1947: When All Hell Broke Loose In Baseball (Da Capo Paperback) [Paperback]

Red Barber (Author)

Book Description

Series: Da Capo Paperback | Publication Date: March 22, 1984

When Jackie Robinson was penciled into the lineup for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, America’s national pastime and America’s future changed forever. How much is reflected in a remark Martin Luther King Jr. made to Don Newcombe: “You’ll never know what you and Jackie and Roy did to make it possible to do my job.” Red Barber was perfectly situated to observe this drama. Broadcaster for the Dodgers, friend of Branch Rickey—who confided in him before and during the year of decision—and keen student of the game and the behavior of its players, Red held the microphone as the story unfolded with a cast of characters that included baseball immortals Duke Snyder, Leo Durocher, Pee Wee Reese, Peter Reiser, Larry McPhail, and Joe DiMaggio. Towering above them all are Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey—who together made baseball and American history and whose courage and toughness Red Barber captures so beautifully in this book.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Red Barber was for millions the voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees; he was later a baseball commentator for National Public Radio. His books include The Broadcasters , The Rhubarb Patch, The Walk and the Spirit, and with Robert W. Creamer, Rhubarb in the Catbird Seat.

Product Details

• Paperback: 382 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Anniversary edition (March 22, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306802120
• ISBN-13: 978-0306802126
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,617,747 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Some nice anecdotes, but ultimately disappointing, March 14, 2001

By 

"randolphking" (Lansdale, PA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1947: When All Hell Broke Loose In Baseball (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

Red Barber somehow managed to turn one of the most interesting topics in baseball history - the pivitol 1947 season in which Jackie Robinson ended racial segregation in baseball - into a rather bland book. There are some good anecdotes, especially when Barber shares some inside stories about his experiences as a broadcaster. But when it comes to describing Robinson's experiences in 1947, Barber simply quotes lengthy passages from Robinson's autobiography, "I Never Had It Made." He does the same with Leo Durocher's "Nice Guys Finish Last." In fact, the best way to appreciate and understand the events of 1947 and the personalities involved, it would be better to read Robinson and Durocher's books and ignore Barber's.

The book is poorly written. Sentence fragments. Lots of them. For purposes of emphasis. Doesn't work. Sometimes Barber's rambling gets infuriating. At one point he mentions in passing a controversial decision the Commissioner of Baseball made regarding Cleveland pitcher Bob Feller. I knew nothing at all about this Bob Feller controversy, and my curiousity was piqued. Barber just kept rambling along, though, and Bob Feller was never mentioned again. There were many such instances where the text would have been improved by just a few sentences of background information. This book could really have been much better with a good editor.

If you have a strong interest in baseball history, particulary the history of the Brooklyn Dodgers or the New York Yankees, or in the teams' executives, Branch Rickey or Larry MacPhail, then this book is worth a read. You may learn one or two things that you didn't already know. When you start reading, though, keep your expectations low. You'll be less likely to be disappointed.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable, but slightly flawed recap of a wild season., November 6, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: 1947: When All Hell Broke Loose In Baseball (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and I think any baseball fan will. Having said that, the book has one slight problem that keeps it from being great. Red rambles occasionly, going off on tangents and later repeating himself, discussing the same event he wrote about several pages earlier. On the much larger up side; the book does more than just chronicle the 1947 baseball season. It is also an interesting biography of Branch Rickey, Larry MacPhail, and Jackie Robinson. Weaving their stories plus historical background of the Dodgers, Yankees, Cardinals and the authors own experiences as an early brodcaster far outweigh any problems in writing style. He also redeems himself in his decsription of the 1947 World Series; as dramatic a reading of baseball events as you could want. Overall---Very Good-just short of Great.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating look at a seminal baseball season., April 3, 1999

By 

Richard Jones "Amateur Historian" (West Hartford, Connecticut) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 1947: When All Hell Broke Loose In Baseball (Da Capo Paperback) (Paperback)

The late Red Barber captures both the glory and intrigue of the 1947 baseball season. He recounts in a breezy upbeat style the secret battle between Branch Rickey of the Dodgers and his protege Lee McPhail of the Yankees. He brings the notable characters of the season - Jackie Robinson, Barney Shotton, Joe DiMaggio etc. to life and ends the book with a wonderful retelling of the 1947 Dodger-Yankee World Series.

This book is much better than the average baseball book and well worth the money.