A true pioneer as an African-American athlete, sportscaster, and top baseball executive, White has written his long-awaited autobiography in which ...
read full description
reviews
Aug 19, 2011
Spiros
rated it: 
From 1956 through 1959, the New York/San Francisco Giants debuted Bill White, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie McCovey at first base; McCovey and Cepeda are in the Hall of Fame, but White (ranked 39th all-time amongst firstbasemen by Bill James in the NBJHBA) was no slouch. He won multiple Gold Gloves and All-star Game nominations, and posted hitting statistics which would be impressive in any era, let alone the pitching-dominated '60's. White then went on to a long career broadcasting Yankees' games,
More...
Sep 05, 2011
A. Jarrell
rated it: 
An interesting behind-the-scenes look into the game of baseball, spanning multiple decades. White's experience in baseball moves from legalized segregation and racism during the Jim Crow era to the modern baseball era, with players and managers signing multimillion dollar contracts. At times White comes off as dispassionate about the game, but he's a competitor and a realist. He used baseball to pay for college, not initially thinking he would have such a long career as a player, broadcaster, an
More...
May 06, 2011
Dale
rated it:
I expected this book to be enlightening given White's reputation for honesty and directness, and it was even better than I expected. Inside info on people like George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin, Fay Vincent, and (my favorite) a few major league umpires. Two of my umpire school instructors, the late John McSherry and the late Eric Gregg, were told by White to lose weight from their 400-pound frames in 1990 but it didn't help. McSherry died of a heart attack on the field at Cincinnati on opening D
More...
Aug 13, 2011
Chris
rated it: 
Player, broadcaster, and National League president Bill White reflects on his life and the thirty-six years he spent in baseball. White started playing in the mid-fifties, when the color line had broken in baseball but the South (and to a lesser extent the North) was still thoroughly segregated. His portrait of that time is unflinching, as is the rest of the book.
The best lesson to be drawn from White's story? Liking your job is better than loving it. If you can take your work or le More...
The best lesson to be drawn from White's story? Liking your job is better than loving it. If you can take your work or le More...
Sep 12, 2011
Sara
rated it:
This is a truthful, direct and honest account of one man's journey in MLB.
It ends with his observation of how two owner's purposefully dismantled the
Commissioner's Office and now there is no oversight in baseball. What the
owner's want, the owners get.
Bill White is a wonderful man, generous and kind. He had a great playing
career and his disillusionment of the business of baseball is well written
and very understandable.
Recommend to anyone who loves ba
It ends with his observation of how two owner's purposefully dismantled the
Commissioner's Office and now there is no oversight in baseball. What the
owner's want, the owners get.
Bill White is a wonderful man, generous and kind. He had a great playing
career and his disillusionment of the business of baseball is well written
and very understandable.
Recommend to anyone who loves ba
Apr 24, 2011
Peter
rated it:
Would probably give this 7/10, can't go as far as to give it 4/5 stars, though. A lot of fun for a long time Yankee fan such as myself who grew up listening to the author call games with Phil Rizzuto and Frank Messer. A few fun stories that I hadn't heard before and a whole heap of "baseball isn't what it was in the old days" (but never overbearing).
Aug 14, 2011
Katie
rated it:
The breadth of the things this guy has done is amazing. I really enjoyed the chapters about his ball-playing days, but I wasn't so interesting in the politics of baseball that came into play during his National League presidency. I think it probably would have been more entertaining to someone who knows a little bit more about baseball than I do.
Jun 02, 2011
Luigib
rated it:
Little bit too-race focused. Great chapter on Phil Rizzuto. Decent baseball book for a guy who was a player, announcer, and NL president.
Apr 28, 2011
Geo
rated it: 
a little disappointing. anecdotal, behind the scenes look at baseball personalities. overplayed the race card. I was hoping for more "just baseball" stories.
Jul 29, 2011
David
rated it:
Lots to think about in this story of the former ballplayer and league president. Through it all, he has the courage to walk away.
Jan 02, 2012
Dec 25, 2011
Dec 19, 2011
Dec 16, 2011
Nov 19, 2011
Nov 18, 2011
Feb 12, 2012
Aug 09, 2011
Aug 07, 2011
Aug 02, 2011
Aug 02, 2011
Jul 29, 2011
