11/29/2021
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.)
Peter Golenbock, author of several books that are oral histories for teams, including the Dodgers, Mets and Orioles, has a new book out called Whispers of the Gods which is one of the few book titles that requires you to take a breath while saying it. In the book, Golenbock has transcribed some of his best interviews over the years, and the result is fascinating. Among them is Roy Campanella, who tells some fascinating stories of his days with the Dodgers. Most of the subjects in the book have died, so you get a feeling of reaching beyond the start to hear these men speak. It is well worth your time if you are a baseball fan and would make a great gift for the fan in your life.
Peter Golenbock’s new book Whispers of the Gods compiles a wide assortment of these memories as dictated by the men who were there. Players remembering their time on the field during the tumultuous and triumphant stretch from the 1940s to the ‘60s — acknowledged by many to be the titular Golden Age of the sport.... Oral histories like “Whispers of the Gods” are engaging reads for those of us who seek to connect our fandom of the now with the deeds of the past. Baseball history is a long and tangled thread — sometimes frayed, sometimes knotted, but never broken. One can draw a line from the earliest days of professional baseball to today – something that can be said about relatively few institutions.
Peter Golenbock’s Whispers of the Gods is a jewel of a book, with insights from ballplayers of that era that can’t be found anywhere else. Fans of all ages will learn so much about baseball in the 1950s and ’60s. Hopefully, they will want to further explore “Baseball’s Golden Age.”
Whispers of the Gods brings baseball history to life through fascinating stories told straight from the baseball greats of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.
Think you know these players? Think again. Golenbock, mostly through the words of those being interviewed, reveals facets of their personalities, encounters behind the scenes, and character strengths and flaws that may not have been apparent on the field.
The master of the baseball oral history, Peter Golenbock meanders through the stories of Baby Boom fans’ on-field heartthrobs. Some, like Stan Musial, are generational giants, hobnobbing with Kennedys and kings. Others, like Tom Sturdivant, had a moment or two of glory, then were shot-and-beer types. Whispers of the Gods is for anyone who tried to get a far-away game through the audio haze of KMOX or WHO, for whom WAR and ERA-PLUS were never as important as who wagged his bat at the plate or gave away his pick-off move with a glove-tap on his thigh.
Peter Golenbock’s nostalgic Whispers of the Gods swings for the fences, relating the real stories behind the legends of baseball’s golden age. A home run for baseball fans, this oral history tells the tales of greats like Ted Williams, Ron Santo, Roger Maris, and Stan “The Man” Musial, who remained enshrined in the pantheon of immortals long after the last out was called and the bleachers emptied out. These firsthand accounts bring to life dugouts and locker rooms, sharing the perspectives of some of the greatest to ever grace the ballfield. Dramatic historical photographs add to the book’s sentimental appeal, reviving an earlier era. Whispers of the Gods knocks it out of the park for anyone interested in compelling anecdotes from baseball’s Hall of Famers.
[Golenbock has] mined the tapes he made for a series of team histories and produced a marvelous book that would make a perfect Father’s Day gift for older dads who grew up with great stars like Stan Musial, Ted Williams, Marty Marion and Monte Irvin and lesser lights like Kirby Higbe and Rex Barney. In the book the players seem to be talking among themselves and they emerge as appealing human beings, not stereotypical jocks.
The heartfelt and honest remembrances of Phil Rizzuto’s years with the Yankees and Ron Santo’s years with the Cubs are more than worth the price of this book, Whispers of the Gods, by Peter Golenbock.
[O]ne of the beautiful things about Whispers of the Gods is that it is a collection of oral histories that can be digested in any form and does not rely on a continuous reading.... Overall, Whispers of the Gods is a good read and a great book for anyone interested in baseball history.
Whispers of the Gods is another fine addition to a baseball historian’s shelf. That goes for the casual fan, too.
The Sports Bookie: A sports blog by Bob D’Angelo
A truly wonderful book! Inside info, blasts from the past, great stories. A MUST read for even the most casual baseball fans.
★ 01/01/2022
The so-called "golden age" of American baseball (1940s-60s) produced some of the greatest players of all time. It has seen the likes of the legendary Ted Williams, Roger Maris, Stan Musial, Ron Santo, and Roy Campanella. Sportswriter Golenbock's (The Bronx Zoo ) book is an oral history of some of the most fascinating players of that era. These extraordinary interviews read casually but are by no means are casual—they are so much more. They tell a great account of what baseball was during this era and give readers an intimate look at the players' personal and professional lives. Together, the interviews paint a vivid picture that is hard to recreate and is real a treasure to behold. Told from the players' perspectives, this well-written history is outstanding from the first page to the last. It includes archival photographs of players like Babe Ruth and Marty Marion, which complement their colorful stories both on and off the mound. VERDICT Anyone who has love for the game of baseball will enjoy this remarkable book. A must-read for all baseball fans, casuals and diehards alike.—Gus Palas
