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Jimmy Breslin

Can't Anybody Here Play This Game?: The Improbable Saga of the New York Met's First Year Paperback – November 4, 2002

by Jimmy Breslin (Author), Bill Veeck (Author)

192 ratings

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Here, back in print, is Jimmy Breslin's marvelous account of the improbable saga of the New York Mets' first year, as Bill Veeck notes in his Introduction, "preserving for all time a remarkable tale of ineptitude, mediocrity, and abject failure." Indeed the 1962 Mets were the worst major league baseball team ever to take the field. (The title of the book is a quote from Casey Stengel, their manager at the time.) Breslin casts the Mets, who lost 120 games out of a possible 162 that year, as a lovable bunch of losers. And, he argues, they were good for baseball, coming as a welcome antidote to "the era of the businessman in sports...as dry and agonizing a time as you would want to see." Although they were written forty years ago, many of Breslin's comments will strike a chord with today's sports fan, fed up with the growing commercialism of the games. Against this trend Breslin sets the exploits of "Marvelous" Marv Throneberry, Stengel, and the rest of the hapless Mets.
"Wonderful."―Charles Salzberg, New York Times.
"A touching, enjoyable, and interesting addition to anybody's sports reading list."―Patrick Conway

Print length

126 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Ivan R. Dee
Publication date

November 4, 2002
Dimensions

5.54 x 0.41 x 8.01 inches
ISBN-10

1566634881
ISBN-13

978-1566634885
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Part sports, part politics, all New York, it tells the story of the American metropolis changing with the help of the likes of Marvelous Marv Throneberry and Choo Choo Coleman. -- Dermot McEvoy ― Publishers Weekly

Breslin's well-written book remains a hilarious read. -- Jeff Diamant ― Newark Star Ledger

A magnificent account of the 1962 New York Mets; their first season in existence. ― New York Sun

Mets fans will enjoy this book, as will general history buffs. ― MLB.com

From the Publisher

A vivid history of the Mets, preserving for all time a wonderful look at New York's other team. This excellent read is written by a Pulitzer Prize-winning author.

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Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ivan R. Dee; Reprint edition (November 4, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 126 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1566634881
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1566634885
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.54 x 0.41 x 8.01 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #301,881 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #631 in Baseball (Books)

Customer Reviews:
192 ratings

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Jeff LeVine

Humorous look at the 1962 Mets, but written for a 1962/63 audience

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2020

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An entertaining little book, centered around the 1962 New York Mets and their first season in MLB, when they managed to win 40 games and lose 120. Seemingly written in the break between the 62/63 season, possibly as a series of articles then compiled into a book(?), as each chapter seems to be its own piece – the book doesn’t really present a traditional beginning to end look at the season, but just skips around to tell individual stories, usually with a lot of humor, and paints of compelling inside picture of one of the worst teams in modern baseball, why they were so bad, and of the fans who loved and appreciated them. It’s really Breslin’s writing style that holds the book together, and makes it still readable today (what, 58 years later?), when most of the players and events of the book are pretty obscure. Here he writes in good humor, direct, with a bit of an old fashioned NYC bar-room tall-tale feeling. Today, one wishes there was a little more background given to the pieces, as often things are referenced in a way that expects everybody to know what he’s talking about, as it’s really written for that 1962/63 audience, and in 2020 a lot of the context is lost (at least to me, who wasn’t even born until eight years after the book was released).

Of special note is the final chapter, which uses the story of an aging Gil Hodges (then the Mets first baseman), to ramble a bit about the passing of time, the story of the Dodgers and the Giants leaving New York and why it felt so good to get a National League team back in the city, and the way television has changed everything about the world Jimmy Breslin grew up in. Simply a tremendously well written and moving chapter and the best thing in the book.

3 people found this helpful

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Randolph Rossi

Only Rowan and Martin were Funnier than the 1962 NY Mets

Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2019

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I had been a diehard Yankee Fan in the Early 60’s that started to go to Mets Games when I was 16. I lived in Queens Village and could take the Q27 Bus to Main Street, Flushing and then walk to Shea Stadium. Before reading this book, I had no idea who the heck was Shea. I found out that Bill Shea was a Big-time Corporate Attorney who was asked by Mayor Wagner to get a National League Team in New York to replace the two teams that were stolen from NY & Brooklyn.
The tells about the 1962 Mets Season but much more. It can be best described as a Early 1960’s period piece of New York. Great book that is both informative and funny. I greatly recommend this book for people whether they’re sports fans or not.

Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2018

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The Mets. It's a franchise that has frustrated and delighted fans for decades. From the early days of record losses to amazing series wins and back again. It's a rollercoaster ride. This book focuses on the beginning, the 40 wins and 120 losses days. A retrospective for Mets fans that could elicit smiles or a reminder of those miserable days. It was a rough start with some colorful characters but the Mets gathered a loyal and patient fan base. Part of the reason for that might be the Brooklyn Dodgers fans who experienced disappointment and elation for many years and who were starved for a National League team to call their own. It's a quick read and well wotrth the time.

3 people found this helpful

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BuilderBob

A Divine Intervention.

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2020

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When the Brooklyn Dodgers left in 1957 there was no more National League Baseball in New York. One was limited to watching the Yankees, not a popular option for Giant or Dodger fans. It sucked. The Mets were sent from Heaven above as saviors. This is a great read on how they came to be by a writer who lived it. It brought back my bitterness as a 12 year old on losing my heroes and the happiness of the Mets creation. They brought the National League back with all their heroes. The Duke and Gil came home.

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Victor Catano

The more things change...

Reviewed in the United States on August 31, 2021

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So, we are deep into yet another disappointing Mets season, one where high profile signings turned in terrible performances and injuries devastated the rest of the stars. As solace, I turned to the great Jimmy Breslin and his chronicle of the 1962 Mets, the worst team in modern history. By turns funny and poignant, Breslin shows why this bunch of losers, has beens, and never would bes was so beloved in New York. And why they were so much more fun to watch than this bunch.

Reviewed in the United States on January 19, 2017

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this is a short book by Jimmy Breslin about the 1962 NY Mets. This was the first year of their existence and they were comically inept as recounted in the pages of this book. They ended up losing 120 games which is a record. The team managed by 73 yr. old Casey Stengel , was made up of players who were castoffs from other teams and veteran players who had seen their better days. The Mets filled a void in New York after the Dodger and Giants had left and this team through their play and colorful characters won many New Yorkers over. Breslin has a talent for relating humorous stories, I particularly liked where he wrote that the Mets were going to give a Birthday cake to their first baseman Marvelous Marv Thornberry but decided against it because they were afraid he 'd drop it. While there are no pictures in this paperback edition, there is an appendix listing the 1962 Mets by position and it is interesting that one of the 1st baseman-Gil Hodges would become the Mets manager leading them to the World Series in 1969 with another member of the '62 team playing 1st base- Ed Kranepool. This is a great story of the Mets first year. As Tug McGraw once said " you gotta believe."

2 people found this helpful

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doubledpawn

Fun Reading

Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2021

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Even though the Mets of 62 were iconically bad, Jimmy Breslin documented the hilarity of it all and the psychology of the original Mets fans who were great fans. Well written with an easy reading style. Tough to put down. Having watched some of those old Mets who were in their prime, it is just sad they were not just a year or two younger to give the Mets time to establish a farm system. Oh well, 1969 was the cure. Good book.

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Top reviews from other countries

know naym

So good, it’s a shame 😢to finish this book!!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2020

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A great read, you don’t have to like baseball to enjoy this book, great writer, great read!

DH

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 10, 2018

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Great book

maryoh

Fantastic AND Funny read!

Reviewed in Canada on September 19, 2017

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This was for my husband and it loves it! He reads some of the funny quotes aloud to me. He even said he doesn't want to finish the book because he doesn't want it to come to an end! Great find!

Amazon Customer

'62 Mets

Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2016

Verified Purchase

Great writer, great topic.

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