Whispers of the Gods

Peter Golenbock has written more than sixty books, including ten New York Times best sellers. His best-selling books on baseball include Dynasty: The New York Yankees, 1949-1964;The Bronx Zoo (with Sparky Lyle); Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers; Balls (with Graig Nettles); Amazin’: The Miraculous History of New York’s Most Beloved Baseball Team; and Idiot: Beating “The Curse” and Enjoying the Game of Life (with Johnny Damon). He resides in St. Petersburg, FL.

Sportswriter Golenbock delivers a fascinating oral history of Major League Baseball in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s, as witnessed by legendary players. Drawing on intimate interviews with stars such as Stan Musial—and others whom, like Roger Maris, spoke about their experiences for the first time—Golenbock pieces together an on-the-field look into historic developments that unfolded over those three decades. Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier in 1947 is related from the vantage point of former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Rex Barney, who speaks of the outrage the Black infielder faced by both teammates and opponents (“A lot of players on other teams wanted to strike”). The late Boston Red Sox player Ted Williams offers a maverick take on Shoeless Joe Jackson’s role in the Black Sox scandal, arguing that Jackson’s part in throwing the 1919 World Series wasn’t so simple, and that his achievements still warrant an inclusion in the Hall of Fame. Equally engrossing are the rags-to-riches tales of such players as late Hall of Famer Roy Campanella, who rose from his impoverished childhood to become “one of the greatest catchers in the history of the game.” Sports fans will be captivated.

• Foreword, by John ThornPrefaceChapter 1: Jim BoutonChapter 2: Ed FroelichChapter 3: Marty MarionChapter 4: Rex BarneyChapter 5: Stan MusialChapter 6: Tom SturdivantChapter 7: Jim BrosnanChapter 8: Ted WilliamsChapter 9: Gene ConleyChapter 10: Kirby HigbeChapter 11: Phil RizzutoChapter 12: Ron SantoChapter 13: Ellis ClaryChapter 14: Roy CampanellaChapter 15: Roger MarisChapter 16: Monte IrvinChapter 17: Jim BoutonAbout the Author