Dog Days: The New York Yankees' Fall From Grace and Return to Glory, 1964-1976 (Paperback)

by Philip Bashe (Author)
Key Phrases: ball four, bat day, New York, Philip Bashe, Ralph Houk (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starting their streak in 1921, the Yankees compiled a record of 29 American League pennants and 24 world championships, although they lost the World Series in 1964, the year that opens this book. But the stars who had formed the nucleus of their winning teams for a decade before 1964, like Mickey Mantle, Elston Howard and Whitey Ford, were all in their 30s, old by baseball standards. What happened over the next 12 seasons is the subject that concerns Bashe ( Teenage Idol ) in his outstanding sports history. He recounts the story of flawed judgment of talent in the Yankees' minor league teams, unfortunate trades, the mishandling of the few above-average players, badly chosen managers (including the indulgent Ralph Houk, the distant Johnny Keane, the autocratic Bill Virdon and the alcoholic Billy Martin) and, in the last few years of the drought, of quixotic principal owner George Steinbrenner. Yankee-haters will love the tale of the kings of the diamond brought low, while Yankee fans will be buoyed by the happy ending, with a return to glory in 1976 when the Yankees won the American League championship--but lost the World Series to Cincinnati.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal
In determining the causes for the abrupt fall of the Yankee baseball dynasty in the late Sixties, Bashe cites a convergence of factors, including the negative impact of television on minor league attendance (which ultimately led to a shrinking of the club's talent pool), the initial reluctance to sign minority players, and the burgeoning competition from other professional sports. By 1969, Yankee fans were faced with the rare sight of a team "devoid of a single superstar." In year-by-year format, Bashe relates a string of on- and off-the-field episodes reflecting the mounting pressures on management and players to regain past stature. Only a combination of helpful trades and free agency signings sparked a resurgence in the Seventies. Altogether, this is a competent effort that stands in stark contrast to the many entries chronicling the team's glory days. For regional collections.
William H. Hoffman, Ft. Myers-Lee Cty. P.L., Fla.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 448 pages
• Publisher: IUniverse (September 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595141226
• ISBN-13: 978-0595141227
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #873,829 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Look Back at the Worst Teams, April 5, 2008

By	Kevin Harris "Martin fan" (Farmingdale, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is by far the best book I have read about the Yankee teams of the mid 60's to early 70's.
These were the teams I grew up with. At the age of 54 now and growing up in the Northeast Bronx, and also going to high school two blocks from the stadium, the names and events that were in this book was a mind trip back to the good old days.
The Yankee player names that were written about was a mind trip back to the days of my childhood. Bill Burbach, Hal Reniff, Fred Talbot, Celerino Sanchez, Johnny Ellis, Rich Beck to name a few bought a smile and a knowing nod every time these names were mentioned.
Some of the games that were written about were games I had attended with my neighborhood friends.
So if you are a true Yankee fan over the age of 50 this is a must read. Even if your not this is a glance back at what it really means to be a Yankee fan !

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Yankee Fans of the 60's and 70's, August 31, 2002

By A Customer

If you were a fan during the Yankee declineasty from 1965-1975 you will love this book. The author did a great job describing the cause and effect of the period. The book features some great interviews from an amazing number of Yankee players from the era. The book really brought the era alive for me!

5.0 out of 5 stars FALL OF THE YANKEE EMPIRE, March 10, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Dog Days:The New York Yankees' Fall from Grace and: Return to Glory,1964-1976 (Hardcover)

THE AUTHOR DOES A GREAT JOB OF DETAILING THE CRUMBLE OF THE YANKEE DYNASTY. THE OVER CONFIDENCE, BARREN FARM SYSTEM, BAD TRADES, AND AGE ARE WELL DEFINED BY MR. BASHE. ANOTHER INTERESTING REACTION BY THE YANKEES DURING THE EARLY PART OF THE NOSE DIVE IS BEING IN DENIAL ABOUT THE THING FOR A FEW YEARS. THEY JUST DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO REACT TO BEING AN ALSO RAN. ALSO OF NOTE IS THE COLD HEARTED FRONT OFFICE SELLING THE TEAM TO CBS AND THE BUMBLING YEARS OF OWNERSHIP DURING THE CBS OWNERSHIP. THEN THE RESURGENCE DURING THE STEINBRENNER YEARS AND THE DOWN YEARS DURING HIS DICTATORSHIP. ALL THIS MAKES FOR A VERY INTERESTING AND WELL DONE NOVEL. A MUST FOR ALL YANKEE FANS AND ALL FANS WHO TOTALLY ENJOYED (ME) THE PIN STRIPES BEING JUST ANOTHER TEAM.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.