Acclaimed baseball writer and radio host George Castleÿrecreates the sport's most revolutionary decadeÿvia the memories of those who played, managed, and covered baseball from 1969 to 1979. Much of the style and feel of today's game has its origins in this most eventful decade in baseball history. During these ten years, baseball arose from a sport perceived as slow and old-fashioned (playing second-fiddle to the booming NFL) to become faster-paced, more inclusive, and progessive. In addition to a remarkable array of Hall of Famers and budding stars, the era saw numerous major changes.ÿRules wereÿtweakedÿto promote offense. Free agency, arbitration, the first players' strike, the designated hitter, the first African-American manager, the first all-black and Latin starting lineup, baseball's first $1 million annual salary, the rise of the closer and bullpen specialization, Tommy John surgery-the list of topics discussed in this book by baseball's participants of the 1970s goes on.
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Contributors include: A-List players and managersÿlike Fergie Jenkins, Billy Williams, Gaylord Perry, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Bruce Sutter, Brooks Robinson, Orlando Cepeda, Tom Seaver, Phil Niekro, Jim Rice, Jim Palmer, Bert Blyleven, Tommy John, Lou Piniella, Fred Lynn, Luis Tiant, Earl Weaver, and Sparky Anderson;ÿas well as "everyday" players;ÿcoaches; front-office staff; announcers; and sportswriters.
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Industry Reviews
"I pitched throughout the era, not knowing the ongoing history of the game as well as I should, but George Castle was on top of his game during that time. George knows baseball history as well as any journalist or author in today's game and will certainly bring this era to life in this book." -Ferguson Jenkins, Hall of Famer and 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner "I have read all of George Castle's books, and I can say without hesitation that he is one of those rare individuals who is extremely gifted both as a reporter and a writer. I have also seen George work the Cubs' clubhouse, and it is clear that he has a rapport with team personnel that no other reporter in Chicago can touch. They trust him and they respect him, which means they will also tell him things they will never dare tell anyone else." -Buzz Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights and Three Nights in August "I had the wonderful opportunity to play professional baseball over fifteen seasons, and of all the characters in this great game, no one stood out like George Castle. He has always shown to have the most knowledge of anyone when it comes to baseball history. I spent a full season with him on his radio show, Diamond Gems, and his wealth of information on baseball is mindboggling. For those who take the time to read this gem, be prepared to learn more than you ever have about the game." -Doug Glanville, former Phillies and Cubs outfielder and now a NYTimes.com baseball columnist "From uniforms to facial hair to Afros to strike zones, this decade saw it all. . . .If you're a baseball fan, and especially one who grew up idolizing the players of the '70s, this is a must read." -Chicago Examiner