Discussion of “Year of the Pitcher”

[Lance]

Share your thoughts here on The Year of the Pitcher: Bob Gibson, Denny McLain, and the End of Baseball’s Golden Age

[Karen]

I'm still reading this book, so I haven't formed an overall opinion. I have enoyed what I have read so far. What I like is that the book has a good mix of politics and race relations from that time. It's interesting to read about the drastic differences between the club houses of the teams covered in the book.

[Brina]

That’s why I enjoyed this, Karen. It is more than sports by giving a good feel for the tensions going on during the era. Glad to have you in on the discussion.

[Harold]

Karen wrote: "I'm still reading this book, so I haven't formed an overall opinion. I have enoyed what I have read so far. What I like is that the book has a good mix of politics and race relations from that time..." I especially liked the author debunking the oft recited refrain that the 68 series saved Detroit as a city and restored trust. I had seen a documentary on MLB with Willie Horton and a few others that championed that belief. Pappu challenged it. There were so many cool things in the book, like McClain grooving a ball to Mantle so he could break Jimmy Foxx's record and McClain getting aggravated that Mantle didn't believe Freehan and finally asked Mantle where he wanted the pitch. Also the Drysdale streak which continued despite the fact that he hit Giants catcher Dick Dietz but the umpire Harry Wendlestat refused to award a free pass because he didn't make an effort to get out of the way from the ball. The walk would have driven in a run. Instead Drysdale went ahead with a shut out the following game, and four more shut out innings to get to 58 2/3rds.

[[deleted user]]

Harold wrote: "Karen wrote: "I'm still reading this book, so I haven't formed an overall opinion. I have enoyed what I have read so far. What I like is that the book has a good mix of politics and race relations ..."

I've been to Detroit--if that is saved, we're in big trouble.

Of course we know you meant McLain, not Lolich Harold on the grooved Mantle pitch. Lolich was busy eating doughnuts.

I hadn't heard that about Drysdale. Too bad umpires applied that rationalization arbitrarily. Milt Pappas went to his grave believing that Bruce Freoming hosed him by not giving him the benefit of the doubt on a 9th inning, 2-out, full count pitch that was called ball 4 and ruined his perfect game. I guess you only get that call if you guest star on the Brady Bunch and the Lucy Show.

[Harold]

Doug wrote: "Harold wrote: "Karen wrote: "I'm still reading this book, so I haven't formed an overall opinion. I have enoyed what I have read so far. What I like is that the book has a good mix of politics and ..." Yes I clearly did mean McClain. es I also remember Milt Pappas' angst and I recall seeing Bruce Freoming talking about it on studio 42 with Costas.