Dr. Harvey Frommer On Sports: April 2011

Friday, April 29, 2011

Spring Roundup (Part III) SPORTS BOOK REVIEW

DR. HARVEY FROMMER ON SPORTS

The baseball season moves along and so does the publication of all manner of books on the national pastime from all levels of publishers. All of this happening reveals the tremendous depth of the sport, the myriad manners in which to view it.

Batting in first position is “Cuban Star” by Adrian Burgos, Jr. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $28.00, 302 pages) about “Alex” Pompez - -the man who was the preamble to the great run of Latin baseball players that are on the scene today. Funny, poignant, dramatic, filled with all kinds of insights, “Cuban Star” is a full fledged bio of the Pompez who was finally admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. He cut his bones, as they say, with gambling revenue to finance and keep afloat the team he owned the -- New York Cubans. In short, he was number one in Harlem’s numbers scene. He also was a pioneer later on in his career working for the San Francisco Giants as a scout and bringing to the team standout Latin American stars. The book is a keeper.

"Baseball Codes" by Jason Turbow (Anchor Sports $15.00, 304 pages) is now in paperback. I liked it in hard cover and I still like it. A revealing look through the eyes of the players - - "inside baseball."
"The Runmakers" by Frederick E. Taylor (Johns Hopkins University Press, $24.95, 272 pages) is a breakthrough look at the way evaluations in baseball have always beenpart of the scene. Taylor's first book is a home run. He has created a formula "bases per plate appearance" to measure the efficiency and greatness of hitters. If you are into the game - - -you will be into the book's potential runs per game (PRG) measurement tool.

“56” by Kostya (Sports Illustrated Group, $26.95, 367 pages) is once more to 1941 and Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak. It is a many times told story but there is a good re-playing of the legend and the times he lived in.

NOTABLE: Though not a baseball book, "Wimbeldon" by David Green sub-titled "101 Reasons to Love the Greatest Tournament in Tennis" (Abrams, $18.95, more than 100 pages) is a concise and cleverly crafted look at a sports phenomenon and a showcasing of British culture so much in the air nowadays. Much to like from the careful research to the excellent imagery and the trivia and factoids sprinkled throughout.

Harvey Frommer is in his 36th 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 was published in 2008 as well as a reprint version of his classic "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball." Frommer's newest work is REMEMBERING FENWAY PARK: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY OF THE HOME OF RED SOX NATION (Abrams) Read all about it: http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and is housed on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.FOLLOW Harvey on Twitter: http://twitter.com/south2nd. He is available for speaking engagements.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

DR. HARVEY FROMMER ON SPORTS BOOK REVIEW (Part II)

Spring Roundup

“Baseball in the Garden of Eden” by John Thorn (Simon and Schuster,$26.00, 365 pages) has as its sub-title “The Secret History of the Early Game.” In what can be viewed as a book that is part detective story, part investigative reporting, part labor of love - - and all eye-opener, the acclaimed baseball historian tells it like it was and is.
If you are still under the impression that Abner Doubleday invented baseball, forget about it. If you are still under the impression that Alexander Joy Cartwright invented the national pastime, forget about it. Check out with John Thorn showing the way -- Daniel Lucius Adams, William Rufus Wheaton and Louis Fenn Wadsworth.

Thorn begins his ground breaking tome: “In Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey, heroine Catherine Morland comments, ‘I often think it odd that it should be so dull, for a great deal of it must be invention.’”

That opening paragraph sets the tone for Thorn’s trip and ours through a tangled web of baseball’s beginnings. Pathos, humor, wit punctuate the pages of “Baseball in the Garden of Eden.” A MUST READ

From Neil Lanctot comes “Campy” (Simon and Schuster, $28.00, 516 pages). A bit padded, a bit meandering, the book does bring back as its sub-title states “the two lives of Roy Campanella.”

“Derek Jeter From the Pages of the New York Times” (Abrams, $29.95, 224 pages) is a keeper. It is also a truly original kind of sports book – I should know having reviewed thousands of them since the 1980s. This terrific tome draws upon nearly 5,000 news articles and features from the New York Times and nearly 100 color photographs. It also showcases a fabulous intro by Tyler Kepner that begins: Derek Jeter grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan next to a baseball field. Every day, just behind his backyard, it was there, calling him to play. And so he did, and he has never stopped.” HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A bit off the beaten path is “”Pitching in the Promised Land” by Aaron Pribble (University of Nebraska Press, $24.95, 238 pages). The book is filled with anecdotes, amazing happenings -- as then 27-year-old Pribble interacts with a zany cast of characters who wanted to be part of the first (and last) season in the Israel Baseball League. The author had many unique times – falling in love with a beautiful Yemenite Jew, being exposed to an alleged terrorist opening day attack, finding himself a part of what can be viewed as the ultimate baseball fantasy camp. WORTH READING.

Harvey Frommer is in his 36th 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 was published in 2008 as well as a reprint version of his classic "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball." Frommer's newest work is REMEMBERING FENWAY PARK: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY OF THE HOME OF RED SOX NATION (Abrams) Read all about it: http://harveyfrommersports.com/remembering_fenway/
FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and is housed on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.
FOLLOW Harvey on Twitter: http://twitter.com/south2nd. He is available for speaking engagements.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

SEVENTIES AT FENWAY PARK : ALL THAT YAZ, AND MORE

(Excerpt from Remembering Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox/Abrams 2011 - - now available in stores and on-line and direct from the author)

The Red Sox decade of the seventies began on April 14 at Fenway - -Yankees against Red Sox. There were 34,002 in the house. New York manager Ralph Houk was pitted against new Red Sox skipper Eddie Kasko.

Another opening day. Missing was a long time fixture, the center-field flag pole. No one seemed to notice. Olde Towne team rooters exited happily after watching their team behind Ray Culp win 8-3 win aided by homers off the bats of George Scott, Tony Conigliaro and Reggie Smith.

(Opening Day Lineup at Fenway April 14, 1970

Mike Andrews 2b

Reggie Smith cf

Carl Yastrzemski lf

George Scott 1b

Rico Petrocelli ss

Tony Conigliaro rf

Luis Alvarado 3b

Jerry Moses c

Ray Culp p

Old Towne team fans reveled in the potential of their team which blended depth, youth and experience, a powerful offense and some strong pitching. And more help in the form of the Luis Tiants, Fred Lynns, Jim Rices was in the offing. With Carl Yastrzemski, the Red Sox were always exciting, never out of a game.

Fans at Fenway came to see "Yaz" as they had come to see "Teddy." On May 16th he slammed a pitch out of the park duplicating what up to then only Jimmie Foxx and Bill Skowron had been able to do.

JOHN KENNEDY: It seemed everybody thought Tom Yawkey kow-towed to Ted Williams and Carl Yaz because a lot of times people would come into the locker room and see him sitting with them. But he didn't ignore anyone. My locker was right by the clubhouse door, and he would always stop and ask how were the kids, was there anything I needed?

EDDIE KASKO: In those years, there was a long-time nucleus in place at Fenway - a special fan, the organist, the P.A. guy, the switchboard operator, the head groundskeeper, the top PR guy. Sherm Feller was the P.A. guy. He'd always hold court in the press room. He had hearing aids that you tuned in with a dial. You'd be hearing the "eeeeeeeeeeerr, eeeeeeeeeerrrrr." He'd reach in and say, "Hold it, hold it, I'm getting Shanghai." guy.

EDDIE KASKO: John Kiley on the organ basically was the only music at Fenway. A big man, he was going to be there until he couldn't do it any longer. Bill Crowley was a big Irishman, a tough type just like Joe Mooney and a few others. He knew every member of the media, all the secrets. Joe Mooney ran the grounds crew with an iron fist. He was a short Irishman, tough, like a James Cagney type. If you were where you weren't supposed to be on that field, boy, he just gave you hell and he didn't care if you were the biggest star. When it rained, he had a bunch of summer kids, and they would jump to it. And he'd have the tarp on his beloved field in no time. The brothers Conigliaro were center stage on the 19th of September 1970. Tony and Billy homered in the nightcap of a twin bill and the Red Sox romped, 11-3 over the Senators An attractive team that drew better than any other American League team, 1,595,278 at Fenway, the Red Sox were 52-29 at home but just 35-46 on the road. Had they been a bit better away from Fenway who knows what they might have accomplished that season they finished in third place in the AL East.

RICK MILLER: I made my debut with the Red Sox on September 4, 1971, coming in late in the game as a pinch hitter. I was really nervous. I swung at the first pitch. It was a high fast ball. It went for a double off the Green Monster. I loved Fenway, loved to play there. But as an outfielder you were challenged. I had to learn the tricky configurations and angles, how to get great jumps, how to play players. I would cheat, I knew the counts and moved on each pitch according to the count.

BILL LEE: I started out as a reliever and became a starter in '73. Old guy Gene Clines was in the pen and he asked to see my grips. I showed him my curveball grip. "No,no, no. That's how you hold a cocktail." So I learned what you learn out in the bullpen is bad habits. You learn how to smoke, chew tobacco and waste your time. But it wasn't a bad environment at Fenway. Fans would bring you anything you wanted. During rain delays, I would sneak out with an usher named "The Whale." We would run out the back entrance down Ipswich Street, cut back through the back alleyway and end up in the Eliot Lounge. They'd hear the clicking of my spikes and they'd have a beer pulled for me. I'd have two beers, watch them pull the tarp off the field, be back in time and never miss a pitch. In the bullpen Sparky Lyle worked in a strange way, throwing his first pitch real slow, just a lob. And the second pitch he'd throw 90 plus miles an hour. Because they weren't expecting, he'd hit catchers in the chest and worse a lot of times Around the fifth inning, Sparky would go to the Triangle, get a cheeseburger and be ready to go.

DON LENHARDT: As first base coach under Eddie Kasko from 1970-1973, we'd go to Mr. Yawkey's office after games. It had a nice bar and a barman. We would talk about the game, the roster. Once I told Mr. Yawkey "We need to get rid of Yaz and Reggie Smith." Of course, it was just a joke. But to tell the truth, they wore me out game after game at Fenway. Everybody wanted to go home when the games were over. But those two always wanted more batting practice, and I was usually the guy who obliged and pitched it to them.

2011 marks Harvey Frommer's 36th 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 was published in 2008 as well as a reprint version of his classic "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball." Frommer's newest work REMEMBERING FENWAY PARK: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY OF THE HOME OF RED SOX NATION (Abrams) is his 41st sports book. He is available for speaking engagements. FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and is housed on Internet search engines for extended periods of time. FOLLOW Harvey on Twitter: http://twitter.com/south2nd. Web: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~frommer.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Spring Roundup (Part I) SPORTS BOOK REVIEW

As the weather gets warmer,more and more sport books (especially baseball) make their appearance. All sizes, all matter of subject matters, all kinds of quality. Herewith, a sampling: "Baseball Scorekeeper (Chronicle Books, $16.95, 40 pages). This is a wonderful tool for fans of the national pastime providing a sturdy book of easy-to-use scorecards that will serve as a permanent record of what goes on at the game.

Jimmy Breslin’s “Branch Rickey” (Viking,$19.95, 147 pages) is a slim look at the man who along with Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s color line back in 1947. There is not that much that is new here but the charm of it all is the voice of “Breslin, very New York, very unique.

If you can’t get enough insights into baseball and the doings of stars – there is a new effort “Diamond Dishes” by Julie Loria (Lyons Press,$24.95, 181 pages). The recipe - -get a hold of some of the biggest stars and have them talk about their favorite edibles, family traditions, and special ways to make their favorite dishes.

Now in paperback – “High Heat” by Tim Wendel (DaCapo Press, $15.00, 274 pages) is billed as the secret history of the fastball and the improbable search for the fastest pitcher of all time.

Two kind of off-beat efforts are among the more interesting baseball books of the season: “The Most Famous Woman in Baseball” by Bob Luke (Potomac Books, $27.50, 256 pages) and “Havana Heat” by Darryl Brock (University of Nebraska Press,$18.95, 322 pages). WORTH READING.

The Luke effort focuses on Effa Manley and the Negro Leagues and especially her time as owner of the Newark Eagles. The Brock effort focuses on Luther “Dummy” Taylor, one of the first deaf players in baseball history and his accompanying of the New York Giants of John McGraw on a barnstorming trip to Cuba. REWARDING

From Triumph Books comes Phil Pepe’s very interestingly told tale “1961,”( $20.00, 288 pages). As the beat writer for the old New York World Telegram & Sun, Pepe covered the battle for the home run title. TOP DRAWER. Also from Triumph is Jim Kaplan’s “The Greatest Game Ever Pitched” ($24.95, 238 pages). Kaplan packs a lot of drama into his re-telling of the pitching duel between Warren Spahn and Juan Marichal on July 2, 1963. To re-live the game, buy the book.

Monday, April 04, 2011

SIXTIES AT FENWAY PARK

(Excerpt from Remembering Fenway Park: An Oral and Narrative History of the Home of the Boston Red Sox/Abrams 2011 - - now available in stores and on-line and direct from the author)

September 28th, 1960, Red Sox vs. Orioles. Overcast, dank, chilly the final day of the final home stand of the 1960 season. Only 10,454 showed up. The game was not televised locally or nationally. “You Made Me Love You,” playing over the loudspeaker, created a melancholy mood.

FRANK MALZONE: I wish there was more people there. They didn’t realize, you know. Curt Gowdy, Red Sox radio and television voice, began the spare ceremony: ''Twenty-one years ago, a skinny kid from San Diego, California…”' Boston Mayor Collins, seated in a wheelchair, presented a $1,000 check to the Jimmy Fund, the favorite charity of Ted Williams, 42, who was given a plaque by the local sports committee. The inscription was not fully read. Williams hated a fuss. He even was annoyed by the news announced to the crowd that his uniform number, 9, would be permanently retired. It was the first time the team ever honored a player that way. Williams said over the loudspeaker: ''In spite of all the terrible things that have been said about me by the knights of the keyboard up there ... and they were terrible things, 'I'd like to forget them, but I can't…. I want to say that my years in Boston have been the greatest thing in my life.''

FRANK MALZONE: Ted hit two balls good, the first one got into the wind in the right field corner and was pulled back and caught by the right fielder, the next one the center fielder caught.

CURT GOWDY (Game Call) "Everybody quiet now here at Fenway Park after they gave him a standing ovation of two minutes knowing that this is probably his last time at bat. One out, nobody on.

BOB KEANEY: Ted dug in, wiggled his fanny, and glared at pitcher Jack Fisher. Everyone stopped breathing. Ted swung as hard as he could, but he missed the fat pitch and nearly sprained his arms. Some dreamers said later that Ted missed on purpose, so that Fisher would be fooled into throwing that fast ball again.

CURT GOWDY (Game Call) Jack Fisher into his windup, here's the pitch. Williams swings -- and there's a long drive to deep right! The ball is going and it is gone! A home run for Ted Williams in his last time at bat in the major leagues!"

JERRY CASALE: I was in the bullpen with Bill Monbouquette and Mike Fornieles and others. We were all up front looking over the railing. The ball went over our heads. Williams circled the bases as he always did, in a hurry, with his head down trotting out Number 521, his final homer. The crowd stood and cheered the man and the moment.

BROOKS ROBINSON: I was playing third base. He went running around the bases, and I looked at him as he passed second base. I had my arms folded as he passed me. That was absolutely a magical moment to be a part of that history.

STEVE RYDER: He had that regal trot around the bases. Didn’t tip his cap, didn’t look at the stands, just right into the dugout. The inning ended and Williams went out to play left field in the the top of the ninth. Just before the inning began Carroll Hardy replaced him. “The Kid” ran in. The crowd had one more standing ovation in it. “We want Ted. We want Ted!" The fans chanted. But he refused to come out for a curtain call. Later it was reported that players and umpires tried to get him to come out. No dice.

FRANK SULLIVAN: We all wanted him to stop and at least take his cap off but that sonofabitch, he just ran into the dugout. He didn’t stay around or let us say anything. You know that was the way that Ted was. He went down the dugout steps straight into the tunnel. That was it, aloha. We didn’t know that that was his last game but we all suspected it. We were out of contention, so he wasn’t robbing the team. It was just Ted was Ted. In My Turn at Bat, Williams wrote: "You can't imagine the warm feeling I had, for the very fact that I had done what every ballplayer would want to do on his last time up, having wanted to do it so badly, and knowing how the fans really felt, how happy they were for me. Maybe I should have let them know I knew, but I couldn't. It just wouldn't have been me."

2011 marks Harvey Frommer's 36th 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 was published in 2008 as well as a reprint version of his classic "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball." Frommer's newest work REMEMBERING FENWAY PARK: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY OF THE HOME OF RED SOX NATION (Abrams) is his 41st sports book. He is available for speaking engagements. FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and is housed on Internet search engines for extended periods of time. FOLLOW Harvey on Twitter: http://twitter.com/south2nd. Web: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~frommer.

Dr. Harvey Frommer On Sports