Before I read Hamerin’ Hank, George Almighty & The Say Hey Kid by John Rosengren most of what I ever thought about the 1973 baseball season revolved around the 1973 Ya Gotta Believe Mets. But after reading this terrific book I had many “of course” moments.Of course that was the year that the Bronx Robber Baron took over the helm of the Highlanders who were very down and very much out at the time.
Of course that was the year the American League in a move of desperation enacted the use of a designated hitter to bat for the pitcher as attendance was on a steady decline and lagging behind the National League. The Lords of Baseball being the narrow minded nit wits they were and still are couldn’t figure out that the reason the NL was more popular than the AL was the rise of Black and Latin players in the Senior Circuit. They brought speed and power to the game that was never before seen, so instead of pushing more integration baseball decided to make the worst rule changes in history and add the DH.
Of course, it was the year that Hank Aaron continued his quest to take over as baseballs all time home run leader to the dismay of the bigots and racist who made their hatred known with death threats and despicable letters sent to Aaron. To this day the hurt that Aaron felt thirty five years still sting.
Of course it was the year that Willie Mays came back to NYC as he was traded to the Mets a move pushed by Mets owner Joan W Payson, a Giants minority owner and the lone vote of that group to vote against the move to California.
All of these subjects and profiles of Charles O. Finley, the one owner who scared Marvin Miller, and his Mustache Gang the Oakland A’s, whose colorful uniforms, white cleats and facial hair made Finley an outlaw among his fellow owners.
Rosengren captures the year especially the plight of Aaron and his pursuit of the most hallowed record in sports and how he could not really enjoy the ride due to the hate that was pointed his way.
If you didn’t live through the 70’s this book is your required history lesson and for those of us who did experience that era it’s a look back to the good and bad of the times.
UPDATE: I’M AN IDIOT. I LEFT OFF THE LINK TO PURCHASE THE BOOK.
here is the amazon.com link
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This post was written by kranepool on April 8, 2008
I’ll buy it online and have it delivered to my parents’ house and collect it this summer. Sounds great.
I’m excited to hear about this book. I saw Hammerin’ Hank hit two home runs against ex-Brave George Stone one Sunday afternoon at Shea that summer. I scored the game and still have the program. I hope there is a reference to the game in the book. I was a sixth grader that year and I was becoming aware of life outside me that year. Great year.