Juan Marichal My Journey from the Dominican Republic to Cooperstown

by Freedman, Lew; Marichal, Juan

• ISBN13: 9780760340592
• ISBN10: 0760340595
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-10-07
• Publisher: Mvp Books

Summary

In a decade that featured such legendary hurlers as Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale, and other Hall of Famers, no pitcher won more games than Juan Marichal in the 1960s. His unique, high-kick pitching style was imitated by kids from New York to San Francisco, and it is immortalized in a bronze statue outside of the Giantsrs" current ballpark. Marichal was the first Dominican-born player to play in an All-Star Game and the first elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, and he won more games than any of his countrymen. And while Dominican and other Latino players have come to dominate many aspects of baseball in recent years, Marichal was a trailblazer in his day, entering the league at a time when Latin American players were routinely discriminated against, underpaid, and presented with numerous obstacles on their journey to the big leagues. InJuan Marichal, Marichal tells the story of his rise from living in a shanty as a young boy in the Dominican Republic to his status as one of the great pitchers of all time. Along the way, he was enlisted by the son of the countryrs"s dictator to play for the national team, was threatened at gunpoint to throw a game during a tournament in Mexico, fought homesickness as a minor leaguer in rural Indiana, and went head-to-head with some of the greatest pitchers and hitters the game has ever seen. For the first time, Marichal gives his perspective on life as a Latino ballplayer in the 1960s, describes the highs and lows of a 16-year major league career, and explores what the recent influx of Dominicans in the majors has meant to baseball and to his home country. He offers reflections on lingering stereotypes, the impact of steroids, and the general state of the game in the 21st century.

Author Biography

Juan Marichal is a Hall of Fame pitcher who spent 16 years in the major leagues. He has covered baseball on Spanish-language radio for both the major leagues and Caribbean leagues. He lives in the Dominican Republic. Lew Freedman is a veteran sportswriter who has won more than 250 journalism awards. He is also the author of 44 books, including an autobiography of Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins and several books on baseball history. Lew Freedman is the author of more than 40 books on sports, including Chicago Bears: The Complete Illustrated History, Game of My Life: Chicago Bears, and The 50 Greatest Plays inChicago Bears Football History. His complete illustrated histories of the Bears, Giants, and Steelers all rank among MVP's top five best-selling football titles. Freedman lives in Columbus, Indiana.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. ix
A Stunning Debut	p. 1
Growing Up in the Dominican Republic	p. 9
A New-Look Juan in a New Home	p. 29
The Giant from an Island Nation	p. 43
Glory Days	p. 59
Mastering the Mound	p. 77
Duel at 60 Feet, Six Inches	p. 91
Latins Find a Home in the Majors	p. 103
A Lifetime of Regret	p. 119
Back to Normal, Back to Dominance	p. 131
Disappointments and Triumphs	p. 153
Becoming a Legend	p. 165
Leaving Baseball	p. 179
A Hall of Famer	p. 189
Back in Basebal	p. 201
Minister of Sports	p. 213
Dominican Talent	p. 223
Staying with the Game	p. 239
Epilogue: A Baseball Night	p. 249
Appendix	p. 257
Index	p. 263
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