The New York Yankees have been written about, analyzed, scrutinized, and celebrated more than any other sports franchise. Their unmatched 27 world championships and long list of Hall of Famers—and equally long list of colorful characters—have inspired the literary- and not-so-literary-minded from the world of sports and the world of letters to pen some of the greatest pieces of sports writing over the course of more than a century. The Yankees Baseball Reader brings together the best works of journalism and literature to tell the story of this legendary franchise. It offers the musings of classic sportswriters like Grantland Rice and Damon Runyon and modern-day wordsmiths like Roger Angell and Thomas Boswell, and features excerpts from the great baseball biographers. The players themselves share their perspectives—from memoirs by such Yankee legends as Mickey Mantle and Joe Torre to tell-alls by Jim Bouton and Sparky Lyle. And the humorous musings of Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra are an essential part of team lore. Newspaper accounts of the most memorable moments from Yankee history, as well as views from the other side—the Yankee haters—round out this essential reference for any fan of the Bronx Bombers. The most analyzed, scrutinized, and celebrated franchise in the history of professional sports, the New York Yankees have won an unmatched 27 world championships. A long list of Hall of Famers and intriguing characters have colored the history of the team since its inception, and they ve inspired some legendary sports writing along the way. Covering the entire period of Yankee history, from 1903 to present, The Yankees Baseball Reader brings together the best of this amazing body of work to tell the story of the greatest baseball team on earth. This collection offers a bit of everything. Classic sportswriters like Grantland Rice and Damon Runyon find common ground with modern-day wordsmiths Roger Angell and Thomas Boswell, while excerpts from great baseball biographers Robert W. Creamer and Jane Leavy sit alongside stories and accounts from the players themselves. From memoirs by the likes of Roger Maris and Joe Torre, to controversial tell-alls by Jim Bouton and Sparky Lyle, and of course the humorous musings of Casey Stengel and Yogi Berra, The Yankees Baseball Reader has something for everyone. Articles from prominent newspapers and magazines narrate some of the most memorable moments from Yankee history, and a few choice pieces of poetry and fiction round out this essential reference for any fan of the Bronx Bombers. Essential reading for fans of baseball s greatest dynasty, The Yankees Baseball Reader features classic writings by Hall of Famers, poets, novelists, and sports scribes. Contributors:Nicholas Acocella, Maury Allen, Arthur O. W. Anderson, Roger Angell, Marty Appel, Meyer Berger, Yogi Berra, Thomas Boswell, Jim Bouton, Heywood Broun, Jack Chesbro, Jerry Coleman, Richard Ben Cramer, Robert W. Creamer, Dan Daniel, Donald Dewey, Joe DiMaggio, John Drebinger, Jonathan Eig, Billy Evans, Whitey Ford, Jennifer Frey, Sol Gittelman, Peter Golenbock, Frank Graham, David Halberstam, Bob Hertzel, W. R. Hoefer, Ralph Houk, Elston Howard, Tommy John, Dave Kaplan, Michael Knisley, F. C. Lane, Ring Lardner, Jane Leavy, William Leggett, Franz Lidz, Eric Lincoln, Sparky Lyle, Matthew McGough, Bill Madden, Jonathan Mahler, Roger Maris, Michael Martone, Graig Nettles, Frederic P. O Connell, Jim Ogle, Tom Parker, Dayn Perry, Phil Pepe, Lou Piniella, Joe Posnanski, Shirley Povich, Grantland Rice, Ed Rumill, Damon Runyon, Gene Schoor, Casey Stengel, E. M. Swift, Joe Torre, Leo Trachtenberg, Mike Vaccaro, Dan Valenti, Tom Verducci, J. J. Ward, Chet Williamson, Dave Winfield, Steve Wulf A lifelong baseball fan, Adam Brunner works as an editor and lives in Saint Paul, MN. Josh Leventhal, born and raised in New York City, first became a baseball fan during the wild days of Billy, Reggie, Thurman, and George, and he has been an avid follower of the game ever since. He is the author of several books, including Take Me Out to the Ballpark, The World Series: An Illustrated History of the Fall Classic, and Baseball Yesterday & Today. He lives in St. Paul with his wife and daughter. Josh Leventhal has been an avid baseball fan for as long as he can remember, reading baseball stories and pouring over statistics in the Baseball Encyclopedia. He has written or compiled six books, including the best-selling Take Me Out to the Ballpark , Baseball...The Perfect Game , Baseball and the Meaning of Life , and The World Series: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Fall Classic , now in its fourth edition. A native New Yorker, he cheers for the Minnesota Twins in his adopted hometown of the Twin Cities, although the Pittsburgh Pirates will always remain dearest in his heart. He is an editor at Voyageur Press and lives in St. Paul.