Beyond the Ballpark : The Honorable, Immoral, and Eccentric Lives of Baseball Legends

Most baseball fans know of the amazing accomplishments Hall of Fame members achieved on the field, from Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hit streak to Cy Young's 511 career wins. But few are as familiar with the ballplayers' lives away from the diamond--especially those icons who played before the Internet and 24/7 media coverage. Beyond their baseball statistics, what kind of individuals were they? How did they conduct themselves out of the spotlight? What made them tick? In Beyond the Ballpark: The Honorable, Immoral, and Eccentric Lives of Baseball Legends, John A. Wood looks at the personal lives of fifty members of the Hall of Fame, examining their childhoods, families, influences, life-changing events, defining moments, and more. The players range from the really good guys to bizarre characters and even the downright immoral. The author considers how tragedies may have impacted players, such as the shooting of Ty Cobb's beloved father by his own mother, and seeks to explain the dispositions of others, such as why the great Rogers Hornsby couldn't seem to get along with anybody. By taking a closer look at who the players were as men, Beyond the Ballpark captures the essence of these fifty Hall of Famers. Including such names as Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Mickey Mantle, Lou Gehrig, and Babe Ruth, this book is for all fans who are interested in more than just a ballplayer's statistics. Although most baseball fans are familiar with the on-the-field accomplishments of the members of the Hall of Fame, few are as knowledgeable regarding their personal lives, especially those who played before the internet and 24/7 media coverage. What kind of human beings were they? How did they relate to others? What made them tick? This book probes into the personal lives of fifty members of the Hall of Fame who are no longer with us, examining their childhoods, families, influences, impactful life-changing events, and more. The players range from the really good guys to those who were eccentr Most baseball fans know of the amazing accomplishments Hall of Fame members achieved on the field, but beyond their baseball statistics what kind of individuals were they? Wood looks at the personal lives of fifty members of the Hall of Fame, examining their childhoods, families, influences, life-changing events, defining moments, and more. By taking a closer look at who the players were as men, he captures their essence and transforms them into more than just a ballplayer's statistics