Ron Santo: For Love of Ivy

by Ron Santo

Overview

Ron Santo has a remarkable story to tell, from the trauma of a serious illness to his fame as one of the greatest third basemen in the history of baseball.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780929387925
Publisher:	Taylor Trade Publishing
Publication date:	01/07/2004
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.34(w) x 9.32(h) x 0.86(d)

Editorial Reviews

Santo, an outstanding third baseman, played for 15 years with the Chicago Cubs and one season with the White Sox. When he signed his first baseball contract, he learned that he had diabetes, he recalls, but the disease caused no problems with his athletic career. Writing with Chicago radio sports talk-show host Minkoff, he discusses, with great fondness, his celebrated teammates Ernie Banks and Billy Williams and, with modesty, his new broadcasting job. However, Santo's contention that the 1969 Cubs, who lost the pennant to the Mets in the last few weeks of the season, were the best Cubs team of the modern era is arguable. Photos not seen by PW. (May)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Each spring season presents readers and librarians with large numbers of baseball books, some good, many not so good. Unfortunately, this biography of a former Chicago Cubs player falls in the latter category. It is not that the writing is poor, but rather that Santo's story is typical: the rise of a young baseball star; the reasonably successful major league career (Santo was a minor star); and retirement in business and broadcasting. The only hook to the story is the fact that Santo is a diabetic. However, he discusses how he hid his illness more than how he overcame it, so the inspirational aspect is lost. Putting Santo's career in perspective is difficult. The fact remains that he was the second or third most important player on a team that never won a championship--hardly the stuff legends are made of. This is a pedestrian biography that will appeal only to the most dedicated Chicago Cubs fans.-- William O. Scheeren, Hempfield Area H.S. Lib., Greensburg, Pa.

Library Journal