The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The Man and the Legend, 24 May 2008
"The Big Bam" tells the fascinating story of the man behind the legend. Author Leigh Montville does an excellent job of intertwining the man into the baseball hero, without neglecting either.

Babe Ruth was a character "from the wrong side of the tracks" whose make-up was often "lost in the fog." Was he really part Negro? Who were the parents of his daughter? We may never know for sure.

Raised in St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, he first learned to play ball from the Xavierian Brothers who ran the school. Growing up with nothing, he exercised no restraint when he had everything. The tales of his undisciplined drinking (including during prohibition) and philandering leave the reader aghast at the life style led by the Babe. The failure of his first marriage and strange relationship with his daughter baffle the mind. Yet, through it all, Ruth emerges as worthy of hero worship and, in the end, a sympathetic character, a big kid who never grew up.

The Sultan of Swat is never ignored in the book. For the baseball fan, this book highlights a legendary career and brings out some facts that may have gone unnoticed. For example, I have seen pictures of the window he broke across the street from Sportsman's Park, but I never knew that he was pitching for the Red Sox that day. I had not realized that he was the one who wanted to quit pitching in order to hit more. His sparing with the owners and his managers make for interesting reading. His performance is even more astonishing when compared to his contemporaries, such as the year that he hit more home runs than six teams in the American League. Ultimately, it was his undisciplined character which defeated his last dream, that of managing in the major leagues.

This is a good read for any fan of the Golden Age of Baseball. It makes you admire the athlete and understand the man. Play Ball!


An Exciting Update of Babe Ruth's Legend!, 15 Aug 2006
This book is a real treat. Leigh Montville's dramatic story of the Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, the Big Bam, comes to life in exciting ways that will open new dimensions of the Babe Ruth story for you.

Leigh Montville is one of our most talented sportswriters. He could just as easily be covering a more important beat (such as the White House) or writing novels. He's that good. Why do I say that? He takes a single fact, Babe Ruth ended up in a reform school/orphanage for most of his young life, and creates a mental image of what might have happened on that morning when his father took him to St. Mary's. While relating that tale, Mr. Montville deftly points out how little we know about Babe Ruth the man (as opposed to Babe Ruth the baseball player) and why we probably won't every know very much. I especially enjoyed Mr. Montville's description of "the fog" . . . or the dense mystery about so much of Babe Ruth's life (Why did his parents abandon him? Why wouldn't he talk about his youth? Why did his wife die in another man's bed? Why did he gamble so recklessly?).

Naturally, the baseball player is more visible. Mr. Montville constructs a helpful picture of the endless baseball activities at St. Mary's, how Babe Ruth probably learned his upper cut swing that revolutionized baseball (in an era when everyone else hit down on the ball), how Babe Ruth was discovered, the transition from being a pitcher to being an everyday player and hitter, how Babe Ruth really ended up traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and why he was exiled from baseball after his playing days were over.

But the private person is also revealed in powerful vignettes such as the Babe's loyalty to St. Mary's and orphanages, the terrible racial taunting he received from those who believed him to be an African-American, his non-stop pace on limited sleep, and his making up with his father.

Naturally, as a long-time baseball fan, I felt I knew about Babe Ruth. But my picture was slightly out of focus. Experiencing the play-by-play of his life made the Babe come to life for me more than ever before.

Mr. Montville also does an excellent job of explaining why so much remains murky about the Babe's life -- both in terms of the Babe's reticence and the code of conduct that the press observed in those more restrained reporting days.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The Man and the Legend, 24 May 2008
"The Big Bam" tells the fascinating story of the man behind the legend. Author Leigh Montville does an excellent job of intertwining the man into the baseball hero, without neglecting either.

Babe Ruth was a character "from the wrong side of the tracks" whose make-up was often "lost in the fog." Was he really part Negro? Who were the parents of his daughter? We may never know for sure.

Raised in St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, he first learned to play ball from the Xavierian Brothers who ran the school. Growing up with nothing, he exercised no restraint when he had everything. The tales of his undisciplined drinking (including during prohibition) and philandering leave the reader aghast at the life style led by the Babe. The failure of his first marriage and strange relationship with his daughter baffle the mind. Yet, through it all, Ruth emerges as worthy of hero worship and, in the end, a sympathetic character, a big kid who never grew up.

The Sultan of Swat is never ignored in the book. For the baseball fan, this book highlights a legendary career and brings out some facts that may have gone unnoticed. For example, I have seen pictures of the window he broke across the street from Sportsman's Park, but I never knew that he was pitching for the Red Sox that day. I had not realized that he was the one who wanted to quit pitching in order to hit more. His sparing with the owners and his managers make for interesting reading. His performance is even more astonishing when compared to his contemporaries, such as the year that he hit more home runs than six teams in the American League. Ultimately, it was his undisciplined character which defeated his last dream, that of managing in the major leagues.

This is a good read for any fan of the Golden Age of Baseball. It makes you admire the athlete and understand the man. Play Ball!


An Exciting Update of Babe Ruth's Legend!, 15 Aug 2006
This book is a real treat. Leigh Montville's dramatic story of the Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, the Big Bam, comes to life in exciting ways that will open new dimensions of the Babe Ruth story for you.

Leigh Montville is one of our most talented sportswriters. He could just as easily be covering a more important beat (such as the White House) or writing novels. He's that good. Why do I say that? He takes a single fact, Babe Ruth ended up in a reform school/orphanage for most of his young life, and creates a mental image of what might have happened on that morning when his father took him to St. Mary's. While relating that tale, Mr. Montville deftly points out how little we know about Babe Ruth the man (as opposed to Babe Ruth the baseball player) and why we probably won't every know very much. I especially enjoyed Mr. Montville's description of "the fog" . . . or the dense mystery about so much of Babe Ruth's life (Why did his parents abandon him? Why wouldn't he talk about his youth? Why did his wife die in another man's bed? Why did he gamble so recklessly?).

Naturally, the baseball player is more visible. Mr. Montville constructs a helpful picture of the endless baseball activities at St. Mary's, how Babe Ruth probably learned his upper cut swing that revolutionized baseball (in an era when everyone else hit down on the ball), how Babe Ruth was discovered, the transition from being a pitcher to being an everyday player and hitter, how Babe Ruth really ended up traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and why he was exiled from baseball after his playing days were over.

But the private person is also revealed in powerful vignettes such as the Babe's loyalty to St. Mary's and orphanages, the terrible racial taunting he received from those who believed him to be an African-American, his non-stop pace on limited sleep, and his making up with his father.

Naturally, as a long-time baseball fan, I felt I knew about Babe Ruth. But my picture was slightly out of focus. Experiencing the play-by-play of his life made the Babe come to life for me more than ever before.

Mr. Montville also does an excellent job of explaining why so much remains murky about the Babe's life -- both in terms of the Babe's reticence and the code of conduct that the press observed in those more restrained reporting days.

Great book on American baseball player, 31 Jan 2006
This is a wonderful book on American baseball player Lou Gehrig, full of history and anecdotes. The author does a fine job and writes wonderfully. Though you may have not the slightest interest in home runs or Babe Ruth, the story presented here of this amazing fellow is fascinating, moving.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The Man and the Legend, 24 May 2008
"The Big Bam" tells the fascinating story of the man behind the legend. Author Leigh Montville does an excellent job of intertwining the man into the baseball hero, without neglecting either.

Babe Ruth was a character "from the wrong side of the tracks" whose make-up was often "lost in the fog." Was he really part Negro? Who were the parents of his daughter? We may never know for sure.

Raised in St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, he first learned to play ball from the Xavierian Brothers who ran the school. Growing up with nothing, he exercised no restraint when he had everything. The tales of his undisciplined drinking (including during prohibition) and philandering leave the reader aghast at the life style led by the Babe. The failure of his first marriage and strange relationship with his daughter baffle the mind. Yet, through it all, Ruth emerges as worthy of hero worship and, in the end, a sympathetic character, a big kid who never grew up.

The Sultan of Swat is never ignored in the book. For the baseball fan, this book highlights a legendary career and brings out some facts that may have gone unnoticed. For example, I have seen pictures of the window he broke across the street from Sportsman's Park, but I never knew that he was pitching for the Red Sox that day. I had not realized that he was the one who wanted to quit pitching in order to hit more. His sparing with the owners and his managers make for interesting reading. His performance is even more astonishing when compared to his contemporaries, such as the year that he hit more home runs than six teams in the American League. Ultimately, it was his undisciplined character which defeated his last dream, that of managing in the major leagues.

This is a good read for any fan of the Golden Age of Baseball. It makes you admire the athlete and understand the man. Play Ball!


An Exciting Update of Babe Ruth's Legend!, 15 Aug 2006
This book is a real treat. Leigh Montville's dramatic story of the Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, the Big Bam, comes to life in exciting ways that will open new dimensions of the Babe Ruth story for you.

Leigh Montville is one of our most talented sportswriters. He could just as easily be covering a more important beat (such as the White House) or writing novels. He's that good. Why do I say that? He takes a single fact, Babe Ruth ended up in a reform school/orphanage for most of his young life, and creates a mental image of what might have happened on that morning when his father took him to St. Mary's. While relating that tale, Mr. Montville deftly points out how little we know about Babe Ruth the man (as opposed to Babe Ruth the baseball player) and why we probably won't every know very much. I especially enjoyed Mr. Montville's description of "the fog" . . . or the dense mystery about so much of Babe Ruth's life (Why did his parents abandon him? Why wouldn't he talk about his youth? Why did his wife die in another man's bed? Why did he gamble so recklessly?).

Naturally, the baseball player is more visible. Mr. Montville constructs a helpful picture of the endless baseball activities at St. Mary's, how Babe Ruth probably learned his upper cut swing that revolutionized baseball (in an era when everyone else hit down on the ball), how Babe Ruth was discovered, the transition from being a pitcher to being an everyday player and hitter, how Babe Ruth really ended up traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and why he was exiled from baseball after his playing days were over.

But the private person is also revealed in powerful vignettes such as the Babe's loyalty to St. Mary's and orphanages, the terrible racial taunting he received from those who believed him to be an African-American, his non-stop pace on limited sleep, and his making up with his father.

Naturally, as a long-time baseball fan, I felt I knew about Babe Ruth. But my picture was slightly out of focus. Experiencing the play-by-play of his life made the Babe come to life for me more than ever before.

Mr. Montville also does an excellent job of explaining why so much remains murky about the Babe's life -- both in terms of the Babe's reticence and the code of conduct that the press observed in those more restrained reporting days.

Great book on American baseball player, 31 Jan 2006
This is a wonderful book on American baseball player Lou Gehrig, full of history and anecdotes. The author does a fine job and writes wonderfully. Though you may have not the slightest interest in home runs or Babe Ruth, the story presented here of this amazing fellow is fascinating, moving.

Fascinating and moving biography, 10 Feb 2008
This is a very enjoyable and well written book. Clemente's career is covered in full, in particular the two World Series in which he appeared for the Pirates. The chapter near the end, descriping the circumstances leading up to the accident is both fascinating and so shocking. This was a tragic accident that should never have happened, should never have been allowed to happen. It is quite a humbling experience to read about someone who had so much, who died whilst assisting those who had nothing.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The Man and the Legend, 24 May 2008
"The Big Bam" tells the fascinating story of the man behind the legend. Author Leigh Montville does an excellent job of intertwining the man into the baseball hero, without neglecting either.

Babe Ruth was a character "from the wrong side of the tracks" whose make-up was often "lost in the fog." Was he really part Negro? Who were the parents of his daughter? We may never know for sure.

Raised in St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, he first learned to play ball from the Xavierian Brothers who ran the school. Growing up with nothing, he exercised no restraint when he had everything. The tales of his undisciplined drinking (including during prohibition) and philandering leave the reader aghast at the life style led by the Babe. The failure of his first marriage and strange relationship with his daughter baffle the mind. Yet, through it all, Ruth emerges as worthy of hero worship and, in the end, a sympathetic character, a big kid who never grew up.

The Sultan of Swat is never ignored in the book. For the baseball fan, this book highlights a legendary career and brings out some facts that may have gone unnoticed. For example, I have seen pictures of the window he broke across the street from Sportsman's Park, but I never knew that he was pitching for the Red Sox that day. I had not realized that he was the one who wanted to quit pitching in order to hit more. His sparing with the owners and his managers make for interesting reading. His performance is even more astonishing when compared to his contemporaries, such as the year that he hit more home runs than six teams in the American League. Ultimately, it was his undisciplined character which defeated his last dream, that of managing in the major leagues.

This is a good read for any fan of the Golden Age of Baseball. It makes you admire the athlete and understand the man. Play Ball!


An Exciting Update of Babe Ruth's Legend!, 15 Aug 2006
This book is a real treat. Leigh Montville's dramatic story of the Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, the Big Bam, comes to life in exciting ways that will open new dimensions of the Babe Ruth story for you.

Leigh Montville is one of our most talented sportswriters. He could just as easily be covering a more important beat (such as the White House) or writing novels. He's that good. Why do I say that? He takes a single fact, Babe Ruth ended up in a reform school/orphanage for most of his young life, and creates a mental image of what might have happened on that morning when his father took him to St. Mary's. While relating that tale, Mr. Montville deftly points out how little we know about Babe Ruth the man (as opposed to Babe Ruth the baseball player) and why we probably won't every know very much. I especially enjoyed Mr. Montville's description of "the fog" . . . or the dense mystery about so much of Babe Ruth's life (Why did his parents abandon him? Why wouldn't he talk about his youth? Why did his wife die in another man's bed? Why did he gamble so recklessly?).

Naturally, the baseball player is more visible. Mr. Montville constructs a helpful picture of the endless baseball activities at St. Mary's, how Babe Ruth probably learned his upper cut swing that revolutionized baseball (in an era when everyone else hit down on the ball), how Babe Ruth was discovered, the transition from being a pitcher to being an everyday player and hitter, how Babe Ruth really ended up traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and why he was exiled from baseball after his playing days were over.

But the private person is also revealed in powerful vignettes such as the Babe's loyalty to St. Mary's and orphanages, the terrible racial taunting he received from those who believed him to be an African-American, his non-stop pace on limited sleep, and his making up with his father.

Naturally, as a long-time baseball fan, I felt I knew about Babe Ruth. But my picture was slightly out of focus. Experiencing the play-by-play of his life made the Babe come to life for me more than ever before.

Mr. Montville also does an excellent job of explaining why so much remains murky about the Babe's life -- both in terms of the Babe's reticence and the code of conduct that the press observed in those more restrained reporting days.

Great book on American baseball player, 31 Jan 2006
This is a wonderful book on American baseball player Lou Gehrig, full of history and anecdotes. The author does a fine job and writes wonderfully. Though you may have not the slightest interest in home runs or Babe Ruth, the story presented here of this amazing fellow is fascinating, moving.

Fascinating and moving biography, 10 Feb 2008
This is a very enjoyable and well written book. Clemente's career is covered in full, in particular the two World Series in which he appeared for the Pirates. The chapter near the end, descriping the circumstances leading up to the accident is both fascinating and so shocking. This was a tragic accident that should never have happened, should never have been allowed to happen. It is quite a humbling experience to read about someone who had so much, who died whilst assisting those who had nothing.

Great writing, 03 Oct 2006
Unlike the contributer from Toronto, whose opinions on this book I absolutely agree with, I saw the film after first reading Al Stump's sensational article in True magazine "Ty Cobbs wild ten-month fight to live", reprinted in "The Greatest Baseball stories ever told" (Jeff Silverman/Lyons Press) which led to"Cobb". The benefit of a readers imagination complimenting a subsequent viewing of the film made for a truely thought provoking experience. We don't get much ML baseball news here in Wales and "Cobb" laid useful foundations regarding the game in its day and Cobb as an athlete and a person. I would recommend this to anyone who has not been brought up on baseball or who hasn't the advantage of parents/grandparent's memories and experience of the game, its community and attitudes at the time. Has anyone read and contrasted "Cobb" and Stump's 'official' biography on Cobb?


Best Biography ever written, 31 Jul 1999
Because my grandparents died when I was young, I never got to hear anything about Ty Cobb. After reading this book, I feel like I was at every game, became his roommate on the road trips, and even got into a few of the brawls with him. Anyone who wants to understand Ty Cobb, from the genious and ferocity he brought onto the field, to the wild, ill-tempered melees he got into off the field, must read this book.

This is the best biography *EVER*, 23 Jun 1999
Stump gives the reader a more thorough understanding of Cobb and his peculiarly ferocious personality then any Cobb books I have read.

I can't believe Cobb wasn't locked up for life

As Babe Ruth put it: "He was the most agressive B**ch that ever played the game, he wanted to beat you on saturday and twice on Sunday, if he didn't he was miserable."

Best book and baseball player I've heard of and read about. Who else can get a double on a bunt??

Who else can go from first to third on a sacrifice fly??

TY COBB that's who!

Amazingly eye-opening, 09 May 1999
This book is a quick read for baseball fans, and an interesting look at the psychosis of an American icon for non-baseball fans. Al Stump went through a living hell while writing Ty Cobb's ghost-written autobiography and thirty years later he tells Cobb's true story. The story of Cobb's obnoxious, cruel behavior is told in detail, with Stump's vicious pen tearing at the soul of the legend. It is rare in biographies to see a writer tear at the subject, but Stump does it as a reconciliation with his soul. In between the lines, Stump comes to terms with his own demons, and it brings the book to life. Every one of Cobb's misgivings and psychotic rampages is shown, and his one truly great asset, that of being the greatest baseball player of all time, is also given full credit. An amazing work for its balance between the two worlds of writing the truth and writing what our legends want us to see is covered. Al Stump wrote the story of an American legend in everyday life in Cobb, and leaves the reader one possible conclusion, Cobb isn't the man we want our children to emulate.

Tough book to put down especially if a baseball fan., 16 Feb 1999
I originally picked up this book because I heard of Ty Cobb as the villian. I heard this not only in sports stories but also my father stating that my grandfather never cared for the man because of his tatics. As you read through the book the characther of Cobb comes out and you are amazed that all the things said about him (good or bad) are actually true. Then they're are stories and metioning of other ballplayers who you heard about and now see them through Cobb's eyes. Most of the time it's quite different fom the stories you heard from any old time baseball fans. Cobb is a wildman and makes for a great read. This is truly one of the best books I ever read in any category.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The Man and the Legend, 24 May 2008
"The Big Bam" tells the fascinating story of the man behind the legend. Author Leigh Montville does an excellent job of intertwining the man into the baseball hero, without neglecting either.

Babe Ruth was a character "from the wrong side of the tracks" whose make-up was often "lost in the fog." Was he really part Negro? Who were the parents of his daughter? We may never know for sure.

Raised in St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, he first learned to play ball from the Xavierian Brothers who ran the school. Growing up with nothing, he exercised no restraint when he had everything. The tales of his undisciplined drinking (including during prohibition) and philandering leave the reader aghast at the life style led by the Babe. The failure of his first marriage and strange relationship with his daughter baffle the mind. Yet, through it all, Ruth emerges as worthy of hero worship and, in the end, a sympathetic character, a big kid who never grew up.

The Sultan of Swat is never ignored in the book. For the baseball fan, this book highlights a legendary career and brings out some facts that may have gone unnoticed. For example, I have seen pictures of the window he broke across the street from Sportsman's Park, but I never knew that he was pitching for the Red Sox that day. I had not realized that he was the one who wanted to quit pitching in order to hit more. His sparing with the owners and his managers make for interesting reading. His performance is even more astonishing when compared to his contemporaries, such as the year that he hit more home runs than six teams in the American League. Ultimately, it was his undisciplined character which defeated his last dream, that of managing in the major leagues.

This is a good read for any fan of the Golden Age of Baseball. It makes you admire the athlete and understand the man. Play Ball!


An Exciting Update of Babe Ruth's Legend!, 15 Aug 2006
This book is a real treat. Leigh Montville's dramatic story of the Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, the Big Bam, comes to life in exciting ways that will open new dimensions of the Babe Ruth story for you.

Leigh Montville is one of our most talented sportswriters. He could just as easily be covering a more important beat (such as the White House) or writing novels. He's that good. Why do I say that? He takes a single fact, Babe Ruth ended up in a reform school/orphanage for most of his young life, and creates a mental image of what might have happened on that morning when his father took him to St. Mary's. While relating that tale, Mr. Montville deftly points out how little we know about Babe Ruth the man (as opposed to Babe Ruth the baseball player) and why we probably won't every know very much. I especially enjoyed Mr. Montville's description of "the fog" . . . or the dense mystery about so much of Babe Ruth's life (Why did his parents abandon him? Why wouldn't he talk about his youth? Why did his wife die in another man's bed? Why did he gamble so recklessly?).

Naturally, the baseball player is more visible. Mr. Montville constructs a helpful picture of the endless baseball activities at St. Mary's, how Babe Ruth probably learned his upper cut swing that revolutionized baseball (in an era when everyone else hit down on the ball), how Babe Ruth was discovered, the transition from being a pitcher to being an everyday player and hitter, how Babe Ruth really ended up traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and why he was exiled from baseball after his playing days were over.

But the private person is also revealed in powerful vignettes such as the Babe's loyalty to St. Mary's and orphanages, the terrible racial taunting he received from those who believed him to be an African-American, his non-stop pace on limited sleep, and his making up with his father.

Naturally, as a long-time baseball fan, I felt I knew about Babe Ruth. But my picture was slightly out of focus. Experiencing the play-by-play of his life made the Babe come to life for me more than ever before.

Mr. Montville also does an excellent job of explaining why so much remains murky about the Babe's life -- both in terms of the Babe's reticence and the code of conduct that the press observed in those more restrained reporting days.

Great book on American baseball player, 31 Jan 2006
This is a wonderful book on American baseball player Lou Gehrig, full of history and anecdotes. The author does a fine job and writes wonderfully. Though you may have not the slightest interest in home runs or Babe Ruth, the story presented here of this amazing fellow is fascinating, moving.

Fascinating and moving biography, 10 Feb 2008
This is a very enjoyable and well written book. Clemente's career is covered in full, in particular the two World Series in which he appeared for the Pirates. The chapter near the end, descriping the circumstances leading up to the accident is both fascinating and so shocking. This was a tragic accident that should never have happened, should never have been allowed to happen. It is quite a humbling experience to read about someone who had so much, who died whilst assisting those who had nothing.

Great writing, 03 Oct 2006
Unlike the contributer from Toronto, whose opinions on this book I absolutely agree with, I saw the film after first reading Al Stump's sensational article in True magazine "Ty Cobbs wild ten-month fight to live", reprinted in "The Greatest Baseball stories ever told" (Jeff Silverman/Lyons Press) which led to"Cobb". The benefit of a readers imagination complimenting a subsequent viewing of the film made for a truely thought provoking experience. We don't get much ML baseball news here in Wales and "Cobb" laid useful foundations regarding the game in its day and Cobb as an athlete and a person. I would recommend this to anyone who has not been brought up on baseball or who hasn't the advantage of parents/grandparent's memories and experience of the game, its community and attitudes at the time. Has anyone read and contrasted "Cobb" and Stump's 'official' biography on Cobb?


Best Biography ever written, 31 Jul 1999
Because my grandparents died when I was young, I never got to hear anything about Ty Cobb. After reading this book, I feel like I was at every game, became his roommate on the road trips, and even got into a few of the brawls with him. Anyone who wants to understand Ty Cobb, from the genious and ferocity he brought onto the field, to the wild, ill-tempered melees he got into off the field, must read this book.

This is the best biography *EVER*, 23 Jun 1999
Stump gives the reader a more thorough understanding of Cobb and his peculiarly ferocious personality then any Cobb books I have read.

I can't believe Cobb wasn't locked up for life

As Babe Ruth put it: "He was the most agressive B**ch that ever played the game, he wanted to beat you on saturday and twice on Sunday, if he didn't he was miserable."

Best book and baseball player I've heard of and read about. Who else can get a double on a bunt??

Who else can go from first to third on a sacrifice fly??

TY COBB that's who!

Amazingly eye-opening, 09 May 1999
This book is a quick read for baseball fans, and an interesting look at the psychosis of an American icon for non-baseball fans. Al Stump went through a living hell while writing Ty Cobb's ghost-written autobiography and thirty years later he tells Cobb's true story. The story of Cobb's obnoxious, cruel behavior is told in detail, with Stump's vicious pen tearing at the soul of the legend. It is rare in biographies to see a writer tear at the subject, but Stump does it as a reconciliation with his soul. In between the lines, Stump comes to terms with his own demons, and it brings the book to life. Every one of Cobb's misgivings and psychotic rampages is shown, and his one truly great asset, that of being the greatest baseball player of all time, is also given full credit. An amazing work for its balance between the two worlds of writing the truth and writing what our legends want us to see is covered. Al Stump wrote the story of an American legend in everyday life in Cobb, and leaves the reader one possible conclusion, Cobb isn't the man we want our children to emulate.

Tough book to put down especially if a baseball fan., 16 Feb 1999
I originally picked up this book because I heard of Ty Cobb as the villian. I heard this not only in sports stories but also my father stating that my grandfather never cared for the man because of his tatics. As you read through the book the characther of Cobb comes out and you are amazed that all the things said about him (good or bad) are actually true. Then they're are stories and metioning of other ballplayers who you heard about and now see them through Cobb's eyes. Most of the time it's quite different fom the stories you heard from any old time baseball fans. Cobb is a wildman and makes for a great read. This is truly one of the best books I ever read in any category.

The REAL DiMaggio stands up, 03 Sep 2003
Setting the Record Straight does just that. This book gives you the real DiMaggio, blemished as well as haloed. As a huge baseball fan - but not a Yankee fan - it was refreshing to read about a baseball icon without having to read page after page of pitch-by-pitch accounts of hundreds of at bats. Too many baseball books have already done that. But this book tells the STRAIGHT story including the complexities of number 5s personality.
There are humorous moments but also extremely intriguing accounts of Joe D.'s life including the one subject he refused to comment on throughout his life: Marilyn.

However, I admit it took me longer than expected to finish this fine book...whenever I put it down my wife snagged it like a deep line drive out to the monuments in the Yankee Stadium outfield. Unlike DiMaggio, however, she did not fire it back to "home plate". At least I got the remote.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The Man and the Legend, 24 May 2008
"The Big Bam" tells the fascinating story of the man behind the legend. Author Leigh Montville does an excellent job of intertwining the man into the baseball hero, without neglecting either.

Babe Ruth was a character "from the wrong side of the tracks" whose make-up was often "lost in the fog." Was he really part Negro? Who were the parents of his daughter? We may never know for sure.

Raised in St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, he first learned to play ball from the Xavierian Brothers who ran the school. Growing up with nothing, he exercised no restraint when he had everything. The tales of his undisciplined drinking (including during prohibition) and philandering leave the reader aghast at the life style led by the Babe. The failure of his first marriage and strange relationship with his daughter baffle the mind. Yet, through it all, Ruth emerges as worthy of hero worship and, in the end, a sympathetic character, a big kid who never grew up.

The Sultan of Swat is never ignored in the book. For the baseball fan, this book highlights a legendary career and brings out some facts that may have gone unnoticed. For example, I have seen pictures of the window he broke across the street from Sportsman's Park, but I never knew that he was pitching for the Red Sox that day. I had not realized that he was the one who wanted to quit pitching in order to hit more. His sparing with the owners and his managers make for interesting reading. His performance is even more astonishing when compared to his contemporaries, such as the year that he hit more home runs than six teams in the American League. Ultimately, it was his undisciplined character which defeated his last dream, that of managing in the major leagues.

This is a good read for any fan of the Golden Age of Baseball. It makes you admire the athlete and understand the man. Play Ball!


An Exciting Update of Babe Ruth's Legend!, 15 Aug 2006
This book is a real treat. Leigh Montville's dramatic story of the Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, the Big Bam, comes to life in exciting ways that will open new dimensions of the Babe Ruth story for you.

Leigh Montville is one of our most talented sportswriters. He could just as easily be covering a more important beat (such as the White House) or writing novels. He's that good. Why do I say that? He takes a single fact, Babe Ruth ended up in a reform school/orphanage for most of his young life, and creates a mental image of what might have happened on that morning when his father took him to St. Mary's. While relating that tale, Mr. Montville deftly points out how little we know about Babe Ruth the man (as opposed to Babe Ruth the baseball player) and why we probably won't every know very much. I especially enjoyed Mr. Montville's description of "the fog" . . . or the dense mystery about so much of Babe Ruth's life (Why did his parents abandon him? Why wouldn't he talk about his youth? Why did his wife die in another man's bed? Why did he gamble so recklessly?).

Naturally, the baseball player is more visible. Mr. Montville constructs a helpful picture of the endless baseball activities at St. Mary's, how Babe Ruth probably learned his upper cut swing that revolutionized baseball (in an era when everyone else hit down on the ball), how Babe Ruth was discovered, the transition from being a pitcher to being an everyday player and hitter, how Babe Ruth really ended up traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and why he was exiled from baseball after his playing days were over.

But the private person is also revealed in powerful vignettes such as the Babe's loyalty to St. Mary's and orphanages, the terrible racial taunting he received from those who believed him to be an African-American, his non-stop pace on limited sleep, and his making up with his father.

Naturally, as a long-time baseball fan, I felt I knew about Babe Ruth. But my picture was slightly out of focus. Experiencing the play-by-play of his life made the Babe come to life for me more than ever before.

Mr. Montville also does an excellent job of explaining why so much remains murky about the Babe's life -- both in terms of the Babe's reticence and the code of conduct that the press observed in those more restrained reporting days.

Great book on American baseball player, 31 Jan 2006
This is a wonderful book on American baseball player Lou Gehrig, full of history and anecdotes. The author does a fine job and writes wonderfully. Though you may have not the slightest interest in home runs or Babe Ruth, the story presented here of this amazing fellow is fascinating, moving.

Fascinating and moving biography, 10 Feb 2008
This is a very enjoyable and well written book. Clemente's career is covered in full, in particular the two World Series in which he appeared for the Pirates. The chapter near the end, descriping the circumstances leading up to the accident is both fascinating and so shocking. This was a tragic accident that should never have happened, should never have been allowed to happen. It is quite a humbling experience to read about someone who had so much, who died whilst assisting those who had nothing.

Great writing, 03 Oct 2006
Unlike the contributer from Toronto, whose opinions on this book I absolutely agree with, I saw the film after first reading Al Stump's sensational article in True magazine "Ty Cobbs wild ten-month fight to live", reprinted in "The Greatest Baseball stories ever told" (Jeff Silverman/Lyons Press) which led to"Cobb". The benefit of a readers imagination complimenting a subsequent viewing of the film made for a truely thought provoking experience. We don't get much ML baseball news here in Wales and "Cobb" laid useful foundations regarding the game in its day and Cobb as an athlete and a person. I would recommend this to anyone who has not been brought up on baseball or who hasn't the advantage of parents/grandparent's memories and experience of the game, its community and attitudes at the time. Has anyone read and contrasted "Cobb" and Stump's 'official' biography on Cobb?


Best Biography ever written, 31 Jul 1999
Because my grandparents died when I was young, I never got to hear anything about Ty Cobb. After reading this book, I feel like I was at every game, became his roommate on the road trips, and even got into a few of the brawls with him. Anyone who wants to understand Ty Cobb, from the genious and ferocity he brought onto the field, to the wild, ill-tempered melees he got into off the field, must read this book.

This is the best biography *EVER*, 23 Jun 1999
Stump gives the reader a more thorough understanding of Cobb and his peculiarly ferocious personality then any Cobb books I have read.

I can't believe Cobb wasn't locked up for life

As Babe Ruth put it: "He was the most agressive B**ch that ever played the game, he wanted to beat you on saturday and twice on Sunday, if he didn't he was miserable."

Best book and baseball player I've heard of and read about. Who else can get a double on a bunt??

Who else can go from first to third on a sacrifice fly??

TY COBB that's who!

Amazingly eye-opening, 09 May 1999
This book is a quick read for baseball fans, and an interesting look at the psychosis of an American icon for non-baseball fans. Al Stump went through a living hell while writing Ty Cobb's ghost-written autobiography and thirty years later he tells Cobb's true story. The story of Cobb's obnoxious, cruel behavior is told in detail, with Stump's vicious pen tearing at the soul of the legend. It is rare in biographies to see a writer tear at the subject, but Stump does it as a reconciliation with his soul. In between the lines, Stump comes to terms with his own demons, and it brings the book to life. Every one of Cobb's misgivings and psychotic rampages is shown, and his one truly great asset, that of being the greatest baseball player of all time, is also given full credit. An amazing work for its balance between the two worlds of writing the truth and writing what our legends want us to see is covered. Al Stump wrote the story of an American legend in everyday life in Cobb, and leaves the reader one possible conclusion, Cobb isn't the man we want our children to emulate.

Tough book to put down especially if a baseball fan., 16 Feb 1999
I originally picked up this book because I heard of Ty Cobb as the villian. I heard this not only in sports stories but also my father stating that my grandfather never cared for the man because of his tatics. As you read through the book the characther of Cobb comes out and you are amazed that all the things said about him (good or bad) are actually true. Then they're are stories and metioning of other ballplayers who you heard about and now see them through Cobb's eyes. Most of the time it's quite different fom the stories you heard from any old time baseball fans. Cobb is a wildman and makes for a great read. This is truly one of the best books I ever read in any category.

The REAL DiMaggio stands up, 03 Sep 2003
Setting the Record Straight does just that. This book gives you the real DiMaggio, blemished as well as haloed. As a huge baseball fan - but not a Yankee fan - it was refreshing to read about a baseball icon without having to read page after page of pitch-by-pitch accounts of hundreds of at bats. Too many baseball books have already done that. But this book tells the STRAIGHT story including the complexities of number 5s personality.
There are humorous moments but also extremely intriguing accounts of Joe D.'s life including the one subject he refused to comment on throughout his life: Marilyn.

However, I admit it took me longer than expected to finish this fine book...whenever I put it down my wife snagged it like a deep line drive out to the monuments in the Yankee Stadium outfield. Unlike DiMaggio, however, she did not fire it back to "home plate". At least I got the remote.

I learned a lot about the man and the times he lived in., 04 Aug 1999
A great story of an interesting and misunderstood man. The chapters on his years after retirement from baseball are especially fascinating.

A Great Man, 19 May 1999
I came to this book as a sports fan looking for more information about a great athlete. What I came away with was the story of a great man. I wish I had known and worked with this man...

This book cooks!, 05 Nov 1997
I wasn't a huge baseball fan when I started this book, but I'd heard of Jackie Robinson. I used to think I knew who he was. Well, you don't anything until you read this book! The comforting text inches over every exciting aspect of Jackie Robinson's life. It was written using information that Jackie Robinson's wife provided for the first time. The topics range from rising above racism to sharing personal family experiences. If you love baseball, this book is absolutely for you. However, if you're not really into sports (like me), then you'll still adore this true-life story that seems almost unreal.

The story behind the team that won the extraordinary 1986 World Series, 20 Aug 2008
This is the story about how the New York Mets went from the laughing stock of baseball with average crowds of 9700 to a team of stars, crowds of 35,000 and victory in the 1986 World Series - and then how it all fell apart.

Although you will need a basic understanding of the rules of baseball to follow the on-field action, this is not just for the baseball fans. Jeff Pearlman has a clear, journalistic style that captures the energy and drama of the 1986 Mets baseball team - the triumphs and the disasters, the fighting, gambling, beer drinking, drug-taking, womanising and the baseball.

By the time it gets to chapter 19, the scene is set for "the greatest managerial screwup in baseball history", and, in the most unlikely of circumstances, the crushing of the Boston Red Sox' dream of breaking the Curse of the Bambino.

Overall this book fizzes along at great pace and captures the human stories behind one of baseball's most remembered World Series. A great read.


Shocking and revealing!, 21 Jan 2008
I'd heard much about this book but I still wasn't prepared for the strength and conviction of the accusations made by the authors.I chose a good time to read with Marion Jones being sent to prison for her role in BALCO affair.

The two authors have a story to tell and despite their obivous disdain for Victor Conte and Barry Bonds, you never get the sense they are trying to manipulate the readers feelings. Even if you don't understand the science behind the doping scandals (I certainly didn't.) It will enlighten you and make you question the world of professional sport. for any fans of athletics and baseball, this is a must read.

The Man and the Legend, 24 May 2008
"The Big Bam" tells the fascinating story of the man behind the legend. Author Leigh Montville does an excellent job of intertwining the man into the baseball hero, without neglecting either.

Babe Ruth was a character "from the wrong side of the tracks" whose make-up was often "lost in the fog." Was he really part Negro? Who were the parents of his daughter? We may never know for sure.

Raised in St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys, he first learned to play ball from the Xavierian Brothers who ran the school. Growing up with nothing, he exercised no restraint when he had everything. The tales of his undisciplined drinking (including during prohibition) and philandering leave the reader aghast at the life style led by the Babe. The failure of his first marriage and strange relationship with his daughter baffle the mind. Yet, through it all, Ruth emerges as worthy of hero worship and, in the end, a sympathetic character, a big kid who never grew up.

The Sultan of Swat is never ignored in the book. For the baseball fan, this book highlights a legendary career and brings out some facts that may have gone unnoticed. For example, I have seen pictures of the window he broke across the street from Sportsman's Park, but I never knew that he was pitching for the Red Sox that day. I had not realized that he was the one who wanted to quit pitching in order to hit more. His sparing with the owners and his managers make for interesting reading. His performance is even more astonishing when compared to his contemporaries, such as the year that he hit more home runs than six teams in the American League. Ultimately, it was his undisciplined character which defeated his last dream, that of managing in the major leagues.

This is a good read for any fan of the Golden Age of Baseball. It makes you admire the athlete and understand the man. Play Ball!


An Exciting Update of Babe Ruth's Legend!, 15 Aug 2006
This book is a real treat. Leigh Montville's dramatic story of the Sultan of Swat, the Bambino, the Big Bam, comes to life in exciting ways that will open new dimensions of the Babe Ruth story for you.

Leigh Montville is one of our most talented sportswriters. He could just as easily be covering a more important beat (such as the White House) or writing novels. He's that good. Why do I say that? He takes a single fact, Babe Ruth ended up in a reform school/orphanage for most of his young life, and creates a mental image of what might have happened on that morning when his father took him to St. Mary's. While relating that tale, Mr. Montville deftly points out how little we know about Babe Ruth the man (as opposed to Babe Ruth the baseball player) and why we probably won't every know very much. I especially enjoyed Mr. Montville's description of "the fog" . . . or the dense mystery about so much of Babe Ruth's life (Why did his parents abandon him? Why wouldn't he talk about his youth? Why did his wife die in another man's bed? Why did he gamble so recklessly?).

Naturally, the baseball player is more visible. Mr. Montville constructs a helpful picture of the endless baseball activities at St. Mary's, how Babe Ruth probably learned his upper cut swing that revolutionized baseball (in an era when everyone else hit down on the ball), how Babe Ruth was discovered, the transition from being a pitcher to being an everyday player and hitter, how Babe Ruth really ended up traded from the Red Sox to the Yankees, and why he was exiled from baseball after his playing days were over.

But the private person is also revealed in powerful vignettes such as the Babe's loyalty to St. Mary's and orphanages, the terrible racial taunting he received from those who believed him to be an African-American, his non-stop pace on limited sleep, and his making up with his father.

Naturally, as a long-time baseball fan, I felt I knew about Babe Ruth. But my picture was slightly out of focus. Experiencing the play-by-play of his life made the Babe come to life for me more than ever before.

Mr. Montville also does an excellent job of explaining why so much remains murky about the Babe's life -- both in terms of the Babe's reticence and the code of conduct that the press observed in those more restrained reporting days.

Great book on American baseball player, 31 Jan 2006
This is a wonderful book on American baseball player Lou Gehrig, full of history and anecdotes. The author does a fine job and writes wonderfully. Though you may have not the slightest interest in home runs or Babe Ruth, the story presented here of this amazing fellow is fascinating, moving.

Fascinating and moving biography, 10 Feb 2008
This is a very enjoyable and well written book. Clemente's career is covered in full, in particular the two World Series in which he appeared for the Pirates. The chapter near the end, descriping the circumstances leading up to the accident is both fascinating and so shocking. This was a tragic accident that should never have happened, should never have been allowed to happen. It is quite a humbling experience to read about someone who had so much, who died whilst assisting those who had nothing.

Great writing, 03 Oct 2006
Unlike the contributer from Toronto, whose opinions on this book I absolutely agree with, I saw the film after first reading Al Stump's sensational article in True magazine "Ty Cobbs wild ten-month fight to live", reprinted in "The Greatest Baseball stories ever told" (Jeff Silverman/Lyons Press) which led to"Cobb". The benefit of a readers imagination complimenting a subsequent viewing of the film made for a truely thought provoking experience. We don't get much ML baseball news here in Wales and "Cobb" laid useful foundations regarding the game in its day and Cobb as an athlete and a person. I would recommend this to anyone who has not been brought up on baseball or who hasn't the advantage of parents/grandparent's memories and experience of the game, its community and attitudes at the time. Has anyone read and contrasted "Cobb" and Stump's 'official' biography on Cobb?


Best Biography ever written, 31 Jul 1999
Because my grandparents died when I was young, I never got to hear anything about Ty Cobb. After reading this book, I feel like I was at every game, became his roommate on the road trips, and even got into a few of the brawls with him. Anyone who wants to understand Ty Cobb, from the genious and ferocity he brought onto the field, to the wild, ill-tempered melees he got into off the field, must read this book.

This is the best biography *EVER*, 23 Jun 1999
Stump gives the reader a more thorough understanding of Cobb and his peculiarly ferocious personality then any Cobb books I have read.

I can't believe Cobb wasn't locked up for life

As Babe Ruth put it: "He was the most agressive B**ch that ever played the game, he wanted to beat you on saturday and twice on Sunday, if he didn't he was miserable."

Best book and baseball player I've heard of and read about. Who else can get a double on a bunt??

Who else can go from first to third on a sacrifice fly??

TY COBB that's who!

Amazingly eye-opening, 09 May 1999
This book is a quick read for baseball fans, and an interesting look at the psychosis of an American icon for non-baseball fans. Al Stump went through a living hell while writing Ty Cobb's ghost-written autobiography and thirty years later he tells Cobb's true story. The story of Cobb's obnoxious, cruel behavior is told in detail, with Stump's vicious pen tearing at the soul of the legend. It is rare in biographies to see a writer tear at the subject, but Stump does it as a reconciliation with his soul. In between the lines, Stump comes to terms with his own demons, and it brings the book to life. Every one of Cobb's misgivings and psychotic rampages is shown, and his one truly great asset, that of being the greatest baseball player of all time, is also given full credit. An amazing work for its balance between the two worlds of writing the truth and writing what our legends want us to see is covered. Al Stump wrote the story of an American legend in everyday life in Cobb, and leaves the reader one possible conclusion, Cobb isn't the man we want our children to emulate.

Tough book to put down especially if a baseball fan., 16 Feb 1999
I originally picked up this book because I heard of Ty Cobb as the villian. I heard this not only in sports stories but also my father stating that my grandfather never cared for the man because of his tatics. As you read through the book the characther of Cobb comes out and you are amazed that all the things said about him (good or bad) are actually true. Then they're are stories and metioning of other ballplayers who you heard about and now see them through Cobb's eyes. Most of the time it's quite different fom the stories you heard from any old time baseball fans. Cobb is a wildman and makes for a great read. This is truly one of the best books I ever read in any category.

The REAL DiMaggio stands up, 03 Sep 2003
Setting the Record Straight does just that. This book gives you the real DiMaggio, blemished as well as haloed. As a huge baseball fan - but not a Yankee fan - it was refreshing to read about a baseball icon without having to read page after page of pitch-by-pitch accounts of hundreds of at bats. Too many baseball books have already done that. But this book tells the STRAIGHT story including the complexities of number 5s personality.
There are humorous moments but also extremely intriguing accounts of Joe D.'s life including the one subject he refused to comment on throughout his life: Marilyn.

However, I admit it took me longer than expected to finish this fine book...whenever I put it down my wife snagged it like a deep line drive out to the monuments in the Yankee Stadium outfield. Unlike DiMaggio, however, she did not fire it back to "home plate". At least I got the remote.

I learned a lot about the man and the times he lived in., 04 Aug 1999
A great story of an interesting and misunderstood man. The chapters on his years after retirement from baseball are especially fascinating.

A Great Man, 19 May 1999
I came to this book as a sports fan looking for more information about a great athlete. What I came away with was the story of a great man. I wish I had known and worked with this man...

This book cooks!, 05 Nov 1997
I wasn't a huge baseball fan when I started this book, but I'd heard of Jackie Robinson. I used to think I knew who he was. Well, you don't anything until you read this book! The comforting text inches over every exciting aspect of Jackie Robinson's life. It was written using information that Jackie Robinson's wife provided for the first time. The topics range from rising above racism to sharing personal family experiences. If you love baseball, this book is absolutely for you. However, if you're not really into sports (like me), then you'll still adore this true-life story that seems almost unreal.

Better than Boys of Summer, 21 Jul 2001
Kahns book about the minor league Utica Blue Sox is one of the best baseball books I've ever read. If you want to know about baseball and not just the stars, read this! Way better than Kahn's much hyped Boys of Summer.

A year in the life of a minor league ball club, 16 Feb 2001
A all-embracing diary-style story of a season in the minor leagues with the Utica Blue Sox, an non-affiliate Class A club in upstate New York. The author, Roger Kahn, as Owner for the season, gives an insight into life in baseball as far removed from the world of the Majors as is possible. A wonderful story embracing America's pastime and the pursuit of the American Dream