Five O'Clock Lightning: Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio, Mantle and the Glory Years of the Ny Yankees

Henrich, Tommy; Gilbert, Bill

ISBN 10: 1559721014 / ISBN 13: 9781559721011

Published by Birch Lane Pr, 1992

About this Item

Seller Inventory # BSM.19YUA

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Five O'Clock Lightning: Ruth, Gehrig, Dimaggio, Mantle and the Glory Years of the Ny Yankees
• Publisher: Birch Lane Pr
• Publication Date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1559721014
• ISBN 13: 9781559721011
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: very_good

About this title

Synopsis

A former Yankee remembers his life with the New York Yankees during the team's heyday

Reviews

Feather-light but thoroughly agreeable recollections of a fulfilling career in professional baseball, from the New York Yankee dubbed ``Old Reliable.'' With three years out for service with the Coast Guard during WW II, Henrich played for the Bronx Bombers from 1937 through 1950, when a bum knee finally forced him into retirement at age 38. The hard-hitting right-fielder's championship seasons encompassed some of the sport's enduring moments, including the April day in 1939 when a dying Lou Gehrig took himself out of the lineup, ending his iron-man record at 2,130 consecutive games played. On a more personal level, Henrich was the lucky batter when Mickey Owen, the Brooklyn Dodgers catcher, dropped a third strike in the turning- point fourth game of the 1941 World Series, permitting the American League pennant winners to sweep on to the title. Propelled by memories like this, plus graceful tributes to a host of diamond personalities (Joe DiMaggio, Whitey Ford, Lefty Gomez, Johnny Mize, Don Newcombe, Phil Rizzuto, Jackie Robinson, Casey Stengel, et al.), the chronological narrative moves along at a rapid, albeit perhaps self-ingratiating, clip. Looking back with evident delight on his days as a member of memorable clubs, Henrich has harsh words for only a handful of umpires he deemed ``homers,'' head-hunting pitchers, and tight-fisted general managers who kept his annual earnings in the low five-figures range. In closing, however, Henrich makes a point of castigating George Steinbrenner for tarnishing the image of his beloved Yankees. As nice a baseball memoir as fans and nostalgia buffs are likely to find any time soon. (Eight pages of photographs--not seen.) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.