Catcher: How the Man Behind the Plate Became an American Folk Hero (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Morris (But Didn't We Have Fun?) offers a thorough look at the evolution of the catcher from the 1870s—when the position became the ultimate example of the American ideal of the rugged individualist—to the early 1900s. Indeed, the position was not for the timid. Early catchers dealt with pitches and foul tips without the benefit of today's fancy protection, just a pair of gnarled hands and tons of grit. However, as baseball's rules changed and equipment such as chest protectors and mitts became part of the catcher's uniform, public opinion plummeted. Additional changes in the game saw the catcher valued again in the early 20th century, this time for his intelligence as he didn't need to endure pain to become a hero. Morris's superlative research and keen observation never leads to dry or academic writing. He has produced a fascinating merger of social and baseball history, taking an almost irrelevant subject and filling it with color—thanks to the generous use of old newspaper accounts—and stirring profiles of long-forgotten players who were daring, deranged or both. (Apr.)
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Review

"Morris's superlative research and keen observation never lead to dry or academic writing. ... A fascinating merger of social and baseball history." -- Publishers Weekly, April 2009

"Nobody is better at recapturing how and why Americans played baseball." --History News Network

"[Morris] gives us a sense of how changes on the baseball field reflected changes in America." --Christianity Today

"Nobody writing about baseball--its present or its past--does a better job of tapping into the game's collective unconscious than Peter Morris. Where the rest of us see tradition and inevitability, he sees an opportunity to find out how, why, and since when. Such it is again in Catcher, in which he finds yet another compelling, complex route to the present-day expression of the backstop's job, and tells it with the skill of a mystery writer." --Keith Olbermann

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Ivan R. Dee, Publisher; 1 edition (April 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566638224
• ISBN-13: 978-1566638227
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #200,079 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tales of Heroic Field Generals, June 23, 2009

By	Larry Underwood "Author, 'Life Under the Corp... (Scottsdale, AZ) - See all my reviews

Peter Morris gives us a spendid documentary of baseball's field generals; the catchers. These are probably the most important players any teams will employee. The great ones control the flow of the game, keep the pitcher focused on the task at hand, keep an eye out on the defensive positioning of the rest of the team, and will frequently risk life and limb defending home plate from an enemy baserunner.

It's not a glamorous job by any means. However, the value of a good catcher can't be overstated. If their team frequently wins, it's usually because they were superior in their job description; and probably could hit as well. Witness the three Most Valuable Player Awards gathered by both Yogi Berra and Roy Campanella; long-time World Series rivals in the '50s. Certainly, both teams had their share of superstars, but it's unlikely either team would've made it to many World Series engagements without the engaging, dynamic forces behind the plate.

Any catcher tough enough to stick it out for longer than ten years is considered a war hero. A guy like Carlton Fisk, who hit one of the most memorable home runs in hisory during the '75 World Series, played over 20 years in the game's most demanding position, and he made it look easy; it was anything but easy. Just ask Ray Fosse, the former All-Star catcher for Cleveland. His career was essentially terminated during an exhibition game---the 1970 All-Star game---but to the player who slammed into him at home plate, Pete Rose, losing wasn't an option.

Throughout baseball history, the great catchers were not only terrific field generals, some were innovators; advancing the game with new and more sophisticated equipment. Hall of Famer Roger Bresnahan is a classic example; he endured 17 painful seasons behind the dish, but his ingenuity brought forth those shin guards that have become such a familiar piece of equipment. Roger simply got tired of getting his legs pulverized; and who could blame him?

It's no surprise that some of baseball's greatest strategists, at one time or another, spent some quality time in the catcher's position. A couple of names that come to mind, include the legendary Branch Rickey, who had a brief Major League career in the early 20th century as a backstop, but he was smart enough to get into management. Rickey is widely regarded as one of the top strategists in baseball history; his legacy is well-documented.

The modern-day success story of a former catcher is the great Joe Torre. Torre was very good at his craft, and certainly benefited from that experience; witness the incredible success he had as a manager, especially with the New York Yankees. Now, he's working his magic for the Dodgers.

This book is magical, as well. Morris did an outstanding job of tracing the rich history of baseball's most demanding and strategically important position; the catcher. It's certainly a book any fan of the game would want to catch.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A top pick for any library strong in baseball sports books, May 16, 2009

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

CATCHER: HOW THE MAN BEHIND THE PLATE BECAME AN AMERICAN FOLK HERO provides a history of the evolution of the sport in general and the attraction of the baseball catcher in particular. From the short-lived perception of the catcher as a local folk hero to the introduction of new pitches elevating his importance in the sport, CATCHER is a top pick for any library strong in baseball sports books.