Stout and Johnson, who teamed to write Red Sox Century
and Yankees Century
, now examine one of baseball's oldest professional teams, the Dodgers, who have enjoyed a long and colorful history on both American coasts. Before the team signed Jackie Robinson, the first African-American player in the majors, the players were a collection of eccentrics, known more for their failures than their successes. But as the authors take recount the team's history in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, readers learn how the Dodgers became the "Boys of Summer," the antidote to the predictable Yankees (who always seemed to win). They enjoyed a fanatically loyal fan base that was eternally optimistic. This book, which has a family album feel, employs Stout's lively writing and Johnson's exciting, rarely seen images to walk readers down a memory lane peopled with some of the most famous names in the game: Robinson, Koufax, Reese, Snider, Campanella and Drysdale. Essays by noted sportswriters (including Dave Anderson and Jane Leavy) appear intermittently throughout the book's chronological order, giving readers insight into such memorable moments as Sandy Koufax's four no-hitters and Kirk Gibson's improbable home run against the Oakland Athletics in 1988. And number-crunchers will thrill at the numerous tables noting Dodger leaders and award winners. B&w photos. (Sept. 17)
Forecast:
Tie-ins to the Dodgers' 120th anniversary will bump sales.
