Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend

Hirsch, James S.

4.08

2,845 ratings by Goodreads

9780743599849: Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend

ISBN 10: 0743599845 ISBN 13: 9780743599849

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 2010

Considered to be “as monumental—and enigmatic—a legend as American sport has ever seen” (Sports Illustrated), Willie Mays is arguably the greatest player in baseball history, still revered for the joy and passion he brought to the game. Mays began as a teenage phenom in the Negro Leagues, became a cult hero in New York, and was the headliner in Major League Baseball’s bold expansion to California. With 3,383 hits, 660 home runs, and 338 stolen bases, he was a blend of power, speed and stylistic bravado that fans had never seen before. Now, in the first biography authorized by and written with the cooperation of Willie Mays, James Hirsch reveals the man behind the player.

Willie is perhaps best known for “The Catch”—his breathtaking over-the-shoulder grab in the 1954 World Series. It is a classic visual that represents a transcendent figure who ushered in a new era of baseball, received standing ovations around the globe, and—during the turbulent civil rights era—advocated understanding and reconciliation. However, the years of racial attacks, the stress of celebrity, and the mental and physical demands of the game also took a toll. Meticulously researched and drawing on lengthy interviews with Mays, as well as with close friends, family, and teammates,

Hirsch presents a complex portrait of one of America’s most significant cultural icons.

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Review:

"Willie Mays had everything--except a first-rate biography. That omission has now been addressed by James S. Hirsch, who has produced a piece of artistry worhty of Mays in center field."--Bloomberg.com

"Tautly written . . . Mr. Hirsch captures Willie’s greatness on the field.”--"Wall Street Journal"

"The book, documenting Mays’ rise from Negro leagues star to major league icon, also serves as a history lesson."--"USA Today"

“Does a better job than any book before of getting at what it means to be Willie Mays.”—"Sports Illustrated"

"The book, documenting Mays rise from Negro leagues star to major league icon, also serves as a history lesson."--"USA Today""

"Tautly written . . . Mr. Hirsch captures Willie s greatness on the field. --"Wall Street Journal""

Does a better job than any book before of getting at what it means to be Willie Mays. "Sports Illustrated""

"James Hirsch has written an enormously entertaining and wide-ranging biography--a fitting tribute to Mays . . . and a thoughtful account of the complex and often misunderstood man. . . . True baseball fans will delight in the author's edge-of-seat game reports and picture-perfect descriptions of Mays' superlative talents. . . This is a superb baseball book, but it's also a riveting narrative of Mays' life and times."--Seattle Times

"A terrific new biography . . . [an] always engaging and enlightening book . . . A wonderful introduction to the magical life of one of the finest athletes ever."--San Francisco Chronicle

"Hirsch has produced a masterful biography that has the same freshness and excitement that Mays generated as a player. All the highlights are there in shining, solid detail. It's a must-read for any baseball fan."--Tampa Bay Online

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PublisherSimon & Schuster
Publication date2010
ISBN 10 0743599845
ISBN 13 9780743599849
BindingAudio CD
Rating
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  2,845 ratings by Goodreads

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9781416547914: Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend

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ISBN 10: 1416547916 ISBN 13: 9781416547914
Publisher: Scribner Book Company, 2011
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