Product Description

Chicago Cubs history through the eyes of those who were there

Banks to Sandberg to Grace is the saga of the post-WWII Chicago Cubs--more than 50 years of (few) victories and (many) heartaches--as told by those who were on the field, in the front office, or on the fringes. Organized by era, each storyteller is a "chapter," sharing his or her account--some hilarious, some angry, some poignant, and all entertaining.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1050400 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 304 pages

From Library Journal
Chicago sports journalist Muskat has former and current players and personnel tell the story of the Cubs from their last pennant-winning year, 1945, to the present. Despite their losing ways, the Cubs have fans nationwide, and this book will circulate well in many libraries. It is more thorough than John Skipper's oral history, Take Me Out to the Cubs Game (LJ 8/00) and should be purchased along with George Castle's fine history The Million-to-One Team: Why the Chicago Cubs Haven't Won a Pennant Since 1945 (Diamond, 2000).
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover
The Chicago Cubs are one of the most beloved teams in all of sports, though not for their success on the baseball field. The post-World War II years have been especially rough for the Cubs: they have been without a pennant since 1945--longer than any team in the major leagues. Banks to Sandberg to Grace takes the reader on a nostalgic journey through the triumphs (few), the heartaches (many), and the lighter moments, as told by those who were actually there--on the field, in the front office, or behind the scenes. Each storyteller shares his or her personal, revealing account of what it was like to play or work for the Chicago Cubs. Hank Sauer laughs about fans in the bleachers throwing tobacco at him. The team's longtime equipment manager, Yosh Kawano, talks about gaining the trust and friendship of players like Ryne Sandberg. And WGN-TV producer Arne Harris reminisces about sharing an earpiece with Jack Brickhouse and Harry Caray.

Banks to Sandberg to Grace offers more than 60 first-person stories from the past 50 years. Cut from the cloth of memory, these warm, insightful stories make a perfect gift for Cub fans who, through love and frustration, remain forever faithful to their team and to the promise of future success.

About the Author
Carrie Muskat is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to USA Today. She is also the author of eight sports books for children. She has covered the Cubs since 1987 and lives in Chicago, just a few miles from Wrigley Field.

Customer Reviews

interesting
In baseball, there are two known types of pain- you have the exquisite pain of Red Sox fans, whose team comes within 1 out of taking it all, only to have Bill Buckner boot the routine grounder, or have Mike Torrez give up the most improbable of home runs to Bucky Dent. It's a horrid pain- the pain of being so close, yet not getting over the hump...

...then there's the pain of the Chicago Cubs fan- their team never even comes close to competing for anything, save the magic of Rick Sutcliffe's magical 1984 season, or the Wildcard Cubs of a few seasons ago, led by Kerry Wood and Sammy Sosa. It's a very different type of pain. The pain of realization that "wait till next season" may well be said by June or July.

Being a fan of both clubs (Born in Boston, moved to Ohio in my youth but obviously could not root for the Reds, and Cleveland??!! pulleeeze... did they even field a baseball club in the late 70's? ..so I found the Cubs), I dive into histories of both teams voraciously, and Muskat's work on the Cubs is an entertaining and informative one.

Starting with the greatness of the 45 team, Muskat's tireless work interviews the greats of Cubs history- Billy Williams, Mr. Cub Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace, and a host of others. Their perspectives are what make this work so great- the agony, heartache, hillarity, wishful thinking, hopes held high in April, hopes dashes by Season's end. It's all part of the world of being a Chicago Cub, and it is all here.

At times testy, at other times silly and ridiculous, still other times tear-felt, the oral history of the Cubs has never been better presented than in this work, and never better told than by those who lived the game at Wrigley Field.

As the 2001 Cubs continue to surprise the NL Central with great pitching (including castaways from my beloved Red Sox in Jeff Fassero and Tom Gordon- irony of ironies), this work may be what the Cubs and their fans need to help them amend for the past. A brilliant piece of work.

A great experience for any sports fan
I absolutely loved this book, and I am not even a Cub's fan. It was very entertaining, very informatative, and very fun. It has great tales from Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, Billy Williams, and Andy Pafko. I would recommend this book to any baseball fan. No, I would recommend it to any sports fan!

A+

WRIGLEY TIME MACHINE
I BELIEVE THIS IS A GOOD LOOK AT HOW IT WAS AT WRIGLEY FIELD, THE FANS, AND THE HISTORY OF THE CUBS. AN EXCELLENT COLLECTION OF VARIOUS STORIES BY SOME CUBS ALUMINI. THE PERFECT MIX OF VETERANS REPRESENTING A DIFFERNT DECADE IN CUBS HISTORY. THE BOOK IS HUMOROUS, WELL TOLD, INTERESTING, NOSTALGIC AND DOWN RIGHT ENTERTAINING. I REALLY ENJOYED THE GREAT NOSTALGIA THIS BROUGHT BACK TO MANY CUBS FANS INCLUDING MYSELF. I CONSIDER THIS A GOOD READ AND A MUST FOR ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CUBS FANS OR HAVE BEEN TO WRIGLEY FIELD. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED