November 28, 2011
In the final chapter of this Hall of Fame pitcher's biography, Travers (Barry Bonds: Baseball's Superman) states that he has finally written the quintessential Seaver book. However, it's unclear whether he even interviewed his subject and, though the book is organized chronologically, many details seem randomly inserted. The result reeks of hero worship and reads like a sloppy, book-length term paper reliant on an extensive bibliography and a multitude of unattributed quotes from Seaver, his teammates, coaches, and managers. Nicknamed "The Franchise" after leading the New York Mets to an unlikely 1969 World Series championship, the man is certainly deserving of Travers's praise. Faithful to his marriage vows and a stickler for training, Seaver wasn't like other ballplayers of the era, on or off the mound; his relentless pursuit of perfection is reflected in over 20 seasons with four Major League teams, a successful broadcasting career, and current California vineyard ownership. Travers turns a critical eye on Seaver when addressing how he responded to post-World Series fame, but he staunchly defends the pitcher against charges of greed regarding contract negotiations. Agency: Objective Entertainment.
November 15, 2011
Tom Seaver was one of the greatest pitchers ever, as borne out by his 1992 election to the Baseball Hall of Fame. This biography focuses on his years as a New York Met, especially the 1969 season, when The Amazin' Mets, after a ninth-place finish the year before, won the World Series. Seaver was everything one could want in a sports hero. He was a great player, handsome, articulate, and noncontroversial. Travers effectively captures the era in which Seaver pitched, a period in which pitching, not hitting, dominated baseball. It was also a tumultuous era for the game, including labor strife and the introduction of free agency. There are numerous game accounts and quotes from Seaver's teammates and opponents. Seaver the man is explored only tangentially, though he cooperated in the writing of the book. But, really, what is there to examine? What the fans saw is what they got: talent and maximum effort for 20 years, no scandal, no inner demons, no dark side. A fine book for what it is, a carefully rendered, primarily on-field examination of one of baseball's greats.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)