Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout [Hardcover]

Carl Erskine (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2000

The famed Boys of Summer -- a.k.a. the Brooklyn Dodgers -- were some of baseball's best and funniest players. The group included Hall of Famers Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese, and Jackie Robinson, the game's first black player. For the first time, Carl Erskine, another member of that legendary team, relates memories about his Dodger days in this book of anecdotes. The result is a delightfully interesting trip through the world of 1950s baseball. Among Erskine's tales are his dealings with the immortal Branch Rickey, his view from the Dodger bench of Don Larsen's perfect game, and his firsthand experiences when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

Brooklyn's beloved Oisk recalls life in Ebbetts Field and after.Erskine was a pitcher for the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers teams of the '40s and '50s, a 12-year major-league veteran who logged 122 victories, including a pair of no-hitters. As one of the famed Boys of Summer, he appeared in six World Series, most of them against the hated rivals from the Bronx, the New York Yankees. Off the field, Erskine is a soft-spoken Hoosier native, an affable, even sweet man, and it is those qualities that shine through this pleasant, if inconsequential book of anecdotes. At the outset of the book, Erskine writes, I can tell these stories because I was there, and he was, indeed, present for many of them, but too many of the items recounted herein are stories that have been told before elsewhere, often by better tale-bearers than the likable banker from Anderson, Indiana. However, there are a few real gems in this volume, ranging from Preacher Roe's decision to retire to a recipe for the buttermilk cake that became a lucky talisman for the '55 world champions from Brooklyn. There are, appropriately, a raft of stories about Branch Rickey, focusing on the Dodger general manager's legendary combination of penny-pinching, piety, and perspicuity. Erskine recounts the tale of Rickey's signing Jackie Robinson to become the first black major leaguer, but this is a story that has been told many, many times before. He also recounts some very funny anecdotes about contract negotiations with the tightfisted Rickey (including one in which he actually managed to get the better of the Dodger g.m., albeit with a little assist from the Commissioner's office). Erskine is a charming reminder of a simpler sports age, seemingly more innocent than today's mega-dollar, television-driven industrial era, but he is also smart enough to recognize and intimate that his own times were not quite as noble as they are painted by nostalgia buffs. Unfortunately, the book suffers from a total and complete lack of organization, with stories presented in no apparent order. Real fans, however, won't mind.A painlessly amusing walk around the old Dodger haunts in a Brooklyn that is no more. -- Copyright © 2000 Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Carl Erskine played twelve seasons with the Dodgers. Following his retirement in 1960, he returned to Anderson College in Indiana to coach baseball for twelve seasons, during which time his teams won four Hoosier College Conference championships and earned an appearance in the NAIA College World Series. He continues to be a community leader, participating in numerous organizations and businesses.

Burton Rocks is the coauthor, with former New York Yankee Paul O'Neill, of the New York Times bestseller Me and My Dad.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC (July 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582612463
• ISBN-13: 978-1582612461
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 3.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #845,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It was a fun read., October 30, 2000

By 

"[e-mail]" (North Canton, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout (Hardcover)

Carl Erskine's short stories of baseball in the early '50's refreshed my memories of growing up in Upstate New York. I remember vividly the cross-town rivalries of the Dodgers and the Yankees. I remember the World Series of 1956 when Don Larson pitched his masterpiece against the Dodgers. It is refreshing to read about those experiences, and to read about the background of the game itself.

Carl was always willing to show friendship with his competitive peers outside the `white lines', and willingly received Jackie Robinson's contributions to the game. It was fun to read about how the communities and families got involved in the early years of baseball on the professional level. Carl's attitude outside the competitive realm was always acceptable in anyone's home or community.

Because I am not an avid reader, the way in which Carl formatted his book is interesting and fun to sit down and read. As a avid baseball fan and former coach, I appreciated Carl's sharing of his personal and professional experiences.

I have a great deal of respect for a personable professional like Carl Erskine.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most enjoyable!, July 31, 2000

By 

Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout (Hardcover)

Carl Erskine played baseball with the famed "Boys of Summer", better known as the Brooklyn Dodgers. His career allowed him to meet and play with such greats as Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Sandy Koufax, and Bob Feller. His book is a collection of memories from those days gone by.

As a true fan of the game and the history of baseball, this book was very impressive. There are no real chapters and no real storylines, this book does not tell a history of baseball, instead it gives you the history of one of baseball most storied franchises.

Erskine brings to life what it was like to play, live, eat and sleep Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball. Packed into 230 pages is some of the funniest, greatest and most unbelievable tales you'll ever read. Also included are some of those hard to find photos of great from the past.

For under $20.00 you have a book that should be in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Stop by Sports Publishing Inc. website and take a look at several more books on baseball and several other sports as well, you won't be disappointed.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Light Reading for Everyone, October 14, 2000

By 

C. W. Emblom "Bill Emblom" (Ishpeming, Michigan USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Carl Erskine's Tales from the Dodgers Dugout (Hardcover)

A book doesn't have to be heavy reading to merit five stars. I was a kid just getting interested in baseball during the glory years of "The Boys of Summer." Near the back of the book Carl says, "It's fun to look back at days and events that have long since past." That's the feeling I had while reading this book. However, this book would be for anyone including children with short attention spans since the book is a series of short anecdotes about his years with the Brooklyn Dodgers. I finished it in two sittings. I came across a number of familiar stories, but also a number I've never heard before even though I've read many books on the Brooklyn Dodgers. I did find a mistake on P.156 where Carl states that lights were first used in Cincinnati and Brooklyn in 1946. Lights were first used in Cincy in 1935 and in Bklyn. in 1938 with Vandermeer's second no-hitter. Nevertheless, if you want a quick read about these great years told my a player who deeply appreciates being part of that team, pick up a copy of this book. This would also be a good introductory book on this team for a child as well. I've read hundreds of baseball books and I enjoyed it.