|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
The Mustache Gang rides again!, February 13, 2000
Growing up in New England it's only natural that I was a huge A's fan during the 70's. The green, gold and white of a team from the bay area was all I talked about, so when this book was chosen for review, I naturally grabbed at the chance and I am glad that I did.The book shows how on the field the power of Reggie, the speed of Campy, men like Hunter, Blue, Odom and Holtzman along with Rudi, Bando and the whole host of others produced the most dominate team of that decade. Off the field, you'll read about the troubles in the clubhouse with the fights and of course the antics of the owner, Charlie O. The book gives you the first in-depth look at what these men went through to become the powerhouse they were. Read about a team that won 5 straight division titles, 3 American League pennants and 3 straight World Series. The Oakland A's, the mustache gang, Charlie's Not So Angels, are but a few of the nicknames they earned. A great read and an excellent book!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well researched. I loved this one., July 3, 1998
The author obviously spent A LOT of time researching this book. However, I wish his editors would have spent half as much time proof reading it. Typos appear here and there, A's appears as Ais occaionally. I loved reading this book and was sad when I came to the end, the same way I was saddened when my beloved A's broke up after the 1976 season. I recommend this highly to baseball fans and especially those in the Bay Area.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Man of the Century, January 15, 2003
By A Customer
I was very disappointed that Charlie Finley never received any votes for Time's Man of the Century...it is the same type of snub that the A's have had to endure many times, such as when Mitchell Page had to share the 1977 AL Rookie of the Year award with Eddie Murray....Charlie was a master deal maker, as witnessed by his trade of his manager, Chuck Tanner, for Manny Sanguillen and the Mitch when he was at AAA Hawaii...Mr. Markusen's book tells the true story that baseball didn't want to know -- Mr. Finley could build and manage a signficant enterprise better than all of the rest of the league combined...Many scoffed at his decision to let players like Rudi, Tenace, Bando and Reggie Jackson go, but Charlier knew his minor leagues were stocked with players like Henderson, Murphy and Armas, not to mention Picciolo, Newman and John Henry Johnson....there is a reason why Oakland has been to 6 world series in the last 30 years, or 20% of all world series played -- Charlie O....this book is a must read for anyone who ever dreams of running an entrepreneurial fortune 500 enterprise, like Charlie's cousin Bill Gates.....sincerely, Miguel Dilone
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
A competent, straight-forward history, December 2, 1998
We're slowly starting to reach a phase where it's time for baseball writers to start looking back on the 70s era from the perspective of history and supplant all the books by sportswriters and quickie player autobios that came out at the time. To my knowledge, this is the first book to look at the Oakland A's dynasty in that context. Markusen has done an impressive job of weaving together a straightforward narrative of the A's rise and fall from glory that introduced me to how extensive the animosity Charlie Finley generated really was. The problem with the book though, is that Markusen really doesn't write with any kind of flair other than repeating the facts gathered from newspaper accounts and from what seems like barely a handful of interviews. I also think he errs greatly in not consulting other baseball books that have been written to gain a fuller perspective on some of the key incidents. Two biographies have been written of Billy Martin for instance that provide considerable insight into the beaning of Bert Campaneris in the 1972 ALCS, yet Markusen never consulted them. I also think his ending is abrupt in that he doesn't explain what happened to Charlie Finley as a result of the A's decline, how he was ultimately forced to sell the team and that the next great revival came under Martin in 1980-81. Finally, I question his ranking the A's as the "last" dynasty because I think the 1976-81 Yankees would better qualify for that category (their only losing season coming in a year of injuries and tragedy).
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
The books a hit - but not a HR, December 12, 2000
By A Customer
This book had some extremely interesting information and background about a very colorful organization. The problem was that it was a little heavy on details about mid season games, and a bit light on player quotes, descriptive pictures, and statistics. I would of really enjoyed seeing more pictures of the players and situations describes. It would of been nice to glance at player and team statistics to support points the writer was making. There were quotes from some of the players but many of the key players were notably quiet. The writer did demonstrate a passion for the franchise that made the reading interesting. The writer was a young child, as I was, when the A's were winning these championships, it just appeared there was a lack of information for portions of the book. The background and explanation of the internal A's battles, Charlie Finleys personality, and the destruction caused by free agency were all very captivating. In part due to my interest in the A's of the 70's, I could not put this book down. I read the book feverishly but it had my wanting more.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Beautifully written...to a point, November 11, 2002
By A Customer
I am as big of a baseball history buff as they come. This was a great book as it gave you an inside look at the mindset and business dealings of a tyrant owner and his slaveship that was the 1970s' Oakland A's. While Markusen does a good job in explaining details, player reactions, quest to the WS etc; I feel this book comes up short in the aspect of objectivity. Mr. Markusen explains in the beginning of the book that he grew up rooting for the A's. As you read, it feels like his love of the team clouds the objectivity a book like this should be written. It is written in a way that paints the team, owner and operation in a much too positive light. I felt his account was written from a standpoint that some "haphazard" fans have of thier teams, that they block out the negative and accept only the positive. (Ala Monte Moore). Instances such as Vida Blue's holdout, the 1972 ALCS fight between Rollie Fingers and Blue Moon Odom, Ray Fosse's 1970 shoulder injury, Charlie and Shirley Finley's divorce etc. were portrayed in a respect that it feels as if the author doesn't want to accept that these things occured within his beloved team. Loving a particular team is great. Its part of sports. But a true sports fan accepts the bitter with the sweet. (Ask any Yankees fan). However, I dont feel that this is entirely the case in this book. From a historical perspective, its a good book. Beautifully written - to a point. I can sum this book up best as if it were a player, who just hit a deep drive into centerfield. Just when you think it might be an inside-the-park homerun, the batter gets thrown out at home plate by a magificent throw. It comes up short.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
Must read for baseball lovers of the 1970's!, April 22, 1999
By A Customer
Excellent book on the last dynasty in baseball, the 1972-1974 Oakland Atheltics. Exceptionally written, this is well worth the read.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
BASEBALL'S LAST DYNASTY: CHARLIE FINLEY'S OAKLAND A'S, November 2, 2000
I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO READING THIS BOOK, MY STORY IS ALMOST IDENTICAL TO THE AUTHORS, I WAS 7 WHEN I HOPPED ON THE A'S BAND WAGON. I HAVE DESPARATELY BEEN LOOKING FOR ONE OF THE ORANGE BASEBALLS THAT WAS ONE OF FINLEY'S "QUIRKY" INNOVATIONS. AUTOGRAPHED BY FINLEY EVEN BETTER. IF YOU KNOW WHERE I MIGHT FIND ONE OF THESE BASEBALLS PLEASE EMAIL ME AT wiifus@myauctionwatch.com. I WILL SUBMIT A REVIEW IN A WEEK OR SO AFTER I READ THE BOOK.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Seymour Medal Award Winner, March 26, 1999
By A Customer
This book has been named the winner of the 1999 Seymour Medal, which is awarded by the Society for American Baseball Research to the best baseball book (either a history or a biography) of the previous calendar year. The award will be presented to Bruce Markusen at the Seymour Medal Conference, which takes place in Cleveland, Ohio on April 16 and 17. For more information on the Seymour Medal, please contact the Society for American Baseball Research at 216-575-0500.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
Good to see the old names in print again, March 10, 1999
By A Customer
What is really missing from this book are box scores and the American League final standings for the years covered in the book. Since the author spent so much time discussing the stats of the team and various players I fully expected to see the stats in some sort of appendix. As the book only covered 5 years adding such stats would not have been a huge burden for the author. The box scores from the seasons and post-season and final standings would have made the book much more enjoyable and a useful tool for the reader to compare other players, which was one of the authors main points throughout the book. And not enough pictures to convey all the problems that the book said existed.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you?
|
|
|
|
|
|
