Whispers of the Gods: Tales from Baseball’s Golden Age, Told by the Men Who Played It

Sportswriter Golenbock (Dynasty) delivers a fascinating oral history of Major League Baseball in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s, as witnessed by legendary players. Drawing on intimate interviews with stars such as Stan Musial—and others whom, like Roger Maris, spoke about their experiences for the first time—Golenbock pieces together an on-the-field look into historic developments that unfolded over those three decades. Jackie Robinson’s breaking of the color barrier in 1947 is related from the vantage point of former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Rex Barney, who speaks of the outrage the Black infielder faced by both teammates and opponents (“A lot of players on other teams wanted to strike”). The late Boston Red Sox player Ted Williams offers a maverick take on Shoeless Joe Jackson’s role in the Black Sox scandal, arguing that Jackson’s part in throwing the 1919 World Series wasn’t so simple, and that his achievements still warrant an inclusion in the Hall of Fame. Equally engrossing are the rags-to-riches tales of such players as late Hall of Famer Roy Campanella, who rose from his impoverished childhood to become “one of the greatest catchers in the history of the game.” Sports fans will be captivated. (Feb.)