Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend

Home

Written by Timothy M. Gay

Publisher: Lyons Press
Publication date: March 2007 (paperback)

Hall of Fame outfielder Speaker was a contemporary of Ty Cobb and Shoeless Joe Jackson. He wasn't quite their equal as a hitter, but he was far superior in the field. Off the field, however, he had nothing to match Cobb's psychotic, racist personality or Shoeless Joe's involvement in the Black Sox scandal and, thus, remains relatively forgotten. Gay hopes to change that with this first serious biography of Speaker. It's carefully researched and documented, engagingly written, and very illuminating. Speaker was both saint and sinner but never long enough to have either term permanently affixed to his name. At one time, he was every bit as racist as Cobb but was seldom outspoken, and, in later years as a Cleveland Indians coach, he tutored the American League's first black player, Larry Doby. And like Jackson, he most likely had a hand in a few shady gambling deals, but he was smart enough to not get caught. Gay has filled a serious gap in baseball history, and his effort compares favorably with Charles Alexander's acclaimed biographies of John McGraw and Ty Cobb.

Last Updated on Monday, 10 August 2009 13:59