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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT STORIES, EXCITING READING/ SPEAKING OF SPORTS, September 23, 2001
From the very prolific writer Harvey Frommer and his son Frderic comes 241 pages of exciting reading. This story of how some 67 major league players got started captures the heart of the artichoke of how players feel. The book is great reading, one that you can pick up at any time - filled with great stories of the growing of years,told in an oral history format by such as Dom DiMaggio, Jim Palmer, Nolan Ryan, Keith Hernandez,Bob Feller and lesser known but no less eloquent types. Very enjoyable!!
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
REVIEW FROM BASEBALLOLOGY.COM, BY AMY COHEN, November 11, 2002
By A Customer
The title and premise intrigued me. A series of mini-bios told in the first person by men who had actually made it to the "Big Leagues." I was looking for an answer, into my own psyche perhaps as to why the game is so compelling. Why do I stay up late for Opening Day and to watch every possible minute of the World Series? Why is Opening Day for my home team so important that I consider it a national holiday and have not missed an opening day game most of my adult life, even traveling over 300 miles to be there?Why are celebrities like Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Billy Crystal so obviously obsessed with the game? Even presidents are drawn to the game. Our current president owned a team. Bill Clinton is said to be "bonkers about baseball." It is not just America that is taken with the game. The Japanese passion is well documented as well as Cuba and the Dominican Republic. I thought if I could hear in their own words what brought many major leaguers to the game I could find a commonality and understand why I am so gripped by the game. In Growing Up Baseball players from the past and present - ones who had a fleeting time in the major leagues to ones who are icons - discuss their intimate childhood memories of the game. Players who grew up with and without TV and/or in areas where there was no access to major or minor league teams and areas where cities have several major league teams all have the same passion for the game. Chuck Stevens - Played three years for the St. Louis Browns. Grew up occasionally hearing games on the radio and reading ticker tape reports of World Series games. But spent 23 years in the Browns organization. Scott Brosius - NY Yankees third baseman, knew he wanted to be a major leaguer from age three, but never saw a major league game until he was drafted by the Oakland A's at 22-years old. Jose Cardenal - Native of Cuba whose whole family's life was devoted to baseball. His father played, his older brother played for the Army League, his cousin is Bert "Campy" Campaneris and his sister was the only female official scorer in Cuba. Signed by the Giants but couldn't get very much playing time due to the existing outfield of Mays, McCovey and the Alou brothers, was later traded and played 18 years in the majors. The stories recount tales of parents who encouraged, parents who discouraged. Idols who became mentors. Boys who became men. While Growing Up Baseball was not able to give me insight into my own obsession it does give intimate details and takes a peak into the childhood of major leaguers who we love so much and always wanted to be.
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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
FROM THE PUBLISHER, October 17, 2001
By A Customer
On city streets and suburban sandlots, millions of boys have played the nation's game. Growing Up Baseball recounts the stories of those few whose childhood dreams of playing in the big leagues came true.Noted oral historian Harvey Frommer joins his son Frederic in collecting interviews and published commentary together with photographs to create the first thorough oral history of the "growing up" years of baseball's greatest heroes. Readers will discover new experiences in the words of those who lived them, including:
-- Bob Feller, the winningest pitcher in Cleveland Indians history
-- George "Sparky" Anderson, the only manager ever to have won championships in both leagues
-- Monte Irvin, who was already past 30 years of age when he made his major league debut in 1949
-- Jim Palmer, who won three Cy Young Awards and four Gold Gloves with eight 20-win seasons In addition, Growing Up Baseball features interviews with singular figures such as Bobby Thomson, Don Larsen, Red Murff, Keith Hernandez, Mel Parnell, and Ralph Kiner, and is framed with inspiring commentary by coaches, relatives, teachers, friends, rivals, and scouts. Growing Up Baseball contains a rich and varied montage of memories from players and fans across generations and cultures. Compelling, informative, and overflowing with a deep and abiding love of America's Pastime, it will delight and inspire anyone who's ever treasured a well-worn glove or thrilled to the crack of a bat.
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