Rowdy Richard: A Firsthand Account of the National League Baseball Wars of the 1930s and the Men Who Fought Them [Hardcover]

Dick 'Rowdy Richard' Bartell (Author), Norman Macht (Author), Norman L. Macht (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1993

This is a definitive, analytical look at the style of the game, the characters of the ear, the managers, the owners, told by "the most exuberant rowdy of them all." Bartell covers the period from 1927 to 1954, baseball’s golden age: the Gashouse Gang; McGraw; the 1927 Yankees; the Giants-Dodgers feud; the first All-Star game; suggestions for changes in the game; and observations of modern players by old-timers. Bartell was an inspirational sparkplug whose career began with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1927. He later played for the Phillies, Cubs, and Tigers, as well as the Giants twice, and finished with a lifetime batting average of .284 for almost 8,000 at-bats. Earthy, witty, and remarkably astute, Bartell tells a tale of baseball intrigue that is hard to put down and which brings back a forgotten era.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 376 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books; 1st edition (March 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0938190970
• ISBN-13: 978-0938190974
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,208,558 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars For History Buffs Only. . ., October 8, 2011

By 

Red Nichols "Old & In The Way" (Canada) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Rowdy Richard: A Firsthand Account of the National League Baseball Wars of the 1930s and the Men Who Fought Them (Hardcover)

It's hard to imagine why Bartell, a solid player whose name is by no means writ large in the history of the game, was able to interest a publisher in his memoir. If you're up to speed on the era, it's an enjoyable read but there's nothing here to grab and hold mainstream interest. Speaking personally, I love the history of the game but Bartell's yarn ranks fairly low on my hit parade. A moderately interesting tale, competently told. . .but nothing more.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Bartell was hated in many cities, June 13, 2011

By 

Brian A. Powell "npbb_bap" (Mountain View, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Rowdy Richard: A Firsthand Account of the National League Baseball Wars of the 1930s and the Men Who Fought Them (Hardcover)

Dick Bartell was the starting shortstop for the National League in the first All Star game. He was a player that was booed loudly in opposing cities due to a series of fights and other incidents. The fiesty inflielder was a popular managerial hire in those days (see Frankie Frisch, Leo Durocher, Billy Herman, Joe Cronin, et al.) Bartell was never hired to manage a major league team. He comes across as an arrogant and opiniated jerk. I was disappointed that there is nothing about his father or growing up and development. He pretty much went straight from High School to the major leagues, falling just short of Hall of Fame standards. It was pleasing to get some background on the decline of the Pirates at the end of the 1920s, those horrible Phillies teams of the early 1930s, and the pennant winning Giant teams of the mid 1930s. Not much is written about the Giants of Ott, Hubbell, Terry, Fitzsimmons, and Bartell who were in the thick of the 1930s National League pennant wars. So, I was glad to have this book to learn more about the players and the times from an insider.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Rambling Book, April 18, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Rowdy Richard: A Firsthand Account of the National League Baseball Wars of the 1930s and the Men Who Fought Them (Hardcover)

Excellent rambling book, good for a night or two's read, with references to players we don't remember now or never knew about, but who were important players in Bartell's time.