The Spirit of St. Louis: A History Of The St. Louis Cardinals And Browns

The Spirit of St. Louis is a glorious celebration of the Great American me, and of the city that loves it so. It is a love air that began in 1874, when a band of local boosters raised $20,000 to start a professional ballclub, and it has never waned--from the glory days of Rogers Hornsby and Grover Cleveland Alexander through the magnificent eve of Musial to Mark McGwire's record-smashing fin de millennium. But a chronicle of the accomplished National League Cardinals, who trail only the Yankees in World Series titles, wouldn't give the complete St. Louis baseball picture. For that, you need the Browns--once dubbed "First in shoes, first in booze, last in the American League"--whose own colorful exploits and personnel are stuff of sports legend.

Peter Golenbock, the bestselling author and master of the baseball oral history, has written another remarkable saga enriched by extensive and incomparable remembrances from the scores of layers, managers and executives who lived it.

You'll hear Branch Rickey on George Sisler, Rogers Hornsby and his creation of the farm system. Hornsby on Grover Cleveland Alexander--and Alexander on Hornsby. Dizzy Dean on--who else?--Dizzy Dean. Frankie Frisch, Marty Marion, Enos Slaughter: so many other voices, including The Man" himself, Stan Musial. Bing Devine. Max Lanier and Johnny Mize. Eldon Auker, Ellis Clary, Denny Galehouse and Don Gutteridge on the 1940s Browns, who finally saw some success. Bill Veeck, Jr., whose greatest promotion of all was sending 3'7" Eddie Gaedel to the plate. Brooks Lawrence, the second man across the Cardinals' color line. Jim Brosnan, the first man to break the players' "code of silence." Bill White. Nelson Briles and Tim McCarver on Bob Gibson. Marvin Miller on Curt Flood. Tommy Herr, Darrell Porter and Joe McGrane on Whitey Herzog's Cardinals. Cardinal owner Bill DeWitt, Jr., on the team today.

In the end, you'll find reading SPIRIT is akin to sifting around with a group of ballplayers reminiscing about the game, its greats and, naturally, The Life in one of America's most storied baseball towns.

THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS is a glorious celebration of the Great American Game, and of the city that loves it so.It is a love affair that began in 1874, when a band of local boosters raised $20,000 to start a professional ballclub, and it has never waned--from the glory days of Rogers Hornsby and Grover Cleveland Alexander through the magnificent eve of Musial to Mark McGwire's record-smashing fin de millennium. But a chronicle of the accomplished National League Cardinals, who trail only the Yankees in World Series titles, wouldn't give the complete St. Louis baseball picture. For that, you need the Browns--once dubbed "First in shoes, first in booze, last in the American League,"--whose own colorful exploits and personnel are stuff of sports legend.

Peter Golenbock, the best-selling author and master of the baseball oral history, has written another remarkable saga enriched by extensive and incomparable remembrances from the scores of players, managers and executives who lived it.

You'll hear Branch Rickey on George Sisler, Rogers Hornsby and his creation of the farm system. Hornsby on Grover Cleveland Alexander--and Alexander on Hornsby. Dizzy Dean on--who else?--Dizzy Dean. Frankie Frisch, Marty Marion, Enos Slaughter: so many other voices, including "The Man" himself, Stan Musial. Bing Devine. Max Lanier and Johnny Mize. Eldon Auker, Ellis Clary, Denny Galehouse and Don Gutteridge on the 1940s Browns, who finally saw some success. Bill Veeck, Jr., whose greatest promotion of all was sending 3'7" Eddie Gaedel to the plate. Brooks Lawrence, the second man across the Cardinals' color line. Jim Brosnan, the first man to break the players' "code of silence." Bill White. Nelson Briles and Tim McCarver on Bob Gibson. Marvin Miller on Curt Flood. Tommy Herr, Darrell Porter and Joe McGrane on Whitey Herzog's Cardinals. Cardinal owner Bill DeWitt, Jr., on the team today.