When the Red Sox Ruled

May 9, 2011
The 2011 Boston Red Sox may have gotten off to the worst start in team historyâleaving memories of the 2004 World Series championship far behindâbut Boston University professor Whalen now recounts the Sox's original rise and fall. Between 1912 and 1918, this American League charter franchise captured four World Series titles, an accomplishment matched only by the New York Yankees. Loaded with legendary players such as Babe Ruth, Harry Hooper, and Smoky Joe Wood, the Red Sox played in newly christened Fenway Park and reigned as kings of the dead-ball era. Whalen (Dynasty's End: Bill Russell and the 1968-69 World Champion Boston Celtics) chronicles those World Series games in great detail, but more insightful are his explorations of the business of baseball in the early 1900s, including a player walkout that occurred hours before Game 5 of the 1918 World Series. He documents the first, apparently spontaneous singing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a professional baseball game, the inaugural presidential first pitch, and the role baseball played during WWI. In 1919 Ruth was traded to the Yankees in a move that became known as the "Curse of the Bambino" and began an 86-year World Series drought. Whalen relies on old, previously published material and fails to find the life in his narrative, but patient readers will appreciate his effort.

June 1, 2011

There is no denying that few teams in baseball have a history as dramatic and storied as the Boston Red Sox, love them or hate them. Whalen (Dynasty's End: Bill Russell and the1968-69 World Champion Boston Celtics) explores the birth of baseball in America and analyzes why the early Red Sox teams were so dominant. His book features larger-than-life and all-too-real characters, introducing readers to everyone from legendary players and rabid fans to shrewd team owners and baseball-crazed politicians. Full of photos and anecdotes that bring the players and their stories to life, this book is rich in detail and lively descriptions. Contemporary accounts of key games and insights into players' personalities at the time lend color and authenticity. Whalen sets the story of Boston baseball within the context of American politics, labor disputes, and business, making for a thoroughly compelling read. VERDICT Books about the Red Sox are not lacking, but Whalen's stands out for its meticulous research. Written with a true passion for the game and respect for its history, his work will have appeal well beyond the borders of Red Sox Nation. It should have a place on any baseball fan's shelves, regardless of team allegiance.--Michele Martin, Sonoma Acad., Santa Rosa, CA

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