Customer Reviews

Denny Matthews's Tales from the Royals Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Stories Ever Told

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

As a Royals fan since the moving to Kansas City in 1973, I've been a huge admirer of Denny Matthews (and his long-time partner Fred White). Besides the book that Matthews and White co-wrote a few years ago, Play by Play, this most recent collection of stories is the funniest and most interesting "inside" look at the Royals I've ever seen.

Although a few of the stories were also in Play by Play, Matthews reveals a ton of behind the scenes recollections from his days of hanging out with the players. Matthews has a dry sense of humor in the book that we don't really sense listening to him on the air. Some of the funniest stories revolve around things that happened away from the field (i.e. a late night with Jim York and flight attendants, going to dinner with Amos Otis, and a night out with White, Marty Pattin and John Wathan).

Matthews also offers wonderful insight of the managers, general managers and owners with whom he's worked. Even though I think Matthews is a great storyteller, one of my favorite parts of the book was stories scattered throughout the book from former players, managers and general managers. For instance, Amos Otis talks about getting under Vida Blue's skin and Herk Robinson admits that he made a mistake by firing Hal McRae.

Tales from the Royals Dugout is a reason to celebrate the Royals again. Undoubtedly, this book should be on the shelf of every Royals fan!

There are a lot of stories in this book; unfortunately most of them are boring. Matthews routinely says that a person was a good person, good baseball man or an interesting character...and that's about the entire depth the reader gains from someone on the "inside" over the past few decades.

Many stories read that such-and-such person said many interesting things, was really funny or told great stories. Then there is no detail or backup!! What interesting things did the person say? What was something funny said or done? Recount one of the great stories...please! There was a funny story about John Mayberry, but the rest of the stories are dry, humorless and uninteresting.

Matthews also makes it a point to brag on himself (knocking down another player's son in a touch football game, knocking down George Brett in a pickup hockey game, etc.). Apparently Matthews was more than just an announcer with the team, he was the resident tough guy too.

On the bright side, there are a few (as in maybe three) interesting stories in the book where there is a point to the story. It was also nice to see a sports book where it doesn't turn into an expose with flashbacks to the days of sex, drugs and spoiled jocks.

In conclusion though, don't waste your money buying this book for yourself or for a gift. There are not enough interesting or funny stories to make it worthwhile.

I expected more from Tales from the Royals. As a Royal fan, I'm glad I bought it, but there just weren't that many behind the scenes anecdotes. I didn't expect Matthews to dish out dirt, he doesn't come across that way in his broadcasts, but would have been nice to have more stories like the one about Sweet Lou, his helmet and a toilet.