What do you think?
Rate this book
The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant
"A bad bargain for the devil, a wonderful one for readers."― New York Post Decades before Field of Dreams there was The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant , the classic baseball fable that became the hit movie and musical Damn Yankees . Now a new generation is ready to discover this delightful book, restored to its original title, with a new introduction by baseball writer Bill James.
Baseball lovers everywhere can identify with Joe Boyd, a die-hard Washington Senators fan who puts his soul in hock to help them wrest the pennant away from the hated, all-conquering Yankees. Transformed by the sulfurous Mr. Applegate's satanic magic into twenty-two-year-old phenom Joe Hardy, he leads the hapless Senators in a torrid late-season pursuit of the men in pinstripes. Joe has until September 21st before the deal becomes final―and eternal. With the luscious temptress Lola to distract him, he'll have a hell of a time wriggling out of the bargain...
Baseball lovers everywhere can identify with Joe Boyd, a die-hard Washington Senators fan who puts his soul in hock to help them wrest the pennant away from the hated, all-conquering Yankees. Transformed by the sulfurous Mr. Applegate's satanic magic into twenty-two-year-old phenom Joe Hardy, he leads the hapless Senators in a torrid late-season pursuit of the men in pinstripes. Joe has until September 21st before the deal becomes final―and eternal. With the luscious temptress Lola to distract him, he'll have a hell of a time wriggling out of the bargain...
258 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
5 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
November 10, 2024
As this past baseball season unfolded with the Yankees having a shot at the pennant for the first time in fifteen years, a book popped up on my Goodreads feed that threatened to jinx the Yankees season. I am married to a Yankees fan, and, as a veteran of the Cubs’ curse, the last thing we needed in our house was a baseball jinx. I am referring to the book The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, which later became the musical and movie Damn Yankees. I saw the movie version with my grandmother. She was a musical connoisseur, and we watched and went to many musical productions together. Her absolute favorite was My Fair Lady, but I am getting off topic. She was also a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, and the one time I took her to Wrigley Field, she remarked that the ballpark reminded her of Ebbets Field. Being both a lover of musicals and a Dodgers fan, of course, my grandmother would introduce me to Damn Yankees. Growing up when I did when the Cubs were pathetic, the premise actually sounded enticing. I just had no idea that this musical was based off of a book. I decided I would read the book after the Yankees got eliminated from the playoffs. They made it to the World Series and lost in five games to none other than the Dodgers. With no games for another five months, it was time to read about the year that the Yankees lost the pennant.
Between the years 1947-1960, the Yankees went to the World Series eleven times. Eleven times in thirteen years. There were no divisions and no playoffs. The winner of the American League played the winner of the National League in the fall classic. In their heyday, the American League entrant was usually the Yankees, and, most often than not, they won, now the owners of twenty seven world championships. On opening day, most teams knew that they had no chance to win, with the Yankees showing their clout and beating every team routinely. No team represented futility more than the woeful Washington Senators. Until the Senators won the World Series as the Minnesota Twins in 1987, their only championship in Washington was in 1924. Fans of this team tuned in and rooted all season long, but those astute ones knew that most likely the Yankees would win the pennant. I understand because during this era my dad grew up cheering for the Cubs, and they were as pitiful in the 1950s as the Senators were. I joke from time to time that if I had a Time Machine, I would go back in time and change the Cubs fortunes. My kids tell me that I should not mess with the space time continuum. Another way would be to sell my soul to the devil so that the Cubs could go to the World Series. Ever since I saw the movie Damn Yankees until the Cubs won the World Series, I thought about the idea.
The action takes place during the final two months of the 1958 season. Mickey Mantle now plays for the Cleveland Indians (completely fictional) and the Yankees have won the last nine pennants and are in contention for a tenth. Senators’ fan Joe Boyd is your everyday guy. He goes to work selling real estate and comes home to his home and wife of thirty years Bess. Joe and Bess settle into a routine- Bess hosts bridge ladies, and Joe listens to Senators games on the radio. In the movie, the ladies break out into a song about how they lose their husbands to baseball for six months a year, and Bess grows increasingly discouraged that Joe must listen to his ballgame every night. All Joe would like is for the Senators to win once in his lifetime. In July 21, he goes for a walk and encounters a man dressed in black named Applegate. The man is suspicious, but he offers Joe a deal: become a ball player and help the Senators win the pennant. Joe is skeptical because he is a rational person, but the idea of the Senators winning the pennant is ever so intriguing. Joe agrees albeit on a temporary basis. He sees Applegate for who he is- the devil- and specifies that on September 21 he would like to go back to being Joe Boyd and his life that he is for the most part happy with. For the last two months of the baseball season, Joe Boyd becomes Joe Hardy.
To defeat the devil and his gimmicks one must possess cunning and smarts of their own. As Joe Hardy, the young man has come off of the sandlots and into the Senators starting lineup. Everyday he slugs two home runs. The Senators can’t lose and are really challenging the Yankees for first place. With each encounter with Applegate, Joe reminds him that he wants to switch back. Applegate responds by employing a lady named Lola who is one of his minions. In the movie, she sings “what Lola wants, Lola gets,” and is portrayed as a vixen. Here she is a young, beautiful lady with a conscience who also desires to get out of her deal with Applegate. That premise did not translate well to the stage or silver screen. In the end, all the principal characters end up taking the life path that they were meant to go on all along. Lola developed into an intriguing persona, but so did Bess Boyd, who makes cameo appearances along the way. I am not sure if Douglass Wallop was an author or if he penned this book with the stage and screen in mind. The language set the time and place as the late 1950s, but it was a basic sentence structure, which made for extremely easy reading. Had I nothing else to do, I could have finished the story of Joe Boyd/Hardy in a few hours. The book made for a relaxed reading on a weekend afternoon, for which I am appreciative of.
With the off season getting into full swing, fans wonder how any team can defeat this current iteration of the juggernaut Dodgers. The Yankees are star studded and can easily beat most teams, but even they are not in a league with the Dodgers. It would take a hard salary cap or a fan making a deal with Lucifer ala Joe Boyd for that to actually happen. In the current form of the playoffs, multiple teams in theory have a chance but the post season is designed so that the top teams go to the World Series, and this year we got one for the ages. I did not read about the year the Yankees lost the pennant until after this current team had been eliminated. I am a superstitious baseball fan after all. Thankfully, the Cubs won a single World Series on their own, or I might have had to resort to Joe Boyd and Applegate’s tactics. In real life the Senators did not win the 1958 pennant, the real life Yankees did, and for years their franchise continued to be the gold standard of sports. The idea of the Yankees actually losing a pennant in that era made for an intriguing concept that became a fun musical and movie and also a light reading book for off season entertainment.
3.5 stars
Between the years 1947-1960, the Yankees went to the World Series eleven times. Eleven times in thirteen years. There were no divisions and no playoffs. The winner of the American League played the winner of the National League in the fall classic. In their heyday, the American League entrant was usually the Yankees, and, most often than not, they won, now the owners of twenty seven world championships. On opening day, most teams knew that they had no chance to win, with the Yankees showing their clout and beating every team routinely. No team represented futility more than the woeful Washington Senators. Until the Senators won the World Series as the Minnesota Twins in 1987, their only championship in Washington was in 1924. Fans of this team tuned in and rooted all season long, but those astute ones knew that most likely the Yankees would win the pennant. I understand because during this era my dad grew up cheering for the Cubs, and they were as pitiful in the 1950s as the Senators were. I joke from time to time that if I had a Time Machine, I would go back in time and change the Cubs fortunes. My kids tell me that I should not mess with the space time continuum. Another way would be to sell my soul to the devil so that the Cubs could go to the World Series. Ever since I saw the movie Damn Yankees until the Cubs won the World Series, I thought about the idea.
The action takes place during the final two months of the 1958 season. Mickey Mantle now plays for the Cleveland Indians (completely fictional) and the Yankees have won the last nine pennants and are in contention for a tenth. Senators’ fan Joe Boyd is your everyday guy. He goes to work selling real estate and comes home to his home and wife of thirty years Bess. Joe and Bess settle into a routine- Bess hosts bridge ladies, and Joe listens to Senators games on the radio. In the movie, the ladies break out into a song about how they lose their husbands to baseball for six months a year, and Bess grows increasingly discouraged that Joe must listen to his ballgame every night. All Joe would like is for the Senators to win once in his lifetime. In July 21, he goes for a walk and encounters a man dressed in black named Applegate. The man is suspicious, but he offers Joe a deal: become a ball player and help the Senators win the pennant. Joe is skeptical because he is a rational person, but the idea of the Senators winning the pennant is ever so intriguing. Joe agrees albeit on a temporary basis. He sees Applegate for who he is- the devil- and specifies that on September 21 he would like to go back to being Joe Boyd and his life that he is for the most part happy with. For the last two months of the baseball season, Joe Boyd becomes Joe Hardy.
To defeat the devil and his gimmicks one must possess cunning and smarts of their own. As Joe Hardy, the young man has come off of the sandlots and into the Senators starting lineup. Everyday he slugs two home runs. The Senators can’t lose and are really challenging the Yankees for first place. With each encounter with Applegate, Joe reminds him that he wants to switch back. Applegate responds by employing a lady named Lola who is one of his minions. In the movie, she sings “what Lola wants, Lola gets,” and is portrayed as a vixen. Here she is a young, beautiful lady with a conscience who also desires to get out of her deal with Applegate. That premise did not translate well to the stage or silver screen. In the end, all the principal characters end up taking the life path that they were meant to go on all along. Lola developed into an intriguing persona, but so did Bess Boyd, who makes cameo appearances along the way. I am not sure if Douglass Wallop was an author or if he penned this book with the stage and screen in mind. The language set the time and place as the late 1950s, but it was a basic sentence structure, which made for extremely easy reading. Had I nothing else to do, I could have finished the story of Joe Boyd/Hardy in a few hours. The book made for a relaxed reading on a weekend afternoon, for which I am appreciative of.
With the off season getting into full swing, fans wonder how any team can defeat this current iteration of the juggernaut Dodgers. The Yankees are star studded and can easily beat most teams, but even they are not in a league with the Dodgers. It would take a hard salary cap or a fan making a deal with Lucifer ala Joe Boyd for that to actually happen. In the current form of the playoffs, multiple teams in theory have a chance but the post season is designed so that the top teams go to the World Series, and this year we got one for the ages. I did not read about the year the Yankees lost the pennant until after this current team had been eliminated. I am a superstitious baseball fan after all. Thankfully, the Cubs won a single World Series on their own, or I might have had to resort to Joe Boyd and Applegate’s tactics. In real life the Senators did not win the 1958 pennant, the real life Yankees did, and for years their franchise continued to be the gold standard of sports. The idea of the Yankees actually losing a pennant in that era made for an intriguing concept that became a fun musical and movie and also a light reading book for off season entertainment.
3.5 stars
November 30, 2019
This is the book the Damn Yankee's play was based off of. My brother was in this play way back in the early 80's (I think) It was the first BIG play I went to and it made me fall in love with the theater. This book was a great reminder of that!
February 4, 2022
Joe Boyd is depicted as a lifelong fan of the hapless Washington Senators. The Year the Yankees lost The Pennant by Douglas Wallop, the novel begins as the Washington Senators are losing ground in the American League to their longtime nemesis, the New York Yankees. One night he goes out for a normal walk outside, and runs into an unexpected offer from a man, who introduces himself as Mr. Applegate. Applegate offers to transform Joe Boyd into Joe Hardy, a young baseball superstar, and facilitate his signing with the Senators' front office so that Hardy can help salvage the Senators' lost season. The transformation takes place, but the new baseball superstar begins to realize that his deal with "Applegate" may not be so temporary, and he may have let himself in for more than he had expected.
As Hardy's doubts grow over his predicament, Applegate presents Hardy with love interest Lola, depicted as a glamorous temptress made to seduce him. His phenomenal performance on the Washington Senators pushes the team up in front, but Joe's satisfactions are tempered by guilt. He also ended up ruining another man’s career by the name Roscoe Ent, who was used to entertain the Senators fans during their losing streak, and occasionally pitch.
Joe takes baseball by storm. He has an amazing batting, and he hits at least one home run every game. Thanks to their new right fielder the Senators can’t lose. A bit of trouble comes at a press conference as a New York reporter, Luster Head, questions Joe’s background. With the season coming to close, what will Joe do to keep his soul intact?
I came to this book with zero background information and I absolutely enjoyed it. It showed the passion and love for baseball that Joe Boyd had, that I also have. Despite the story being about baseball there were also implications of mystery and romance. Even if you do not like sports, you can still relate to characters such as Joe or even Lola. They both have to make a choice and end up paying the price. Many readers can also appreciate how far Joe is willing to go for his wife and his favorite team. The writing was clever and even though this book was written a while ago, it still felt modern. I loved some of the parts, especially anything when Applegate would plot against Joe for his soul. I thought it was also great to see how Joe remained faithful to his wife, even when facing Lola. This book was clever, endearing and definitely worth my while. One small problem I had was that the characters Lola and Bess were a little underdeveloped in my opinion. Douglass Wallop did not share as much emotion or thoughts for Lola and Bess. Although, the author made up for it, because we got to know and understand How much more than at the beginning. If you're a sports fan then you would love The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglass Wallop, with its many twists and turns.
As Hardy's doubts grow over his predicament, Applegate presents Hardy with love interest Lola, depicted as a glamorous temptress made to seduce him. His phenomenal performance on the Washington Senators pushes the team up in front, but Joe's satisfactions are tempered by guilt. He also ended up ruining another man’s career by the name Roscoe Ent, who was used to entertain the Senators fans during their losing streak, and occasionally pitch.
Joe takes baseball by storm. He has an amazing batting, and he hits at least one home run every game. Thanks to their new right fielder the Senators can’t lose. A bit of trouble comes at a press conference as a New York reporter, Luster Head, questions Joe’s background. With the season coming to close, what will Joe do to keep his soul intact?
I came to this book with zero background information and I absolutely enjoyed it. It showed the passion and love for baseball that Joe Boyd had, that I also have. Despite the story being about baseball there were also implications of mystery and romance. Even if you do not like sports, you can still relate to characters such as Joe or even Lola. They both have to make a choice and end up paying the price. Many readers can also appreciate how far Joe is willing to go for his wife and his favorite team. The writing was clever and even though this book was written a while ago, it still felt modern. I loved some of the parts, especially anything when Applegate would plot against Joe for his soul. I thought it was also great to see how Joe remained faithful to his wife, even when facing Lola. This book was clever, endearing and definitely worth my while. One small problem I had was that the characters Lola and Bess were a little underdeveloped in my opinion. Douglass Wallop did not share as much emotion or thoughts for Lola and Bess. Although, the author made up for it, because we got to know and understand How much more than at the beginning. If you're a sports fan then you would love The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant by Douglass Wallop, with its many twists and turns.
January 23, 2018
What would you do if you had the chance to live your dream? When Joe Boyd was given his opportunity, he snatched it. Joe Boyd is a middle-age real-estate agent who is one of the most die-hard baseball fans in Washington. He has questioned his life several times, and regrets some of his early life. He wishes he was a great baseball player, who could help his struggling favorite team, the Washington Senators.
One day, a mysterious man appears on Joe's street, by the name of Mr. Applegate.. He approaches Joe and asks him if he would like to be transformed into an amazing ball-player. Joe thinks it over a bit, but decides to take up the deal. Joe leaves his old life and wife behind, as he is changed into a man named Joe Hardy. He is now a handsome young superstar, with eye-opening home-run hitting power. He joins the Senators and begins to demolish baseballs left and right with Applegate's strange magic.
As Joe continues through life as a different man, he sees that he is ruining people's lives too. He makes people lose their jobs, and he misses his wife terribly. Joe is also faced with accusations about where he came from. He must decide to change back by September 21st, or he will remain Joe Hardy forever. Applegate is determined to keep Joe as a powerful baseball player, so it will be difficult for Joe to escape the contract and return to his wife.
There were many themes throughout this book that shaped the characters and the plot. Some of these themes were, don't be blinded by your dreams, never leave your loved ones behind, and fame is not always a positive thing. These themes put in by Douglass Wallop were very important to the story and sometimes helped me relate to my life.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy sports books, or mystery books. Although this is not a full-on mystery story, it has a few implants of mystery. I thought it was a very interesting story because I like sports and baseball, but I can see why many others would dislike it. It had some very exciting moments, along with some slow and boring ones to. The Year The Yankees Lost the Pennant was not my favorite book, but I would definitely recommend it for sports-lovers.
One day, a mysterious man appears on Joe's street, by the name of Mr. Applegate.. He approaches Joe and asks him if he would like to be transformed into an amazing ball-player. Joe thinks it over a bit, but decides to take up the deal. Joe leaves his old life and wife behind, as he is changed into a man named Joe Hardy. He is now a handsome young superstar, with eye-opening home-run hitting power. He joins the Senators and begins to demolish baseballs left and right with Applegate's strange magic.
As Joe continues through life as a different man, he sees that he is ruining people's lives too. He makes people lose their jobs, and he misses his wife terribly. Joe is also faced with accusations about where he came from. He must decide to change back by September 21st, or he will remain Joe Hardy forever. Applegate is determined to keep Joe as a powerful baseball player, so it will be difficult for Joe to escape the contract and return to his wife.
There were many themes throughout this book that shaped the characters and the plot. Some of these themes were, don't be blinded by your dreams, never leave your loved ones behind, and fame is not always a positive thing. These themes put in by Douglass Wallop were very important to the story and sometimes helped me relate to my life.
I recommend this book to people who enjoy sports books, or mystery books. Although this is not a full-on mystery story, it has a few implants of mystery. I thought it was a very interesting story because I like sports and baseball, but I can see why many others would dislike it. It had some very exciting moments, along with some slow and boring ones to. The Year The Yankees Lost the Pennant was not my favorite book, but I would definitely recommend it for sports-lovers.
April 30, 2024
Super quirky, but a fun read. I wanted to keep yelling at Joe for his crazy choices. I would recommend to anyone who is looking for a unique book, and would especially recommend it if they hate the Yankees.
November 3, 2020
The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during a time when the New York Yankees dominated Major League Baseball. The book inspired the Broadway play, Damn Yankees.
Middle-aged baseball fanatic Joe Boyd, trades his soul to the Devil, known here as Mr. Applegate, for a chance to lead his favorite team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees. As young baseball sensation, Joe Hardy, he transforms the unlucky Washington Senators into a winning team. As time goes on, he begins to question the true worth of the life that he's left behind. Applegate knows he's in trouble so he sends in that temptress, Lola.
I have always loved this musical, but I fell in love with the movie. It was fun to read the book that inspired them. I did enjoy reading the lyrics here. I'm still humming Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO. I wish I had been able to see it on stage.
Middle-aged baseball fanatic Joe Boyd, trades his soul to the Devil, known here as Mr. Applegate, for a chance to lead his favorite team to victory in the pennant race against the New York Yankees. As young baseball sensation, Joe Hardy, he transforms the unlucky Washington Senators into a winning team. As time goes on, he begins to question the true worth of the life that he's left behind. Applegate knows he's in trouble so he sends in that temptress, Lola.
I have always loved this musical, but I fell in love with the movie. It was fun to read the book that inspired them. I did enjoy reading the lyrics here. I'm still humming Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, MO. I wish I had been able to see it on stage.
April 27, 2020
3.5/5 stars
I adore the musical Damn Yankees. I love it so much that it's hilariously surprising that I had no idea it was based on a novel. The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, written by Douglass Wallop (who'd go onto co-write the musical's script), is the novel Damn Yankees is based on. And it's a novel that nobody seems to know much about these days. There's no ebook of it available, so I had to actually obtain a hard copy of it to read. Why go to all of this trouble? Well, I really wanted to see how similar to the musical this novel was. And so, I gave it a read. And it's definitely the same story as Damn Yankees. But how does it hold up against its more famous stage adaptation? Well, both versions of the story have their pros and their cons - it ultimately depends on what you're looking for from the story. If you want to really explore Joe's mindset during all of this, then The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is the book for you. It's well-written, engaging, and a quick read.
On the surface, there's not a huge amount that's different between The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant and Damn Yankees. It's identifiably the same plot, just with some changes here in there in the journey from A-to-B. If you've seen the musical, you absolutely know what happens in the novel. Joe Boyd makes a deal with the devil, Mr. Applegate - Applegate will turn Joe into a young, successful baseball player for his favorite team in exchange for Joe's soul. Joe insists on an escape clause being crafted into the deal, and the rest is history. Joe leads the Washington Senators to victory after victory, gets tempted by Lola, and goes toe-to-toe against Mr. Applegate in the fight for his soul. It's definitely the same story. And, to be fair, it's a great story. It's a riff on the Faust story, probably best known from Marlowe's telling of the tale. But there's a reason certain stories are considered classic stories. Mr. Applegate is every bit as interesting in the novel as he is on stage and the book is filled with a lot of really fun ideas and some really solid prose from Wallop - nowhere near as obtuse as you might think the prose in a 1950s novel might be. It's a pretty quick, very enjoyable read.
However, there are a lot of differences - some of which I found more surprising than others. One of the biggest problems with Damn Yankees is the way it underutilizes and underdevelops its female characters. Lola is probably the most iconic character from the stage show, but she's pretty underdeveloped there. She has a lot of scenes, but we don't really get to know much about her. So, going into The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, I hoped that we might get to learn more about her from the novel, since the novel had more space with which to develop her. Surprisingly, though, she's developed even less in the novel than she is onstage. Her plot arc is basically the same - Applegate brings her in to tempt Joe but she ends up falling in love with Joe - but the novel doesn't develop that at all. Joe's pretty awful to her in the book, yet she's still in love with him. The novel doesn't show us what she sees in him or why, nor does it spend any time with her to really make us care about her at all, and so it's difficult to track why she does the things she does in the novel's climax. The novel certainly wouldn't make anyone a fan of Lola, and that's a real big shame. Sure, we get to learn a bit about her past, but that doesn't make up for dropping the ball in every other regard.
The same is true for Joe's wife, (Meg in the show, Bess in the novel). She appears in about as many scenes as Lola does in the novel and is given even less development. She's just the stereotypical housewife. I suppose that's understandable, given the novel was written in the 1950s and is told primarily from Joe's point of view. But it's definitely a negative aspect of the book. Basically, if you're going into this novel hoping for more information about some of the other (not Joe) characters, you'll be disappointed.
But the differences aren't all bad, though. As I mentioned, the novel is written from Joe's point of view, so he gets a lot more development than he did in the stage version. Wallop really takes us into Joe's head and lets us see his thought process. We get to see him struggle with Applegate's machinations. If you're gonna underdevelop everyone else, it's probably a really good idea to make sure your main character is developed - which, thankfully, is exactly what Wallop does. Also better developed is the story's major source of climactic conflict - the hearing to decide whether or not Joe will be allowed to play in the final game of the pennant. The musical definitely glosses over the details of the accusations thrown against Joe, basically handwaving in a general "he's not who he says he is" direction, while the novel goes into a lot of detail about it. And it's devilishly fascinating. I don't want to give too much of it away here, but it's a change I definitely liked. If you're going into The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant hoping for more information and development for Joe, you'll be extremely happy.
All in all, The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is pretty much what I expected it to be. It's the same basic story as the stage version, just expanded in certain ways. Wallop's prose is easy to read and immediately engaging, something that I wasn't quite expecting given I often find books written in the first half of the 1900s to have prose that's needlessly obtuse. The best aspect of the novel is the way it greatly explores Joe's character; his struggle with the deal he's made and his thought process as he tries to get out of it. It's clearly his story and Wallop does a superb job tracking it. On the flip side, the novel suffers a lot from its underutilization of Lola and Bess. Too much of the plot hinges on things they do, but their reasons for doing it don't really make sense/are implausible given what the novel has established. But still, The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is an interesting read for anyone who's a fan of the musical. It's cool to see where the story began and compare it to where it ultimately ended up. How much you'll enjoy it will probably depend on what you're looking for. If you're looking for more on Joe, you'll be very happy. Otherwise, well, it's still a solid read, if somewhat unmemorable read. Either way, it's an easy one and it's not a bad way to spend a few afternons.
I adore the musical Damn Yankees. I love it so much that it's hilariously surprising that I had no idea it was based on a novel. The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, written by Douglass Wallop (who'd go onto co-write the musical's script), is the novel Damn Yankees is based on. And it's a novel that nobody seems to know much about these days. There's no ebook of it available, so I had to actually obtain a hard copy of it to read. Why go to all of this trouble? Well, I really wanted to see how similar to the musical this novel was. And so, I gave it a read. And it's definitely the same story as Damn Yankees. But how does it hold up against its more famous stage adaptation? Well, both versions of the story have their pros and their cons - it ultimately depends on what you're looking for from the story. If you want to really explore Joe's mindset during all of this, then The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is the book for you. It's well-written, engaging, and a quick read.
On the surface, there's not a huge amount that's different between The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant and Damn Yankees. It's identifiably the same plot, just with some changes here in there in the journey from A-to-B. If you've seen the musical, you absolutely know what happens in the novel. Joe Boyd makes a deal with the devil, Mr. Applegate - Applegate will turn Joe into a young, successful baseball player for his favorite team in exchange for Joe's soul. Joe insists on an escape clause being crafted into the deal, and the rest is history. Joe leads the Washington Senators to victory after victory, gets tempted by Lola, and goes toe-to-toe against Mr. Applegate in the fight for his soul. It's definitely the same story. And, to be fair, it's a great story. It's a riff on the Faust story, probably best known from Marlowe's telling of the tale. But there's a reason certain stories are considered classic stories. Mr. Applegate is every bit as interesting in the novel as he is on stage and the book is filled with a lot of really fun ideas and some really solid prose from Wallop - nowhere near as obtuse as you might think the prose in a 1950s novel might be. It's a pretty quick, very enjoyable read.
However, there are a lot of differences - some of which I found more surprising than others. One of the biggest problems with Damn Yankees is the way it underutilizes and underdevelops its female characters. Lola is probably the most iconic character from the stage show, but she's pretty underdeveloped there. She has a lot of scenes, but we don't really get to know much about her. So, going into The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, I hoped that we might get to learn more about her from the novel, since the novel had more space with which to develop her. Surprisingly, though, she's developed even less in the novel than she is onstage. Her plot arc is basically the same - Applegate brings her in to tempt Joe but she ends up falling in love with Joe - but the novel doesn't develop that at all. Joe's pretty awful to her in the book, yet she's still in love with him. The novel doesn't show us what she sees in him or why, nor does it spend any time with her to really make us care about her at all, and so it's difficult to track why she does the things she does in the novel's climax. The novel certainly wouldn't make anyone a fan of Lola, and that's a real big shame. Sure, we get to learn a bit about her past, but that doesn't make up for dropping the ball in every other regard.
The same is true for Joe's wife, (Meg in the show, Bess in the novel). She appears in about as many scenes as Lola does in the novel and is given even less development. She's just the stereotypical housewife. I suppose that's understandable, given the novel was written in the 1950s and is told primarily from Joe's point of view. But it's definitely a negative aspect of the book. Basically, if you're going into this novel hoping for more information about some of the other (not Joe) characters, you'll be disappointed.
But the differences aren't all bad, though. As I mentioned, the novel is written from Joe's point of view, so he gets a lot more development than he did in the stage version. Wallop really takes us into Joe's head and lets us see his thought process. We get to see him struggle with Applegate's machinations. If you're gonna underdevelop everyone else, it's probably a really good idea to make sure your main character is developed - which, thankfully, is exactly what Wallop does. Also better developed is the story's major source of climactic conflict - the hearing to decide whether or not Joe will be allowed to play in the final game of the pennant. The musical definitely glosses over the details of the accusations thrown against Joe, basically handwaving in a general "he's not who he says he is" direction, while the novel goes into a lot of detail about it. And it's devilishly fascinating. I don't want to give too much of it away here, but it's a change I definitely liked. If you're going into The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant hoping for more information and development for Joe, you'll be extremely happy.
All in all, The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is pretty much what I expected it to be. It's the same basic story as the stage version, just expanded in certain ways. Wallop's prose is easy to read and immediately engaging, something that I wasn't quite expecting given I often find books written in the first half of the 1900s to have prose that's needlessly obtuse. The best aspect of the novel is the way it greatly explores Joe's character; his struggle with the deal he's made and his thought process as he tries to get out of it. It's clearly his story and Wallop does a superb job tracking it. On the flip side, the novel suffers a lot from its underutilization of Lola and Bess. Too much of the plot hinges on things they do, but their reasons for doing it don't really make sense/are implausible given what the novel has established. But still, The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is an interesting read for anyone who's a fan of the musical. It's cool to see where the story began and compare it to where it ultimately ended up. How much you'll enjoy it will probably depend on what you're looking for. If you're looking for more on Joe, you'll be very happy. Otherwise, well, it's still a solid read, if somewhat unmemorable read. Either way, it's an easy one and it's not a bad way to spend a few afternons.
August 13, 2015
I read this book while I was summoned to jury duty. Luckily, I didn't get assigned to a case, but I had to stay there all day. I found this book at my library's used book sale for 25 cents. Disclaimer: I have not seen the movie or watched the musical. I saw other reviews stating the book wasn't as good as either, but I wouldn't know anything about that. I do want to see the musical, or at least the movie after this. I am also a baseball fan, though not a crazy one, like the main character of this book.
But I came to this book with zero background information and I absolutely enjoyed it. Joe Boyd is a baseball fanatic. Even though the Washington Senators are doing terribly, he is still a loyal fan. One night, a strange man named Applegate (the devil) offers him the chance to become young, the best baseball player alive, and to lead the Senators to win the pennant in exchange for his soul. Due to a possible mid-life crisis and an obsession with the sport, he agrees.
The writing was clever and even though this book was written a while ago (in 1954), it still felt modern. I loved some of the passages, especially anything Applegate said and the canoe scene with Lola and Joe. It was also cute how Joe remained faithful to his wife. This book was clever, endearing and definitely worth my while.
But I came to this book with zero background information and I absolutely enjoyed it. Joe Boyd is a baseball fanatic. Even though the Washington Senators are doing terribly, he is still a loyal fan. One night, a strange man named Applegate (the devil) offers him the chance to become young, the best baseball player alive, and to lead the Senators to win the pennant in exchange for his soul. Due to a possible mid-life crisis and an obsession with the sport, he agrees.
The writing was clever and even though this book was written a while ago (in 1954), it still felt modern. I loved some of the passages, especially anything Applegate said and the canoe scene with Lola and Joe. It was also cute how Joe remained faithful to his wife. This book was clever, endearing and definitely worth my while.
Read
March 19, 2016This is a fun book. I think it is most interesting as a document of mid-1950s Yankee hating. This novel is the spiritual progenitor to all that Red Sox Curse stuff, using the Yankees as a metaphor not so much for evil or the demonic--as the cover images and title of the Broadway adaptation, Damn Yankees, might suggest--but for that darned unfairness in this world of ours that somehow always prevents us from living our dreams. Except when it miraculously doesn't like in this novel's conclusion, or in 2004. But I think that part of the point of the novel is that in the pursuit of some of these unreachable dreams, we meet some pretty great people suffering and struggling just the way we are, and that this is really what makes life beautiful. Or something like that.
Not great literature. (For that turn to Malamud, Harris, or possibly Greenberg.) But it's better than a jab in the eye with a sharp stick.
Not great literature. (For that turn to Malamud, Harris, or possibly Greenberg.) But it's better than a jab in the eye with a sharp stick.
November 8, 2019
My Dad and I went to Washington Senators games until the day they left town for Texas in 1971. One day I found this book on my dad's bookshelf in the TV room. I knew the musical Damn Yankees, having seen the movie and endlessly listened to the Broadway soundtrack album. But I had no idea the musical was based on a book. Revelation. Sat down and read it. Loved it. I offer this entry in memory of baseball days with Dad, and in honor of the Washington Nationals, who ended a 95 years championship drought this season. I may be older than Joe Boyd, but I was as happy the day the Nats won the Series as old Joe was the day he helped the Senators finally beat the Damn Yankees.
March 17, 2008
I read it to get more insight into one of my favorite musicals, Damn Yankees. However, I found that the plot of Damn Yankees is a lot more enjoyable and a lot funnier. I recommend that fans of this book check out the musical version.
September 18, 2022
This is the book upon which the Broadway show and the movie “Damn Yankees” were based, and while you’d have to be a baseball fan (and all the best people are!) to really enjoy this, it’s a delightful, easy and light read. Written in 1954, it’s almost comical how pure and chaste it seems compared to today’s gritty realism style of writing.
The fun of course is in the concept of the “Evil Empire” Yankees getting their comeuppance, but the book is really about the guy (Joe Boyd, Washington Senators fan extraordinaire) who sells his soul to the Devil to see his Senators topple those nasty Bronx Bombers, and the extremely entertaining way said devil finds to accomplish that.
Wily indeed is the Devil, but wilier still is Joe, who refuses to sign the contract unless he gets an escape clause to be exercized on September 21st, if he truly wants out.
And then Lola arrives to tempt Joe…”Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets” as the song says, but you’ll have to read the book to find out if the Devil, Lola, or Joe get what they want!
The fun of course is in the concept of the “Evil Empire” Yankees getting their comeuppance, but the book is really about the guy (Joe Boyd, Washington Senators fan extraordinaire) who sells his soul to the Devil to see his Senators topple those nasty Bronx Bombers, and the extremely entertaining way said devil finds to accomplish that.
Wily indeed is the Devil, but wilier still is Joe, who refuses to sign the contract unless he gets an escape clause to be exercized on September 21st, if he truly wants out.
And then Lola arrives to tempt Joe…”Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets” as the song says, but you’ll have to read the book to find out if the Devil, Lola, or Joe get what they want!
July 24, 2023
Such a treat--popular midcentury literature that doesn't aim for greatness but rather for low-key wit, emotional generosity, and a plotline that made all kinds of cultural sense in the midst of Yankee dominance of baseball. The book just flows; I remembered reading it incredibly quickly the first time through, and, even while taking notes (making comparisons for my next book to ironic appreciation of the Mets in the 60s, so needed to write down useful passages), sped through in an afternoon again. It's Faust, but with an organization-man devil who's constantly chowing down (he's astounded by the quality of food you can get on airplanes these days) and a protagonist who knows the score immediately. Still, he muses, wouldn't it be worth selling your soul to give the Senators a chance at glory? Literally the whole world is rooting for them. Almost needless to add that of course the devil is a Yankee fan.
May 22, 2024
Since I'm very familiar with the musical Damn Yankees, I was looking forward to this. It's pretty good, although I think the musical gets to the heart of the story better. As a life-long Yankee fan, it's hard for me to realize how many people hate the Yankees (my brother included). Joe Boyd is a middle-aged, lifelong fan of the Washington Senators, and with the encouragement of Mr. Applegate, the devil in disguise, he swaps his soul for a chance to be Joe Hardy, baseball phenom, who takes the Senators from the cellar to beating the Yankees and winning the league championship at the end of the season. Poor Joe realizes that winning all the time isn't as great as he thought it would be and he misses his wife. The end is sort of happy and sort of melancholy, although his desire to return to his old life is brought into overdrive when he learns that Applegate is really a Yankees fan and plans to arrange a trade!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2019
The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant is a fun audiobook. It was the basis of the musical Damn Yankees. I saw the money the first time as a young child. I found a copy of the book The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant when I was an adult. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the musical. Recently I found the audiobook version on Audible narrated by Steve Hendrickson. The narration is superb. Hendrickson captures that most difficult of accents, Baltimore, extremely well. The production values are excellent. The story is enjoyable, especially if you are not a Yankees fan. It may not have won any of the big book prizes but it won my heart.
May 5, 2022
The musical Damn Yankees was based on this book, I read it in high school and remember loving it. It held up well, I now want to watch the movie, which I’ve never seen. You probably know the story, a frustrated, diehard, middle-aged, beer bellied Washington Senators fan, his team being perennial cellar dwellers, is offered the chance by a mysterious stranger to be transformed into the worlds greatest baseball player to save his team and beat the hated Yankees for the American League. Well, you can guess who the mysterious stranger is, and a deal with the devil is always risky business. Fun book!
December 27, 2023
I am a fan of the musical "Damn Yankees" and found out that it is based on this book so I had to seek it out and I'm glad that I did. It's the same exact plot but you get in Joe's head and know what he is feeling (which you, obviously, can't do in a musical) so that was great. And Applegate is as entertaining here as he is in the musical. Lola, on the other hand, had less to do in the book than the musical which is a shame since she is such an interesting character. But, overall this was really good and - at times - it almost felt like I was reading a Stephen King book based on the prose. I recommend this if you are able to get your hands on it.
November 26, 2022
Source material for the musical "Damn Yankees" in 1955, and the film adaption, starring tab Hunter and Ray Walston, in 1958.
Although not a sports fan, I came to this book by way of the musical/film adaption "Damn Yankees" one of my favorite musicals.
The plot is much the same, although instead of appearing to Joe Boyd, Applegate climbs out of the sewer....Lola, unlike her film appearance, is barely a supporting character - who had "Joe Hardy" given to her by Applegate...once the escape clause is his contract is gone....
Probably not for everyone - given the original publication date..but for fans of the original musical..or the Yankees...a pleasant way to spend an afternoon or two....
Although not a sports fan, I came to this book by way of the musical/film adaption "Damn Yankees" one of my favorite musicals.
The plot is much the same, although instead of appearing to Joe Boyd, Applegate climbs out of the sewer....Lola, unlike her film appearance, is barely a supporting character - who had "Joe Hardy" given to her by Applegate...once the escape clause is his contract is gone....
Probably not for everyone - given the original publication date..but for fans of the original musical..or the Yankees...a pleasant way to spend an afternoon or two....
August 20, 2025
This is a wonderful book that could be finished in an afternoon if the reader so desires. A fun Faustian take and a must read for baseball fans. Mr. Applegate stands out as a character. Above all, it teaches this important lesson- the Devil’s primary allegiance is to the Yankees.
Pros: Easy to read, fun, equally loved the protagonist and antagonist, loved the last game and last play of the game, funny and memorable one liners throughout
Con: Ending seems rushed and resolution to the “deal” appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
Pros: Easy to read, fun, equally loved the protagonist and antagonist, loved the last game and last play of the game, funny and memorable one liners throughout
Con: Ending seems rushed and resolution to the “deal” appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
July 24, 2023
This book is novel and pleasant, but unspectacular. It's not really a comic story, once you get past the basic situation, but I found it to be consistently entertaining and never less than at least mildly interesting. The musical version (with the book co-written by the author of this book) IS a comedy, of course, with comic dialogue inserted throughout (and a particularly amusing performance by Ray Walston as "Mr. Applegate" on Broadway and in the movie version).
June 19, 2017
It's been awhile since I've seen the 1958 musical film, but the book of course was better than the film. Maybe because I'm older, but their was more nostalgia for baseball and greater focus on the moral dilemma of 'having it all'. In the end sometimes the Yankees lose, but no matter what. it's better to play the game than not to have played at all.
July 26, 2021
I have long been a fan of "Damn Yankees" and wanted to finally read the source material. The novel is much darker in tone, telling the story of a conflicted man in the face of eternal damnation. While I did enjoy the liberties the musical took with the story's plot and characters, I thought the original work was well written and very enjoyable. It deserves its place in classic sports literature.
March 25, 2023
The spiritual predecessor to my novel Curveball at the Crossroads. There are some similarities, although my novel is based more on blues music and southern folklore. The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant was light, quick read that doesn't dive too deep into baseball or the dark. I have never seen Damn Yankees, but as a fan of baseball fiction, this was enjoyable.
May 2, 2024
4 1/2 stars, rounded up. Entertaining take on the Faust legend; basis for the musical "Damn Yankees". I only lopped off the half star because I felt it ended a little too abruptly.
August 9, 2025
There is a way that old books stand on their own- the way they are written, the words that are used, the tone of the tome. If it has been a while since you have read something that is more than 20 years old - I recommend this one, especially if you are not a fan of the Yankees. Fun to read especially as summer winds down.
September 4, 2019
Does anyone actually read these? I can't imagine that a review of such a niche novel is useful to anyone but if you really want to know, this was the best 'deal with the devil' baseball books I have ever read. A fun, light read and a book you'll probably never see.
March 3, 2024
Damn Yankees was so successful on screen and stage, that Ray Walston as Applegate and Gwen Verdon and/or Bebe Neuwirth as Lola were grinning and dancing along as I read. The siren call of baseball on a summer night may have diminished since the 1950’s, but the tale still has charm.
June 24, 2025
The story is quite a series of unfortunate events à la “What about Bob?” or “Meet the Parents,” a trope I usually despise, but, against all odds, this was cute. I’ve never seen the musical version (“Damn Yankees”), but I hope to some day.
June 23, 2017
Light fun and entertaining.
December 17, 2018
Twenty stars when I was a Yankee-hating 12 year-old, four stars as I remember it now.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews