Customer Reviews

Pennants and Pinstripes: The New York Yankees 1903-2002

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

 

 

The cover of this book is great. The contents are somewhat less so. This is an illustrated history with a heavy accent on "illustrated." Lots of pictures, many of them quite good, but many others are poorly reproduced and below what one would expect in such a book. The "history" portion of the book is superfiscial - if you've read many other books about the Yankees this isn't going to tell you anything you don't already know. I was hoping for a thorough history of the team, but this is mostly re-hash and seems to have been told from accounts in other books. Adequate for what it is, but not comprehensive and certainly not among the best books ever written about the Yankees.

For a sports team that has had more books written about it than any in history, it is admittedly getting more and more difficult to uncover new insights to the Yankees (except for perhaps the pre-1920 teams). So it isn't unfair to say that much of the info covered in this books has been said before. But there are many photos not previously seen--or at least photos that have had very little previous circulation. The book is a very handsome publication and it indeed another library must have for the Yankee fanatic.

I've been hooked ever since my dad told me stories about Mantle and Maris. I quickly latched on to Don Mattingly and I've never stopped loving this team.

This book is packed with photos and stories covering the entire history of the Yankees. I keep getting myself lost in it and hours pass without me noticing.

One of the nicest touches is the all-time Yankee picks. Famous sportswriters, television personalities, and famous fans pick their personal all-time Yankee teams. Some are definitely biased towards the era that particular writer loved them, but they are all great. What the heck, here's my picks.

1B - Lou Gehrig (Best first baseman ever)
2B - Tony Lazzeri (Batted leadoff during the Ruth/Gehrig years)
SS - Derek Jeter (He is the reason for the last 6 years)
3B - Graig Nettles (Combination of bat and glove)
OF - Babe Ruth (Best player ever)
OF - Joe DiMaggio (56)
OF - Mickey Mantle (Those damn knees)
C - Yogi Berra (Best AL catcher ever - Pudge is closing in though)

SP - Whitey Ford
SP - Red Ruffing
RP - Mariano Rivera

Okay, it's not risky, but what the heck.

Highly Recommended

This is a wonderful book for all baseball fans. Whether you love the Yankees or hate them, you will be fascinated by the historical insights the writers deliver. Well written, with great photos, this book will provide hours and hours of pleasure. Perusing the book one comes across characters from the past such as Jack Chesbro and Prince Hal Chase, and from more recent times, such as Yogi Berra, Dave Winfield, and Mickey Mantle who make baseball history come alive. Historical anecdotes about how the Yankees got their name and their pinstripes, the history of Yankee stadium, and controversial plays all make this book a delightful source of information for any baseball fan. A great gift!