This is a weird sort of baseball book that dives back into the 1947 World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees. It has all the usual players that are the big names like Jackie Robinson in his first World Series. However, the author deviates away from them and prefers the lesser-known players.
Kevin Cook tells us about how the Yankees prevailed in the series but it was due to six players that did not star in the league. He gives us a glimpse into some of the players and the two managers that never became household names in baseball.
Burt Shotton of the Dodgers manages against Bucky Harris of the Yankees. Both got to their jobs through an odd twist of fate. Former Dodgers skipper Leo Durocher was ousted for a year with a suspension that led to Shotton taking charge while Harris came back to managing from a lackluster previous performance.
The four players that played important roles in the series but were not stars of the game begins with journeyman pitcher Bill Bevens and his near no-hitter. Cookie Lavagetto of the Dodgers finds a way to break of the no-hitter and Snuffy Stirnweiss who won a batting title two years previous but during the time the best players were off the World War II.
Finally, the outfielder Al Gionfriddo and his catch of a fly ball from the bat of Joe DiMaggio which is part of baseball history due to Joe’s kicking the dirt reaction.
The book shows some research but also comes across as a slow-moving baseball book. Unless you are a solid fan of either team, the Yankees or Dodgers, it is likely this book doesn’t do anything for you.
