cover image Chasing October

Chasing October

David Plaut. Diamond Communications, $22.95 (248pp) ISBN 978-0-912083-69-8

The rivalry between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers was already legendary when both teams moved to the West Coast in 1958, the former to San Francisco, the latter to Los Angeles. But there the teams fitted perfectly into the rivalry between California's two largest cities, and their competition became even greater. In 1962, the two fought all season for the National League pennant, and Plaut ( Start Collecting Baseball Cards ) believes this fact has special significance. Maybe. But what is clear is that it was an exciting race that ended in a tie and was not decided until the ninth inning of the third playoff game, when the Giants secured the pennant. Plaut expertly builds the suspense and sensitively handles the interplay of personalities, having played a role on both squads. Still, it seems doubtful that fans outside California will be swept up by the book. Photos not seen by PW. (June)