Customer Reviews

The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant

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I first read this as a kid, and loved it then. It's a happy thought that, 50 years ago, the greatest desire a man could aspire to was to have his underdog baseball team beat the undeafeated Yankees, and was willing to sell his sould to the Devil for it. Today he'd probably want at least one oil-producing country.

Well written, entertaining and with some great twists, it still remains one of my favourites for moralistic humour, right up there with the various Don Camillo books. Really gives the flavour of baseball in the 1950's when there were fewer teams, stronger loyalties and better sportsmen.

When Douglass Wallop's THE YEAR THE YANKEES LOST THE PENNANT was published in 1954, the New York Yankees had been a baseball dynasty for nearly 30 years. With the emergence in 1951 of power-hitting centerfield superstar Mickey Mantle, it was apparent the Yanks would continue crushing all competition for a long time to come.

The D.C. native Wallop was only 4-years-old in 1924 when his beloved Washington Senators, behind aging pitcher Walter 'Big Train' Johnson, won their first and only World Series (against the NY Giants). They repeated as A.L. Champs the next season, but soon sank back into the persistent mediocrity that was this team's stock in trade. Meanwhile, those damn Yankees were tearing up the American League-- again, and again and again....

Wallop's novel was surely borne of a long-suffering baseball fan's frustration with a home team that couldn't stay out of the cellar-- the old joke about the Senators was: "First in war, first in peace and last in the American League."

In the fast-reading "Year the Yankees Lost...," Joe, a middle-age man (Wallop himself?) sells his soul to the devil for a chance to become the great ballplayer who heroically leads his Washington club to triumph over their hated big city rivals. But victory, when achieved will be won at a price Joe may not be willing to pay. He has second thoughts and tries to renege on the ironclad deal, but the devilish Mr. Applegate tempts Joe with an irresistible siren named Lola.

A year after the book, Wallop along with George Abbott, Richard Adler and Jerry Ross adapted it into a Broadway musical. DAMN YANKEES! ran for 1,019 performances and won seven Tonys, including Best Musical. The stage show based on Wallop's novel had a further incarnation as a 1958 MOVIE starring Tab Hunter, along with the original Broadway cast.

As for the 1954 editions of "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant," these have a generously large font that's easy on the eyes, and a plot so engaging you'll want to read the book in a single sitting! Highest recommendation.

The novel tells the story of Joe Boyd, a long-time fan of the Washington Senators who have the worst record in baseball. One night after an incredibly bad loss, Joe decides to take a walk around the neighborhood and runs into the mysterious Mr. Applegate. It turns out that Applegate has been keeping tabs on Joe and his Washington Senators and wants to offer Joe a proposition. How would he like to watch his beloved Senators to win the 1958 pennant? Not only watch, but even help the team by becoming their newest star player? Reluctantly, Joe agrees but has Applegate write an escape clause into the contract. Within a few days the old Joe Boyd is transfromed into the 21-year-old Joe Hardy and sets off on a whirlwind ride that moves the Senators up from 7th place to just within reach of the Yankees.

Along the way, Joe begins to realize just what he's given up and what the ramifications are of his joining the team. It's a heart-warming trip, both funny and sad, and delves into a passionate fan's view of the world of baseball. So many temptations to stick with the game, and even stronger feelings tying him to his old life. Until the gorgeous Lola steps into the picture to keep his mind off the old Joe. Author Douglass Wallop's story keeps you enrapt and rooting for Joe and the Senators until the very end, never quite sure just what the outcome is going to be. It's a unique, light-hearted twist on the tale of Faust with many great and wonderful characters.

This is yet another twist on the Dr. Faust legend, and it follows other similar stories such as "The Devil and Tom Walker" and "The Devil and Daniel Webster." Having not read the Faust legend in its entirety, but having read the other two, I note that whereas Tom Walker failed, both Daniel Webster and Joe Hardy, the hero of this book, overcame Satan. There is a difference, however, in the reasons. Daniel Webster overcame the devli through his goodness, whereas Joe Hardy overcame Satan through his determination. There is a similarity here, because Joe Hardy remained true to his wife's love in overcoming the wiles of the beautiful Lola. Having watched "Damn Yankee," the movie taken from this book, just after reading the book, I saw two different twists to the same story, both applicable to the genre in which they were produced. Overall, a recommended reading either for the sports buff or the casual reader.

Great book. Makes you think about what you would do if you could change your life and would it really be worth it.

Joe and Lola could of had a perfect life together but it would of all been a lie. The devil is in story and working in all of the peoples lives, whether for better or worse. You feel bad for Lola and Joe in the end.

This is a long forgotten novel which ranks among my favoriute books of all time. I first read this more than 50 years ago and have re-read it many times over the years. the tone, the mood, the story....perfect. Any baseball fan should give it a read......

man it would take the devil for the yankees to loose the series. This is a great book that isn't to long to read and it is a very good story

This is a wonderful story, and one that I enjoyed for personal reasons - the main character Joe Hardy was inspired by my grandfather Joe Judge, who played first base for the Washington Senators from 1915 to 1932. The story is told in my book Damn Senators.