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Tony C: The Triumph and Tragedy of Tony Conigliaro
The only thing believable about the story of Tony Conigliaro is that it happened. He grew up in the shadows of Fenway Park, and smashed a long home run in his first at bat there at the age of 19. He led the American League in homers at age 21, and at 22 become the youngest player in AL history to reach 100 home runs.
Then, as a key member of the 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox, disaster struck in the form of a fastball to the face. Tony C's season was over; he was fortunate his life was not. He sat out 1968, but worked his way back to a huge season in 1970, with 36 HR and 118 RBI.
But things were not right. His vision was deteriorating. In the winter of 1970, the Red Sox dealt him to the Angels. Did they sense a problem, or was the ego of megastar Carl Yastrzemski the catalyst?
By 1972, Conigliaro was out of baseball. He couldn't see. But he wouldn't quit, and he fought his way back again, making the 1975 Red Sox - their next World Series team - as Designated Hitter. But the devastation from that beanball was too great, and Conigiaro by June of 1975 he was forced to retire again, this time for good.
Nevertheless, Tony C. remained immensely popular in Boston. He turned to announcing and opened a successful restaurant. But then, in the winter of 1982, while driving with his brother, Conigliaro suffered a heart attack. He slipped into a coma from which he never emerged, lived on for years in a vegetative state, until finally passing away in 1990.
TONY C., by Boston sportswriter David Cataneo, takes readers through the incredible life and tragic demise of the iconic Red Sox player, from his early years as the brash hot shot, with "Ted Williams confidence," to his success on the field, and then through the injury, the elation of a second life, and the horror of his deteriorating vision.
Tony C. also covers in depth the thrilling off-the field life of the slugging right fielder. Conigliaro had no shortage of female companionship, nor did he ever back down from confrontations with Yastremski or any of his other teammates, He was also known to battle with his unyielding and sometime seemingly unfeeling manager, Dick Williams.
Tony C also had a successful run as a pop singer in the mid-1960s, and when his career as a slugger fell into doubt, he pursued a career in karate and tried to make it as a pitcher, showing some success on that front.
No other book on Tony Conigliaro matches this one for its detail on the incredible highs and lows of his career as a ballplayer, or his wild and at times desperate life away from the game. And no other book provides a more intimate look inside the head and heart of the beloved and tragic character known simply as “Tony C.”
Then, as a key member of the 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox, disaster struck in the form of a fastball to the face. Tony C's season was over; he was fortunate his life was not. He sat out 1968, but worked his way back to a huge season in 1970, with 36 HR and 118 RBI.
But things were not right. His vision was deteriorating. In the winter of 1970, the Red Sox dealt him to the Angels. Did they sense a problem, or was the ego of megastar Carl Yastrzemski the catalyst?
By 1972, Conigliaro was out of baseball. He couldn't see. But he wouldn't quit, and he fought his way back again, making the 1975 Red Sox - their next World Series team - as Designated Hitter. But the devastation from that beanball was too great, and Conigiaro by June of 1975 he was forced to retire again, this time for good.
Nevertheless, Tony C. remained immensely popular in Boston. He turned to announcing and opened a successful restaurant. But then, in the winter of 1982, while driving with his brother, Conigliaro suffered a heart attack. He slipped into a coma from which he never emerged, lived on for years in a vegetative state, until finally passing away in 1990.
TONY C., by Boston sportswriter David Cataneo, takes readers through the incredible life and tragic demise of the iconic Red Sox player, from his early years as the brash hot shot, with "Ted Williams confidence," to his success on the field, and then through the injury, the elation of a second life, and the horror of his deteriorating vision.
Tony C. also covers in depth the thrilling off-the field life of the slugging right fielder. Conigliaro had no shortage of female companionship, nor did he ever back down from confrontations with Yastremski or any of his other teammates, He was also known to battle with his unyielding and sometime seemingly unfeeling manager, Dick Williams.
Tony C also had a successful run as a pop singer in the mid-1960s, and when his career as a slugger fell into doubt, he pursued a career in karate and tried to make it as a pitcher, showing some success on that front.
No other book on Tony Conigliaro matches this one for its detail on the incredible highs and lows of his career as a ballplayer, or his wild and at times desperate life away from the game. And no other book provides a more intimate look inside the head and heart of the beloved and tragic character known simply as “Tony C.”
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 10, 2026
Heart-wrenching. Absolutely heart-wrenching.
There really should be a movie made about Tony’s life. Triumph and tragedies, this book tells it all, as seen by those who were closest to Tony Conigliaro.
There really should be a movie made about Tony’s life. Triumph and tragedies, this book tells it all, as seen by those who were closest to Tony Conigliaro.
January 13, 2019
When I was a kid, Tony Conigliaro was my favorite baseball player. I remember riding in my parents car with the game playing on the radio when in 1967 he got hit in the eye by a Jack Hamilton fastball. Despite a couple of comebacks, he was never the same. Then after he'd retired, he suffered a heart attack at age 37 that left him in a vegetative state until he died eight years later. It's one of the saddest stories in sports. This book, somewhat on the thin side, does set straight a number of rumors. Even after his first comeback, Conigliaro's vision varied, so that in 1970, three years after he got beaned, he saw well enough to hit 36 home runs and 116 RBIs. The next year, it worsened again, and he had to retire again (He was out of baseball all of 1968). Also, I assumed his heart attack was the result of drugs, but Conigliaro was a relative teetotaler, shunning drugs and rarely drinking. Throughout his life in sports, he worked as hard as anyone to stay in top shape. This book probably won't make you feel better, but if you remember how exciting Conigliaro was to watch, you'll want to relive those days. It's also a reminder that life doesn't always turn out as planned, or as it should.
September 17, 2020
Truly a tragic story, well worth reading
I am a Yankee fan, born after Tony C. got hit. I had heard the story, seen the pictures, but didn't really know the complete story. This book tells the story of a young man, fulfilling every kid's dream.. and then one pitch ruined it... Well written, and worth reading
I am a Yankee fan, born after Tony C. got hit. I had heard the story, seen the pictures, but didn't really know the complete story. This book tells the story of a young man, fulfilling every kid's dream.. and then one pitch ruined it... Well written, and worth reading
July 12, 2020
A great baseball read
I really enjoyed this book even though it dealt a lot with Tony C’s struggles after his baseball injury and health issues. Very detailed. Baseball side stories abound. Tough book to put down. Kudos to the author. A very detailed account.
I really enjoyed this book even though it dealt a lot with Tony C’s struggles after his baseball injury and health issues. Very detailed. Baseball side stories abound. Tough book to put down. Kudos to the author. A very detailed account.
January 25, 2018
Good book about an exceptional baseball player
Covers a lot about Tony C that didn't not growing in that era or being a Red Sox fan. Joyful yet sad story of unrealized promise.
Covers a lot about Tony C that didn't not growing in that era or being a Red Sox fan. Joyful yet sad story of unrealized promise.
June 14, 2016
When a baseball fan hears the name “Tony Conigliaro” the first thought that comes to mind that his story is a tragedy – he was young, talented, good-looking, a heartthrob to young women, and was playing for his hometown Boston Red Sox when he was struck in the eye by a pitch in August 1967. While he came back to play baseball after recovering from the injury, he was never the same player again. His story is told in this biography by sportswriter David Cataneo.
The book is well researched and the reader will have a complete picture of Conigliaro’s life, not just his baseball career or the events of that fateful plate appearance. His high school and minor league success is well documented, as is his love for his high school sweetheart. He lived the life of a playboy off the field, and on the field he is portrayed as a cocky, self-assured young man, and then goes out and backs up his bravado with outstanding play.
The narrative is very supportive of Tony and portrays him in a very favorable light in most instances. Even in situations that one may question his actions or why he thinks in the manner he did, Cataneo explains why this happened and frames it in a way that will make the reader take Conigliaro’s side in nearly every case. I didn’t think it was necessary in every case and one in particular, why Conigliaro would never shake the hand or speak to the pitcher who threw the pitch that hit him, Jack Hamilton, the writing seemed to be making excuses for Conigliaro’s behavior. I also thought that the author was too critical of others who did not approve of Conigliaro’s behavior, such as Red Sox manager Dick Williams. While Williams had a well-deserved reputation of being hard on his players, this is another case where the author seemed to be taking one side of the dispute and not clearly illustrating why Williams was acting the way he was.
Nonetheless, the overall quality of the book is fine and well worth the time to read, mainly because Cataneo does a very good job of covering the entire story of Conigliaro. In fact, I thought some of the best writing came later in the book after Conigliaro’s playing days were through. It was here when the previous thoughts I had about objectivity didn’t matter as Cataneo writes poignantly about Canigliaro’s last years.
Readers who were fans of Conigliaro and the Red Sox in the 1960’s will especially enjoy reading this book. If the reader wishes to learn more about this player whose career was cut short by an errant pitch, this is one to pick up.
I wish to thank Summer Game Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
The book is well researched and the reader will have a complete picture of Conigliaro’s life, not just his baseball career or the events of that fateful plate appearance. His high school and minor league success is well documented, as is his love for his high school sweetheart. He lived the life of a playboy off the field, and on the field he is portrayed as a cocky, self-assured young man, and then goes out and backs up his bravado with outstanding play.
The narrative is very supportive of Tony and portrays him in a very favorable light in most instances. Even in situations that one may question his actions or why he thinks in the manner he did, Cataneo explains why this happened and frames it in a way that will make the reader take Conigliaro’s side in nearly every case. I didn’t think it was necessary in every case and one in particular, why Conigliaro would never shake the hand or speak to the pitcher who threw the pitch that hit him, Jack Hamilton, the writing seemed to be making excuses for Conigliaro’s behavior. I also thought that the author was too critical of others who did not approve of Conigliaro’s behavior, such as Red Sox manager Dick Williams. While Williams had a well-deserved reputation of being hard on his players, this is another case where the author seemed to be taking one side of the dispute and not clearly illustrating why Williams was acting the way he was.
Nonetheless, the overall quality of the book is fine and well worth the time to read, mainly because Cataneo does a very good job of covering the entire story of Conigliaro. In fact, I thought some of the best writing came later in the book after Conigliaro’s playing days were through. It was here when the previous thoughts I had about objectivity didn’t matter as Cataneo writes poignantly about Canigliaro’s last years.
Readers who were fans of Conigliaro and the Red Sox in the 1960’s will especially enjoy reading this book. If the reader wishes to learn more about this player whose career was cut short by an errant pitch, this is one to pick up.
I wish to thank Summer Game Books for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2016
Good and thorough
I'll be honest, I got this due to a great price, but also out of curiosity. Growing up a Red Sox fan, many are familiar with the "tragedy" of Tony Conigliaro's life. How he was this gifted young slugger, a local boy who at 22 had his career destroyed by a single pitch. This paints a different picture, a very thorough one through interviews with family and friends, of Tony C's meteoric rise,his fateful injury, his determination to recover from a beaning that nearly killed him, his amazing comeback in 1969 and 1970, his first retirement following a unwanted trade to California, his second abbreviated attempt at a comeback in 1975, and his post-playing career and sad end eight years after a heart attack in 1982. While Tony C's story ends sadly, there is plenty of inspiration, especially in his first comeback attempt. And the book makes one re-think of his story as a "tragedy."
I'll be honest, I got this due to a great price, but also out of curiosity. Growing up a Red Sox fan, many are familiar with the "tragedy" of Tony Conigliaro's life. How he was this gifted young slugger, a local boy who at 22 had his career destroyed by a single pitch. This paints a different picture, a very thorough one through interviews with family and friends, of Tony C's meteoric rise,his fateful injury, his determination to recover from a beaning that nearly killed him, his amazing comeback in 1969 and 1970, his first retirement following a unwanted trade to California, his second abbreviated attempt at a comeback in 1975, and his post-playing career and sad end eight years after a heart attack in 1982. While Tony C's story ends sadly, there is plenty of inspiration, especially in his first comeback attempt. And the book makes one re-think of his story as a "tragedy."
March 27, 2011
one of my earliest grammar school friends were cousins of the Conigliaro's, nad I remember sitting in my dining room listening to the Red Sox-Angels game the night he was hit by the pitch. this book does not disappoint, a very good story of a hard luck guy.
July 18, 2016
What might have been...
A kind-hearted and detailed look at the life and death of Bostonian Tony Conigliaro, an upcoming baseball star whose career and life were altered by an errant pitch.
A kind-hearted and detailed look at the life and death of Bostonian Tony Conigliaro, an upcoming baseball star whose career and life were altered by an errant pitch.
Read
November 30, 2007I forgot if I read this or not. I think I did. Poor poor Tony...
No, I'm pretty sure I did.
yeah.
No, I'm pretty sure I did.
yeah.
March 26, 2017
Wow! I looked forward to reading this, and it did
not disappoint. A very tragic tale. Will never forget
reading this book. Or Tony C!
not disappoint. A very tragic tale. Will never forget
reading this book. Or Tony C!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews