Diz: 2the Story of Dizzy Dean and Baseball During the Great Depression

THIS IS THE STORY OF ONE OF THE GREATEST PITCHERS AND MOST COLORFUL CHARACTERS TO EVER PUT ON A UNIFORM. DIZZY DEAN WAS A SIMPLE COUNTRY BOY WHO MADE GREAT HEADLINES WITH HIS MOUTH AND HIS GREAT PITCHING ARM. DIZ WAS VERY COCKY, BRASH, AND OUTSPOKEN ABOUT HIMSELF AND HIS BROTHER PAUL'S ABILITIES. A VERY COLORFUL AND HUMOROUS CHARACTER. AFTER HIS CAREER ENDED WAY BEFORE IT SHOULD HAVE, DIZ BECAME A VERY POPULAR BROADCASTER WHO LET HIS NATURAL, COUNTRY, HUMOROUS STYLE BECOME HIS TRADEMARK AS ONE OF GREATS ON TV AND RADIO. A VERY INTERESTING BOOK ABOUT BOTH DIZ AND BASEBALL IN GENERAL DURING THE DEPRESSION. VERY RECOMMENDED.

I knew Dizzy Dean as a radio announcer and nothing about him as a player. This book had me glued to it from the first page. Not only does it provide a very well researched picture of Diz and the times in which he played, but clear and concise portraits of other stars as well. I'd say that if you were able to read the passages reliving legendary ball games and not get excited, it would be a good indication that you are dead.One player that is mentioned several times is someone I'd never heard of but his exploits as presented in the book were so prodigious that I wondered how renown could have escaped him. Then I caught an episode of Ken Burn's "Baseball." Dizzy was featured in a segment and the narrator left Dean and began talking about this guy I'd been reading about, Carl Hubbell. He said if his life depended on a pitcher's performance, he would feel safer with Carl Hubbell pitching than with any other pitcher before or since. And hey, I knew who he was talking about. If you like baseball but miss the loyalty that teams and fans alike experienced in the old days, or are just interested in knowing more about the history of the sport, I don't know how you could wrong getting this book.

When America was in the midst of economic and social melancholy, a young Arkansas farmboy came on the baseball scene to become not only the dominant pitcher of his day, but a constant source of entertainment. Everyone wanted to know what "Dizzy" was up to, whether he had made good on his promise to shut out the opposition or got on the wrong train again. Jerome Herman Dean signed his first professional contract with the Houston farm club of the St. Louis Cardinals for $300 a month. When he met Branch Rickey, the Cards' parsimonious general manager, "Dizzy" boasted "I'm the fella that's gonna win you a lotta ballgames" and strongly suggested moving him right up to the Cardinals. He would yell out of cab windows, "I'm the Great Dean, want me to sign something for you?" Dizzy was called up after winning eight of ten decisions at Houston and soon won his first major league start handily. Flushed from this rave performance, he went to Rickey and demanded his salary be doubled for 1931. Dean made the big club for good in 1932 and won his first starting assignment. Dizzy could look back on his first full major league season with pride. Despite his strong efforts (he was named to the all-rookie team for his 18-15 record), the Cardinals failed to win the pennant that year. One day he told Bill Terry, the Giant's manager and first-baseman, that he had promised to strike him out for some kids in a hospital. He made good on his vow and told reporters after the game"It ain't braggin' if you can do it." The shadow of the Depression continued to spread over the nation. Sixteen million people were out of work. President Roosevelt praised baseball for doing "as much as anything to keep up the spirits of the people." Nevertheless, major league teams made cuts totalling $800,000. Even Babe Ruth took a $23,000 pay cut. Rickey, the majors' highest paid executive, maintained his $40,000 salary. In 1933, Dean won 20 games but lost 18. He was among the league leaders in several categories, yet his team finished in fifth place and drew slightly more than 255,000 fans, its worst showing since 1919. After Dean's brother Paul, a fine pitcher in his own right, joined the Cardinals, Dizzy proclaimed that they would win 45 games. They exceeded that total by four games, with the elder Dean becoming the last National League to win 30 games. The brothers led the Cardinals to pennant and World Series victories. Following a disappointing 1935 season, Diz complained about the plan to change the team's primary catcher. Branch Rickey responded that Dean would do well to keep his mouth shut and do his job. This chastisement so angered Dean that he changed his planned salary demands from $27,500 to $40,000. Dean threatened to go into the furniture business if he didn't get it. The Cardinals countered with $18,500 which they considered quite magnanimous in lieu of Dean's "poor" season: he had won "only" 28 games and led the league in several departments. He finally signed for $22,30