The 1950s marked a transformative period in postwar American history. In baseball, one dynasty was the story during the decade. The New York Yankees played in eight World Series from 1950 to 1959, winning six of them. Yankees icon Joe DiMaggio retired following the 1951 season, but a new super star, Mickey Mantle, took over in Yankee Stadium's center field in 1952. Mantle, the powerful switch-hitter who blasted tape-measure home runs and was often tortured by leg ailments, became the number one box office draw in baseball. He was the American League's most valuable player in 1956 and 1957, putting together a triple crown season in 1956. Mantle came into baseball when television was just catching on, and with the Yankees reaching the World Series and appearing on national TV seemingly every season, he became the face of the game during the decade. Mantle joined with his pals, pitcher Whitey Ford and infielder Billy Martin, to form a hard-partying trio that would be a joy and a pain to management. The author of several books on the Yankees, David Fischer brings expertise and a knack for great story-telling to the saga of the most dominant decade in the annals of sport, set during a defining moment in U.S. history.
Industry Reviews
"A home run. It's an outstanding book that brings a great era in Yankees history to life."--Bronxpinstripes.com "Fischer concentrates on the individuals who made the team so stellar and who came to personify excellence in the sport. . . . [His] frequent mentions of minority players and the role of television are essential and on the mark."-- Booklist It was baseball's last decade as America's unrivaled game--before the rise of the NFL and a calendar filled with world championships. It was the age when Major League baseball spread beyond the Mississippi River and the World Series meant everything. It was when the Yankees ruled, when schoolboys wanted to hit like Mickey and sportswriters labored to make sense of Casey. David Fischer gives the reader a box seat for the golden age.--Randy Roberts, co-author of A Season in the Sun: The Rise of Mickey Mantle The Yankees dynasty was born with Babe Ruth in the 1920's and carried on through the 30's with Lou Gehrig and the 40's with Joe DiMaggio. In the 50's, pop culture produced two lasting legacies of the post-war era: rock 'n roll and the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers of the 50's brought us Mickey Mantle, and as TV sets popped up in households everywhere The Mick became as synonymous with 1950's America as Elvis. David Fischer's journey through this decade of Yankees dominance is perfect for fans of the Pinstripes both old and new.--Sweeny Murti, Yankees reporter, WFAN The 50's was the decade when America discovered television and television discovered the Yankees. What a time it was, and what great heroes the Yankees provided for a post-war nation with a Baby Boomer generation discovering the joy of baseball. David Fischer has rediscovered that time in this fine book, and that's a gift for us all.--Marty Appel, author of Pinstripe Empire, Munson, and Casey Stengel
