The Last Commisioner by Fay Vincent

[BravesWin!]

I was wondering if anyone had checked out Fay Vincent's new book yet and what they thought about it...it looks very interesting to me....

Andrew

[rcartman28]

There was a story on Espn.com about Vincent talking about Bush wanting to be commissioner, but being "deceived" by Czar Bud. Sounds like Vincent is a bit bitter about Selig.....

Too bad this Bush fellow never became anything of importance after that.....

[Skip]

Originally posted by rcartman28
Sounds like Vincent is a bit bitter about Selig..... I think that too. I never had problems with Vincent as Commish, and certainly believe he is/was/would have been better than SELIGULA, but he seems to be on a self glorifying martyr kick that just leaves me cold. Even the title of the book is self serving.

I hope it's a good book, though I'll take it with a fistful of salt once I get around to reading it.

[pathogan]

...and I know he got done by many of the owners who jhave ruined baseball.if he's bitter, it's because he told veeryone so. By the way, boy Bush voted AGAINST Vincent's outsting, incredibly...I am looking foward to the book,and yes the title is self serving in extremis

[Craig S.]

From the review I read, it sounds like he wrote about baseball from his perspective as a fan more than as a memoir of his time as commissioner.

I'll read it, but it will have to wait. There are several good titles out this month:

Sandy Koufax: a lefty's legacy
Baseball's Natural: the story of Eddie Waitkus
The end of baseball as we knew it
Shut out: a story of race and baseball in Boston

Looks like a good month to be a reader of baseball history. I'm waiting for that Koufax book to get here!

[pwdennis]

I haven't actually seen this book yet, but former MLB Commissioner Fay Vincent was a guest on ESPN's MIKE AND MIKE IN THE MORNING this morning and it sounds like he has some interesting stories and observations.

If you need a socially-conscious reason to buy the book Fay says he is keeping none of the proceeds from the book - any author's share is being turned over to a group that will channel the funds to needy Negro League veterans


I will pick up a copy as soon as I hit a book store and report back

[Craig S.]

It's third on my list of to-reads right now. I'm not expecting too much out of it, because I've heard it's a little on the soft-hitting side.

Let me know what you think of it.

[BigKlu]

It's bound to be a more credible tell-all than Jose Canseco's expose!

[pwdennis]

I finally got around to reading the book - I enjoyed it.

Fay Vincent seems to have written the book from the perspective of a fan, which means he is not "dishing out the dirt" , but rather sharing some favorite stories.

I'd give it 3.5 stars (on a five star scale)

[pwdennis]

One of the things that strikes me about the book is the reverence Vincent has for those who tried to help the underdog. Of Joe Garagiola he says "Of all the people I've met through baseball - wel over a thousand, I imagine - there is no one I admire more than Joe Garagiola". There are many reasons for this Joes work with BAT and Negro League Veterans' assistance being among them.

Tell Skip to leave his salt shaker behind when he reads it. Vincent is a fan. He doesn't use tis book to settle vendettas.

[Skip]

Consider me told.

[BigJon]

I can't wait to read it. I'd love for Bud to write a book about why he thinks his way of doing things is better than Vincents or any other commissioner's could have been.

[sweaver]

Derek Zumsteg has a review of the book in today's Baseball Prospectus: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/20030109balls.shtml

[Skip]

Zumsteg's review pretty much fit my preconceived notions of the book. I still plan to read it in the next few months and get a firsthand feel for it.

[pwdennis]

In the land of the free, everyone, even Derek Zumsteg, is entitled to his opinion. I think that Zumsteg is way too harsh in his assessment of the book. The book is no groundbreaking effort, it is simply a collection of stories. The proceeds go for a good cause and its heart is in the right place