Dickson, author of the dickson baseball dictionary, the hidden language of baseball, the joy of keeping score, and many other books on history, language, and sports, follows his casey awardwinning biography of bill veeck with a look at the long and colorful life of the threetime allstar shortstop, leo durocher 19051991. Durocher was 20 years old when he broke into the big leagues on october 2, 1925, with the new york yankees. The national baseball hall of fame almanac baseball america, 560 pp. The subject of this book, he asserts, is nothing less than the sports alltime leading character. If you are aware of any other unusual, less known, not as publicized baseball awards won by leo durocher please contact us with details. Leaving cardinals became good break for leo durocher. Leo durocher coined one of the most famous terms used in every major sport around the world, even to this day nice guys finish last. Dicksons biography of leo durocher captures the bright sunshine and optimism of baseball but also its dark side, which is revealed through a man with an inferiority complex and a gambling problem. Jun 26, 2017 before he arrived in chicago, leo durocher was already a baseball legend, an outsized caricature who dominated every scene by sheer force of personality. Bold entries stand for active players which are defined as those who played in at least one major league game during the most recently completed. Baseball almanac is pleased to present the first and most comprehensive allstar player index. Baseball s prodigal son captures his controversial spirit. Baseballs greatest maverick, the first full biography of leo durocher, one of the most colorful. Harvey frommers the ultimate yankee book is the perfect compilation of everything a yankee fan wants to have at his or her elbow.
Using primary sources and interviews with those who knew him, dickson. Leo durocher is an outsized figure in baseball history. His biographical data, yearbyyear hitting stats, fielding stats, pitching stats where applicable, career totals, uniform numbers, salary data and miscellaneous itemsofinterest are presented by baseball almanac on this comprehensive leo durocher baseball stats page. The 1963 world series matched the twotime defending champion new york yankees against. Mar 29, 2017 10 baseball books to usher in the 2017 season. On a sultry august afternoon in 1950, from our perch in the polo. Mar 17, 2017 leo the lip was a brawler, a womanizer, a vicious prankster, an umpire baiter, a compulsive gamblerand a hall of famer. Baseball almanac is pleased to present the top onethousand alltime career leaders in major league atbats. Leo ernest durocher french spelling leo ernest durocher d. Complete source for baseball history including complete major league player, team, and league stats, awards, records, leaders, rookies and scores. Get the best deals on leo durocher original autographed baseball mlb balls when you shop the largest online selection at. Joe mccarthy in the gigantic book of baseball quotations wayne stewart, skyhorse publishing.
Manager of the year award by the sporting news baseball almanac. Harvey frommer, the celebrated baseball historian and author of eight books about the yankees, including the new york yankee encyclopedia and remembering yankee stadium, has. No doubt, leo durocher was a talented baseball player, coach, and manager. On april 8, 1965, just in time for a new season of major league baseball, the munsters aired one of its most famed episodes, titled herman the rookie. Leo durocher, larraine day and a turbulent time baseball. July 27, 1905 october 7, 1991, nicknamed leo the lip and lippy, was an american professional baseball player, manager and coach. An indepth study of a complicated man, dicksons biography is the most comprehensive volume ever written about durocher, perhaps the most controversial manager in the history of the game. In honor of the teams 2020 world series title, i wanted to share osteens insights one more time. If you are the type of fan who truly enjoys intelligent debate and thinks you can teach others why leo durocher did or did not deserve the sporting news manager of the year award in 1939, join us on baseball. Leo durocher is one of the more controversial figures in baseball history. Leo durocher perezsteele hall of fame great moments limited edition. Trivia, facts and stats, oral history, marker moments and legendary personalities a history and reference book about baseball s greatest franchise by harvey frommer 2017, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. In her book, native american son, the life and sporting legend of jim thorpe. Over a managerial career of more than three decades he oversaw five teams, the brooklyn dodgers, new york giants, chicago cubs, and.
Burbank, ca 91502 television archivist dan einstein will introduce three programs from the extensive holdings of the ucla film and television archive. That famed team included many outsized personalities, including executives larry macphail and branch rickey, manager leo durocher, and players like jackie. Shop comcs extensive selection of baseball cards matching. Durocher was a lighthitting, skilled infielder for the new york yankees and other teams before achieving national renown as the unorthodox, flamboyant manager of a succession of major league baseball. Mar 09, 2017 leo durocher, hall of fame baseball manager and enfant terrible, is hardly the only leader of men machiavelli and yogi berra come to mind whose words have outlived their triumphs or failures. Baseball s prodigal son bloomsbury usa by paul dickson takes a look back at the pennant winning manager of the dodgers and giants as well as mid20th century celebrity.
Nor, for that matter, is he the only one see the aforementioned individuals who never actually uttered the line for which hes best known. This book was published in 1993, and even though author gerald eskenazi raises some of the negatives about leo durocher, the book still takes a very lighthearted view of his philandering, gambling, cheating, petulance, violence, etc. This leo durocher baseball card checklist includes every known baseball card that leo durocher has appeared on, in chronological order. Jocko conlan society for american baseball research. Known as one of baseball s fieriest personalities who would do anything to win, leo durocher did just that. Their relationship deteriorated so badly frisch issued an ultimatum to cardinals executive branch rickey. Nov 22, 2020 in 2010, longtime dodgers pitcher claude osteen sent me a stunning response to my letter. Quotes from leo durocher as long as ive got a chance to beat you im going to take it.
A sporting news book once wrote of conlan, he was a master psychologist in the. Leo durocher baseball hall of fame plaque postcard. But it was durocher s banter with umpires, executives and players that earned him his eternal. Im a firm believer that a player in any era could find a way to play in any era. May 18, 2017 such was leo durocher s first response to the news on april 9, 1947, that commissioner albert happy chandler had suspended him from baseball for the 1947 season. Leo durochers giants celebrate winning the 1951 pennant. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands affordable prices. Leo durocher was born on thursday, july 27, 1905, in west springfield, massachusetts. Dicksons book tries to cover a lot of ground in just about 300 pages. How america drank when it wasnt supposed to be, 2015, etc. I would recommend it to anyone remotely interested in baseball and a microscopic view of one of americas most controversial personalities. Between playing and managing, he lived in the eras of babe ruth and ty cobb up through willie mays, mickey mantle, and ernie banks. The baseball field was just another stage for durocher to perform on.
This is a very thorough, eventempered look at leo durocher s entire life, birth to death, and gives equal time to almost every phase of his baseball career, from player yankees, reds, cardinals, dodgers, to manager dodgers, giants, and cubs, fastforwarding only a bit. Over 24 years as a skipper for the brooklyn dodgers, new york giants, chicago cubs and houston astros, durocher won 2,008 total games, three pennants and a world series. Leo durocher society for american baseball research. Most of the emphasis is on durocher s turbulent offfield life. Leo durocher by paul dickson 2017, hardcover for sale. He played in major league baseball as an infielder. In july 1942, dodger manager leo durocher charged that there was a grapevine understanding keeping blacks out of baseball. Dec 29, 2018 leo durocher debuted on 1021925 and was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1994 by the veterans. Baseball s prodigal son, author paul dickson offers an audacious proposition. Richard lapchick, the primary author of the 2017 major l. Apr 03, 2017 leo durocher print by james srodes monday, april 3, 2017. Clad in street clothes, durocher is seen supervising a tryout by herman munster, the patriarch of the munster clan. Someone like durocher wouldnt even last at most high schools in the u. Durocher, leo national baseball hall of fame online store.
Leo durocher career batting statistics for major league, minor league, and postseason baseball. The book baseball hall of shame 2 places the blame squarely and perhaps unfairly at the feet of one man, stating, in the heat of battle, leo durocher, field. The leo durocher allstar stats seen below include his allstar yearbyyear hitting stats, allstar fielding stats, and allstar pitching stats where applicable. Exceeded rookie limits during 1928 season full name. But durocher seemed blessed with that innate self awareness that allowed him to do wrong and still wind up on his feet.
Durocher had been out of baseball for five years and claimed that he had. Then, having challenged himself with an outlandish and bold statement, dickson backs it up with a compelling and. Dicksons biography of leo durocher captures the bright sunshine and optimism of baseballs spring training by focusing upon a man who loved the game, but the dark side of the sport is revealed through a man with an inferiority complex and a gambling problem who antagonized many in the nation of baseball by his desire to win at any cost. Its an excellent book and the chapters focusing on durochers. An easy to use alphabetized list of players whose last name begins with the letter d is listed below along with every midsummer classic they were named too. Nice guys finish last leo durocher, 06091975 buy a steak for a player on another club after the game, but dont even speak to him on the field. Reviewed in the united states on december 10, 2017. What a difference 20 years of perspective and social change can make.
Baseball s prodigal son, the latest effort from prolific author paul dickson. He became interested in leo durocher while preparing undergraduate ethics courses. If there werent any rules, how could you break them. A baseball player encyclopedia doyne to dyler baseball almanac is pleased to present a comprehensive list of every major league player whose last name falls between the names above. Leo durocher allstar stats the leo durocher allstar stats seen below include his allstar yearbyyear hitting stats, allstar fielding stats, and allstar pitching stats where applicable. His was a letter filled with the insights of a winner. Paul dickson, author of the dickson baseball dictionary and leo durocher. View leo durocher s page at the baseball hall of fame plaque, photos, videos. A bold faced entry denotes that the player was active during the previous major league season. Leaving cardinals became good break for leo durocher retrosimba.
Did you know that leo durocher was often referred to as scrappy and his allout attitude earned him the nickname the all american out leo the lip durocher was elected to the national baseball hall of fame in 1994 and is one of the only managers. Leo durocher was more than a baseball player and manager, he was a gradea personality, always colorful, controversial, and unabashedly abrasive. He is the prototype for the angry, dirtkicking umpire. Oct 24, 2017 harvey frommers the ultimate yankee book is the perfect compilation of everything a yankee fan wants to have at his or her elbowmilestones, quotations, personalities, quizzes and more. Reese replaced dodgers hall of fame shortstop leo durocher when he was sent. Kenesaw mountain landis wikipedia in 1957, nbc started airing weekend game of the week telecasts sunday telecasts were added in 1959 with lindsey nelson and leo durocher calling the action. A 1954 episode of the jack benny program titled the giant mutiny, a. Its probably the only baseball book with greta garbo, judy garland, spencer tracy and mr. In the 1986 novel replay by ken grimwood, the protagonist bets his life savings on a. The perfect gift for the diehard fan, an enviable treasure for yourself, the ultimate yankee book is the most current and comprehensive source of trivia, people and stories from the teams creation in 1901 to today. One of the more highly anticipated baseball books of 2017 is leo durocher. Leo durocher in hollywood thursday, april 27, 2017 7.
Apr 09, 2017 steven peterson rated it really liked it this is a very fine biography of one of baseballs prodigal sons, leo the lip durocher. A baseball card checklist for leo durocher that includes every baseball card in our baseball card database. Included on the chart are links to the players biography, the years he played, an auto graphed baseball card notation yyes and a hof hall of fame mark yyes. His baseball career had started with the yankees of the late 1920s where as a hustling, undertalented shortstop, he famously had trouble getting along with babe ruth, who called him the.
There are impressive volumes about casey stengel, hank greenberg, lefty odoul, leo durocher, lou. Melvin thomas ott march 2, 1909 november 21, 1958, nicknamed master melvin, was an american professional baseball right fielder, who played in major league baseball mlb for the new york giants, from 1926 through 1947 he batted lefthanded and. The best 50 baseball related books from the year 2017 sports. Pitcher claude osteen overwhelmed me with his reply. Baseball back in the 40s and 50s was an exciting era and leo durocher, as this book shows, was a big part of it. According to the baseball almanac, 43 mlb players were born in ireland. Oct 06, 2017 leo durocher, combative shortstop of the cardinals gashouse gang teams of the mid1930s, fell out of favor with manager frankie frisch. New york baseball legends casey stengel, leo durocher.
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