“Steinbrenner” by Bill Madden (HarperCollins, $26.99, 480 pages, 16 pages of photographs) is a mother lode of information on the man they used to call “the Boss.” Madden, has been on the scene for more than 30 years covering the Yankees and Major League Baseball for the New York Daily News and is the 2010 recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s J.G. Taylor Spink Award.
There is a lot that is known about Steinbrenner and that is all over the book. There is also a lot not widely known and that gives the book its hook and its anchor like when George’s personal friend Barbara (Walters) was evicted from his suite when George’s wife made a surprise visit to a World Series game, how George threatened to “take care of” Mickey Rivers’ wife courtesy of the Black Musilms, the fact that Steinbrenner’s original investment of $8.5 millions to purchase the Yanks consisted of just under $200,000 of his own capital.
Part gossip, part sports reporting, part inside information, all Bill Madden at the top of his game – that is “Steinbrenner – the Last Lion of Baseball
“What Washington Can Learn From the World of Sports” by George Allen (Regnery Publishing, $27.95, 200 pages) is an intriguing and interesting book by the son of the famed former NFL coach and a man with no small athletic and political accomplishments in his own right. Themes include: “Government should regulate fair play not take over,” “A locker room divided cannot survive,” “Government like sports should reward hard work, achievement and excellence.”
“Let’s Ride” by Sonny Barger( William Morrow $23. 99, 268 pages) is a true guide to motorcycling that proclaims "How To Ride The Right Way For Life." Sensibly written and a safety stressser - this is a book for all those who ride or want to. REQUIRED READING by a founding member of the Oakland Chapter of the Hell's Angels.
BACKLIST BEAUTY: “Nice Guys Finish Last” by Leo Durocher with Ed Linn (University of Chicago Press, $18.00, 488 pages, paper) is the classic outspoken book by the “Lip.” They don’t make them like him any more and they don’t write great books like this any more either. HIGHLY NOTABLE
Baseball books from Penguin Young Readers:
“ALL STAR” by Jane Yolen and illustrated by Jim Burke (Philomel Books, $17.99), is all about Honus Wagner and the most famous baseball card ever. It is about the true grit of one of the greatest shortstops of all time and his card. Perfect for ages 6-8. TRUE GRIT.
“NO EASY WAY” is the story of Ted Williams and the 1941 season, the last one any player ever hit .400. Fred Bowen with words and Charles S. Pyle with images team up to homer with this worthy read from Dutton for ages 6-8. WORTHY
“PLAY BALL CORDUROY!” with lift-the-flaps by B.G. Hennessey with pictures by Lisa McCue (Viking, $11.99, ages 3-5) is a loving look at learning to play baseball. Corduroy and Blue Mouse practice together showing that baseball is all about winning and teamwork. TERRIFIC.
Harvey Frommer is in his 34th consecutive year of writing sports books. A noted oral historian and sports journalist, the author of 41 sports books including the classics: "New York City Baseball,1947-1957" and "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball," his acclaimed Remembering Yankee Stadium, an oral/narrative history (Abrams, Stewart, Tabori and Chang) was published in 2008 as well as a reprint version of his classic "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball." Frommer's newest work CELEBRATING FENWAY PARK: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY OF THE HOME OF RED SOX NATION is next.
FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and is housed on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.
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