Review of “Royal Treatment”

Next year will mark the 80th anniversary of the integration of Major League Baseball by the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson. So, just like when he played in Montreal the year before integration, I received a book about his time with the Royals a year before that anniversary. Here is my review of that book.

Title/Author: “Royal Treatment: Jackie Robinson, Montreal, and the Breaking of Baseball’s Color Barrier” by Sean J. McLaughlin

Rating:  4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: When Jackie Robinson spent the 1946 baseball season with the Montreal Royals, it was part of the plan by Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey to integrate Major League Baseball. This was done not because Robinson needed the year at the Dodgers’ top farm club to work on his baseball skills. It was done to prepare him for what he might face as the game’s first Black player. How Robinson and his wife Rachel fared in Montreal and how the city treated him is the main focus of this book by Sean J. McLaughlin.

The book isn’t all baseball, all the Robinsons or all Montreal. McLaughlin does a very good job of weaving the topics together in a way that it doesn’t get too bogged down in one topic. While that’s a strength of the book, there are also good chunks of the book, several pages long, about subjects that are really only peripherally relevant to the main subject of Robinson. Two examples of this are the lengthy sections on Canadian racial history and a later description of the same thing for the city of Louisville, who was Montreal’s opponent in the 1946 Junior World Series. 

While these subjects may not have been directly related to the Jackie Robinson story, when McLaughlin concentrated on Robinson, the city and citizens of Montreal, or the action on the field during Royals games, the writing is great. It’s clear, full of important details, and makes the reader feel like they are in a time warp and takes them back to post-World War II Canada. I especially enjoyed reading about the warm reception that the Robinson received in Montreal, whether it was in their neighborhood or enthusiastic baseball fans cheering the soon-to-be Dodger on. 

This step of the Jackie Robinson story is one that is often passed or glossed over and this book finally gives it the recognition it deserves. No matter what the checkered history of racial relations may be in both the United States or Canada may be, this book shows that even that may be pushed aside when a talented player can make an entire city cheer. 

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Royal-Treatment-Robinson-Montreal-Baseballs/dp/1496244311/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0 

Review of "Before They Wore Dodger Blue"

As I mention in the review, I find books about the Los Angeles Dodgers to be among the best baseball books that I read.  This one by Eric Vickery, a former Casey Award finalist, to be no exception.  Here is my review of his book on the 1970 Spokane Indians, managed by Tommy Lasorda and had many future Dodger stars on its roster. 

Title/Author:

“Before They Wore Dodger Blue: Tommy Lasorda and the Greatest Draft Class in Baseball History” by Eric Vickrey

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

The Los Angeles Dodgers have long been considered one of the better baseball organizations in developing players whom they have drafted or signed into good major league players.  In 1970, their AAA farm club, the Spokane Indians, had one of the best crops of players drafted by the Dodgers. This book by Eric Vickery not only describes that season in good detail but also provides interesting stories and facts about most of these players and the manager, Tommy Lasorda.

What strikes me as one of the best aspects of this book is that Vickrey doesn’t limit the discussion to the best players on that team.  While many baseball fans know at least parts of the stories about future All-Stars like Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes and Ron Cey, the other players who may not have been stars or even play much in Major League Baseball get plenty of mentions in the book.  This includes players like pitcher Bob O’Brien, infielder Bart Shirley and pitcher John Purdin. No worries if a reader has not heard of these and other players that weren’t stars – the reader will learn about that player and get a complete picture of what part of the Indians’ success they played.

Of course, the players I mentioned that made up the long-lasting Dodger infield (along with Bill Russell) get plenty of material written about them as well.  Other stars get their fair share of text in the book as well.  The admiration Lasorda had for Bobby Valentine as an up-and-coming star is well documented and it sparked plenty of material for this book, both directly involving those two and the rest of the team’s reaction.

There is also an excellent section on Lasorda and his penchant for public speaking.  Even events that seem ho-hum, such as an injury to a player, can be fun to read.  An example of this is when Bill Buckner had a broken jaw and it was wired shut.  Teammates made many comments about his bad breath.  This was presented in a manner that made me laugh out loud.

For reasons unbeknownst to me, I find books about the Los Angeles Dodgers to be great ones to read, and this one is no exception.  One doesn’t have to be a Dodgers fan to enjoy reading about one of the greatest draft classes in the history of the game – at least since the draft started in 1965.

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

Link: Before They Wore Dodger Blue: Tommy Lasorda and the Greatest Draft Class in Baseball History: Vickrey, Eric: 9781938532948: Amazon.com: Books

Review of "Tao of the Backup Catcher"

Needing to find a good audio book on a recent drive to the Baseball Hall of Fame, I found this one buried in my Audible library.  Downloaded it and enjoyed it immensely.  Here is my review of "The Tao of the Backup Catcher." 

Title/Author:

“The Tao of the Backup Catcher: Playing Baseball for the Love of the Game” by Tim Brown, narrated by Tim Brown and Justin Price

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review: This is a question for baseball fans, no matter what their level of interest.  Can you name the backup catcher for your favorite team?  If you can’t, then have no fear, this book by Tim Brown on one of the more unknown yet fascinating positions on a baseball team is part biography, part philosophical waxing and all a fun read.

The biography part is on a career backup catcher who had many stops in both minor league towns and in MLB cities, Erik Kratz.  Brown chronicles Kratz’s many stops along his way to appearing in 332 major league games over 11 seasons.  Just his list of MLB teams is extensive – nine different teams. Starting with the Pirates (when he was 30 after spending eight years in minor league baseball), Phillies, Blue Jays, Royals, Phillies a second time, Astros, Pirates a second time, Yankees, Brewers, Giants, Rays and Yankees a second time when he decided to retire for good at age 40. And this doesn’t cover all the moves to different minor league towns. Through it all, there are plenty of interesting stories about him and his wife.

However, the best stories are not really about Kratz personally or the other backup catchers whose names are mentioned throughout the book.  What is the best aspect of the book is how this job, while well paying, is one that is full of many different tasks.  Everything from warming up pitchers in the bullpen to how it is difficult for the backup catcher to get enough batting practice is covered.  Not everything in the book is related to what happens in the ballpark.  With so many moves, there is plenty of material on the many tasks Mrs. Kratz did to move the family.  Another great (and funny) anecdote is about Erik’s shower shows – there is enough about them that they get their own chapter.

This is just a small sample of the very interesting and fun material to digest in this book.  Like many who hold the position, this book may not make best seller lists, but it is one that baseball fans will want to have in their library and have ready when they need a lighter read – their backup catcher of baseball books.

Link: Amazon.com: The Tao of the Backup Catcher: Playing Baseball for the Love of the Game: 9781538726556: Brown, Tim, Kratz, Erik: Books

Review of "Life in the G"

 Sometimes it's easy to forget that baseball and hockey aren't the only sports with a minor league - the NBA has one too and this book on the G League makes for great reading. 

Title/Author:

“Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA” by Alex Squadron

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Having read several books on players or teams in baseball’s minor leagues, I expected this book to be about the same with the same format and the same stories.  That wasn’t the case with this excellent book by Alex Squadron about the 2021-22 season of the Birmingham Squadron of the NBA’s minor league, currently known as the “G” League thanks to its partnership with Gatorade.

While there are certainly some aspects of this book that are like any other book on minor leagues, such as the less-than-desirable travel conditions (although here, there are always flights, but commercial not private charters like the NBA) and the stories of drive, determination and at times hopelessness, this one reads quite differently.  For one, there is plenty of humor.  That starts at the introduction when Squadron adamantly denies picking this particular team only because its name is the same as his own. From there, it was a fast-paced and fun read as the reader will learn about the history of the G League, some of the players and coaches who became successful at their craft in the NBA and some of the ways that players can be called up to the league.

One very interesting observation about the qualities that NBA teams look for in these players is that it is rarely the leading scorers or flashy players that get the call.  Many times the NBA coaches and scouts are looking for players that are either totally into the team concept of basketball or are willing to do the dirty work such as defending the opponent’s best shooter or fight inside for rebounds or even court position.  Of the players profiled in the book, the one who achieved the most NBA success, Malcom Hill, that was his ticket to getting a contract with the Chicago Bulls.

Hill’s story, just like those of the other three Squadron players profiled - Jared Harper, Joe Young, and Zylan Cheatham – make for great reading, as does Alex Squadron’s description of the Birmingham Squadron’s games and practices.  It’s a fun ride through the season that will bring the reader much closer to the life of a minor league basketball player.

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: Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA: Squadron, Alex, Ingram, Andre: 9781496235855: Amazon.com: Books

 

Review of "Macho Man"

This book was selected as me as part of a reading challenge - one person picks books for another person to read.  This one was selected for me to read from a list of various books, all on sports or entertainment.  I guess this one is good since it included both!  Here is my review of "Macho Man."  

Title/Author:

“Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage” by Jon Finkel

Rating: 5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Any wrestling fan knows about Randy “Macho Man” Savage (real name Randy Poffo), who was one of the most popular figures in the business in the 1980’s and early 1990’s.  His legendary wrestling career, mostly with the then-World Wrestling Federation (WWF) is captured in great detail in this biography by Jon Finkel.

Through extensive research and interviews, the reader will be taken through Savage’s wrestling career, which was a humble beginning in a minor company in Kentucky.  When he, his brother Lanny and father Angelo Poffo created their own wrestling association to compete with the bigger, more reputable Continental Wrestling Association of Jerry Lawler, they failed to make much headway and had to fold the company.  This turned out to be a turning point for Randy as after sending a sincere letter to Lawler, Lawler referred him to Vince McMahon.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

As many know, Savage/Poffo was a professional baseball player before entering professional wrestling.  He played in the minor league systems of the St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds (his favorite team as a kid) and Chicago White Sox.  While he never made the major leagues, no one questioned his work ethic or the length to which he went to show everyone what he would do to make the big leagues. This includes learning to throw left handed when an injury prevented him from throwing with his natural right side.

As glad as I was that Finkel covered Savage/Poffo’s baseball career as well as he did, the coverage of his wrestling career was excellent.  This includes his time before and during his height of popularity with WWF.  This section includes some excellent insight into the business and the dialogue between wrestlers during the show, even while performing. One specific exchange that was very enlightening to me was early in Savage’s time with WWF when he was concerned that one of his patented elbow drops and a subsequent blow to the neck of his opponent hurt that person.  The other wrestler quickly said that no, he was selling the injury.  This was just one small example of the complete writing done on both careers of Savage/Poffo.

 After his time with WWF was complete, he did some time with the WCW and reunited with some of the other stars at that time, but it was not as complete as the other areas of Poffo’s life. Which was fine as there was plenty of material to enjoy and absorb in this excellent biography of the man who told us to “step into a Slim Jim!”

I wish to thank ECW Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley.  The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

Link: Amazon.com: Macho Man: The Untamed, Unbelievable Life of Randy Savage: 9781770417588: Finkel, Jon: Books

Review of “Under Jackie’s Shadow”

This book’s synopsis intrigued me as it told a different side of the integration of baseball. It also has the feel of authenticity because these are stories of the players who experienced these hardships. Here is my review of “Under Jackie’s Shadow.”

Title/Author:

“Under Jackie’s Shadow: Voices of Black Minor Leaguers Baseball Left Behind” by Mitchell Nathanson 

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: 

When Jackie Robinson became the first Black player in the major leagues, it rightly created a path to the highest level of baseball for all. But the odds for any professional baseball player to make it to “the show” are slim. This book by Mitchell Nathanson reveals stories about Black players who either didn’t reach that lofty status or if they did, it was only for that proverbial cup of coffee.

Something that struck me as more shocking than the stories of racism and lack of opportunities for Black players is how many of the men who told Nathanson their story were related to Black men who did succeed. There was Ron Allen, brother of former Phillies and White Sox star Dick Allen. Ron felt that he was never given a fair chance with the Phillies because Dick (whom the Phillies always called “Richie”) left them with a bad feeling about anyone named Allen. 

Then there was Will Aaron, cousin of the legendary Hank Aaron. When Will was struggling to move up in the Baltimore Orioles’ organization during the early 1970’s, he decided to study the finer points of the game closely, including why his cousin became the home run king. However he also discovered a concept Will Aaron called “position displacement” which systematically excluded Black players from certain positions like catcher and placed them in the outfield.

There are many recollections of segregation in the southern cities that had minor league teams, coaches who were clearly prejudiced, and the broken promises after the young player passed up college scholarships to play professional baseball. Most of these stories will leave the reader sad, angry or both. But there was one more unusual aspect in the book: most of these men held no grudge toward the game and were satisfied that they tried their best. I found that to be a surprising aspect as given what they went through, one would believe they would have hard feelings toward the game they loved but didn’t love them back. Overall, a very good book as told by the who experienced this injustice. 

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/Under-Jackies-Shadow-Leaguers-Baseball/dp/149623717X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of “Cardinal Dreams”

 While there are plenty of books on the stars of baseball and some on minor league life, this was a book on a prospect who had a taste of the big leagues then suffered an untimely death - a very good read. Here is my review of “Cardinal Dreams.”

Title/Author:

“Cardinal Dreams: The Legacy of Charlie Peete and a Life Cut Short” by Danny Spewak

Rating: 

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Charlie Peete is probably a player that most people, even hard-core St. Louis Cardinals fans, wold not recognize. He only appeared in 23 games for the 1956 Cardinals, hitting .192 in 59 plate appearances. So why would author Danny Spewak write a book on this player? Because he was a Black player with a promising future whose life was tragically cut short when he and his family dies in a plane crash in November 1956. 

More than just that tragedy, the story of Charlie Peete is one worth sharing because of his struggles that he and many Black players faced during the early days of the integration of Major League Baseball. It is also notable because despite many of their National League competitors integrating already, the Cardinals were among the last of the National League teams to welcome Black ballplayers. Thischanged when August Busch bought the team and wanted to have the best players on the team, no matter their skin color. 

At the time, Peete was in the minor league system for the Cardinals and was getting antsy to get his chance. Having already proven to be a fine player in the Piedmont League where he was a local favorite, playing for the Portsmouth (Virginia) team which was his hometown, he was moving up the ranks all the way to triple A Omaha, finally getting the call in July 1956.

There is more to Peete’s story as he was also a member of the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League as well as organized baseball. The shameful acts of racism Peete faced were not discussed in great detail but enough that a reader will understand what Peete and other Black ballplayers faced at that time. 

Like the rest of the book, Spewak uses many sources of information when writing about the doomed flight to Venezuela where Pete, his wife and their three children perished. It was common for ballplayers who were on the cusp of making the Major Leagues to play winter ball in Latin American countries and Peete was about to play for a Venezuelan team for the 1956-57 winter. This section, like the rest of the book, is very informative and an easy read. Telling stories about players like Charlie Peete is something that should be done as well as the pioneers like Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby. 

I wish to thank Rowman and Littlefield publishing for proving a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. 

Link:https://www.amazon.com/Cardinal-Dreams-Legacy-Charlie-Peete/dp/153817992X/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 

Review of “Welcome to the Circus of Baseball”

 Having just gone through some very cold weather here in the Capital Region of New York State, it was great to read a book about baseball and having “Summer” in the subtitle was a bonus. Oh, and the book was excellent too!  Here is my review of “Welcome to the Circus of Baseball”

Title/Author:

“Welcome to the Circus of Baseball” by Ryan McGee

Rating: 

5 of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:   

There are plenty of books available about life in baseball’s minor leagues - that is, books about players whose time in the minors is described. However, there aren’t as many about others who help to make a minor league team run smoothly. This book by ESPN writer and podcaster Ryan McGee looks back fondly at his one season of being an intern for a minor league team.

In 1993, McGee was fresh out of college looking to land a job with ESPN. Having no success there, he and many others with the same dreams of working in sports went to the Winter Meetings for baseball executives, hoping to lad a job in the game. McGee did so - an intern for the Asheville Tourists, a low-level minor league team in the Sally League that was based in the Carolinas.

What follows is a very good description of the friendships he made (some of which still continue to this day) with not only fellow interns, but also front office staff, workers in various parts of the ballpark such as concessions and grounds keeping and even coaches. The players weren’t included in this as interns were not supposed to spend much time in the clubhouse, but there were ways around this - one of the numerous stories told in the book.

Those stories not only made great reading for their humor and personal touches, but they also gave a great perspective and admiration for those people working at a ballpark. Having worked in concessions for many years at Minnesota Twins games, I found myself relating to many of McGee’s stories of his nights working concessions. I was laughing at his mishap while filling the soft serve ice cream machine and his method of quickly moving beer kegs on “Thirsty Thursday” nights when beers sold for $1. 

Sticking with concessions as an example of how McGee made stories have a wonderful human interest perspective, one of the best stories was when he offered to take the girl who worked the snow cone stand to her prom after she was stood up by the person who originally did so. While not a typical story that would come from working at a ball park, it just shows how much that summer in Asheville meant to McGee.  Also, these types of stories abound in the book, whether he was working concessions, tarp duty (some of the funniest stories come from that) or anything else.

There is a little baseball discussion, especially as that was the summer that Michael Jordan played baseball and he did take a trip to see Jordan play. Jordan was not in the league where the Tourists played, but that didn’t lower the buzz around the ballpark about him. The Tourists had a home game during the other big news item that summer, the O.J. Simpson police chase. Another great story in the book.

No matter the level of interest one has in minor league baseball, this is a book practically anyone who has ever attended, worked at or played in a minor league game will enjoy. It comes highly recommended for any reader.

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

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Welcome-Circus-Baseball-Perfect-Ballpark/dp/0385548400/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Review of "Clubbie”

If one wants to have a job in professional baseball, being a clubhouse attendant is one option.  That is how Greg Larson decided to do so and his story of the two years he worked in that position is told in this book.  Here is my review of "Clubbie"

 

Title/Author: "Clubbie: A Minor League Baseball Memoir" by Greg Larson

Rating: 4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review: Life as the clubhouse attendant for a baseball team, whether major or minor league, is far from glamorous.  But yet, because "clubbies" can feel like they are part of the team and have access to certain perks that many fans would love to have, there are plenty of people who apply for the job. Greg Larson did that after his dreams of having a career in baseball as a player ended. In 2012, he took the job of clubhouse attendant of the Aberdeen Ironbirds, a low-level farm club of the Baltimore Orioles. He shares the story of the two years he held the job in this memoir.

While the book is not really a how-to on being a clubhouse attendant or manager, the reader will get a good look inside what goes on in there during a baseball season.  Far from the fancy food and luxurious accommodations that greet major league players, Larson talks often about having to get the food for players ready, at times resorting to leftovers from the stadium concession stands or restaurant.  Later, he also feels remorse for having to collect any dues for the food when he realizes how little these players are paid as they are mostly low draft choices or undrafted players who are given a chance to follow their dreams.

Speaking of pay, Larson doesn't make much in this either as his tips were the best source of income and he also bemoans the lack of support for an apartment from the team in his second year, choosing instead to live in the clubhouse closet for that season.  It came across as a desperate attempt to try to chase that "dream" of a baseball career, even if it meant preparing food and doing laundry for peers who are players.

That doesn't mean the book isn't entertaining or a good read.  Indeed, some of the stories of his interaction with players, coaches and the manager are fun reading.  I really got a kick out of the team's manager Allen Mills (a former Orioles pitcher) always calling Larson "meat."  After a while, one realizes that Mills called everyone that, but it still was funny when Mills would be either calling Larson out for a mistake or imploring him to come join the celebration when Aberdeen won the New York-Penn League championship in 2013.  His adventure of warming up an outfielder also made an excellent funny story.

Those stories offset some of the melancholier parts of the book, such as when he is describing his relationship with his father or his girlfriend.  He also at times seems to be upset about not being one of the players.  Those, however, only occasionally dull the otherwise fun mood one will be in when reading this book.

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

Links: https://www.amazon.com/Clubbie-Minor-League-Baseball-Memoir-ebook/dp/B08MQ9GBVZ  

https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496224293/

Review of "Dalko"

It has been a fairly slow season for new baseball book releases, but fortunately there are a few on the way.  This one about Steve Dalkowski, known equally for his fastball speed and the wildness with which it was thrown, is a complete account of his career.  Here is my review of "Dalko"

Title/Author:

“Dalko: The Untold Story of Baseball's Fastest Pitcher" by Bill Dembski, Alex Thomas and Brian Vikancer

Tags:

Baseball, professional, biography, minor leagues, Orioles

Publish date:

September 22, 2020

Length:

336 pages

Rating: 

4 ½  of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Even though he never pitched in a regular season major league baseball game, most baseball fans have heard of Steve Dalkowski through the legendary stories of the speed of his pitches, the inability to get many of those pitches over the plate and his drinking stories.  This book, a collaborative effort by three authors, is an excellent account of "Dalko's" athletic career.

When including Dalkowski's high school time, athletic is the more appropriate word to use than baseball since he was an outstanding football player. It was noted in the book that his passes when he played quarterback were much more accurate than his fastballs, which drove his coaches crazy when trying to figure out why he was accurate with the pigskin but not the horsehide.

There isn't much about Dalkowski during his childhood in the book, which is the only blemish on the book as the rest of his life is written with excellent detail and from many different viewpoints by people important in his life. Unlike many other biographies, this book had very good information on Dalkowski's life after baseball, especially when he, for a short time, had a stable family life and his drinking was not having an extremely negative effect on his life.  This is consistent with the writing about his baseball career.

That aspect is the best part of the book as it accomplishes two major factors that will have readers learning the real story behind the legend of Steve Dalkowski.  One is the truth, fiction or embellishment of several of the stories about his fastball and his wildness.  One example is that there is information on the story that he ripped the ear off of a batter with his fastball.  While it was true about the ear injury to the batter, that is an embellishment that grew over the years.  Another example is how he injured his elbow during an exhibition game when pitching for the Orioles, the team that signed him out of high school when they saw the blazing speed on his fastball and patiently tried to get him ready for the big leagues.  There are several versions of that injury and the book sets it straight.

The other major component of Dalkowski's baseball career, the patience and advice of the many coaches and teammates who tried to help him, is both maddening and sad.  Sad in the fact that nearly everyone wanted to help him and wanted him to succeed and maddening in that nothing seemed to work, probably because with so much advice, he very likely couldn't keep it all together.  His alcoholism is also addressed well in the book, with stories of when it seemed to start, some of the trouble he got into with his drinking and one very interesting fact – whenever he borrowed money from teammates or coaches for nights out, he made sure to always pay them back every day. 

For the complete story of the legend that was Steve Dalkowski and his fastball, before the days of other contemporary pitchers known for speed like Nolan Ryan, this is the book to pick up.  It's a great read for not only readers who know about the talented but erratic pitcher, but also for those who have never heard of him and wish to read about an intriguing person.

I wish to thank Influence Publishers for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Dalko-Untold-Baseballs-Fastest-Pitcher/dp/1645427102/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dalko-bill-dembski/1137346942?ean=9781645427117

Review of "Minnesota's 50 Greatest Baseball Players"

Being a Minnesota Twins fan, I was very interested in this book to see who the author considered to be the greatest player on the team in their 59 year history.  However, this short book was more than just a listing of the best Twins - any player who spent time in the Gopher State was eligible and it made for a good read.  Here is my review of this book

Title/Author:

“Minnesota's 50 Greatest Baseball Player” by Jonathan Sweet

Tags:

Baseball, professional, minor leagues, Twins

Publish date:

May 2, 2019

Length:

186 pages

Rating: to

4 of 5 stars (good)

Review:

One might be surprised to realize how many great baseball players have plied their trade in Minnesota. In this quick-to-read book by Jonathan Sweet, readers will learn a little bit about 50 players, many of whom are enshrined in the baseball Hall of Fame, who spent some time in Minnesota. This can be with the major league Minnesota Twins or one of the minor league teams that called a Minnesota city its home. These include the Minneapolis Millers, the St. Paul Saints, and the St. Cloud Rox.

It should be noted that Sweet wisely did not rank these players from 1-50. Instead he listed them in alphabetical order. And what a list this turned out to be! It didn’t matter how long a player played in Minnesota or how well he performed while in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.  All that mattered was that the player put on the uniform of a Minnesota team.

Some of those players spent their entire careers in Minnesota with the Twins - Kirby Puckett and Joe Mauer, for example. A few were in a Twins jersey for only a short time - Steve Carlton is a good example. Carlton was also one example of a player who made Sweet’s list by not performing well in Minnesota but excelling elsewhere.

As for outstanding players who spent time with minor league teams in Minnesota, Sweet included not only the well known stories about players with the Millers or Saints like Ted Williams and Willie Mays, but also other Hall of Fame players whose time in Minnesota was not as well known. Just for starters, before reading this book, I did not realize that Lou Brock, Roy Campanella, Ray Dandridge, Hoyt Wilhelm and Orlando Cepeda all played in Minnesota. Just to learn about these Hall of Fame players’ time in the state made the book a worthwhile read.

While readers will get only snippets about these men in each chapter, they are filled with information about their time on a Minnesota diamond as well as their career accomplishments. Any reader who has an interest in Minnesota baseball will want to read this book.

I wish to thank Brick Pickle Media 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/Minnesotas-50-Greatest-Baseball-Players/dp/1095694359/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=