5 comments about Damn Senators: My Grandfather and the Story of Washington's Only World Series.

1. Mark Judge's book, Damn Senators, is as finely executed as any 3-6-3 double play turned by the author's grandfather, Washington Senators first baseman Joe Judge. The book focuses on Joe Judge and the Senators victorious season in 1924. In addition to writing about his grandfather, Mark Judge includes fine descriptions of Senators owner Clark Griffith, legendary Senators pitcher Walter Johnson and a superb sketch of Washington D.C. and its citizens at the time of the Senators all too brief ascendency.

   Those who believe game six of the 1975 World Series is the best game ever played in the fall classic should read Damn Senators. Mark Judge does a fine job depicting the excitment of game seven of the 1924 World Series, when Walter Johnson came out of the bullpen to gain victory for the Senators in their one and only World Series triumph. I saw game six of the 1975 World Series on television. After reading Damn Senators I almost feel as though I have seen game seven of the 1924 Series as well.

   Damn Senators is well worth its purchase price. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the winning combination of baseball and fine writing.




2. Written by the grandson of the legendary first baseman of the old Washington Senators, Joe Judge, Damn Senators is a nostalgic telling of how the Senators with Joe Judge achieved their first and only World Series championship in 1924. A drama filled with history, legends, and profiles of great baseball figures of history, Damn Senators combines an introspective personal tale with a portrait of the riveting pressure of playing in the big leagues three-quarters of a century ago. A thoroughly engaging read and highly recommended -- especially for baseball fans.



3. I enjoyed reading the book. Perhaps it's a function of having read previous works on the old Washington Senators (e.g., Henry Thomas' book on Walter Johnson, Fred Lieb, Shirley Povich), but there doesn't seem to be much here that I haven't read before other than a few personal rememberances handed down within the Judge family. In fact, Judge the grandson cites Lieb and Thomas in several passages. The only thing I really learned was how beat up Peckinpaugh was during the 1924 World Series.



4. Mark Gauvreau Judge has done a fine job of putting together the story of the Washington Senators in the 1920s and 1930s. He has also, thankfully, shed some light on a very good player of that time, Joe Judge, his grandfather. Through player development and some good trades, the Senators were built into an excellent team in the mid-20s, good enough to beat the Yankee (when they were bad in 1924) and when they were good in 1925. They also beat back rugged competition from the Indians and the Tigers, who could hit but had pitching difficulties. One of the more interesting aspects of that time was how close the players were back then, with general harmony in the Senator locker room. A surprise in the book was what seemed to be a kind of bashing of Goose Goslin by the author; I always kind of liked Goose based on his interview in "The Glory of Their Times" and while I realize that he can have his moments like anyone else, there never really seemed to be anything good said about the man. Be it a personal matter or my perception, it is a minor point to a book worth reading.



5. Although I found parts of this book enjoyable, I was appalled at some of the factual errors that easily could have been checked out and corrected. Judge borrows and quotes extensively from both Shirley Povich's 1954 team history "The Washington Senators'' and from Tom Deveaux's 2001 "The Washington Senators, 1901-1971'' without crediting either book. He didn't even spell Deveaux's name correctly ("Devaux'') nor did he spell longtime Senators beat writer and Sporting News columnist Bob Addie's name right ("Adie''). The cover jacket photo is appropriated, according to the title page from "a baseball card'' -- It's from the 1961 Fleer set of old-timers, which is popular with collectors and images of which are easy to find on the Web. When an author can't spell names of well-known people correctly and doesn't bother to give proper credit to his sources, it calls into question the accuracy of the rest of the book. These mistakes were in the edition I bought in 2003. If there have been subsequent printings, I hope the errors have been corrected.

5 comments about A Nice Tuesday.

1. I know nothing about baseball and did not need to. This was a great story about the authors' interesting life. I highly recommend this book.



2. It must have been my lucky day when I found this gem in a remainder bin. I picked it to peruse from idle curiosity about the cover and title, not because I knew anything about Pat Jordan. Boy, was I ever ignorant.

   I read a sentence, then a paragraph, then a page, and when hypnotized, I didn't want to stop there; so I bought it for the quality of its prose. I couldn't wait to start reading from the front and found it as funny, and occasionally profound, as it was well written.

   First off, this is a memoir or autobiography written by someone that knows a lot about baseball, not a baseball book per se. Only the extremely obtuse would read it solely in the context of some imagined "baseball comeback" genre. The "Nice Tuesday" of the title is the day the author works towards in all his life relationships...baseball paralleling the personal stuff.

   Jordan reflects on his Connecticut childhood, brief baseball celebrity, drag racing, gambling, father/son, brother/brother, dogs, Florida, writing, aging and yes, pitching with this engaging narrative. Above all else it is a book about how a man works out how to handle himself within the context of family (for better or worse) and career. It's a book about how to write the script of your own life. I don't know whether I'd get along with Jordan, the man, but he is a gifted, intelligent, honest writer.

   In spirit, a Cross between Jim Bouton's classic 'Ball Four' and a novel by Hemingway of Salter. As soon as I finished this book I ordered his earlier work "A False Spring" and forced a close friend to read my copy of "A Nice Tuesday." Don't be afraid to pay full price, it's worth twice the cover!




3. This book is not about baseball, and it is not a sequel to "A False Spring," which was a classic in its own right. It is also not about dogs, cigars, fast cars or South Florida, although all of those things figure prominently in the book. Instead, "A Nice Tuesday" is a deeper, fuller portrait of an unusually talented guy living out his life as best he can despite a nagging feeling that he has failed.

   That may not sound particularly interesting, but Pat Jordan himself is a far better subject than 99% of the atheletes he usually writes about. He is an intelligent guy, with a wide range of interests. His writing captures that struggle we all go through of being able to perceive our shortcomings and only have limited success trying to change them. But, at least he does try. In this book, he's completely unafraid to reveal himself through his writing.

   Beyond this, Jordan is a very skilled writer. He has a great sense of judgment as to what will capture and keep the reader's attention. He doesn't abuse this gift by lingering on his stories too long. There are dozens of memorable scenes and vignettes in this book, but it does not come off as being choppy or disorganized. The connections make sense to Jordan, and he convinces the reader that they should make sense.

   Although this is non-fiction, the book "A Nice Tuesday" resembles most closely is "The World According to Garp" by John Irving. I mean that as a compliment; Garp is one of my favorite books of all time. For me, the similarities are in how Jordan and Garp are both fascinating individuals who have improbable life experiences -- much more interesting than the rest of us -- develop a unique way of looking at life, surround themselves with unusual, even quirky companions and still manage to come off as average guys. Just as John Irving novels have wrestling, dancing bears, New England prep schools and scenes in Vienna, Austria, Pat Jordan's life has baseball, dogs, cigars and Florida. We can relate to these elements, but the books are more than the sum of the elements. Neither Irving's novels nor Jordan's memoir are about these things. They just give the writer an excuse to display talent, skill and a unique way of looking at the world.

   "A Nice Tuesday" also conveys Jordan's sense of inevitable doom -- this obviously comes from the heart -- which reminds me of the "Under Toad" in Garp. Jordan knows that he always drives the people he loves away from him, but can't figure out why and can't seem to stop the process. How honest and uncommon to admit this secret fear that so many of us have.

   A Nice Tuesday is an excellent choice for any adult reader, male or female, young, middle aged or old. It has humor, insight and poignancy. It is much more rewarding than any sports book I have ever read and should not be cheapened by that label. It would have been just as good a book if he had not pitched in the minor league game.




4. I don't think I can add much to the praise bestowed upon this book by the previous reviewers, other than to mention two things I found special about this memoir (come on Amazon proofreaders, get it right!).
   1. I found the book an incredibly interesting portrait of a man that is eerily DISsimilar to myself, yet I could relate and empathise with his life and dreams.
   2. Chapter Three, which is a self-deprecating look at a typical day in the life of a man "...rooted in his routine." is one of the best individual chapters of any book I have read recently. He describes an unremarkable S. Florida day with such clarity and humor that I found myself thinking as I read, "yeah, and then what did you do?"

   I am moving on to A False Spring with anticipation...




5. I bought this book because I enjoyed a False Spring many years ago. I was truly not disappointed. Pat Jordan is so honest that it doesn't matter whether you are reading his books as a sports fan or not, you become interested in his life. Unusual events happenn to him and he writes about them unusually well.

No comments about Justin Morneau: All-Star Ball Star.

2 comments about The Babe Ruth Story.

1. The book contains 48 photo's of the Babe. First edition printed. 1948 by Dutton Publishing. Hand AUTOGRAPHED by BABE RUTH himself, using a fountain pen. Authentication of signature. How much is this book worth ? It's like new.



2. This is a book about a legend. He more than any other player changed the game and made it America's national pasttime. After being the greatest pitcher of his time for Boston he was traded to the Yankees where he went on to begin making the home run synonymous with his name. In the house that Ruth built' Yankee Stadium along with Lou Gehrig he lead the Yankees of the 1920's to a string of pennants and World Series. Both on and off the field the Babe was outsized, and seemed to be unstoppable. He was the greatest player the game ever had and probably ever will have. He was in some sense a babe all his life, childlike and uncontrollable but he was also famous for acts of kindness, including the famous homerun hit on request by a young fan fatally ill. His love of the game and his love of life are now apart of America's legendary heritage.

5 comments about Koufax.

1. Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, and Walter Johnson are the three greatest pitchers in history. This book makes a strong case for Koufax as THE greatest. Certainly others -- Cy Young,Christy Mathewson,Lefty Grove, Bob Feller,Warren Spahn,Tom Seaver,and today's Maddux and Clemens,among others -- have had greater lifetime careers than Sandy,but has anyone been as good as he at their peak years? Maybe Martinez, maybe the two Johnsons,Walter and Randy.It's probably a flat-out dead heat. However, Koufax finished most of his games,something even the great Pedro and Randy seldom do. Also, Koufax frequently went extra innings -- 11,12,13 innings,something Pedro and Randy NEVER do.Koufax pitched for one of the weakest hitting championship teams of all time. From the time he matured into greatness, he became the sole deciding factor as to whether the Dodgers won the pennant or not;in 1962, with the Dodgers on top, Koufax goes out with a circulatory ailment sometime around midsummer and misses most of the rest of the season and the Dodgers lose the pennant.In '63, with a healthy Koufax all year, they win it.In '64, he goes out again in mid-summer with an arthritic arm, and again the Dodgers lose the pennant. In '65, a healthy Koufax leads them to another pennant. In '66, once again with a healthy Koufax, the Dodgers win the pennant. Do you start to see a pattern here? If the greatest measure of an athlete is how he helps his team win, then surely Koufax has to be at the top of anyone's list. If he'd been able to continue pitching,like Nolan Ryan he'd no doubt have been able to pitch at a master level til he was past 40 due to his work ethic and commitment to conditioning. With that scenario, how many games might he have won? How many pennants for the Dodgers? How many no-hitters? Let's see, at a conservatve estimate of 24 wins a year for 10 more years, that would give him 405 lifetime wins, more than anyone except Walter Johnson and Cy Young, both DEAD BALL pitchers. He pitched 4 no-hitters in his last 5 years.At that rate, he'd have pitched 8 more over the next ten years, for a total of 12, obliterating Ryan's mark of 7. He was the greatest clutch pitcher of all time. His World Series lifetime E.R.A. of 0.95 is the best ever for starting pitchers,eclipsing even the Dead Ball guys! When he retired, he was unbelievably still getting BETTER! He had just reached his all-time personal high in wins(27) and his personal best E.R.A.(1.73). In the last 26 days of his career, he started seven times, threw five complete-game wins, and had an E.R.A. of 1.07! Bill James's all-time favorite pitcher,Lefty Grove, can't match up with Koufax, Martinez, or either of the Johnsons; sorry, Bill. The all-time dream game: Koufax vs. Martinez in the seventh game of the Series. Result? The Dodgers in 13 innings,1-0.
   More even than all this, Sandy Koufax is one of the most modest,unassuming athletes ever, a true gentleman. It's a shame today's kids don't have such role models.



2. Koufax was the greatest, he deserves a better book. I suspect that some of the more positive reviews posted are more a reflection of the reviewers' feelings about Koufax, rather than the book. This book is poorly written and incredibly boring. How any writer could make the subject of Sandy's brilliant career boring is beyond me. But Gruver finds a way. The writing is dry and disorganized, there is little flow to the material, too many meaningless quotes from others are included without sufficent editing, and a plethora of unimportant details not only overwhelm the narative but are frequently repeated, sometimes three or four times. I've just ordered Jane Leavy's book, it's got to be better.



3. Sandy Koufax is frequently described as a shy, introverted, and very private man. Perhaps because of this truth, it's hard to really get to know the real man... and even a biographer has trouble shedding any light on Sandy.

   Gruver's book doesn't offer any new insight into Sandy's personality or private life. And the book frequently repeats several phrases over and over again! His pitching motion is described at least five times using the same description, and everyone interviewed for the book chimes in with the same description of his private side. Very repetitive! Lacking any real depth or anything new to say about Sandy Koufax, I guess the author decided to pad the book with repeated phrases. Sandy threw a great curve because of his "long fingers and overhead delivery." Sandy's lack of a good curve in the World Series forced him to "rely almost entirely on his fastfall." I can't tell you how many times I read this same information within the space of this short book.

   Taking up the rest of the book is a pitch-by-pitch retelling of Game 7 of the 1965 World Series. Koufax was amazing to see pitch, and his dominance over other players was exciting to watch. But retold by Gruver in minute detail doesn't recreate the drama, it only puts us to sleep. Football fans have long said that "baseball is boring," and Gruver helps prove them right.

   The author attempts to frame Koufax's story on the aforementioned 1965 World Series game 7, and jumps forward and backward between that game and the rest of Koufax's life and career. It's a literary device that doesn't work; I found myself confused about what year it was and what important game was being played. Also, Gruver's segue phrases between the 1965 World Series and moments earlier in Koufax's career are forced... moving from the eighth inning of Game 7 to an earlier Koufax pitching start, Gruver might say, "It was just like that time in San Francisco in 1962," and - BOOM - now he's recounting the details of a game played three years earlier. And then back to the 1965 World Series for the bottom of the eighth. And so on.

   Hopefully, that newer Koufax biography ("Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy") is better and more exciting than this one. I don't think I've ever read a more boring baseball book, and certainly never one as monotonous as this one.




4. "Koufax", as written by Ed Gruver, is a highly focused book that covers the life and times of this most private man with flair and tact.

   The strength of this book is the combination of the author's narrative with the insightful quotes from interviews he conducted with Sandy's friends and former teammates.

   Gruver covers Koufax's life and career through the spectrum of one game - Game 7 of the 1965 World Series. It's an interesting approach, and it works here since this game is regarded as the defining game in Koufax's great career. (Interesting that Jane Levy's book, published one year later, uses the same format, though with a different game).

   "Koufax" is a wide-ranging story of the life and career of the man many consider the greatest left-handed pitcher in history. It's filled with interesting anecdotes and brings to life a highly private individual.

   Overall, I found it an accurate portrayal of one of sports' most enigmatic figures.




5. Although there are parts of all of Sandy's life in the book, it seemed to revolve too much around the 1965 World Series. I'm still waiting for a good biography on Sandy.

5 comments about The Mick.

1. As a lifelong baseball fan, I am well aware of the legend of Mickey Mantle. I was born just as his career was fading, and he retired three years before my first Little League game.
   But the name "Mickey Mantle" always meant something. Like DiMaggio or Musial or Ruth, he represented a certain type of baseball "hero" that doesn't exist anymore.
   Mythic. Ethereal.

   I decided to read this book in order to learn more about Mantle, and I have to say I learned quite a bit.
   Not all of it good.
   The book is written as if Mr. Mantle dictated it into a tape recorder, and was transcribed with minimal embellishment.
   He comes across as a plain, simple and often humble man. Not very bright, and not terribly insightful. The language is plain and monosyllabic. Fractured sentences and unfinished thoughts are sprinkled throughout the tome.

   Knowing what we know now about his alcoholism and eventual death from liver failure, it's a little embarrassing to see him downplay these problems. Shockingly, his drunk driving accident that put his wife "through the windshield" and led to his wife needing "a lot of stitches in her head" is briefly mentioned in a half a page, as really "scaring" him. That's it. There are passages where he is almost boastful about his drinking...which are a little uncomfortable.

   The book is slight and short. I found myself longing for more information, more detail, more of what it must have been like to be a Yankee at that glorious time in baseball history. Twelve pennants and seven Series in fourteen years? The Yanks OWNED baseball.

   There are many enjoyable anecdotes regarding his fellow ballplayers...pranks, stunts, arguments, fights...that are the clear highlight of this book. He really doesn't have a bad word to say about anybody. Except maybe George Weiss.
   And that leads to the one thing I DIDN'T like about this book.

   Mickey Mantle comes across as a little whiny. Especially about two things: his salary and his injuries.
   And you don't ever want to think of Mickey Mantle as "whiny".

   I realize the book was written in 1985. Things WERE totally different in the 50's. But to put so much emphasis on the annual salary negotiations, and to leave out so much good stuff about the actual game itself, is just plain wrong. There's no perspective.

   Injury after injury gets recounted, with the same "aw-shucks" manner that infuses his less-detailed accounts of his MVP years; it's a bit numbing.

   Since he's gone, we may never know what it must have been like to be Mickey Mantle. Perhaps had he involved his co-writer Herb Gluck more, or had Gluck been able to draw more out of Mantle, we'd have a better book. There's too much pity if you will and not enough glory.

   Believe me, Mantle had enough "glory" in his life for half a dozen Hall of Famers. He truly is one of those legends whose reality justifies the myth. Maybe he wasn't the best person to write a book about Mickey Mantle, strangely enough.
   Did he ever understand how awesome...I use that word carefully and precisely...how truly awesome he really was to a whole generation?

   I consider this merely a taste, a tantalizing glimpse, into the life of Mickey Mantle. I need to read more...I HAVE to.




2. Mickey Mantle (1931-1995) tells his story in this readable and interesting book. Mantle was neither intellectually gifted nor particularly insightful - in these pages he comes across as plain and somewhat humble. Imagine the American League's biggest star running a family bowling alley in Dallas during off seasons in those days of modest salaries. Mantle tells of his antics with his teammates, the thrill of key games, trips overseas, etc. The superstar from Commerce Oklahoma was more responsible for the loved and hated Yankee dynasty of the 1950's thru 1964 than anybody. Mantle said he couldn't remember a single parade after another Yankee title - they were expected to win. Compare that with the 86-year championship wait in Boston, or the long pennant droughts of the White Sox, Cubs, and other teams.
   
   This book came out in the mid-1980's and steers clear of the drinking problems that would lead to Mantle's death in 1995. This is not a great autobiography, but it is an interesting look from a surprisingly humble man.



3. "The Mick" is about the legendary Mickey Mantle. The best part of this book is that it's told in the first person by Mickey himself. Mick was a great guy, and he doesn't edit himself in this book. My favorite part of this book was his upbringings. Any baseball fan knows the guy was a legend on the field, but his origins are less known. It tells of how his father and his grandfather would alternate pitching left and right handed to teach him to hit switch. Or the games he played while Dad was away at the mines. His siblings would box with him, or throw balls over their house and chase them down. If you like Mickey, or even just baseball, you'll love this book.



4. I REALLY ENJOYED THE MICK. MICKEY DOES A VERY GOOD JOB TEELING US ABOUT HIS HARD LIFE AS A CHILD IN OKLAHOMA TO HIS GLORY DAYS WITH THE YANKEES. I FOUND IT VERY INTERESTING TO READ IN THE MICKEY'S WORDS THAT HE HAD A DRINKING PROBLEM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE STOPPED TOO LATE AND IT COST HIM HIS LIFE. MICKEY WAS QUITE A LADIES MAN ALSO AND HAD MANY AFFAIRS. THE MICK IS VERY HUMAN AND HAS A VERY HIGH TOLERANCE TO PAIN. MICKEY WAS MY BOYHOOD HERO, I LOVED TO WATCH HIM. HIS COMBINATION OF POWER AND SPEED WAS AWESOME. HIS ABILITY TO PLAY WITH PAIN MADE HIM A HERO WITH MANY FANS. THIS IS SAD IN MANY PLACES BUT I RECOMMEND IT FOR ALL YANKEE AND BASEBALL FANS. THE MICK IS STILL THE MAN.



5. Mickey Mantle was my childhood baseball idol. This book was first published in the early 1980s. I am fond of this book because even as a adult with a successful career I was still awestruck by Mantle. The book cover was different from the one shown here. I was working at the Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo California and went I heard that mantle was doing a book sign of this new book over in Westwood, I took a very long lunch break, went to Brentano's in Westwood bought the book and waited in a long linr to talk to Mickey and get his signature.
   
   This is a well-written book about Mantle's life in baseball and includes a lot about his frienship and relationship with Billy Martin. All Mantle's books are well-written because he had the good esense to pick excellent sportswriters to ghost write for him. Mantle still appeared to be in good health at the time although the gray was showing in his hair. Liver cancer possibly a result of his heavy drinking and partying during his career took him out of this world too soon. The controversy over his liver transplant came much later as did his final book which was his best and had a heavy message. This book doesn't do that but it does give Mantle's side of the story on a lot of issues that were told much differently by the media. This included the famous brawl at the Copa Cabana bar that many think trigered the trade of Billy Martin to Kansas City. Casey Stengel loved Martin's heart and aggressiveness in the field, but he grew tired of Billy's antics that seemed to be corrupt his star player (Mickey Mantle).

5 comments about The Sizzler: George Sisler, Baseball's Forgotten Great.

1. I hope Huhn did not spend much time on this project.
   
   George Sisler had a .340 career batting average, and that sounds impressive to the few baseball fans who still think batting average is a major statistic. But for the rest of us, Sisler is either--as the preeminent living baseball historian, Bill James, calls him--the most overrated player in baseball history, or, as I call him, the second most overrated player in baseball history, behind Roberto Clemente.
   
   The two men had the same problem. They racked up very high batting averages for their eras, and thus superficially appeared to be great hitters, but they almost never walked. Thus, their career ON-BASE PERCENTAGES, of which "batting average" is but a portion, were mediocre. And neither one of them hit home runs, though Sisler was especially egregious in this respect.
   
   He played in one of baseball's greatest launching pads ever, Sportsman's Park, where it was: 310 down the right field line, 322 to straightaway right, and 351 to deepest right center. And he played there with the super-live ball of the 1920's, before they put the screen up in that part of the park. He also got to play as a visitor in Cleveland's League Park and NY's Yankee Stadium, when they were generous to left-handed hitters, as well as nearly three full seasons as a visitor in the outrageous Baker Bowl in Philly, the century's greatest launching pad.
   
   Do you know how many HR's the guy hit in his career? Try 102.
   
   So this guy is not "baseball's forgotten great." This guy is deservedly forgotten, because sophisticated baseball fans have come to realize he wasn't great. All those years in Sportsman's Park, and he never once hit 20 HR's. All those gaudy batting averages, and his career on-base percentage was lower than those of Fred McGriff, Alvin Davis, Gene Tenace, Elmer Valo, Jack Clark and many scores of other guys who hit nowhere near .300, let alone .340.
   
   Finally, I'm aware of Sisler's mid-career injury, and the huge decline in his stats which flowed from it. He was a vastly better player before that than afterward, and without it, he may have been truly great. But so what? Anyone remember Don Mattingly? I remember thinking he was going to replace Lou Gehrig as the greatest 1B of all time. And I wasn't alone. His back injury ruined him, and if he still makes the Hall, it will be only because he was a Yankee. These things happen, and they don't make Sisler something he was not. (And Sisler was just as terrible about taking walks before the injury as after.)
   
   Next time, Mr. Huhn, write about a "forgotten great" who truly was great. This book was a waste of your time, and is a waste of any reader's time.
   
   Jim F.



2. This last moron to post a review bashed Sisler saying that he is overrated, mostly noted because he hardly hit home runs. I didn't think one had to hit home runs in order to be a Hall of Famer. It's obvious he wasn't a slugger - but just look at this: Twice he was second in the AL in long balls and five times he was in the top 10; on six occasions he was in the top 5 in slugging percentage. Seven times he was top 10 in RBI, four times the steals champ. Let's throw in an MVP for good measure. The list goes on reflecting Sisler's above-average speed and outstanding hitting ability (over 200 hits in 6 different seasons, very easily could have been 8).
   
   Don't allow the lack of Sisler power numbers deter you from reading this book.



3. In response to "J.F. Baseball history nut, music fan", I think the point of Sisler's talent has been missed. I won't go so far as to call Mr. J.F, etc. a moron, but he has certainly missed the boat on some things.
   
   J.F, et. al. tosses around some players who were "better" than Sisler. Let's pick one and compare their stats. How about Jack Clark? True, Sisler didn't walk very much, but he also didn't strike out very much. How many times did he strike out? Try 327 times, in approximately 8200 AB. How many times did Jack Clark strike out? Try 1441 in approximately 6800 AB. ('Nuf said.) Interestingly, Clark and Sisler have an identical OBP, of .379, and Clark has a slightly higher slugging number -- about 10 points higher. Looking at those two stats, they appear somewhat equal, but look at the hit totals: Sisler, 2812; Clark 1826. You see, Sisler wasn't "taking" walks because he was too busy actually getting hits! So, Clark has a thousand fewer hits, and struck out about a thousand more times. Even taking into consideration the ~800 more walks Clark had, I would still rather have Sisler on my team.
   
   PLUS, Sisler scored about 100 more runs than Clark -- on fewer walks, home runs, and in fewer seasons played. This could be because Sisler also stole about 300 more bases than Clark did, or maybe that he hit about 100 more doubles than Clark. Or, maybe, that Clark was a big, dopey power hitter who could do little more than swat the ball a pretty fair distance when he was lucky enough to hit it at all. In essence, this means that while Clark had bigger power numbers, and leads Sisler in the sexy stats of modern baseball analysis, he really wasn't a better player. Not even close. To understand statistics you have to analyze things for yourself and deduce what they really mean -- don't rely on the percentage stats at the end of the row.
   
   This is such a silly comparison, I don't even know why I'm continuing to waste my time on it. I'm not even mentioning Sisler's fielding prowess, and all the ancedotal evidence for his greatness. (Do you think the most "overrated player ever" would have been the first firstbaseman elected to the Hall of Fame? Think about it.)
   
   I could go on, but I think I'm done.
   
   Finally, read the book. It may not be the best piece of baseball writing ever, but don't let J.F.&Company's ridiculous critique hold you back.



4. This is a very good book about a legend of the game. It is a very good read and provides a lot of insight on how Sisler was perceived by many of his peers. My only problem with the book is the author mistakenly saying that Roberto Clemente was from the Dominican Republic. A glaring mistake like this makes me wonder what other facts might be wrong.



5. George Sisler, the subject of Rick Huhn's book, "The Sizzler," is yet another of the classic ballplayers of the early 20th century, admired during his career, acknowledged for his achievements during and after his career, slowly forgotten over the years and without a biography until recently. Huhn has stepped in to correct that oversight in Sisler's case, and it is a welcome addition to the baseball greats section of the library.
   
   George Sisler, as Huhn stressed, was not a colorful player: he kept a low profile and let his playing do the talking. There were few incidents in his life where he made waves: signing a professional contract while underage, and the resulting fight for his services helping to lead to the end of the National Commission; his tenure as manager of the St. Louis Browns, his transfer to the Senators in the late 1920s; his sinus infection and the resulting difficulties with Browns management in 1923; but most importantly, his hitting and fielding with the Browns during his greatest years. His record for hits in a season was untouched for 84 years, and his two years with averages over .400 are impressive, even for the time in which he played. He finished second to Ruth in home runs one year, and his Runs Created between 1915 and 1922 surpassed Ruth by over 100. That he was not exactly the same player after sitting out 1923 is a disappointment, but he was certainly honored in his time, named by Ty Cobb in his all-time team as first baseman.
   
   Huhn has provided us with a fine biography of a deserving player, a stand-out performer in his time, and all time.
   
   One other thing: It has been noted that Bill James, author and Society of American Baseball Research member, wrote in his 2001 Historical Baseball Abstract that Sisler is "perhaps the most over-rated player in baseball history." (p. 441) Mr. James is entitled to his opinion; it's his book and he can interpret the statistics in any way he cares to. I've been a SABR member for over 25 years and am familiar with Mr. James' work, and it is quite safe to say that I do not agree with him a good half the time, this being one of those times. If you look back at his 1985 Historical Baseball Abstract, you'll find that he said "George Sisler is probably the only player other than Gehrig who can reasonably be considered the greatest first baseman ever in terms of peak value . . . Sisler was a different type of player, he didn't have the home run pop, but he hit for a higher average, was faster and a better defensive player than Gehrig, and the comparison between the two is not easy." (p. 346)
   
   So what happened? Sisler's statistics didn't change in the 16 years between books; the 1920s didn't change, either. Most of the guys who seemingly leap-frogged over him in performance were done playing before 1985. Mr. James explains on page of the 2001 book that in rereading the 1985 book there are a lot of things that he didn't like. As I said, it's his book and he writes what he wants, but that doesn't mean I'm buying what he's pushing on me. In terms of perspective of the times, Sisler was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939, in the year of the inauguration of the Hall of Fame, as was Gehrig. A number of guys who jumped ahead of him on the list of top first basemen won't get in the Hall except with a ticket. If this makes Mr. James an over-rated writer, well, I won't say that he is or isn't. But you can make up your mind whether the old Bill James is also the new Bill James, and which one you want to believe.

2 comments about The Kid: Ted Williams in San Diego.

1. Ive read 8 books in the last year about ted williams and I found that this book doesnt talk as much about his life but more of his statistics throughout his years in the PCL , AA , HS , and MLB. It is amazing that they were able to find the statistics they did for his highschool days and the few tournaments he played in. But if you are going for a more complete book about his life I would go with Ted Williams: The Biography of an American Hero by Leigh Montville.



2. This book was a very pleasant surprise. It is one book that details his early years in San Diego. Reading of Ted's high school games, tournaments, the PCL, his exibition games in SD, etc, was great. Unfortunately the second half really bogs down with some information that I was not interested in. Researching the origins of his family; the father's military and work record; etc. were not the things I was looking for. Too much time was spent debating the years his parents were born - and then never really coming to a conclusion. Again, there was too much in the second half of the book that was of very little interest to me. I would rate the first half of the book 5 stars. The second half detracts from the book.

5 comments about The Goose Is Loose.

1. In his amazingly rich memoir, Gossage reveals he not only has a name every baseball fan knows, but he is also one of the best, and funniest, writers in sports.



2. Reading Goose Gossage's autobiography brought back happy memories of my teenaged Yankee-worshipping self, who knew that when #54 stepped onto the mound, good things were about to happen. Gossage's tales about his 22 years in baseball are sometimes ribald and often laugh-out-loud funny. However, longtime Yankee fans will be heavily reminded of Gossage's predecessor Sparky Lyle's brilliant and hysterically funny autobiography "The Bronx Zoo"--the writing style is extremely similar. But what the heck--Gossage doesn't have to be John Updike. He just rears back and throws, and the result is a very pleasant read. See you in Cooperstown, Goose!



3. I loved this book! I was pleasantly surprised by some of the sensitive passages of the book. If you are a big Yankee fan this book is just right for you. A good companion to the Sparky Lyle book "The Bronx Zoo" or Graig Nettles' book "Balls". Goose writes honestly and often hilariously about his baseball experiences. I was especially moved by the passage about Thurmon Munson. If you loved the 1977-1981 Yankees, this book will refresh your memory of what it was like to be a Yankee fan in that era. I definitely reccommend this book to all Yankee fans!



4. The first thing you think back on when his name comes up is the word respect. All hitters had it. Goose Gossage was feared because you didn't crowd his home plate, then he struck you out, then he picked up the save! He was the pitcher every manager looks for. He'd brush you back, sometimes twice, just like he did with Willie Horton, if that was what it took to get respect.
   
   He recalls memories of former teammates such as altercations with Billy Martin, or the fond memories of the late Thurman Munson. He recalls the hilarious stunts of pitcher, Sparky Lyle, and equal ferocity of Al, "the mad Hungarian" Hrabosky, and how he smoked a double off the crazy Hungarian! A lot of stories about the nights in the bars, yet more and better stories of the glory of the mound. He even describes the memory of the home run he gave up to Kirk Gibson in the 1984 World Series.
   
   All in all, an entertaining read. Who knew? Very good!



5. Goose Gossage was one of the most dominating pitchers of his era. In his autobiography he talks about how he rose from a kid who was afraid he was going to decapitate Ernie Banks to the most feared reliever in baseball. Goose touches on his most memorable moments, including his locker room brawl with Cliff Johnson and the "No beer in the clubhouse" fiasco in San Diego which involved a very public run-in with Padres owner Joan Kroc. He lovingly looks at Thurman Munson and his great appreciation for him shines through. He also reveals how Catfish Hunter picked him up after a game in Toronto after Goose had blown another early save opportunity. The only drawback of the book for me is that it seemed Goose was trying too hard to be funny. Other than that minor detail, an enjoyable read. Recommended.

5 comments about Me and Hank: A Boy and His Hero, Twenty-Five Years Later.

1. What a wonderful book! This is a fitting tribute to a man who has been shamefully underrated in American life, as well as a probing look at race relations in the past forty-plus years, seen through the prism of baseball and Hank Aaron's breaking of Babe Ruth's record. Like the author, I grew up in Milwaukee, although I am a bit older and so I saw Hank Aaron hit many of his home runs. His dignity and grace are a precious memory of my youth. Also like the author, I wrote Hank Aaron a letter when I learned that racists were hounding him for challenging Ruth, and received an eloquent letter in reply from Mr. Aaron. This book, with its highly personal approach to the subject, is a multifaceted view of a revealing part of American life. I couldn't recommend it more highly.



2. Sandy Tolan did a good job interviewing many people, including Hank Aaron, to do this book. Hank Aaron is a wonderful person who deserves much more recognition for what he has done both on the field and off. The book is very well done. It makes you think.



3. Don't get me wrong -- this was a great read and a provocative book about my favorite ballplayer of all-time. But I thought Tolan was at his best describing the people who experienced Hank Aaron's home run chase firsthand (including himself) and at his worst when his personal memories shifted from fact to opinion.

   The tale of his encounter with a homeless Atlanta man who attended the game where Aaron hit No. 715 is beautifully told and moving. His personal friendship with a Babe Ruth admirer ignores racism in his hometown and praises Aaron for his accomplishment illustrates how we need inner strength and conviction not to simply march in tune with those around us. Tolan's interviews with Aaron, his daughter Gaile and former teammates reveal the depth with which Aaron had to endure racism as a ballplayer, and his historical portrait of the racial tension in his hometown of Milwaukee is thorough and fascinating.

   But the more Tolan discovers about how unappreciated Aaron truly is, the more preachy -- and less effective -- he becomes. He hits a low point when he grills three advertising executives on their lack of knowledge of Aaron's hardships as they prepare to pay homage to Aaron in a MasterCard commercial. Are they to be blamed for that? All of these people clearly respect Aaron, and they all interviewed Aaron in preparation for the commercial. If he'd really wanted them to know what he endured, he probably would have told them. He also takes some unnecessary shots at the Hall of Fame because they have chosen to pay tribute to Babe Ruth with an entire room, while Aaron gets only a wall. Sure, Aaron deserves a room to himself, so do Jackie Robinson, Bob Gibson, Curt Flood, and many of baseball's other African-American pioneers. They don't. Deal with it.

   One need not be a walking encyclopedia of Aaron's life, as Tolan is, to appreciate his accomplishments achieved under extreme duress. Let those who appreciate Aaron for who he is -- a great ballplayer and a great man -- simply be. The irony is, I'm with Tolan on his central argument, that Aaron is one of the greatest and most underappreciated Americans in history. I'll even go far as to say you can't prove Ruth is better than Aaron, because Ruth played an all-white game and didn't necessary play against the best. But Ruth made the game popular. If not for Babe Ruth and what he did to make baseball America's pastime, Aaron's chase wouldn't have inspired the rancor that it did. People wouldn't have cared.

   Sandy, let's enjoy being Hank Aaron fans by not wasting our time beating up those who don't appreciate him to the extreme degree we do.




4. I have to say this is the saddest baseball book that I've ever read. This book really is about the reality of sharp division between two Americas --- the main stream one that belongs to whites and another that belongs to blacks.
   
   Being an avid Hank Aaron fan, the author Sandy Tolan does have a strong --- could even say a bit biased --- opinion about how Aaron has not been given proper credit he deserves. As an earlier review points out, he sounds angry at times, but really the whole point in the end is that racism doesn't even take active hatred like those manifested in tons of hate mail Aaron received in his quest for the homerun record. That the main stream America has had so little interest in Aaron's great feat shows the reality of human's natural tendency to unconsciously discount "others." In this sense, I don't think Tolan intended to blame the main-stream America for not giving Aaron enough respect; the white people in the States never truly understand what someone like Aaron had to go through and what he meant to those who are considered as "others" simply because they cannot experience it in today's America. And sure they don't wish to experience if given a choice. I saw much more resignation than accusation in Tolan's narrative.
   
   It is only relieving because Tolan, who is white, does treat Aaron's achievements and deeds with such a profound respect and passion. Yet even Tolan could not break ice with Aaron, whose emotional scar has not been healed. It is too sad Aaron had to go through so many negatives for what everyone should feel happy for. But the book tells what he did really, really meant a lot for those who cared about him, and Tolan made sure that those won't be forgotten.



5. First, this is not a book totally about baseball. If that's what you're looking for, you will have to look elsewhere. If you want a real life account of what went on while The Hammer was chasing The Babe, this is the book for you. It is well written and has enough facts/stats to interest a baseball fan like myself but it has a lot more. It goes into detail about what was going on behind the scenes. It's not pretty but the truth rarely is. There was (maybe still is) so much hate for Hank due to his color that I couldn't believe it was real. It happened before my time and it was sad to know how he was treated. As sad as it was, I think it is important to understand what went on. You know what they say about history repeating. In this case, I hope it never does.