In this Book
- The Roger Kahn Reader: Six Decades of Sportswriting
- Book
- 2018
- Published by: University of Nebraska Press
Most famous for his classic work The Boys of Summer, Roger Kahn is widely regarded as one of the greatest sportswriters of our time. The Roger Kahn Reader is a rich collection of his stories and articles that originally appeared in publications such as Sports Illustrated, theNew York Times, Esquire, and the Nation.
Kahn’s pieces, published between 1952 and today, present a vivid, turbulent, and intimate picture of more than half a century in American sport. His standout writings bring us close to entrepreneurs and hustlers (Walter O'Malley and Don King), athletes of Olympian gifts (Ted Williams, Stan Musial, “Le Demon Blond” Guy Lefleur), and sundry compelling issues of money, muscle, and myth. We witness Roger Maris’s ordeal by fame; Bob Gibson’s blazing competitive fire; and Red Smith, now white-haired and renowned, contemplating his beginnings and his future. Also included is a new and original chapter, “Clem,” about the author’s compelling lifelong friendship with former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Clem Labine.
Written across six decades, this volume shows Kahn’s ability to describe the athletes he profiled as they truly were in a manner neither compromised nor cruel but always authentic and up close.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- pp. xxi-xxiv
- Part 1: An American Tragedy
- Part 2: When Eisenhower Reigned
- 2. Joe Black’s Odyssey
- pp. 13-15
- 4. The Twilight of the Gods
- pp. 22-26
- 5. Baseball 1954
- pp. 27-31
- 6. Here’s Tap Day
- pp. 32-36
- 7. Forget Something, Boys?
- pp. 37-40
- 8. New York Proudly Presents
- pp. 41-43
- 10. Glory Day in Columbus
- pp. 48-51
- 11. Alonzo, Alonzo
- pp. 52-54
- 12. Big Newk and His Psyche
- pp. 55-62
- 14. The Boswells of Baseball
- pp. 78-82
- 16. Little Nellie’s a Man Now
- pp. 100-113
- 17. Rookie of the Year [Fiction]
- pp. 114-123
- 18. How the Other Half Lives
- pp. 124-132
- 19. The Crucial Part Fear Plays in Sport
- pp. 133-140
- Part 3: Changing Times
- 20. The Benching of a Legend
- pp. 143-149
- 21. Success and Ned Irish
- pp. 150-158
- 22. Baseball’s Secret Weapon: Terror
- pp. 159-167
- 24. Robert Frost: A Reminiscence
- pp. 180-183
- 25. The Time of the Hustler
- pp. 184-192
- Part 4: Getting Closer
- 26. Writing Sports
- pp. 195-203
- 27. The Life and Hard Times of Jim Bouton
- pp. 204-213
- 28. The Mick
- pp. 214-221
- 29. Roy Emerson
- pp. 222-228
- 30. Bob Gibson
- pp. 229-235
- 31. Scuba Diving
- pp. 236-241
- 32. A Shrine in Brooklyn
- pp. 242-251
- 33. Cheer, Cheer for Old Ezra Pound
- pp. 252-256
- 34. The Good and Bad Times of Don King
- pp. 257-262
- 35. George Foreman Is Down but Not Out
- pp. 263-268
- 36. Aspects of the Game
- pp. 269-290
- 37. A Baseball Sketchbook
- pp. 291-307
- 38. Golden Triumphs, Tarnished Dreams
- pp. 308-319
- 39. Walter O’Malley in the Sunshine
- pp. 320-323
- 40. Some Modest Proposals
- pp. 324-326
- 41. The Joy of Bill Veeck
- pp. 327-329
- 42. Public Relations
- pp. 330-332
- 43. Jim Lonborg at Thirty-Seven
- pp. 333-335
- 44. A Visit with Red Smith
- pp. 336-342
- 46. Lafleur (the Flower of Canada)
- pp. 348-355
- 47. Dodger Verities Span the Seasons
- pp. 356-362
- Part 5: A New Millennium
- 49. Scorecard: Mind Over Batter
- pp. 368-369
- 50. A Few Moments with TSW
- pp. 370-372
- 51. Clem: An Original Story
- pp. 373-378