Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train [Hardcover]

Henry W. Thomas (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1995

"This lavishly illustrated narrative of Walter Johnson's life is the definitive work on the subject and is likely to remain so." - Lawrence S. Ritter, 'Oldtyme Baseball News'. "Henry Thomas's biography of Walter Johnson is carefully researched, thoroughly documented, and, best of all, a pleasure to read." - 'Spitball'. "Does justice to Johnson's extraordinary on-field accomplishments, and it also emphasizes his decency, humility, and self-effacing humor." - 'Booklist'. "Belongs in the very top ranks of sports biographies." - 'Washington Times'. "One of the most comprehensive biographies ever written about an athlete. Incredibly detailed, filled with fascinating stories about arguably the greatest pitcher of all time." - Tim Kurkjian, senior writer for 'Sports Illustrated'. "Delights the soul." - 'Sports Collectors Digest'. Henry W. Thomas, the grandson of Walter Johnson, lives in Arlington, Virginia. He is currently editing, for audio release, the interviews taped by Lawrence Ritter for his classic "The Glory of Their Times". Shirley Povich died in 1998 at the age of 92 after seventy-five years as an award-winning sportswriter for the 'Washington Post'.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

How good a pitcher was Washington Senator ace Walter Johnson? Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Joe Jackson considered him the best ever. His career strikeout record lasted for half a century, and no one's ever come close to his mark of 110 shutouts; some of his Senator teams were so bad, the only way Johnson could win was literally to keep opponents from scoring. Of course, the numbers alone don't tell the story. Johnson was a towering figure in the first quarter of the baseball century. One of the most respected--and liked--men in the game, he was something of an anti-Cobb: straight, honest, and clean, with a life off the field as content as it was accomplished on it. This is an excellent, exhaustive biography, showing clear affection for Johnson from the first pitch: Thomas is Johnson's grandson. Despite the blood tie, Thomas doesn't just go straight down the middle; he is willing to work the corners of his grandfather's life, which actually allows his relationship to his subject to add to the work's significant depth. --Jeff Silverman --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Booklist

Walter "Big Train" Johnson won 417 games as a pitcher in his early-twentieth-century baseball career, and when the inevitable "greatest ever" arguments arise, even diehard modernists will grudgingly include him in the mix. This detailed, carefully researched and annotated biography certainly does justice to Johnson's extraordinary on-field accomplishments, and it also emphasizes his decency, humility, and self-effacing humor. Now, one might question the objectivity of author Thomas, who just happens to be Johnson's grandson. Don't bother. Even today's tabloids would have trouble digging up dirt on Walter Johnson. The text is too heavy with play-by-play game accounts, but Thomas strives to emphasize aspects of Johnson's character that provide context beyond the score. An excellent chapter deals with Johnson's 1915 signing with the rival Federal League and his subsequent reversal and resigning with the Washington Senators. Johnson publicly acknowledged that he had treated both sides badly and had put himself in a "humiliating position." It's not the sort of honesty we're going to see from today's athlete. A much-needed, comprehensive biography of a baseball legend. Wes Lukowsky

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 458 pages
• Publisher: Phenom Press; First Edition, First Printing edition (March 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964543907
• ISBN-13: 978-0964543904
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,305,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a pitcher! What a book!, February 6, 2002

By 

The Nostalgist (Omaha, NE United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train (Paperback)

One of the best baseball books I have ever read- easily on my top ten list and maybe even in my top five. I was not aware that the book was written by Johnson's great grandson until I began reading; this certainly gave the material a lot of credibility.
Walter Johnson was, without question, the greatest pitcher in baseball history. Along with Al Stump's work on Ty Cobb, Robert Creamer's work on Casey Stengel, and the recently published Cy Young biography (author's name escapes me), this book establishes a lasting legacy of Johnson on and off the field.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who's the best? Walter, June 26, 2001

By 

Jonathan Brookner (Fairfield, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train (Paperback)

Simply stated, this is the most detailed as well as accurate baseball bio, at least of a player from pre-WWII years, we have. Yet Thomas keeps the story moving, and we get the full picture of the man and his family life as well. Jack Kavanaugh's "Ol' Pete" (Grover Alexander), and Reed Browning's "Cy Young" make excellent relievers, but here's your starting pitcher, and Big Train didn't need bailing out very often.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You can't help not liking the Big Train, July 12, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train (Paperback)

Henry Thomas seems to have inherited the Big Train's genes. One gentleman does a big service to another (his grandfather)as Walter johnson is depicted in this well researched and written biography. If you are an avid fan of great pitchers, dead-ball era ballplayers, or just enjoy a heartwarming story of a well respected gentleman baseball player, this book will not disappoint. Walter "Barney" Johnson was more than just the second winningest major league pitcher of all time with a blazing fastball. First and foremost he was the sports main ambassador of goodwill as well as the idol of Washington Senator fans and the entire baseball community. The only matter that the book did not clear up with me was how he derived the nickname "Big Train." In other aspects, the book was extremely well done.