Halberstam devotes plenty of attention to Williams, but we also learn about each of these four men. We learn of Doerr's devotion to his wife through her battle with MS. We learn of Johnny Pesky's 'Friendship Dinner' and the ambassador for all things Red Sox he would become despite being the only member of the four to play elsewhere in his career. We get a glimpse into what it was like for Dominic DiMaggio to not only overcome the huge shadow of his older brother and more famous teammate, but his fight just to get a chance to play baseball at all. As Flavin tells Halberstam, "I think both Ted and Joe were aware of it, how well he had dealt with his life, and what a complete life it had been, and Ted to his credit admired him for it, and Joe, I am afraid, resented him for it."
The Teammates is like a museum, but it's more than just an exhibition of baseball. We observe friendship, loyalty, adversity, and mortality. The book begins with the sadness of the inevitable and encroaching end of Williams' life, but rather than focusing on the end celebrates the lives and relationships. Its appeal will primarily be for baseball fans, but there's something far richer here than debates about the designated hitter or endless recitations of statistics.
The Teammates fires the romantic notions so many have about baseball's past, notions that have been violently stripped away over the past several years. The Teammates not only nourishes readers with tales that extend beyond the diamond, it reminds us that our love and faith were once well placed.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
The monster finally allowed me to finish. Nice review, Sir Josh. Sounds like a good book. I'll add it to my list even though I haven't watched the game in years.
2 - Josh Hathaway
Well, these games all finished decades ago so recent history is not needed. Besides, this is Halberstam. That's a good read no matter what he's writing about. Thanks for reading, Sir Brewster. My new Kindle is the jam.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Fitting and timely, due to DiMaggio's passing last week.
Another recommended baseball author: Joe Posnanski. He's got two books on my to-read list.
4 - Josh Hathaway
Thanks, Suss. It's strange how things come together, isn't it?
Thanks, also, for the tip. I'll check the Kindle store and see if the Posnanski titles are available. Maraniss' bio of Clemente is high on my list of next books to check out. I also want to read his bio of Lombardi.
5 - Josh Hathaway
Okay, Kindle readers, Posnanski's book about the great Buck O'Neill is available through the Kindle store. I'm adding that to my reading list.
6 - Bliffle
Good article! Very interesting.
A writer (whom I had reason to respect, tho I can't remember the name) said that Williams was the ONLY man he knew of or had heard about who could do three mens things better than any other man, and that was Williams: hit a baseball, cast a fly, and fly a fighter plane.
7 - Aaron Whitehead
Very well said. I'm very tempted to pick up the book.
There has been a lot of lost faith in the game of baseball lately. One important point, as I see it, is to respect and admire people in spite of their flaws, rather than putting them on a pedestal and pretending they don't have flaws.