Publisher Description

The latest and greatest in ESPN.com baseball guru Rob Neyer's Big Book series, Legends is a highly entertaining guide to baseball fables that have been handed down through generations.

The well-told baseball story has long been a staple for baseball fans. In Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends, Neyer breathes new life into both classic and obscure stories throughout twentieth-century baseball—stories that, while engaging on their own, also tell us fascinating things about their main characters and about the sport's incredibly rich history. With his signature style, Rob gets to the heart of every anecdote, working through the particulars with careful research drawn from a variety of primary sources. For each story, he asks: Did this really happen? Did it happen, sort of? Or was the story simply the wild invention of someone's imagination? Among the scores of legends Neyer questions and investigates...

-Did an errant Bob Feller pitch really destroy the career of a National League All-Star?
-Did Greg Maddux mean to give up a long blast to Jeff Bagwell?
-Was Fred Lynn the clutch player he thinks he was?
-Did Tommy Lasorda have a direct line to God?
-Did Negro Leaguer Gene Benson really knock Indians second baseman Johnny Berardino out of baseball and into General Hospital?
-Did Billy Martin really outplay Jackie Robinson every time they met?
-Oh, and what about Babe Ruth's "Called Shot"?

Rob checks each story, separates the truths from the myths, and places their fascinating characters into the larger historical context. Filled with insider lore and Neyer's sharp wit and insights, this is an exciting addition to a superb series and an essential read for true fans of our national pastime.

Author Biography

Rob Neyer has written about baseball for ESPN.com since 1996 and appears regularly on ESPNews. He has written four baseball books, including The Neyer/James Guide to Pitchers (with Bill James) and Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Lineups. His website, RobNeyer.com, contains additional material related to these and his other books.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS Foreword Preface1903 Rube Waddell & Beans 1914 Bill Brennan & Grover Land 1923 Clarence "Climax" Blethen 1960 Tommy Lasorda & God 1977-1988 Ron Guidry & Willie Wilson 1991-2005 Greg Maddux & Jeff Bagwell 1933 Mel Ott, Ed Brandt & Walter Stewart 1915-1923 Ty Cobb & Carl MaysShoulders of GiantsTaken from the Pages of SABR Journals 1952 Johnny Sain & Satchel Paige 1953 Browns Finish...Barely 1922 Browns & Yankees 1922-1927 Fred Haney & Babe Ruth 1918 Babe Ruth & Lee Fohl 1962 John Felske & Hal Jeffcoat 1986 Steve Boros & Steve Garvey 1944-1948 Harry Reid & Bud Beazley (sp?) 1969-1974 Mike Cuellar & Earl Weaver 1977-1986 Dave Kingman & Steve Palermo 1946 Danny Litwhiler & Suits 1973 Johnny Callison & George Steinbrenner 1977 Reggie Jackson & Billy Martin 1965 Billy Martin & the '65 Twins 1965 Maury Wills & 150 Steals 1975-1988 Fred Lynn 1952-1956 Billy Martin & Jackie Robinson 1977-1979 Thurman Munson & Carlton Fisk 1936 Dick Bartell & Cy Pfirman 1985 Ron Oester & .300 1929 Doc Cramer & Joe Vosmik 1918 Edd Roush & Zack Wheat 1952 Harvey Haddix & Hank Sauer 1958 Feller's Lost His Fastball 1946 Gene Benson & Johnny Berardino 1936-1938 Lou Gehrig & the Impostor 1947 The Death of Bob Feller's Fastball 1940 Bob Feller & Birdie Tebbetts 1956-1957 Ted Williams & Tommy Byrne 1961 Don Drysdale & Frank Robinson 1956-1957 Willie Mays & Sal Maglie 1970-1972 Willie McCovey & Willie Mays 1971 J. R. Richard & Willie Mays 1971-1972 Mazeroski & ClementeThe Glory of His EditingThe Hidden Genius of Lawrence S. Ritter 1913-1917 Honus Wagner & the Youngster 1906-1933 Cy Rigler & John McGraw 1916-1918 Hal Chase Tries to Throw One...1928 John McGraw & "Buck Lai" 1930-1932 Jimmie Reese & Jewish Yankees 1965 Don Drysdale & Walt Alston 1959 Joe Taylor & Charlie Metro 1970 Joe Foy & Gil Hodges 1947-1948 Rex Barney & Burt Shotton 1939 Leo Durocher & Red Evans 1930 Leo Durocher & Ed Barrow (& Babe Ruth's Watch?) 1926 Pete Alexander & Joe McCarthy 1943-1953 Gerry Priddy & the Yankees 1932-1941 Joe McCarthy & Rookies 1940 Johnny Babich & the Yankees 1947 Vic Raschi & Jim Turner 1958 Casey Stengel & Virgil Trucks 1985-1990 Whitey Herzog & Roger Craig 1906 Frank Chance & Jack Harper 1967-1969 Johnny Bench & Gerry Arrigo 1965-1973 Sonny Siebert & Danny Cater 1926 George Uhle & Babe Ruth1932 World SeriesWhen the Babe Did...Something 1934-1941 Bobo Newsom & Lefty Grove 1923-1924 Walter Mails & Jim Poole 1934 Dizzy Dean & Cincinnati 1932 Dizzy Dean & John McGraw 1960 Lou Boudreau & Ron Santo 1954 Alvin Dark & the Giants 1949 Yogi Berra 1960-1972 Bob Gibson & Tommy Davis 1924 Dazzy Vance & Rogers Hornsby 1970-1971 Denny Riddleberger & Boog Powell 1957-1965 Steve Dalkowski & Ted Williams 1946 Joe Tepsic & the Dodgers 1939 Pie Traynor & Cy Blanton 1967 Hawk Harrelson & the Orioles 1930 Al Simmons 1940 Luke Appling & Red Ruffing 1936 Babe Phelps & Van Lingle Mungo 1957-1959 Juan Pizarro & Fred Haney 1986 Dwight Gooden & George Foster 1928-1934 Paul Waner & Pat Malone 1966 Jimmy Wynn & Willie StargellNotes Thank You Thank You Thank You Index

Review

"Rob Neyer is the best of the new generation of sportswriters. He knows baseball history like a child knows his piggy bank. He knows how to pick it up and shake it and make what he needs fall out." -- Bill James
Michael LewisAuthor of "Liar's Poker" and "Moneyball"Rob Neyer is one of those writers who can make his subject more interesting than anyone ever imagined it could be. He has written a delightful book for ardent baseball fans, but even people with a casual interest in baseball will find something to think about here.

Long Description

The latest and greatest in ESPN.com baseball guru Rob Neyer's Big Book series, "Legends" is a highly entertaining guide to baseball fables that have been handed down through generations. The well-told baseball story has long been a staple for baseball fans. In "Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Legends," Neyer breathes new life into both classic and obscure stories throughout twentieth-century baseball -- stories that, while engaging on their own, also tell us fascinating things about their main characters and about the sport's incredibly rich history. With his signature style, Rob gets to the heart of every anecdote, working through the particulars with careful research drawn from a variety of primary sources. For each story, he asks: Did this really happen? Did it happen, sort of? Or was the story simply the wild invention of someone's imagination? Among the scores of legends Neyer questions and investigates... Did an errant Bob Feller pitch really destroy the career of a National League All-Star? Did Greg Maddux mean to give up a long blast to Jeff Bagwell? Was Fred Lynn the clutch player he thinks he was? Did Tommy Lasorda have a direct line to God? Did Negro Leaguer Gene Benson really knock Indians second baseman Johnny Berardino out of baseball and into General Hospital? Did Billy Martin really outplay Jackie Robinson every time they met? Oh, and what about Babe Ruth's "Called Shot"?Rob checks each story, separates the truths from the myths, and places their fascinating characters into the larger historical context. Filled with insider lore and Neyer's sharp wit and insights, this is an exciting addition to a superb series and an essential read for true fans of ournational pastime.

Review Quote

"Rob Neyer is the best of the new generation of sportswriters. He knows baseball history like a child knows his piggy bank. He knows how to pick it up and shake it and make what he needs fall out." -- Bill James

Details