Mike Schmidt: Philadelphia's Hall of Fame Third Baseman (Paperback)

by William C. Kashatus (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"[a] readable biography [that] belongs in regi

Product Description
Michael Jack Schmidt, in the minds of many the greatest third baseman of all time, was a Philadelphia institution. From 1973 to 1989 he led the Phillies to five National League championship series and two World Series. Twelve times an All-Star, Schmidt was perhaps baseball's premier power hitter during the 1970s and 1980s. His 548 home runs are seventh best all-time. In the field he was just as exceptional, winning ten Gold Gloves, more than any other third baseman besides Brooks Robinson. A three-time N.L. Most Valuable Player (1980, 1981 and 1986), Schmidt was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995, his first year of eligibility. This book is the first serious account of Schmidt's celebrated career with the Philadelphia Phillies. Concentrating on contemporary newspaper accounts, periodicals, biographies by Schmidt's teammates and baseball histories, this long-overdue work is the full story of one of the game's greatest sluggers, and one of its true heroes and role models.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 155 pages
• Publisher: McFarland & Company (November 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786407131
• ISBN-13: 978-0786407132
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,557,387 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's simply the best to ever play thirdbase!, January 9, 2000

By	Michael J Woznicki "Michael J Woznicki" (Holland, MA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

There have been many players to grace the hot corner, Arky Vaughan, Pie Traynor, George Brett, Wade Boggs, George Kell, however none of them hold a candle to Michael Jack Schmidt and this book tells why.

From his days at Ohio State to his glory years in Philadelphia, Mike Schmidt is the standard by which all other third basemen are measured. He set a record for most home runs in a season by a third baseman.

He also holds the record for most home runs in a career, and on magical day in Chicago he belted 4 home runs on consecutive at bats. The reading of this book was truly a pleasure.

Ranking tied for second on the best of 1999 in my reviews, you'll be hard pressed to find another book like this. The true book for the serious Phillies fan and for those true baseball purists. I can't say enough great things about this book!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Much New Here, August 4, 2001

By	"rdnizzi" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

The author does a nice job recounting Schmidt's career -- that is to say, his research was good. That being said, there's a temptation when someone writes about his boyhood hero (and the author expresses his admiration for Schmidt in the introduction) to put the subject on a pedestal no matter what, to apologize for perceived problems, or, worse, both. Unfortunately, the author falls victim to both temptations, and the book suffers because of it. The book will serve those who don't know much about Schmidt fairly well. For those who know more about him, you won't learn much that is new. The book also lacks meaningful analysis about Schmidt's career. In summary, I expected more on this subject and from this author, and I was disappointed.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Much New Here, August 4, 2001

By	"rdnizzi" (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

The danger when someone writes about a childhood hero (which the author admits in his introduction) is that the author can idolize the subject without question, apologize for certain aspects of his baseball life, or worse, both. Kashatus' book is well-researched, but it falls prey to both temptations. The result is a somewhat saccharine effort whose goal is to lionize Schmidt without much critical analysis regarding Schmidt's approach to the game and the fans. If you don't know much about Schmidt, then the book might be helpful, but if you do, you'll be disappointed.