www.HistoryOfTheYankees.com

Dr. Harvey Frommer received his Ph.D. from New York University. Professor Emeritus, Distinguished Professor nominee, and recipient of the "Salute to Scholars Award" at CUNY where he taught writing for many years, he was cited in the Congressional Record and by the New York State Legislature as a sports historian and journalist. The prolific Frommer was also selected by Major League Baseball to be an Expert Witness in 2006 in a case involving trademark infringement.

His many sports books include: Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball, New York City Baseball: 1947-1957, the New York Yankee Encyclopedia, and autobiographies of sports legends Nolan Ryan, Red Holzman and Tony Dorsett. The prolific Frommer is also the author of A Yankee Century, Red Sox vs Yankees: The Great Rivalry (with Frederic J. Frommer), and Five O'Clock Lightning: The 1927 Yankees. His REMEMBERING YANKEE STADIUM will be published in fall 2008 and his REMEMBERING FENWAY PARK is set for 2010 publication.

Along with his wife Myrna Katz Frommer, he also teaches in the MALS program at Dartmouth College the course Preserving the Past: Oral History in Theory and Practice. Harvey has also taught Sports Journalism in Theory and Practice at Dartmouth College.

The Frommers @ Dartmouth.edu - Myrna and Harvey are a wife and husband team who successfully bridge the worlds... more

Frommerluxurytravel-arts - They are travel writers who specialize in cultural history, dining, hotels and resorts, and Jewish history... More

Yankees Versus Red Sox makes for always interesting reading. In the interests of full disclosure that was the subject of what many call the definitive book on the subject "RED SOX VS YANKEES: THE GREAT RIVALRY written by yours truly and his son Frederic Frommer.

So it was with great interest that I read "The Greatest Game: The Yankees, the Red Sox and the Playoff of '78'" by Richard Bradley (Simon and Schuster, $25.00, 286 pages).

Even though the book is focused on one aspect of the "Rivalry," it does not disappoint. It is in fact riveting reading. Bradley interviewed so many to create this montage of wonderful memories. Even some of those who were actually on the field that fateful October 2, 1978,a warm day at Fenway when "Bucky hit the tin" are here telling the old stories with vivid recall: Bucky Dent, Fred Lynn, Lou Piniella, Goose Gossage, Carl Yastrzemski, et al.

"It's going to be Yaz, Goose Gossage thought. In the bottom on the ninth, it's going to be me against Yaz," that is how "The Greatest Game: The Yankees, the Red Sox and the Playoff of '78'" begins and it never lets up.

Still in a Yankee vein is "Rumor in Town" by Matt Dahlgren (Woodlyn Lane, California, $24.95, 300 pages). It is a grandson's paean and homage and keeping of a promise to his grandfather – former pinstriper Babe Dahlgren. Matt Dahlgren completed the book his grandfather who passed away in 1996 was working on. Rich in anecdote, filled with perceptions of players and long ago days of the national pastime, "Rumor in Town" is a winner.

"FAR FROM HOME" by Tim Wendell and Jose Luis Villegas (National Geographic, $28.00, 159 pages) is all about as its sub-title proclaims "Latino Baseball Players Chasing the American Dream." Fusing excellent narrative, interviews with top name former players like Orlando Cepeda, Minnie Minoso, Luis Tiant, Sammy Sosa and 100 full color and black and white photos – the book begins in 1878 when Cuba was the host to the first league in Caribbean.

In the same vein from the University of Illinois comes "Viva Baseball" by Samuel O. Regaldo (paper) all about Latin major leaguers and their special hunger in the words of the sub-title. The book does not shy away from controversy, from racism directed against Latino players even today.

For those into the history of the national pastime expounded by an expert "Baseball: A History of America's Game" third edition by Benjamin G. Rader (University of Illinois Press, paper) is the book for you.

"The Smart Girl's Guide to Sports" by Liz Hartman Musiker (Plume, $15.00, 332 pages) is as its sub-title cleverly declares "an essential handbook for women who don't know a slam dunk from a grand slam." Recommended.

MOST NOTABLE: "Netherland" by Joseph O' Neill (Pantheon, $23.95, 256 pages) is not exactly a sports book but a brilliant and lyrical and inventive novel set against the backdrop of post 9/11 New York City and the game of cricket. It is a joy to read and just a perfect treat for hazy and humid summer days evoking a time and a place so expertly.

WORTH OWNING: The 2008 Hank Greenberg 75th Anniversary Edition of Jewish Major Leaguers Baseball Cards. Contact info: JML,104 Greenlawn Avenue Newton, MA 02459, 617-969-6244, Martin_Abramowitz@yahoo.com

Harvey Frommer, now in his 33rd consecutive year of writing sports books, is the author of 39 of them including the classics: "New York City Baseball,1947-1957" and "Red Sox Vs Yankee: The Great Rivalry." Frommer's REMEMBERING YANKEE STADIUM (Abrams, Stewart, Tabori and Chang) an oral/narrative history will be published in September as well as a reprint version of his SHOELESS JOE AND RAGTIME BASEBALL.

Frommer sports books are available direct from the author - discounted and autographed.

FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and appears on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.

"BOOK TOUR" for REMEMBERING YANKEE STADIUM (as of July 11) *****************************************************************************

September 3 Wednesday/talk/signing 7:30 PM Barnes & Noble, 396 Ave. Americas NY (8th St.) (212) 674-8780

September 5th, 7pm Friday Book Revue 313 New York Avenue Huntington, NY 11743 Ph. 631-271-1442

Sept. 20, 2008 / 7 p.m. Northshire Bookstore 4869 Main Street Manchester Center, VT 05255 802-362-3565

September 26 afternoon Fall for the Book Festival George Mason University Fairfax, VA 22030 Phone: (703) 993-3986 FftB@gmu.edu www.fallforthebook.org

October 11th. Dartmouth Bookstore, Hanover, NH (afternoon) bksdartmouth@bncollege.com

November 1 Saturday 11:30 AM Books & Greetings 271 Livingston St., Northvale,NJ 201-784-2665

BABE RUTH, LOU GEHRIG AND THE 1927 NEW YORK YANKEES, THE GREATEST BASEBALL TEAM EVER.

Comfortable among the high and mighty or the ordinary, friendly with the press, moving around all over without body guards, Babe Ruth basked in his superstar status in spring training. Getting a close shave in the downtown barber shop, telling a few jokes each morning, visiting hospitals and cheering up the sick especially children, patiently signing autographs at the dog track, posing for photos, followed by fans on the St. Petersburg streets, wending his way from bar to bar, boating and fishing for migrating king mackerel or chasing grouper in the Gulf of Mexico, prevailing upon a hotel cook to prepare the fish for supper, the Babe was having the time of his life. A Yankee bridge game began in spring training. And the Babe plunged himself into that, too. The extroverted Ruth and the shy Gehrig were pitted against Mike Gazella and Don Miller, a young hurler from the University of Michigan.

The Yankees were quartered at the Beaux Arts style Princess Martha Hotel, built in 1923. Babe Ruth was supposed to be registered there, too. But no one really saw much of him. The word was that he had meals in his rooms, leaving when he wanted to from a side door in the hotel.

Rising early before baseball practice, he would play golf at the two-year-old Renaissance Vinoy Resort and Golf Club in downtown St. Petersburg. Catcher Benny Bengough, pitchers Waite Hoyt and Bob Shawkey were also good golfers and would play there, too. Ruth could drive the ball further than many pros and had scores in the mid-70s. However, the short game was not his forte. A lousy putter, the Babe would disgustedly toss his club when he hit the ball too hard causing it to roll past the cup.

Much was made of the time a man came around that spring of 1927 and said he was the uncle of Johnny Sylvester. He made a big deal about telling all about how well Johnny Sylvester was doing. The Bam graciously made a big deal out of sending regards.

But moments after the uncle departed, Ruth bellowed: "Who the hell is Johnny Sylvester?"

Johnny Sylvester had been the subject of much newspaper attention. He was a sick kid who the Yankee slugger had promised to hit a home run for during the 1926 World Series.

Babe Ruth just could not remember names, not even the names of teammates. Most people were called “kid,” by the Babe. Others had variations like “sister” for young women and “mom” and “pop” for those with seniority.

Others got nick-names, some logical, others totally illogical. The Babe called Waite Hoyt “Walter” and no one could explain why. Pitcher Urban Shocker was dubbed “Rubber Belly” and no one not even the Babe could explain why. Those who did claimed it had something to do with the flabbiness of Shocker’s mid section, but they wouldn’t swear to it. Catcher Benny Bengough, who coined the name “Jidge” (German for “George” ) for Ruth, was called “Googles," a kind of affectionate corruption of part of his surname. Catcher Pat Collins was “Horse Nose,” a derogatory reference to his most prominent facial feature. Railroad station redcaps were “Stinkweed.”

Beer baron Jake Ruppert could remember names but never addressed anyone by a first name. The Yankee owner was characterized in Ed Barrow's memoirs as an "imperious" man, one who "in all the years I knew him, always calling me ‘Barrows,’ adding an 's' where none belonged.

Ruppert “was a fastidious dresser," Barrow remembered, "who had his shoes made to order, changed his clothes several times a day, and had a valet."

Arriving in style with his secretary Al Brennan for spring training in St. Petersburg in his own private railroad car, it was said that the honorary Colonel savored the comforts of his own drawing room and sleeping in a silk brocade nightshirt. Ruppert was particularly interested in and impressed with the man he had sunk all that money into.

“Ruth looks great,” he announced. “Watch that boy. In fact, he may set another home run record. The team as a whole is in fine shape, shows real fighting spirit and looks like a winner, although I admit I'm not much of a prophet."

Harvey Frommer is his 33rd consecutive year of writing sports books. The author of 39 of them including the classics: "New York City Baseball,1947-1957" and "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball," his REMEMBERING YANKEE STADIUM: AN ORAL AND NARRATIVE HISTORY OF THE HOUSE THAT RUTH BUILT (Abrams/ Stewart, Tabori and Chang) will be published in 2008 as well as a reprint version of his "Shoeless Joe and Ragtime Baseball.".

Frommer sports books are available direct from the author - discounted and autographed.

FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in excess of two million and appears on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.

Remembering Bobby Murcer

Bobby Murcer became a Yankee just after the glory times of the franchise, 1949-64, and I followed his baseball exploits along with millions of others. There was always a pleasing presence about the man.

It was a stunner when he was traded on October 21, 1974 to the San Francisco Giants for Bobby Bonds, Barry’s dad. That was where I entered the story.

The summer of 1975 I was traveling about with the Philadelphia Phillies (The Mets had informed the League Office that they could not host me) writing my first book - A Baseball Century: the First Hundred Years of the National league.

It was a very interesting experience going from city to city and interviewing players, managers, coaches, owners. I used a big boom box tape recorder and an even bigger briefcase to store my tapes, credentials, media guide and notes. I truly was a “beginning author.”

I arrived at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park and interviewed the long-time owner of the Giants Horace Stoneham and his long-time publicist Garry Schumacher and other Giants.

Then I came upon Bobby Murcer. He was not a part of the National League story, not a part of the subject matter of the book I was writing and was so honed in on.

But I decided to talk to him anyway and get some of his thoughts. Affable, smiling, a bit out of uniform in the garb of the Giants, Murcer was a pleasure to be with.

I thanked him for his time and continued on in my relentless pace interviewing in the locker room and on the field. I must have stopped for a snack or something and came back to where I thought I had put my tape recorder and tapes.

They were not around. Weeks of work not around. I started to panic. I asked everyone no one had seen them. I re-traced my interview steps no luck.
I was out on the windy Candlestick Park field and spied Bobby Murcer and explained my plight. He said something about never letting things important to you out of your sight. He suggested we go back into the dressing room to look.

He reached up and into his locker. “Here they are,” he smiled “Someone must have put them there,” he continued in that distinctive Oklahoma drawl. “Let me autograph a baseball for you to make your day a little better.”

I always suspected that Bobby Murcer was the “someone.” He was always the practical joker. I’ll never forgot that day and that moment of panic and the lesson Bobby Murcer taught me.

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Harvey Frommer, now in his 33rd consecutive year of writing sports books, is the author of 39 of them including the classics: “New York City Baseball,1947-1957″ and “Red Sox Vs Yankee: The Great Rivalry.” Frommer’s REMEMBERING YANKEE STADIUM (Abrams, Stewart, Tabori and Chang) an oral/narrative history will be published in September as well as a reprint version of his SHOELESS JOE AND RAGTIME BASEBALL.
Frommer sports books are available direct from the author - discounted and autographed.

FROMMER SPORTSNET (syndicated) reaches a readership in the millions and appears on Internet search engines for extended periods of time.