Nice Guys Finish First The Autobiography of Monte Irvin

Irvin, Monte and James A. Riley

ISBN 10: 0786702540 / ISBN 13: 9780786702541

Published by New York, New York, U.S.A.: Carroll & Graf Pub, 1996

About this Item

Monte Irvin was the choice of the owners of the Negro Leagues to be the man to break baseball's color line. After a lengthy career with the Newark Eagles, Irvin went on to stardom with the New York Giants, then to the Commissioner's Office and Baseball's Hall of Fame. Both the non price clipped Dust Jacket and the book are in very good condition. I have more than 240 publication on the Negro Leagues and Black Sports and more than 200 items on the Hall of Fame and its members in stock. Discounts are available when you purchase multiple items on the same order.

Seller Inventory # ABE-7378289178

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Nice Guys Finish First The Autobiography of Monte Irvin
• Publisher: New York, New York, U.S.A.: Carroll & Graf Pub
• Publication Date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786702540
• ISBN 13: 9780786702541
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Hall of Fame
  • BLACK SPORTS AND THE NEGRO LEAGES

About this title

Synopsis

A portrait of the life and career of ballplayer Monte Irvin describes his lifelong dream of playing professional baseball and how he overcame such obstacles as a near-fatal childhood illness, the Great Depression, World War II, and racial discrimination.

Reviews

Irwin's manager on the New York Giants, Leo Durocher, used to snap: "Nice guys finish last." Irwin has spent his whole career refuting that theory. Irwin, who was born in 1919, one of 13 children, moved with his family from rural Alabama to New Jersey when he was a youngster. After starring in all sports in high school, he joined the Negro leagues. After a slow start with the bat, he made himself into a power-hitter "just by watching DiMaggio." He relates colorful stories about those who played with him, such as Roy Campanella, Josh Gibson ("the greatest hitter I ever saw, black or white") and Satchel Paige. Although he was originally recruited by the Brooklyn Dodgers, Irvin finally made the major leagues with the Giants in 1949. The book, written with freelancer Riley, is quietly startling in its candor on the inner financial workings of the Negro leagues; how superior pitching was the big difference between the Negro and major leagues; his disagreements with Jackie Robinson ("Jackie's teammates really didn't like him"); and the drama surrounding the Giants' championship teams of '51 and '54. After retiring, Irwin went to work in the commissioner's office, and the most explosive item in the book concerns Pete Rose: "Not only did he bet on games, but I think it's been made clear that [he] called other managers to get certain information to use in his betting." Irwin was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1973, and with this classy memoir, he has proved Durocher wrong.-- called other managers to get certain information to use in his betting." Irwin was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1973, and with this classy memoir, he has proved Durocher wrong.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

After growing up in Alabama and New Jersey, Irvin moved through the Negro Leagues to a Hall of Fame career in the Majors. His assertive, folksy story is studded with warm memories of Willie Mays and others. For large public libraries.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.