Any true baseball fan has heard the famous World Series stories about Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, Bill Mazeroski's Series-ending home run in 1960, and Bill Buckner's blunder to end Game 6 of the 1986 Series. Many fans, however, may not be aware of other less well-known but equally engaging stories about the Fall Classic. Shadows of Glory recounts 18 of these stories. Readers will encounter some unlikely World Series heroes, such as Dusty Rhodes, the reserve outfielder whose clutch pinch-hits helped the New York Giants win the 1954 World Series, and Brian Doyle, the light-hitting utility infielder who was a batting star for the New York Yankees in their 1978 Series triumph. They will find stories shaped by world events, such as the Spanish flu pandemic and world wars, which significantly affected team rosters and thus the participants and outcomes of the 1918 and 1944 World Series. Baseball lovers will experience a range of emotions-heartbreak that Bill Bevens, an ordinary pitcher, came within an out of the first World Series no-hitter in 1947 and then lost the no-hitter and game on one pitch; outrage that umpire Don Denkinger received death threats after missing a call in the 1985 World Series; and amusement that Cliff Lee, stuck in a traffic jam on his way to start Game 1 of the 2009 World Series, hopped out of the cab he was in and made his way to the subway. Shadows of Glory will captivate casual and hard-core fans alike.
Dave Brown graduated from Gettysburg College (1982) and Dickinson School of Law of Penn State University (1990). He is a workers' compensation lawyer in Philadelphia. Dave's passion has always been writing; he has authored or co-authored six books. Jeff Rodimer is a graduate of Gettysburg College and the Rutgers Graduate School of Management. Now retired after a 34-year career in sales with Dun & Bradstreet, he is a lifelong, avid baseball fan. He attended his first major league game in 1966 and has had the good fortune to see games in more than 30 big league ballparks. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, Peggy, and their parrot, Rocky.
Beating the Houston Astros in the National League playoffs and the Kansas City Royals in the World Series in 1980 was the high point of my major league career. If you're an avid baseball fan, this is a must-read book - you will like reading this collection of interesting and unusual World Series stories.--Larry Bowa, shortstop for the 1980 world champion Philadelphia Phillies and member of Phillies Wall of Fame Dave Brown and Jeff Rodimer tell the stories of some of the most fascinating and previously unexplored moments in World Series history. Shadows of Glory is a book for EVERY baseball fan, hard-core and casual alike. A wonderful read!--Greg Brown, broadcaster for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1994-present) I once played a game for the Texas Rangers while I was still on the roster of the New York Yankees so I know all about crazy and unusual baseball stories. Shadows of Glory is full of these kinds of stories from the World Series like the time the owner of the A's tried to throw one of his own players off the team in the middle of the '73 Series after he made a couple of errors. I don't think even George Steinbrenner would have tried that!--Mickey Rivers, centerfielder for the 1977 and 1978 world champion New York Yankees and 1976 Yankees World Series team No event in sports provides more great stories than baseball's World Series. Going back to the first Series in 1903, an endless number of very special events and accomplishments have occurred. Shadows of Glory provides some wonderful accounts of the history and excitement produced by our national pastime. Having attended eight different World Series, I can truly say that this is a book which adds to the great memories that I've acquired.--Rich Westcott, baseball writer and historian, author of 27 sports books Playing in three World Series in the 1980s was a great honor. Shadows of Glory captures the excitement and intensity of what the Fall Classic is all about in a behind-the-scenes look at the games. A great read for any baseball fan!--Tom Herr, second baseman for the 1982 world champion St. Louis Cardinals, 1985 and 1987 Cardinals World Series teams, and member of Cardinals Hall of Fame One of the amazing things about broadcasting major league baseball games is the chance you will see something for the first time. Dave Brown and Jeff Rodimer have written a fun book containing facts and anecdotes about some classic World Series memories. And for this lifelong baseball fan, they have managed to bring to light many new and less well-known stories of the Fall Classic. This is a must read for all baseball fans. But especially for those who savor new information.--Chris Wheeler, broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies (1977-2013), author ofView from the Booth: Four Decades with the Phillies The best baseball stories are tales that draw back the curtain of history and take you places you never expected to go. That's the inspiration behind this fun, creative book by Dave Brown and Jeff Rodimer, and I'm all in on this project. From Cliff Lee's emergency subway ride to a Game 1 World Series start to a pitcher who got arrested hours before he took the mound in a World Series, these are amazing stories that need to be told. I'm so glad that Dave and Jeff agree!--Jayson Stark, senior baseball writer, The Athletic There are a million ways to consume baseball these days, either from your phone or your watch or more conventionally, your high-def TV. You might even enjoy a throwback day at the ballpark. And there's always advanced analytics if none of the above lights your fuse. The real baseball fan, however, knows the medium is subordinate to the story - the human interaction that makes the sport so rich. That's where Shadows of Glory excels. It delves deeper than the pixels and new-age numbers to explore baseball's World Series history as never told before. Thanks to their old-school reporting and research, authors Dave Brown and Jeff Rodimer have created a must-read account of what really happened on and off the field, weaving through generations of anecdotes. It's a celebration of baseball but most importantly, an education. You'll have trouble putting this book down.--Bob Klapisch, baseball columnist for Newark Star-Ledgerand co-author of the New York Times bestsellerInside the Empire: The True Power Behind the New York Yankees
