10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Frank and Entertaining Biography of a Great Homerun Hitter, September 26, 1999
This review is from: Eddie Mathews and the National Pastime (Hardcover)
This thoroughly enjoyable book - a must for any Milwaukee Braves fan - recalls a simpler time when baseball was pure fun and its heroes a bit more like you and I.
A solid-fielding third baseman and one of baseball's fiercest sluggers with his bat or fists, Mathews writes matter-of-factly, but with a wealth of baseball details and colorful anecdotes, about his extraordinary career as a player, coach, manager, and scout.
Inducted into The Hall of Fame in 1978, he hit 512 career homers, more than any other third baseman in history until Mike Schmidt. In the book Mathews reveals that after a year in which he smashed 47 homers and hit .302 with135 rbi's, Braves management offered him a $3,000 raise - to $17,000 per year!
He also describes Milwaukee's 1957 World Championship year, including the heroics of Bob "Hurricane" Hazel, the ultimate kid-who-came-outta-nowhere story.
With Hank Aaron Mathews formed the most powerful one-two punch in major league history, their 863 combined homeruns as teammates still a record. He speaks of his friendship and respect for Aaron and remembers the game's wild and wooly "golden age" - a time of beanball wars, brawling on and off the field, hard-drinking, and good times.
He comes across as a modest, down-to-earth former athlete, looking back fondly, and with only a few regrets, to his fun-filled days in the big leagues.
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT READING, December 30, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Eddie Mathews and the National Pastime (Hardcover)
A VERY INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF A VERY UNDERRATED PLAYER IN EDDIE MATHEWS. EDDIE PLAYED IN THE SHADOW OF HANK AARON, SO HE DIDN'T GET THE TRUE CREDIT HE CERTAINLY DESERVES. HE DOES A GREAT JOB OF DESCRIBING LIFE IN THE 50'S TO THE 60'S WITH THE BRAVES. THE STORY IS SIMPLE, FACTFUL, AND HONEST. EDDIE'S CANDID APPROACH IS VERY SUCCESSFUL AND REFRESHING. HIS EXERPTS ABOUT BOB UECKER ARE HILARIOUS. HIS ADMISSION WITH ALCOHOL IS VERY OPEN BUT DISTURBING. I LOVE THIS BOOK. A MUST READ.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Real Eddie Mathews, May 3, 2001
This review is from: Eddie Mathews and the National Pastime (Hardcover)
It was over 5 years ago that I met Eddie Mathews at a local restuaurant in Santa Barbara, California. I had heard so many stories about Eddie and how tough he was, but when he invited me to sit at his table and talk about the old families that he knew and I grew up with, it was a wonderful 4 hours of memories. This book tells of the Real Eddie Mathews and his love for the game of baseball and of course the Brave fans that were so supportive of the team! I enjoyed every minute reading the book and it was well followed in the sequence of his career. Eddie Mathews is what baseball is all about, a kid who wanted to win and be the best he could be in the Major leagues! I asked my cousin, Ted Williams of the Bo Sox if he knew of Eddie Mathews? Ted was very complementary about Eddie and said, " they ( Management ) knew he was going to hit 500 home runs for the Braves orgainztion and he did just that." On February 18th 2001 Eddie Mathews was laid to rest. The Baseball World Lost A True Baseball Player of the Game. Beleive me, " Only a handful like Eddie Mathews " This book is a fine tribute to the life Eddie Mathews in the National Pastime. Signed, MAHerrera
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