Branch Rickey

Author : Lee Lowenfish
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
Page : 605 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2022-08-15
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9781496213457

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Branch Rickey by Lee Lowenfish Pdf

He was not much of a player and not much more of a manager, but by the time Branch Rickey (1881-1965) finished with baseball, he had revolutionized the sport--not just once but three times. In this definitive biography of Rickey--the man sportswriters dubbed "The Brain," "The Mahatma," and, on occasion, "El Cheapo"--Lee Lowenfish tells the full and colorful story of a life that forever changed the face of America's game. As the mastermind behind the Saint Louis Cardinals from 1917 to 1942, Rickey created the farm system, which allowed small-market clubs to compete with the rich and powerful. Under his direction in the 1940s, the Brooklyn Dodgers became truly the first "America's team." By signing Jackie Robinson and other black players, he single-handedly thrust baseball into the forefront of the civil rights movement. Lowenfish evokes the peculiarly American complex of God, family, and baseball that informed Rickey's actions and his accomplishments. His book offers an intriguing, richly detailed portrait of a man whose life is itself a crucial chapter in the history of American business, sport, and society.

Author : Murray Polner
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 281 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2007-04-23
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780786426430

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Branch Rickey by Murray Polner Pdf

Has any sport executive had as many words written about him as Branch Rickey? A one-time catcher, Rickey managed the St. Louis Browns and Cardinals at the end of the deadball era before serving as vice president of the Dodgers and general manager of the Pirates. Possessed of one of the most creative minds in the game's long history, Rickey made early use of statistical analysis, pioneered the farm system, and pressed for the expansion of major league baseball. But he is best known for integrating organized baseball, signing Jackie Robinson to a contract at a time when the U.S. armed forces were still segregated and the Civil Rights movement was years away. A courageous move, the signing also stands as proof of Rickey's foresight; by tapping the Negro Leagues, he enlarged the pool of exploitable talent. Soon after, major league ties to the talent-rich Caribbean were strengthened, and years later scouts sign players from Asia and all over the globe. Based on nearly one hundred of interviews and vast amounts of research, including exclusive access to Rickey's own papers, Branch Rickey was originally published in 1982. It still stands as the definitive biography of the legendary executive. The McFarland edition includes updates and revisions, new photographs, a foreword by Branch B. Rickey, and a new preface.

Author : Branch Rickey
Publisher : SportClassic Books
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : Baseball
ISBN : 1894963288

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Branch Rickey's Little Blue Book by Branch Rickey Pdf

Branch Rickey's own words from his personal papers are skillfully compiled to form a book of witticisms and observations that abounds with common sense and insight, stands today a work of inspiration.

Author : Murray Polner
Publisher : Atheneum Books
Page : 368 pages
File Size : 41,9 Mb
Release : 1982
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : UOM:39015003369975

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Branch Rickey by Murray Polner Pdf

Has any sport executive had as many words written about him as Branch Rickey? A one-time catcher, Rickey managed the St. Louis Browns and Cardinals at the end of the deadball era before serving as vice president of the Dodgers and general manager of the Pirates. Possessed of one of the most creative minds in the game's long history, Rickey made early use of statistical analysis, pioneered the farm system, and pressed for the expansion of major league baseball. But he is best known for integrating organized baseball, signing Jackie Robinson to a contract at a time when the U.S. armed forces were still segregated and the Civil Rights movement was years away. A courageous move, the signing also stands as proof of Rickey's foresight; by tapping the Negro Leagues, he enlarged the pool of exploitable talent. Soon after, major league ties to the talent-rich Caribbean were cinched up, and years later scouts sign players from Asia and all over the globe. Based on nearly one hundred of interviews and vast amounts of research, including exclusive access to Rickey's own papers, Branch Rickey was originally published in 1982. It still stands as the definitive biography of the legendary executive. The McFarland edition includes updates and revisions, new photographs, a foreword by Branch B. Rickey, and a new preface.

Author : Andrew O’Toole
Publisher : McFarland
Page : 228 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 2000-08-01
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 0786408391

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Branch Rickey in Pittsburgh by Andrew O’Toole Pdf

Branch Rickey was one of the most important and charismatic figures in all of baseball, the archetype for all general managers who would follow. His contributions to the game were both numerous and highly significant; they include the desegregation of the majors, airline travel to road games, and the innovation of the minor league "farm" system. This work focuses on Rickey's tenure as the general manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, from 1950 through 1955. In addition to contemporary accounts, Rickey's personal correspondence and interoffice memorandums are used to document his struggle to revamp the fate of a small-market team.

Author : Mark L. Armour,Daniel R. Levitt
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
Page : 504 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2015-04
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780803277113

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In Pursuit of Pennants by Mark L. Armour,Daniel R. Levitt Pdf

The 1936 Yankees, the 1963 Dodgers, the 1975 Reds, the 2010 Giants--why do some baseball teams win while others don't? General managers and fans alike have pondered this most important of baseball questions. The Moneyball strategy is not the first example of how new ideas and innovative management have transformed the way teams are assembled. In Pursuit of Pennants examines and analyzes a number of compelling, winning baseball teams over the past hundred-plus years, focusing on their decision making and how they assembled their championship teams. Whether through scouting, integration, instruction, expansion, free agency, or modernizing their management structure, each winning team and each era had its own version of Moneyball, where front office decisions often made the difference. Mark L. Armour and Daniel R. Levitt show how these teams succeeded and how they relied on talent both on the field and in the front office. While there is no recipe for guaranteed success in a competitive, ever-changing environment, these teams demonstrate how creatively thinking about one's circumstances can often lead to a competitive advantage. Purchase the audio edition.

Author : Jules Tygiel
Publisher : Oxford University Press, USA
Page : 452 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 1997
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 0195106202

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Baseball's Great Experiment by Jules Tygiel Pdf

Offers a history of African American exclusion from baseball, and assesses the changing racial attitudes that led up to Jackie Robinson's acceptance by the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Author : Sharon Robinson
Publisher : Scholastic Inc.
Page : 68 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2016-11-29
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 9781338153705

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Promises to Keep: How Jackie Robinson Changed America by Sharon Robinson Pdf

A warm, intimate portrait of Jackie Robinson, America's sports icon, told from the unique perspective of a unique insider: his only daughter. Sharon Robinson shares memories of her famous father in this warm loving biography of the man who broke the color barrier in baseball. Jackie Robinson was an outstanding athlete, a devoted family man and a dedicated civil rights activist. The author explores the fascinating circumstances surrounding Jackie Robinson's breakthrough. She also tells the off-the-field story of Robinson's hard-won victories and the inspiring effect he had on his family, his community. . . his country! Includes never-before-published letters by Jackie Robinson, as well as photos from the Robinson family archives.

Author : Lee Lowenfish
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
Page : 356 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2010-04
Category : Political Science
ISBN : PSU:000067839858

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The Imperfect Diamond by Lee Lowenfish Pdf

From the introduction of the reserve clause in 1879 to the lockout and new basic agreement of 1990, baseball players have been engaged in one of the longest and most colorful labor struggles in our nation’s history. The Imperfect Diamond tells the stories of the players and their opponents, the powerful owners: how John Montgomery Ward led the Players League Rebellion of 1890; the rise and fall of David Fultz and the Baseball Players Fraternity (1912–18); the iron-fisted regime of Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis; the case of Danny Gardella vs. Happy Chandler and the blacklisting of the players who jumped to the Mexican League; the founding of the Baseball Players Association in 1953 and the tempestuous but triumphant reign of Marvin Miller; the struggles of Curt Flood, Andy Messersmith, and Dave McNally, and how they brought about the demise of the reserve clause; the unprecedented midseason strike of 1981 and the collusion cases of the late 1980s. In the epilogue for this Bison Books edition, Lee Lowenfish guides the reader through the turbulent 1990s and first decade of the twenty-first century, covering expansion teams, the monumental 1994 strike, and performance-enhancing drugs. Listed by the Society of American Baseball Research as one of the fifty essential baseball books, The Imperfect Diamond will stand for years to come as the source for the real story behind America’s national pastime.

Author : Michael Shapiro
Publisher : Macmillan
Page : 291 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2010-04-21
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9781429952279

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Bottom of the Ninth by Michael Shapiro Pdf

In Bottom of the Ninth, Michael Shapiro brings to life a watershed moment in baseball history, when the sport was under siege in the late 1950s "A fascinating look at an almost forgotten era . . . One of the best baseball books of recent seasons." -Cleveland Plain Dealer Shapiro reveals how the legendary executive Branch Rickey saw the game's salvation in two radical ideas: the creation of a third major league—the Continental League—and the pooling of television revenues for the benefit of all. And Shapiro captures the audacity of Casey Stengel, the manager of the Yankees, who believed that he could remake how baseball was played. The story of their ingenious schemes—and of the powerful men who tried to thwart them—is interwoven with the on-field drama of pennant races and clutch performances, culminating in the stunning climax of the seventh game of the 1960 World Series, when one swing of the bat heralds baseball's eclipse as America's number-one sport.

Author : Douglas M. Branson
Publisher : U of Nebraska Press
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2016-04
Category : Biography & Autobiography
ISBN : 9780803285965

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Greatness in the Shadows by Douglas M. Branson Pdf

Just weeks after Jackie Robinson joined the Brooklyn Dodgers, Larry Doby joined Robinson in breaking the color barrier in the major leagues when he became the first black player to integrate the American League, signing with the Cleveland Indians in July 1947. Doby went on to be a seven-time All-Star center fielder who led the Indians to two pennants. In many respects Robinson and Doby were equals in their baseball talent and experiences and had remarkably similar playing careers: both were well-educated, well-spoken World War II veterans and both had played spectacularly, albeit briefly, in the Negro Leagues. Like Robinson, Doby suffered brickbats, knock-down pitches, spit in his face, and other forms of abuse and discrimination. Doby was also a pioneering manager, becoming the second black manager after Frank Robinson. Well into the 1950s Doby was the only African American All-Star in the American League during a period in which fifteen black players became National League All-Stars. Why is Doby largely forgotten as a central figure in baseball’s integration? Why has he not been accorded his rightful place in baseball history? Greatness in the Shadows attempts to answer these questions, bringing Doby’s story to life and sharing his achievements and firsts with a new generation.

Author : Arthur William Mann
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 336 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 1957
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : IND:30000005494327

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Branch Rickey by Arthur William Mann Pdf

Author : Mike Mitchell
Publisher : Mike Mitchell
Page : 512 pages
File Size : 44,6 Mb
Release : 2020-06-03
Category : Electronic
ISBN : 0578693879

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Mr. Rickey's Redbirds by Mike Mitchell Pdf

In the history of the St. Louis Cardinals, one figure towers above all, despite never pitching an inning or taking an at-bat for the team. For decades, the club was defined by his presence - or his absence. From 1876 to 1925, three different National League teams in St. Louis never finished higher than second place. Then everything changed. The St. Louis Cardinals became the league's most dominant team. Over a twenty-one-season period, 1926 to 1946, the Cardinals won nine pennants and six World Series titles. Branch Rickey is the biggest reason why. Rickey's life, career, and impact are an often-told story, but the emphasis is largely on his time with the Brooklyn Dodgers and the story of Jackie Robinson. But even without Robinson, Rickey would still deserve a place in the Hall of Fame. That honor would be deserved because of his pioneering work with the Cardinals. No one casts a longer shadow on St. Louis baseball than Rickey. Mr. Rickey's Redbirds, though, is not just his story. It's the story of all the incredible players he scouted, signed, or traded and the talented executives he hired, fired, or deeply influenced over the years. It's the story of baseball told through a city and a franchise that proudly claims more World Series titles than any other National League team.

Author : Lyle Spatz
Publisher : Jewish Publication Society
Page : 395 pages
File Size : 40,9 Mb
Release : 2012-04
Category : Sports & Recreation
ISBN : 9780803239920

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The Team that Forever Changed Baseball and America by Lyle Spatz Pdf

Tells the story of the 1947 Brooklyn Dodgers in contextualized biographies of the players, managers, and everyone else important to the team.

Author : Donald Ray Andersen
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 614 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 1975
Category : Baseball
ISBN : WISC:89011207990

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Branch Rickey and the St. Louis Cardinal Farm System by Donald Ray Andersen Pdf

Describes the evolution of the concept of the Gram system; focusing on Branch Rickey and the St. Louis Cardinals.