It's What's Inside the Lines That Counts

by Fay Vincent

It’s What’s Inside the Lines That Counts brings together ballplayers, managers, an umpire, and the first head of the players’ union to describe the momentous changes to the game that took place in the 1970s and 1980s. Former MLB commissioner Fay Vincent draws from his ongoing oral history of the game to celebrate the era that spans the Miracle Mets through free agency to Cal Ripken’s historic consecutive-games streak.

Willie McCovey remembers meeting the Giants’ other Willie and the powerful impact that Willie Mays had on him. He expresses pride that the Giants chose to honor him at their ballpark with McCovey Cove. Teammate Juan Marichal, one of baseball’s Latino pioneers, recalls encountering racism for the first time in America. He recounts fortuitously overhearing a conversation among Latino ballplayers before a Giants-Pirates game that provided him with crucial information about Roberto Clemente.

Managers Dick Williams and Earl Weaver assess their Hall of Fame careers. Williams remembers his contentious relationship with Charlie Finley and explains why he never managed for George Stein-brenner. Earl Weaver says he has changed, that umpires were “fantastic people,” and that he shouldn’t have gotten thrown out of so many ballgames. Read it here for yourself.

Tom Seaver, one of the dominant pitchers of his era, shares a funny incident from his first All-Star game, when he was young and looked even younger, and discloses the important piece of baseball wisdom that Gil Hodges gave him early in his career that has guided him ever since. Don Baylor recalls playing with a variety of teammates and teams, including the remarkable experience of playing in three consecutive World Series with three different teams, going from the 1986 Red Sox that came so close to winning the Series to the 1987 Minnesota Twins team that actually did it. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, “the Wizard of Oz,” tells the story of how he began his signature back flip and offers insights into how he was able to pull off some of the most spectacular defensive plays in baseball history. Baseball’s Iron Man Cal Ripken remembers the high expectations that came with being the son of a baseball manager and explains why the “Orioles way” was more than just a slogan for him. Bruce Froemming, MLB’s longest-serving umpire, reveals the rules behind the fine art of allowing managers and coaches to have their say and still maintain absolute control over the game. And Marvin Miller, one of the most important figures in the history of the game, explains the origins and intentions of baseball’s players’ union and why he is so proud of what it has achieved.

No fan of the game will want to pass up this illustrated, fascinating remembrance of two decades when baseball changed forever.

Genres: Baseball, Sports

336 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Francis Thomas "Fay" Vincent Jr. was an American entertainment lawyer, securities regulator, and sports executive who served as the eighth commissioner of baseball from September 13, 1989, to September 7, 1992.

Reviews

[Josh Hitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of interviews with some of the greats who played the game in the 70s and 80s. Really insightful comments made by all the players and all the interviews were interesting in their own way.

Highly recommended for fans of the era, it really was a joy to read.

[RICK "SHAQ" GOLDSTEIN · Rating 3 out of 5]

RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “70’S & 80’S VERSION DOESN’T MEASURE UP TO 50’S & 60’S”
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This is the third installment of interviews transcribed to words with people from the baseball industry. Note: In addition to ballplayers this volume includes men whose fame came from managing not playing… an umpire… and a union organizer. Though the “author” says they “tried to faithfully record the comments of the interviewees, correcting minor grammatical mistakes and occasional errors caused by the inevitable lapses of memory after several decades”… the wordsmith’s involved did not do near as good a job as they did in the prior volume “WE WOULD HAVE PLAYED FOR NOTHING” which was a classic.

The chapter subjects are Willie McCovey (Hall of Fame player)… Juan Marichal (Hall of Fame player)… Dick Williams (mediocre player, Hall of Fame manager)… Earl Weaver (Hall of Fame manager)… Tom Seaver (Hall of Fame player)… Don Baylor (player)… Ozzie Smith (Hall of Fame player)… Cal Ripken Jr. (Hall of Fame player)… Bruce Froemming (umpire)… Marvin Miller (union organizer). While it’s impossible not to include a lot of interesting and inside stories… the writing/transcription is at times rambling and meandering. At other times the statements contradict themselves or seem to disconnect with no connecting point. Some examples: Willie McCovey states that in 1969 he “batted 320 fifth in the league”… and later in the same paragraph he states: “the only guy that had a higher batting average, I think, was Pete Rose.” Juan Marichal says: “The guys you didn’t want to see come to home plate were Roberto Clemente, Pete Rose, Billy Williams, Willie Stargell, Tony Davis-I don’t know if you remember Tony Davis before he broke his ankle. Man, he was awesome, what a hitter.” REVIEWER’S CORRECTION: It wasn’t Tony Davis… it was TOMMY DAVIS of the Los Angeles Dodgers who led the National League in hitting in 1962 and 1963. One minute Dick Williams is telling you how he “went to elementary school, about three blocks from Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis”… and went to so many games… and then half-a-page later he says out of nowhere that he “graduated in 1947 and our commencement exercises were in the Rose Bowl.” I must have re-read that half-page or so three times trying to figure out if I missed something or there was a different Rose Bowl than the one in Pasadena, California. Pages later he mentions he moved to California. In numerous other examples the editor’s allowed the words to be transcribed as they must have been said… which does not shine brightly on the speakers… nor do justice to the reader.

If a potential reader is an old-school baseball fan and has accepted the shortcomings, there are tasty gems to be had. It’s always enlightening and enjoyable to read about who the hero’s of the hero’s were… McCovey’s was Jackie Robinson… Dick Williams’s was Ducky Medwick (my Mom’s favorite also)… Tom Seaver’s was Sandy Koufax and Henry Aaron… Ozzie Smith’s was Roberto Clemente… Cal Ripken’s was Brooks Robinson. The common thread between all the ballplayers was their dedication to putting the work in that was necessary to achieve success. It’s also interesting to know… to what… and to whom… they credit their eventual success to. Tom Seaver credits the United States Marines and Gil Hodges. Cal Ripken salutes the “Oriole Way” among other things.

Has the grand old game of baseball changed with each decade? I’ll say! The two managers in this book Dick Williams and Earl Weaver both say they couldn’t manage the way the game is today.

[Ken Heard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seems like Fay Vincent stuck a recorder in front of his subjects, asked them to describe their career and then 30 minutes later transcribed their words into this book. There's not much writing in this book, but the selections are a good representation of the 1970s and 1980s of baseball.

Juan Marichal tells his side of his bat-wielding brawl with Johnny Roseboro, Cal Ripken talks of the Streak. Ozzie Smith and Willie McCovey mention the prejudices each faced in the minor leagues. Adding Bruce Froemming, the umpire, was a good measure. As was the inclusion of Marvin Miller who, in my opinion, changed baseball more than nearly any other player, owner, commissioner.

This is a good book for baseball fans. Don't expect any brilliant writing, though. (For example, Vincent doesn't edit out Ripken's use of "and whatever" when he runs through a litany of things he accomplished in his career).

[Murray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good read for the above average baseball fan. Each player interview is with someone who could be deemed 'the best of the best' and has some interesting insights and anecdotes. Unfortunately, Vincent could have either used an editor or conducted more interviews because each chapter runs a little long and, in some cases, ends very abruptly. On the other hand, if I had not read this book, I never would have known that Tom Seaver was friends with legendary actor Richard Burton.

[Bryan Kurdonik · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a baseball fan like me you will love this book.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the years since Lawrence Ritter's The Glory of Their Times shared players' first-hand accounts of life on and off the field, the oral history has become its own sub genre in baseball literature. Ritter passed the torch to Donald Honig, who gave us Baseball When the Grass Was Real in 1975. Since then, countless others have tracked down old ballplayers and recorded their tales, including former Major League Baseball commissioner Fay Vincent, who has written three such volumes.

Vincent's earlier books covered the 1930s-40s and 1950s-60s. He's worked his way up to the 1970s and 80s with the latest release, though several of the men interviewed, notably Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal, played significant portions of their careers in the 1960s. McCovey, a feared middle-of-the-order slugger, leads off here, talking about his early days in Mobile, Alabama, the talent hotbed that also spawned the likes of Henry Aaron and Billy Williams. McCovey recalls gathering around with other kids to listen to Satchel Paige, another great from Mobile, tell stories about life in the Negro Leagues.

Marichal shares his side of the brawl with Johnny Roseboro, one of the ugliest fights in the history of the game. The incident was actually three days in the making, tracing its roots to a catcher's interference call a couple of games before Roseboro buzzed Marichal's ear with a return throw to the mound. Years later the two combatants became friends, and the episode is understandably one that the Hall of Fame pitcher hates to talk about these days, though he did so here for Vincent.

Three of the four other players included are also enshrined in Cooperstown: Tom Seaver, Ozzie Smith, and Cal Ripken Jr. The fourth, Don Baylor, had a long and productive career as an outfielder and DH before making the transition to coach and manager. Two other legendary skippers, Dick Williams and Earl Weaver, are featured, and the book concludes with umpire Bruce Froemming and labor leader Marvin Miller.

Much of the magic of The Glory of Their Times came from introducing long forgotten heroes to new generations. While most fans who have been following baseball since the 70s and 80s are well-acquainted with players like Seaver, Smith, and Ripken, there are lots of fun tidbits here that will be new. Seaver talks about how he became the property of the Mets after his initial contract with the Braves was never ratified by the commissioner's office. Smith tells how he was so overlooked coming out of high school that his only college option was Cal Poly at San Luis Obispo, where he played on the JV squad until the varsity shortstop got hurt. And Ripken describes growing up on the road, as his family followed his father around from one minor league stop to the next.

Froemming and Miller may seem like unexpected choices for such a collection, but both have a long history in the game and a lot of stories to share. Froemming talks about breaking in under the tutelage of Al Barlick, and having the chutzpah as a minor league ump to ask the Hall of Fame arbiter if he could work the plate in his place during a spring training contest. Miller details the formative years of the players' union in the 1960s and how he won approval as the head of the union despite nearly unanimous voting against him by the first four clubs polled.

The Miller chapter is the tightest and most direct-flowing of the book. His story unfolds in chronological order, making it easy to follow from start to finish. Most of the others tend to loop around and double-back in places, reflecting the way people generally talk. Unfortunately, that makes for jumbled reading at times, with 180-degree topic changes and no transition between thoughts. The concept of an oral history, all the way back to Ritter's project, is to let the players tell their story with no filter. There are places, however, where you may wish an editor had intervened, either adding a transition or cutting and pasting text to put like topics together.

Despite that complaint, it's hard to go wrong with a book like this. Most of us will never get the opportunity to sit down with Hall of Fame players and listen to them talk about breaking into the big leagues or playing in the World Series. Vincent uses his access to bridge that gap for us. The concept may not be new anymore, but it's tried and true and fun to read.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a baseball fan, particularly one who grew up enjoying baseball in the 70's, this is an excellent book. The interviews read as if the player was just rambling on, but at points it seems clear that much of the discussion was prompted by questions (which are omitted).

There are many interesting tidbits, and some larger themes that I took from this book. It was one of the most significant time periods in baseball, dwarfed only by the 50's and 60's when baseball was integrated. But here you have the playoffs, DH, and most important, free agent system and the players' union.

What you most hear from the players is their love of the game and dedication to it. This was before it was all about the money.

My favorite parts: hearing about Juan Marichal being thrown in jail (along with the rest of his team) for losing a double-header when he was playing for the Dominican national team. Hearing about several of the interviewees who were members of the Knothole gang in St. Louis. And finally, in the interview with Bruce Froemming (umpire) about how umpires were "drafted" to either referee in the National or American league. I had no idea that sort of thing happened, but the life of an umpire was a lot like a ball-player (minor leagues, getting called up, etc). I did not expect to enjoy the piece about Bruce Froemming as much as I did.

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the baseball fan this is a fun book to read about the 70 and 80's players (and some who also played in the 60's). There are several books with players story of their careers. This is one of the more enjoyable ones with several star players featured with good stories to relate.