Customer Reviews

The Diamond in the Bronx: Yankee Stadium and the Politics of New York

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

 

 

This book started off good, with the opening of the stadium and the first home run hit by Babe Ruth to christen the stadium. But after the first two chapters the book becomes to involved with the politics and the businessmen behind the stadium and its players. This book did not keep me entertained while I read it, and I found myself many times struggling to turn to the next page.

Neil J. Sullivan does a good job explaining some of the politics and corrutption surrounding the building and keeping of Yankee Stadium in N.Y. Being a native New Yorker I can relate to some of these events. Being a scholar as well, their are some things that I disagree with and some things tend to be repeat themselves in his book. He does go off subject some and then tries to tie it all together. I thought the book was a very good read!
Steve Minn
Graduate Student
Sul Ross State University
Alpine, Texas

This book was very interesting. I loved the way it recounted every detail in history about the stadium. It took you "behind the scenes" of New York's politicians and the stadium. It kept me interested. The whole time i felt like i was in New York in the 1920s, it gave me a whole new respect for baseball.

This book will provide you with the history of the Yankees from the time they moved the Baltimore franchise to New York at the turn of the century to the present time. The various owners of the team from the time of Bill Devery and Frank Farrell with the original Highlanders is covered followed by the team's sale to Colonels Ruppert and Huston who were around for the opening of Yankee Stadium in 1923. Next came Del Webb, Dan Topping and Larry McPhail in the 1940's, the sale to CBS in the 1960's, and finally to George Steinbrenner and his cohorts in 1973. If you are looking for a book covering the team on the field history, this is not the book for you. This book will provide you with information covering the renovation of Yankee Stadium following the 1973 season and the role the various mayors played in Yankee Stadium. Ed Koch had no interest in baseball, John Lindsey came to Mike Burke who ran the team during the CBS years and offered to help the Yankees to the extent the city assisted the Mets.
An interesting story is told regarding Dodger owner Walter O'Malley in his desire for a new stadium in Brooklyn. O'Malley, according to the author went to Robert Moses who was Chairman of the Mayor's Slum Clearance Committee to use his authority to condemn the property at Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues so he could purchase the land as a whole and not have to have O'Malley buy the property from each individual land owner which would drive up the price. Moses refused to do this and offered instead a chance for O'Malley to move the Dodgers to a public stadium in Queens. Instead O'Malley chose an opportunity to move to Los Angeles. There is a lot of politics in this book and the author has done a lot of work in this regard. I gave the book four stars instead of five because the discussion of politics and baseball got somewhat heavy at times.

If you are a baseball fan,Yankee fan or ballpark buff expecting to find a history of the Stadium and/or the events on the field,you'll find this book boooorrriiing.If,however,you are into politics with a little baseball history thrown in,then this book is for you.The Introduction sounds promising-Yankee owner Ruppert using his own money to build a new stadium as opposed to modern day owners looking for a handout.Weighing the importance of financing a stadium against the other needs of a city.And,does stadium subsidy take money from things like public safety,transportation,health care,etc?
The book itself starts on Opening Day 1923,describing the festivities and on field happenings.It quickly delves into politics of the era and ties between team owners and City Hall.There is a brief background on Babe Ruth and his influence on the game.There is a history of the early Highlanders,Hilltop Park and the Yanks stay in the Polo Grounds.Some mention of the Stadiums construction.Then,we're bought back to the late 19th century and a look at immigrants,including details of a dog fight.After a history of early 20th century Bronx,I started skimming through the pages.The mysterious Tammany Hall is of no interest to most baseball fans.Neither are Mayor Walkers escapades,Prohibition,the Depression,President Roosevelt or Mayor LaGuardia.There is a brief recap of each season.The next chapters cover the Stadiums sale in the 50's and the race issues in the Bronx {and Brooklyn}which factor into matters even today.
Thing get interesting {to me} in the 70's with discussions between the Yanks Mike Burke and NYC Mayor Lindsay regarding Stadium renovations.It seems that the Yankee Village concept actually began back then.The threat of the team moving to New Jersey was real {the NFL Giants moved} although the author does not feel the threat was as real regarding the Yankees.The last few chapters discuss the failed Steinbrenner-Mayor Koch lease extension negotiations,and the Mayor Giulianiani love-fest with the Yanks.A good amount of local columnists reactions are included,though there are too many from the high brow NY Times for my tastes.The photo section includes fourteen in all,seven of which I found interesting.
In fairness to Mr Sullivan,I enjoyed his earlier book,The Dodgers Move West,which detailed the political manuevering regarding the Brooklyn Dodgers and their attempts to get a new stadium built.Perhaps that book was better written because Mr Sullivan is a Dodger fan and the subject matter was more interesting to him.Except for brief passages,his Yankee Stadium book will leave most fans wishing they hadn't spent the money.I borrowed mine from the library,and noticed that it had been taken out about two dozen times,almost always for a period of two days.I feel that this is because most readers realized it is a political book disguised as a baseball book,and they quickly became turned off.

The Diamond in the Bronx is a verryy ticky book. It leads you to believe that it's all about the Yankee's and the stadium; the history behind it. When really it's ALLL about politics. The first couple chapters are interesting because they have history on how Dodger Walter O'Malley had his desire to build the Yankee stadium. The book then goes into detail on how the stadium affects the politics of New York. Making it complicated for race and wealth to be apart of the stadium, since the stadium was located in the Bronx; one of the boroughs that have more ethnic people rather than caucasians. It was also a question that if the stadium was taking money from "more important things" like transportation, and city neecessities. If you're more of a baseball, stadium fan, this book in not for you, however, if you are a politics fan, GET THIS BOOK!!!!

The Diamond in the Bronx is a book worthy of high praise. It recounts the history of the worlds greatest stadium and the city that surrounds it with class and respect. It is a very informative novel as well. It provides the reader with backround information about the economic, managerial, and political struggles that came with the formation of the stadium, and the rise of the New York society as we know it. It is a good read for anybody who loves the game of baseball, the city of New York, or a good book in general.

Although i felt the book started off rather slowly with a lot of discussion of politics and insignificant dates, further along came an extremely informative well written account of New York Stadium. The book isn't about the team itself, but the field in which they play and the significance of "the house." Sullivan's historic knowledge of the game of baseball will enthrall the reader with a variety of interesting facts beginning with the birth of the franchise all the way to present day activity.

I had this guy in the Fall of 2000 for Public Administration. AWESOME TEACHER!!. You rock Sullivan!