Description
Book SynopsisBaseball is a game of incredible moments, awe-inspiring feats, and dramatic finishes. But not all of these events actually impacted the game itself or the players still to come. Moments such as Lou Gehrig's last Opening Day appearance, the very first All-Star game, or Mickey Mantle's first game to hit home runs from both sides of the plate are iconic not because they were game-changing plays, but because they affected the course of baseball history. In 50 Moments That Defined Major League Baseball, Rocco Constantino provides a fresh history of the national pastime by recounting the most extraordinary and iconic momentsboth renowned and obscurethat shaped the game as it moved from the Dead Ball Era, through World War II, and on to the modern era. Events include Jackie Robinson's first All-Star Game, Babe Ruth's 50th home run in his first season as a Yankee, Hank Aaron's first career home run, and many more. Highlighting these moments are Constantino's exclusive interviews with over 50 f
Trade ReviewThe year in baseball has been an exciting one for Midwesterners, with both the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians in the World Series this year. If you want to learn more about baseball, CDPL has a great new book, 50 Moments That Defined Major League Baseball, by Rocco Constantino. This history is a collection of baseball memories including chapters on unbreakable records, historic home runs, the 'immortals' of baseball and more. * Journal Review *
[This type] of [book is] great for sparking debate among friends and may honestly generate some disputes that are never settled.... Constantino’s book is well written, greatly detailed and he presents concise arguments as to why each of these moments should be considered one of the games 50 greatest ones. * Gregg's Baseball Bookcase *
This book provides a fresh history of the game by recounting the most exceptional and memorable moments over more than a century. Author Rocco Constantino attempts to identify the 50 moments that changed the game or marked the beginning or the end of an era. This compilation of great moments in baseball history has a bit of everything and some unexpected candidates make it into the book. Perhaps, the best feature of the book is the photos ... very memorable photos.... Though there are many books that contain lists of the top events or moments of any sport, this book was a refreshing change in that many of the moments listed were not ones that one would expect.... This book is recommended for any baseball fan who wishes to learn more about important events in the sport’s history. The short passages make it a good choice for younger readers or those who prefer to read a book in bits and pieces. The unusual choices and reasoning behind them will make for debates about which moments to include in the top 50 that defined major league baseball. This is one of those books that one can keep after reading for later reference and makes for a good addition to one’s baseball book library. * The Inside Game: The Official Newsletter of SABR's Deadball Era Committee *
An excellent collection of short, interesting stories and anecdotes, often told In a new light and always entertaining. Recommended easy summer reading for baseball fans. * Ft.Myers & Southwest Florida *
One of the cool things about 50 Moments that Defined Major League Baseball is the number of perspectives you get. You don’t just read the story from the star’s perspective. You get a point of view from his teammates, his rivals and others who got to see it happen. There are great stories and quotes that emanate from Rocco’s inquiries to former major leaguers, who may not get asked these questions often, but have lots to share. -- Mark Simon, ESPN Stats & Information / ESPN.com
As a major league umpire I have had the privilege of being on the field for many great moments in our national past time. As I read Rocco Constantino’s book, I was reminded how rich the history of Major League Baseball is. Whether you are a baseball historian or a casual fan, I believe you will enjoy this collection of the great moments in baseball history. -- Ted Barrett, MLB Crew Chief, #65
Constantino has done a fine job of highlighting 50 stories about baseball, but the beauty of the book is that in reading those 50 you get a wonderful picture of the entire sport, its magnificent history, and why Americans love it so. -- Bruce Chadwick, baseball historian
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Foreword: Jeff Montgomery, MLB All-Star Introduction Chapter 1: Noteworthy Debuts, Pioneers, and Baseball Firsts Hank Aaron: Number 1 of 755 Ken Griffey Jr.: The Kid Debuts Derek Jeter and Joe Torre: The Start of a New Dynasty The First All-Star Game: The “Game of the Century” Pumpsie Green: Years Overdue, Integration in Boston Chapter 2: Magic Numbers Pete Rose: The 4,000-Hit Club Ted Williams: .406 the Hard Way Walter Johnson: Closing the 400 Club Roberto Clemente: Ending on 3,000 Lou Gehrig: 5,084 Days Chapter 3: Masterful on the Mound Sandy Koufax: The Dawn of the Phenom Dave Stieb: No More Close Calls Tom Seaver: The Franchise’s Best Fernando Valenzuela: Fernandomania Nolan Ryan: An Early Flash from the Express Chapter 4: Incredible Feats and Unbreakable Records Hippo Vaughn and Fred Toney: The “Double No-Hitter: Joe Sewell: Baseball’s Unbreakable Record Paul Molitor: Appreciating DiMaggio’s Streak Mariano Rivera: 1,000 Games in Pinstripes Greg Maddux: Prolonged Excellence on the Path to 350 Chapter 5: Tragedy, Trials, and Tribulations Ray Chapman: Tragedy in the Batter’s Box J. R. Richard: A Flamethrower Extinguished Thurman Munson and Bobby Murcer: Honoring the Captain Tony Conigliaro: A Boston Miracle, a Boston Tragedy Darryl Kile: A Tale of Two Legacies Chapter 6: Passing down Tradition and Influencing the Pros Chapter 7: The Immortals Murderers’ Row: A Pitcher’s Worst Nightmare Smoky Joe Wood: Robbed of Immortality Jackie Robinson: Gaining Acceptance as an All-Star Babe Ruth: Topping 50 Mickey Mantle: Changing the Game from Both Sides of the Plate Chapter 8: Baseball’s Weird, Wild, and Colorful Characters Bob Uecker: Mr. Baseball versus Juan Marichal Reggie Jackson and Billy Martin: Boiling over in Boston Mark Fidrych: “The Bird” Captivates the Sport Pascual Perez: Inciting a Riot George Brett: The Pine Tar Game Chapter 9: Historic Home Runs Hank Aaron: 715 with Class and Dignity Mike Schmidt: 500 for the Win Mel Ott: McGraw’s Boy Belts Number 511 Chapter 10: Hall of Famers’ Last Hurrahs Carl Yastrzemski: From Williams to Yaz Willie McCovey: Stretch’s Last Home Run Grover Cleveland Alexander: The Underrated Immortal Rogers Hornsby: A Last Display of Pure Power Chapter 11: The New Millennium The Montreal Expos: Expanding Baseball’s Borders Tim Lincecum: Topping Christy Mathewson Albert Pujols: A Pace Matched by No Other Roger Clemens: The Turncoat Rocket Chapter 12: Baseball Odds and Ends Pete Gray: A Winner Never Quits The 1988 Baltimore Orioles: Overcoming Futility Ron Santo: A Hall of Famer after All Pete Reiser: Last Rites Chapter 13: Extra Innings Bibliography Index About the Author
