October 1964

In1989DavidHalberstampublishedSummerof'49,whichbecameanumberoneNewYorkTimesbestseller.ItwasacompellingportraitofbaseballinanAmericaasyetunchangedbyaffluence,technology,andsocialprogress.Theplayers,almostallwhite,hadbeenraisedinharshcircumstances,thegameswereplayedintheafternoonongrassandwerebroadcastonradio,theteamstraveledbytrain,andtheownershaddictatorialpowerovertheplayers.HerealsowasthestoryoftheYankeeswinningthefirstoftheirpennantsunderCaseyStengelbeforegoingontobecomebaseball'sgreatestdynasty.October1964isHalberstam'sexcitingnewbookaboutbaseball-thistimeaboutthelastseasonofthatYankeedynasty.Likethepreviousbook,itisbothsportsandhistory,anditisafascinatingaccountofanelectrifyingbaseballchampionshipagainstthebackgroundofprofoundsocialchange.TheYankees,likemostAmericanLeagueteams,reflectedthestatusquoand,incontrasttotheNationalLeagueteams,hadbeenslowtosignthenewgreatblackplayers(indeed,foratime,theirbestscoutswereorderednottosignthem).ThoughtheYankeesboastedsuchgreatnamesasMantle,Maris,andFord,theirswasanagingteam:Mantle,hobbledbyinjuries,wasfacinghislasthurrahinpost-seasonplay.Bycontrast,theSt.LouisCardinalswereayoungtoughteamontheascent,featuringtalentedblackplayers-BobGibson,CurtFlood,LouBrock,andBillWhite-whowerechangingtheverynatureofthegamewiththeirunprecedentedspeedandpower.HalberstamhasonceagaingivenusanabsorbingtaleofanexcitingseasonandagreatWordSeriesthatreflectedachangingerainbothbaseballandtherestofsocietyaswell:Thefabricthatinsulatedbaseballfromtheturmoilintherestofthecountrywasbeginningtotear.Wegetintimatevignettesnotonlyoftheplayersbutalsoofthescoutswhosignedthem(includingtheblackscoutswhohadbeendeniedthechancetoplayinthemajorleaguesthemselves),andofthenewandmoreirreverentmembersofthemedia,knownastheChipmunks,andtheirconflictswiththeplayers.Abookofkeeninsightandsignificance,October1964isalso,likeHalberstam'spreviouswork,agreatread.