Customer Reviews

We Played the Game: Memories of Baseball's Greatest Era

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This is the perfect baseball book for all seasons, but especially now with the World Series over, and spring training still months away. It also seems appropriate to me that this book is set during one of the "Golden Ages" of baseball between 1947 and 1964, a time when the only stats that mattered reflected exploits on the field, rather than tallies of bank accounts off the diamond, as we have heard so much about in the past few seasons.

So sit back, curl up in front of the fire, and dip in and out of this massive volume, which is edited and organized in a way that allows just such delights. Packed with stories about the game's greats, and not-so-greats, it offers wonderful insights into how the men who delighted in playing a boy's game actually felt, thought and acted, as told in their own words. There are baseball heroics here aplenty, but also some bitter truths and some all-too human behavior that just serves to make these men all the more real, and fascinating.

Editor and author Danny Peary obviously loves the game, and isn't tainted with the sort of "celebrity awe" that characterizes so much of today's sports' coverage, and its cynical flip-side. Of course, he does pay homage to the greats of this era, but he also rekindles a thousand memories for those of us old enough to remember some of the less celebrated, but nonetheless extraordinary characters who once inhabited the game. Hopefully, younger readers will also delight in meeting these men as well, who had wondrous names such as Vic Power, Minnie Minoso and Pumpsie Green. Need I say more?

This is an over-sized book over 600 pages long covering the baseball seasons from 1947 through 1964. I believe the best way to read it is to switch off with another book or books over a period of time. Among the things that made it especially appealing to me is the time period which covers my beginnings as a baseball fan in 1951. There is more to baseball's rich history than what we learn about the superstars, and this book covers numerous supernumeraries in addition to those well known by all baseball fans. Dick Schofield, Joe De Maestri, Bob Cain, Gus Zernial, Fred Hatfield, Chico Carrasquel, Bill Momboquette, and numerous others known to all baseball fans of this era grace the pages of this book. We learn how they felt about managers such as Paul Richards, Eddie Stanky, Mayo Smith, Danny Murtaugh, and others. Vic Power, Pumpsie Green, Minnie Minoso, Don Newcombe, and others relate their experiences in adjusting to America's prejudices. Being traded, adjusting to new teammates, relating to various managers, who were the drinkers, the family men, and who hung around with who on road trips are all experiences that make this a unique book that makes for fascinating reading.

As I previously mentioned I feel it is best to read this book while switching off to other reading. I read it during the evenings while in bed, and read something else during the day. I believe you are more likely to stick with this book while alternating with something else. In addition this book is the type you can put aside for a while and continue later without any difficulty. My only complaint is there isn't much from players from "my" Detroit Tigers. The years 1962 and 1964 have nothing at all.
However, if you grew up during this time period you will find this a fascinating book to read. If you didn't, read and find out what you missed. Enjoy!

Stars, everyday players, and scrubs share their memories of major league baseball from 1946 to 1964. This is a book that I've had for I don't know how long now and when a copy falls apart, I get a new one - this hardcover version for $15.00 is a bargain but shhhhh, don't tell Amazon. Stars like Brooks Robinson and everyday players like Gene Woodling and unknowns like Eddie Joost and one season players like Ed Bouchee and scrubs like Johnny Berardino discuss opponents and also their own experiences in the major leagues. Every true baseball fan should have this easy-to-read book in their library and those who don't really aren't true baseball fans.

I have spent a lifetime reading about baseball and this tops my list.It covers both leagues and gives a rare insight into the stars and the non-stars and how they played and lived.It makes you feel as though you lived through it as well !!!

THIS IS A BOOK COVERING BASEBALL FROM 1947 THRU 1964. THE AUTHOR HAS A FEW PLAYERS FROM EACH TEAM TELL IN THEIR OWN WORDS WHAT WAS GOING ON DURING THIS SEASON. SOME OF THE PEOPLE INTERVIEWED INCLUDE BROOKS ROBINSON, HARMON KILLEBREW, JIM GRANT, RYNE DUREN AND MANY OTHERS. THE BOOK HAS OVER 600 PAGES OF CONTENTS. FOR THE MONEY THIS IS GREAT BUY. THE DETAILED INTERVIEWS ARE SOMETHING SPECIAL AND I RECOMMEND THIS FOR FANS WHO FOLLOWED THE GAME IN THE 1950'S AND 60'S. AN OUTSTANDING READ.

.... then you will love this book. It's an oral history of the game as told by the non-superstars. Unlike similar books, this one is huge, and the stories are long, fun and will make you nostalgic for your youth. You'll see stories by guys like Ed Bouchee, Billy DeWitt, Don Mossi.... names you'll recognize from the days when baseball cards cost a nickel a pack, provided you with a thin slice of bubble gum, and a bunch of cards to trade with your friends or stick in the spokes of your bike wheels.

I'm only part way through and I love this book!