Thomas-Sox-WorldSeries wrote:
Warren Newson wrote:
Thomas-Sox-WorldSeries wrote:
Warren Newson wrote:
I just finished Billy Martin: Baseball's Flawed Genius by Bill Pennington. I was too young to experience much of Martin's exploits in real time. As a kid, I just knew he was the guy that Steinbrenner kept hiring and firing but, good lord, was this guy a piece of work. He was too intense for the 70's. If he were hired now, he would be fired and canceled about two weeks into spring training. All that being said, it was probably the most entertaining baseball book I've ever read.
Just finished the first seven chapters (most of his growing up in Berkeley) and it's already great.
I doubt we'll see another manager like him again for the rest of our lifetimes.
Amazing book, even though it is awfully-written (at the sentence level, I mean). But wow--this was fantastic. At this point in my life, I think I understand his personality type well, especially the connection between low self-esteem or past trauma with aggressiveness and his ability to be a huge jag in a few situations and a good-hearted, other-directed person in most other situations. You get a good grasp of "Billy Ball" as well, and you can see why he was really one of the icons of the game in four different decades. In my top five baseball books.
Thanks for the rec, Deacon!
I wasn't blown away by the writing, but I don't need something that's insanely well written. I just want to not be distracted by bad writing, I thought Pennington delivered on that level.
You have an interesting take on his personality. I just thought he was stubborn as an ox and refused to give in to anyone, even when giving in would be the smart play.
In terms of "Billy Ball," I think it would be fun to see that aggressive style of play set loose once again. Maybe the rule changes will bring it back a little, we'll see.
You've given me so many good baseball book recs over the years, it's nice to return the favor. By the way, I bought my dad
One Shot at Forever for Father's Day. He took it down in about a day and a half and enjoyed it.