic, this was the best mix of sports and social or political events of a year or era that I have read in a book of this type. Steinbrenner’s eventual conviction of illegal campaign contributions, especially to President Nixon’s 1972 re-election bid, tied in nicely with the writing on that summer’s Watergate hearings. While not quite as easily done, there are good connections between baseball and these events throughout the book.

As with any book on a baseball season, this climaxes with the World Series. The Mets and the Oakland Athletics played an exciting seven game series won by Oakland to give them back to back championships. The many storylines made by the Athletics, their star Reggie Jackson, and their universally disliked owner Charlie Finley are covered well, as was the unbelievable comeback by the Mets who were left for dead in August only to win the National League East title, then upset the Cincinnati Reds in the NLCS. Of course, the Willie Mays saga is included and overall, the coverage of the baseball is very good, even if it is a bit repetitive on some facts and descriptions. 

Any reader who enjoys books on certain years or seasons in baseball with plenty of social or political commentary will want to check this book out. Highly recommend the audio version. 

Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Greatest-Summer-in-Baseball-History-Audiobook/B0C2W37Z93?eac_link=SMHsVJ6gcDX2&ref=web_search_eac_asin_1&eac_selected_type=asin&eac_selected=B0C2W37Z93&qid=X1m21vL1JG&eac_id=141-2071635-4315628_X1m21vL1JG&sr=1-1 

Review of "1978"

Continuing with the posting of baseball book reviews to start the 2025 season, this was an enjoyable read about the 1978 season.  It was much better reading than watching my team start the season 0-3!  Hopefully they turn it around soon - meanwhile, here is my review of this book. 

Title/Author:

“1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era” by David Krell

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

In 1978, baseball and the social culture of the United States were both undergoing significant changes.  In social circles, disco was the most popular genre of music, there were actions taken to advance the causes of feminism (one of which involved baseball, allowing female sportswriters access to baseball locker rooms), and many movies and television shows showcasing new talent. 

In baseball, however, the change really brought something that was not so new – the two best teams in 1978 were the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Like the previous year and many times in previous decades, they faced each other in the World Series.  This book by David Krell examines the paths the two teams took to get there and also takes readers into the details of many popular movies, television shows, musical artists and some social issues as well.

Krell never gets too deep into any one topic, not even the baseball as many of the stories told about the Yankees, Dodgers or other teams are never too lengthy – they are just long enough to get the message across about what were the results.  A great example of this is how the Yankees won the American League East division over their rivals, the Boston Red Sox (another team that has a good amount of coverage).  While the chapter on September (there’s a chapter for each month) mentions the “Boston Massacre” when the Yankees swept a four game series at Fenway Park to complete a comeback from 14 ½ games behind the Red Sox, there is little else about this comeback save for the first story in October about the tie-breaking game played by the two teams.  

For other subjects, it’s the same style.  Whether talking about a new comic genius named Robin Williams appearing on “Happy Days” as Mork from Ork, movies such as “Grease” or news events such as the assassination in San Francisco of supervisor Harvey Milk and George Moscone, Krell has the same style – enough coverage for the reader to understand the story, but not too much detail where the reader may lose interest.  This is especially important to readers who experienced these events as they will bring back memories and maybe even add something they did not recall.  The book’s style certainly would appeal to these readers who lived through that baseball season.

While not completely about the 1978 baseball season, this book is nonetheless an enjoyable and quick read for fans of the game in that time – the beginning of free agency, the re-emergence of the Yankee-Dodger rivalry and some other events that made that season memorable for many fans.

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: 1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era: Krell, David: 9781496239600: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "The Fenway Effect"

This is an upcoming book by a well-known MSNBC reporter about the cultural influence of the Boston Red Sox and even though I knew that the Red Sox were beloved by many, I didn't realize just how many connections in non-baseball areas the team had.  I learned a lot and enjoyed the book as well. 

 

Title/Author:

“The Fenway Effect: A Cultural History of the Boston Red Sox” by David Krell

Rating: 

4 ½ of 5 stars (Very Good)

Review:  The Boston Red Sox have a special place in the hearts of many New Englanders.  Even those who don’t follow baseball closely seem to have their emotions tied together with the ups and downs of the area’s baseball team. This book by David Krell explores some of those connections and why the Red Sox are an important part of the fabric of Boston.

The book explores many different aspects of this grip that the team has on the culture of the area.  Not only are the important baseball games covered (Game Six of the 1975 World Series, Game Six of the 1986 World Series, the “Boston Strong” game after the Boston Marathon bombing where David Ortiz gave his famous speech) but connections in the community and in other forms of entertainment are discussed as well.  For the latter, examples of this is the television show “Cheers” and it’s main character Sam Malone who was a pitcher for the Red Sox before opening his bar and “Fever Pitch”, the romantic comedy with Drew Barrymore and Jimmy Fallon, who plays a die-hard Red Sox fan.

Something that is worth noting is that topics that originated from a source other than the Red Sox are also included and proper credit, when due, is given. The best example is one of my favorite topics in the book, the Jimmy Fund. For those who don’t know about it, it is a very popular fundraiser for research into children’s cancer.  It was inspired by a child cancer patient in 1948 and the “Jimmy” name is fictional, although the real name of the child is later revealed. But while this charity is well-connected with the Red Sox and legendary Red Sox player Ted Williams often visited patients without publicity, this was not originally a Red Sox staple.  “Jimmy” expressed a desire to see his favorite baseball player, Billy Southworth.  At the time, he was the manager of the Boston Braves, so the Jimmy Fund was started by the Braves.  There are other connections to the Braves and plenty of mentions of the other professional sports teams in Boston.

The fan experience should also be included in this book and it covers many different areas of the region and various ages.  This was my only disappointment with the book, although not because they were included.  Indeed, this book would be incomplete without hearing from people on why the Red Sox are so important.  But reading them in one chapter as they were organized felt like they were staring to sound the same.  Of course, they were not – and for other Red Sox fans, this might resonate more greatly, but for me, they just started to feel like the same story but told in different ways.

That doesn’t take away anything from the book as it is one that I thoroughly enjoyed and it is complete for everything from the Red Sox ballpark before Fenway Park (Huntington Avenue Grounds) to the iconic Citgo sign seen over the Green Monster, this book is one that any baseball fan who understands what the Red Sox mean to the New England region will want to read.

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

Link: The Fenway Effect: A Cultural History of the Boston Red Sox: Krell, David: 9781496232335: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review of "Game of Edges"

This is the first of three reviews I am posting in the next three days as after a lull in my reading time, I had plenty of time to read on a recent trip for a conference in Washington DC.  As one who prefers train travel when possible, this meant extra reading time.  For the first review, I am posting this one on a book on the use of data analysis in professional sports.  Here is my review of "Game of Edges." 

 

Title/Author: “Game of Edges: The Analytics Revolution and the Future of Professional Sports” by Bruce Schoenfeld

 

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: Fans of professional sports are certainly aware that analytics are now an important part of their favorite sports, no matter which one(s) they prefer.  While many do see the change in the games on the field due to the use of data, they may not be aware that the same type of analysis is used by many team owner for the business side as well.  This book by Bruce Schoenfeld does a good job of explaining this use of data both on and off the field.

I found the discussions on the business aspect of analytics most fascinating. Items that are mentioned cover mainly Major League Baseball and the English Premier League but they are certainly applicable to most professional sports franchises.  It is especially interesting to read about the Premier League franchises who used data to determine how they may be able to sell more merchandise, for one example.  Another excellent example of this was how John Henry, the owner of baseball’s Boston Red Sox, arrived at the decision to buy the Liverpool Premier League team. 

For teams in the United States, one of the more interesting concepts on the business side of analytics was something that anyone who has attended a professional sports event in the past few years can see – the many options outside of the game itself to bring fans (and their money) to the area.  The Red Sox are one example given – Henry was looking to open Red-Sox themed pubs around Boston but was discouraged from doing so by then-Commissioner Bud Selig.  The reason was that this might also be something the rival of the Red Sox would do, the New York Yankees, and help them bring in more money and therefore more wins.  The other interesting business analytics example was also in baseball.  The owner of the Chicago Cubs looked to partner with Draft Kings to open a gambling parlor at Wrigley Field to bring that aspect (growing in leaps and bounds) to their business model as well.  Both of these stories made for great reading.

Analytics that affect the games also are included in this book, but it wasn’t as compelling as the sections on the business side.  The best of this writing was actually about an “anti-analytics” manager, Ned Yost of the Kansas City Royals.  Schoenfeld does a nice job of explaining how he had success with the team during the 2014 and 2015 seasons (in the latter, the Royals were champions). There is also some good discussion of the 2020 World Series between two teams who do embrace analytics, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. The most compelling discussion here was about the Rays’ decision to pull their starting pitcher, Blake Snell, early in the decisive sixth game.  But overall, while good, this isn’t quite as good as the business side of this discussion on the use of data analytics in sports.  It is a book recommended for any fan of any professional sport.

I wish to thank W. W. Norton & Company for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The views expressed are strictly mine.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Game-Edges-Analytics-Revolution-Professional/dp/0393531686/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

 

Review of "This Is Our City"

No matter which of the four major professional league one follows, it is clear that Boston has been the city with the most success in those leagues.  This book by a popular sports radio host in the city does a very good job of describing why that has happened.  Here is my review of "This Is Our City."

 

Title/Author: “This is Our City: Four Teams, Twelve Championships and how Boston Became the Most Dominant Sports Citty” by Tony Massarotti

Rating:  4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:  Since the beginning of the 21^st century, sports fans in New England, and specifically Boston, have been blessed with excellence by the city’s professional sports teams in all four of the major sports.  Between the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics, they have won 12 championships, made an additional six appearances in their respective sport’s championship game or series, and won over the hearts and minds of nearly every Bostonian.  How each of these teams achieved this lofty status is covered in this book by Boston sports radio host Tony Massarotti.

As one might expect, the Patriots are the team that dominate the book, and it is their improbable victory over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI that Massarotti uses as the start of the Boston dominance of professional sports.  While the Patriots would certainly earn the distinction of getting the most text in this book with their six Super Bowl wins, each of the other three teams certainly gets a fair share of coverage as well.  Even though the Celtics and Bruins each won only one title during the time frame covered by the book, the coverage of those two teams was very fair and complimentary.  This is especially true for the Bruins, who, per the book, have won the fourth most games in the NHL during that time frame despite taking home only one Stanley Cup.

One surprising aspect of the book, given its title and occasional smug tone (totally justified with the teams’ records) was that the struggles of the teams were covered in detail as well as the triumphs. A great example of this was the implosion of the 2011 Red Sox in missing the postseason amid controversy over the actions of players in the clubhouse and the subsequent departures of field manager Terry Francona and general manager Theo Epstein.  While most sports fans know the details, Massarotti’s writing brings a different perspective into the stories.  The same goes for other shortcomings such as when the Bruins blew a 3 games to none lead against the Philadelphia Flyers in 2010, the two Super Bowl losses to the Giants by the Patriots and how the Celtics went quickly from riches to rags to riches to rags and riches yet again. That is not uncommon in the NBA, and explaining that is one reason I felt Massarotti was very fair in his coverage of all four teams when describing the times they did not win championships.  

For fans who want to learn more about the recent accounts of the teams, here the book falls a little short, at least when comparing them to the early accounts.  For example, there was surprisingly a shorter write up about the incredible comeback by the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, at least compared to their earlier wins.  Same goes for the Red Sox and their 2018 World Series victory – this section was very short when compared to the 2004 and 2013 wins. This is not to say that a reader won’t learn more about that time frame for all 4 teams – indeed, there’s a good write up on the 2019 Bruins when they lost the Stanley Cup Final to the St. Louis Blues – but it just isn’t quite as complete as the earlier chapters.

Overall, this is a decent book for readers who want to learn more about the Boston dominance in the last 20 years of professional sports.  Be prepared for a little bragging and a little possible arrogance, but it is a great look at the professional sports scene in that city.

I wish to thank Abrams Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Link:  This Is Our City: Four Teams, Twelve Championships, and How Boston Became the Most Dominant Sports City in the World: Massarotti, Tony: 9781419753589: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Comeback Pitchers"

When I obtained this book, I had to admit that I knew very little about the two pitchers who are the subjects.  One, I vaguely remembered reading about in a children's baseball book and the other I thought I remembered hearing when one of his records was broken 10 years ago.  Turned out what I remembered about them was correct, and by reading this book, I learned a lot more about both men and their pitching careers.  Here is my review of "Comeback Pitchers." 

Title/Author: “Comeback Pitchers: The Remarkable Careers of Howard Ehmke and Jack Quinn” by Lyle Spatz and Steve Steinberg

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:  Athletes in every sport will hear from others that when their performance or their health is slipping that it is time to give up the sport.  For two pitchers whose best years came in the 1920’s, Howard Ehmke and Jack Quinn, they were no different.  However, what was different is how at an advanced age for a pitcher they both were able to not only lengthen their baseball careers, but also perform at a high level.  Their careers and stories are chronicled in this excellent book by Lyle Spatz and Steve Steinberg.

There are some similarities in their careers.  They both played in the Federal League, a third major league that lasted only three years, 1913-15.  It was Ehmke’s breakthrough after much success in the minor leagues, while for Quinn it was a chance to make more money when he felt that his current team, the Boston Braves, were not giving him enough chances to pitch. They were also teammates for two and a half seasons on the Boston Red Sox (who were not a good team at the time) and later for the Philadelphia Athletics under Connie Mack.

It was here that Ehmke acquired the fame that he was long remembered for – in 1929, he was a “surprise” starter for the Athletics in Game One of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs.  The chapter on this game and the actual events and conversations that led up to the game is one example of the excellence of this book. Spatz and Steinberg dispel many myths about the game, starting with the “surprise” announcement of Ehmke as the starter.  He and Mack had actually worked out an agreement in which while it wasn’t certain that Ehmke would start game one, he was certainly going to be part of the A’s World Series team and contribute.  There are numerous quotes and sources about Ehmke’s start that support the notion that it was not a complete surprise to many in baseball.

This, of course, is not all that is written about Ehmke in the book as the authors included such items as Ehmke’s frequent clashes with Ty Cobb when Ehmke pitched for the Tigers, Ehmke’s very good performance for a terrible Red Sox team and his elation that despite all the health issues he suffered, he was able to be on a championship team in 1929. 

Similar extensive writing and research was done on Quinn as well, but his fame was due more to his longevity instead of any one particular accomplishment. There are three noteworthy records he held for a long time because of his longevity.  One that still stands is that he was only one of three pitchers to appear in a game at age 50 or older.  The other two have since been broken – the oldest player to hit a home run (broken by Julio Franco in 2016) and oldest pitcher to win a game (broken by Jamie Moyer in 2012).  Quinn’s career is covered just as extensively as Ehmke in the book, with detailed pages on his success with many different teams.  It should also be noted that Quinn was one of the last spitball pitchers as those pitchers who used it as their primary pitch were allowed to continue using it after it was banned in Major League baseball in 1920.  That meant he was still throwing the spitter for another 13 years. 

While neither pitcher was ever considered outstanding or had a career that would be considered for the baseball Hall of Fame, this book is one that certainly could be considered to be in that lofty status of baseball books, it was that good.  Because of the detail, it is not one that will be read quickly, but it is so through that a reader will feel like they will now be an expert on the careers of Howard Ehmke and Jack Quinn, two pitchers who certainly can be considered as “comeback pitchers.”

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Links:  Amazon.com: Comeback Pitchers: The Remarkable Careers of Howard Ehmke and Jack Quinn: 9781496222022: Spatz, Lyle, Steinberg, Steve, Williams, Pat: Books

Review of "Two Sides of Glory"

 The baseball postseason of 1986 is considered to be one of the best of all time, with both league championship series and the World Series having epic games and all three with unforgettable moments.  While the New York Mets may have won the World Series, their opponents in that epic seven game series, the Boston Red Sox, are considered a great team in their own right and Erik Sherman writes their stories in this terrific book.  Here is my review of "Two Sides of Glory"

Title/Author:

“Two Sides of Glory: The 1986 Boston Red Sox in Their Own Words” by Erik Sherman

Tags:

Baseball, professional, Red Sox, History

Publish date:

April 1, 2020

Length:

288 pages

Rating:

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

It isn’t often that the losing team in the World Series is fondly remembered for decades. Even though the Boston Red Sox have won four World Series titles since then, their 1986 team is considered to be one of their best despite losing to the New York Mets in an epic seven game World Series.  Author Erik Sherman, who published a book on that Mets team in 2016, now turns his attention to their vanquished foes, the Red Sox.  His interviews with thirteen of that team’s players reveals how much that season means to them all these years later.

Each chapter covers an interview with the players, starting with Bill Buckner.  After his error in the tenth inning of Game Six allowed the winning run to score for New York, keeping the series alive for a Game Seven that the Mets eventually won, Buckner was subjected to criticism, ridicule and even death threats to him and his family.  His interview was moving, at times heartening and at times melancholy as well. It was clear that the reaction he got to that fateful moment has bothered him for many years. The statement he made to Sherman about being “forgiven” by fans after the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004 was telling as Buckner said that made him angry – realizing that was what some people now thought.

As good as that interview was, each one thereafter was just as good and revealed much about each man as Sherman asked excellent questions that could not be answered with the same statements and clichés that you hear in postgame or press conference interviews.  Usually when an author puts himself in the book when it is not a memoir, I find it self-serving, but that is not the case here as Sherman’s questions needed to be stated and his banter with the subject enhanced the stories they told.

Those stories were quite revealing, no matter who was doing the talking and many of them would run against the personality one would immediately think of when mentioning that player’s name.  The two players who exhibited this trait the most were Roger Clemens and Jim Rice.  Both of them had reputations for angry personalities, but both of them were as nice as possible to not only Sherman, but to their Red Sox teammates as well, which was bore out in the interviews with others.  Clemens talks about the allegations of his use of performance enhancing drugs, Rice about his relationship with the media.  Other player interviews revealed other touching stories, such as Dwight Evans losing two sons to brain cancer, Marty Barrett getting choked up when speaking about his former teammates and nearly everyone who had something to share about two teammates who passed away before Sherman began the interviews, Don Baylor and Dave Henderson.  It should also be noted that after being interviewed for the book, two additional 1986 Red Sox players passed – Buckner and Tom Seaver.

One other quality that makes this book a page-turner is that the players are genuine with Sherman.  None of them seem to be phony or trying to sound like someone they aren’t, even if that didn’t match their persona when playing.  This has already been mentioned for Rice and Clemens, but the one interview that struck me as the best one in the entire collection - and they were all excellent - was the one with Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd.  He not only shares his thoughts on the 1986 team and World Series (he is still upset that he was passed over to start Game Seven and instead Bruce Hurst was given the ball), but he also tells of his reverence for the Negro Leagues, why he believes that Jackie Robinson may not have been the best thing to happen to Black ballplayers and his thoughts on why the number of Black players has dropped so much in recent years.  Through all those, he still had the outspoken and larger-than-life personality that he had while pitching for the 1986 Red Sox.

Whether or not a reader is a Red Sox fan, a Mets fan, or a neutral observer for that epic showdown, this book is one that every reader who has any interest in the sport should read.  Sherman became a best-selling author with his book on the 1986 Mets and this one should become another one.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)                                                                                                                               

Buying Links:

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496219329/

https://www.amazon.com/Two-Sides-Glory-Boston-Their-ebook/dp/B08MPSQ6S5/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1610821374&sr=8-1

Review of "The Ultimate Boston Red Sox Time Machine Book"

Given the history of the Boston Red Sox, I thought this would be a jam-packed book with many colorful stories about the entire history of the franchise.  There was some, but not quite what I expected for the latter years of this team.  Here is my review of this book.

Title/Author:

“The Ultimate Boston Red Sox Time Machine Book” by Martin Gitlin

Tags:

Baseball, professional, history, Red Sox

Publish date:

February 1, 2020

Length:

208 pages

Rating:

2 ½  of 5 stars (fair) - rounded to 3 for Goodreads, NetGalley and Amazon

Review:

The Boston Red Sox have one of more colorful histories of teams in Major League Baseball. Early in their existence, they were the most dominant team in the game. Then an infamous trade that led to an alleged curse on the franchise became the main talking point for the franchise until their recent return to glory with 4 championships in 15 years.  Their history is condensed into this fairly short, quick reading book by Marty Gitlin.

The biggest surprise for me reading this book was the relatively little amount of text devoted to the recent run of success by the Red Sox. There is very good information on the first Red Sox dynasty, from the first World Series until the infamous trade of Babe Ruth to the hated New York Yankees in 1920.  While there are plenty of pages on the 2004 championship that broke the so-called “Curse of the Bambino” that haunted the franchise for 86 years, there is scant little coverage, at least in comparison, of the later successful years in 2007, 2013 and 2018.  Indeed, there was only one sentence that mentioned anything about the championship in 2007 and not a lot about either 2013 or 2018’s successful seasons.  There is more written about the collapse of the team in the final days of the 2011 season, the “chicken and beer” controversy and subsequent firing of manager Terry Francona than there was about the last three championships.

Also, the heartbreak of many seasons in which the team was oh-so-close was on full display many times.  Whether it was in 1946 when Enos Slaughter made his mad dash home when Johnny Pesky still had the ball, losing to Cincinnati in the 7^th game of the 1975 World Series after the famous Carlton Fisk home run in game 6, Bill Buckner’s fateful error in game 6 of the 1986 World Series, Bucky Dent’s homer in the 1978 tie breaker vs the Yankees, or Aaron Boone’s home run to end the 2003 playoffs for Boston, a Red Sox fan will have plenty of material in which he or she can relive those painful losses. 

There is some good information on key people in Red Sox history such as Babe Ruth, longtime owner Tom Yawkey and many other players. These mini-biographies are placed in the time of team history when that person played a significant role and they made for decent reading. These snippets, as well as the description of the team, have the feeling of a book written by a big fan of the team and there wasn’t a lot of objectivity.  That isn’t necessarily bad if the target audience is “Red Sox Nation” (a good description of this term and the fan base starts the book), but much of this information is compacted in a manner that serious fans of the team will already know it all.

Not being a Red Sox fan and wanting to learn some more about the team, this book fell short of my expectations for that as I, as a serious fan of the game, did know most, but not all of, the material before reading it.  It is good for fairly new fans of either the game or the Red Sox in specific.  For that reason, the book does get a passing grade, but anyone with a more than casual knowledge of the team should look elsewhere for new information.

I wish to thank Lyons Press 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.amazon.com/Ultimate-Boston-Time-Machine-Book-ebook/dp/B0812D4JJH/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1578773381&sr=8-1