Second in a Series

Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News jokes that it is “amazing we don’t know any of these New York Times ‘bestsellers’ ” he wrote in the mid-1970s, so he’s equally amazed at the values his two mostly forgotten books, “The Relentless Reds” (PressCo, 1976) and “The Royal Reds: Baseball’s New Dynasty” (PressCo, 1977), can bring these days on Amazon.com and eBay.

“Each had a quick run of 50,000 copies [after the two world championships],” McCoy said. “They were sold at local bookstores and by mail order. I never did a signing and there never was a special appearance by anybody to push the books. They sold out quickly and there were no second runs.”

Today each title can command upwards of $80, depending on condition. McCoy shakes his head in complete disbelief. He was paid $2,000 each with no percentage of sales or royalties. In fact, he didn’t own a copy of either until a writer friend gave them to him. “I needed an agent,” he quipped.

The books were regionally published by Shelbyville, Ky.,-based PressCo. Inc. Each is roughly 226-page softcovers chock full of stories, stats, interviews and seasonal overview, complemented by a ton of Dennis Gruelle photos covering the 1975 and '76 seasons. Pete Alexis contributed player profiles and the late Cincinnati Post Reds beat writer Earl Lawson penned both forewards.

“The publisher was a former CIA official named Bill Matthews who published some small papers in Kentucky,” McCoy recalled. “Both years he approached me shortly after the season. Needed them done. Now. Was told I was the fastest writer around. I locked myself in my bedroom office both times and wrote them both in about two weeks, using my own newspaper clips.”

For some reason, Matthews never did a second printing despite brisk sales and a huge market demand for anything Big Red Machine. A print run of 50,000 is not small, especially for a regional title, but the titles have long held some rarity. “Every once in a while I get one in the mail from someone asking me to sign it,” McCoy said. Otherwise, he doesn’t see the books too often.

But they’re out there and they make a great present for the Reds fan who seemingly has everything and cherishes the Big Red Machine era. These books are a lot of fun to thumb through and you'll love going back to the time and players when Reds baseball was the very best in the world.

Best Reds Release of 2008!
“Joe Nuxhall, The Life, Legacy and Words of a Cincinnati Icon,” by John Kiesewetter
(Peiment, 2008)
It was a busy year for newly released Reds books, but none was better than this joint effort of Cincinnati Enquirer staff that pays tribute to legendary player and broadcaster Joe Nuxhall. Featuring the words of Kiesewetter, the illustrations of Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Jim Borgman, and the images of long-time staff photographer Michael Keating, this 128-page full-color hardback is loaded with photos, cartoons, anecdotes and personal interviews, including a bonus DVD with four 30-minute Nuxhall interviews. Editor Michael Perry deserves a huge plaudit for pulling together this awesome display and limited-edition collectible. Available at www.nuxhallbook.com for $34.95.

New Release: "Drawing Pete," by Jerry Dowling
(Edgecliff Press, 2008)
Compiled from the career drawings of former Cincinnati Enquirer cartoonist Jerry Dowling, this fascinating 112-page collection illustrates Pete Rose’s career through the decades from a completely different vantage point. Dowling’s terrific wit and style captures the exact mood of the moment of Pete’s career . . . with special thanks to Dowling’s alter ego, the sarcastic “Dirty Rat,” who lands the final word in each of his cartoons. Whether you are old enough to have witnessed Pete’s career or just young enough to have experienced the warts (of which there are many), this title is a fun, funny and wonderful addition to Reds literature. Price: $29.95, at Cincinnati-area bookstores or the Edgecliff Press website, where you can also get a peek inside the book.

Forgotten Champions: “The 1940 Cincinnati Reds,” by Brian Mulligan
(McFarland, 2005)
Maybe you’ve heard of this book, maybe you haven’t; maybe you realize the greatness of the first true Reds World Series champions, maybe you don’t. But you should not pass up Mulligan’s solid revisionist history of this remarkable, resilient team that now seems lost in baseball time to most Reds fans. Building off the suicide of catcher Willard Hershberger late in the 1940 season, Mulligan approaches the narrative from a human interest angle to cover the ongoing personal and emotional landmines this team leaped to capture an exciting seven-game World Series victory against the Tigers. The names should be familiar: Lombardi, Vander Meer, Derringer, Walters, McCormick, Myers, Werber, Frey and McKechnie. It’s a team with great personalities and a story of remarkable perseverance—a season Reds fans today should know and embrace. Price: around $30 at Amazon.com and the McFarland & Co. website. 

Classic: “Pennant Chase,” by Jim Brosnan
(Harper, 1962)
Two seasons after his landmark “The Long Season” in which pitcher Jim Brosnan writes the first in a genre of “insider” clubhouse books later made popular by “Ball Four,” comes the companion title chronicling the 1961 Reds’ journey to the National League pennant. Today “Pennant Chase” is widely considered one of the top 10 baseball books of all time as Brosnan gives the reader a seat for the Reds’ improbable season. Clear, descriptive, personal, cynical, witty  . . . Brosnan never needed a ghost writer to paint his stories. The sad part is the book covers only the regular season and stops at the World Series. The worst part is a couple of generations of Reds fans may have heard of the 1961 Reds but they have never acquainted themselves with Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, Jim O’Toole, Joey Jay, Ed Bailey, Wally Post, Gordy Coleman, manager Fred Hutchinson and the rest of the gang through “Pennant Chase,” a true classic. Price: Under $20 for hardcover first editions at Amazon.com.

Collectible: "Base Ball in Cincinnati," by Harry Ellard
(Cincinnati, 1907)
The early history of Cincinnati baseball is told by journalist Ellard through one of the most historically significant sports books—and one of the most collectible. Ellard used many original documents and player interviews to pen this remarkable history of life and baseball in Cincinnati during the latter half of the 19^th century. Now, first edition volumes are exceedingly rare and a second edition printed in 1908 also carries huge demand. The 277-page treasure gives a detailed account of early Reds teams, players and team business, and comes with around 70 photographs, many of them never published anywhere else. Little expense was spared in the book's making with thick photo and page stock, elaborate cloth cover and binding, and high-quality printing.

The book also has an interesting legacy. The Ohio Book Store in downtown Cincinnati did a limited reprint in 1987. Those rare copies now sell for $50-$300, depending on condition. In 2004, McFarland & Co published a softback reprint that somehow costs $35. Go figure, but that is likely your best route if you merely want to read the book without the collectibility cost.

However, you must have "Base Ball in Cincinnati" if you are a high-end Reds collector. The Ohio Book Store versions can often be found on eBay and Amazon.com. A second edition from 1908 sold at a 2004 Robert Edwards Auction for $1,840. First and second editions can be found at www.abebooks.com. First edition price: $3,450.

Perspective: “Beyond the Sixth Game,” by Peter Gammons
(Houghton Mifflin, 1985)
Long, long on my recommendation list whether you’re a Reds fan or a general baseball fan, Gammons’ very best work uses the now-legendary Game 6 of the 1975 World Series between the Reds and Red Sox as the demarcation line by which the modern game changed forever. With franchises in trouble, attendance falling and the new era of player free agency looming, Gammons uses the 1975 World Series as the arc for a compelling before-and after-story of baseball history. Along the way, he goes into great detail behind the scenes of the play, players and games of a classic World Series. Forget the Red Sox slant. If you want to understand how today's game evolved from one October night in Boston into the big business we know today, "Beyond the Sixth Game" is a must read. Available at Amazon.com and eBay in hardback for less than $10.

Worth Mentioning. . . .
Lee Allen’s “The Cincinnati Reds" (Putnam, 1948) remains a relevant and collectible (but dry) history . . . . The coffee table-style "Big Red Dynasty" by Greg Rhodes and John Erardi (Road West, 1998) is the most complete look at the Big Red Machine era. . . . "The Cincinnati Game" by Lonnie Wheeler and John Baskin (Orange Frazer, 1988) is a really clever, introspective and different Reds history, and an unknown gem. . . . "Marge Schott: Unleashed" by Mike Bass (Sagamore, 1993) is riveting and jaw-dropping. . . . The late, great Reds beat writer Earl Lawson of the Cincinnati Post shared his 34 years covering the team in "Cincinnati Seasons" (Diamond, 1990). . . . "Tom Browning's Tales From the Reds Dugout" (Sports Publishing, 2007) is generally well-liked by readers. . . . "Red Legs and Black Sox" by Susan Dellinger (Emmis, 2006) adds the angle of the 1919 World Series scandal from the author’s grandfather, Reds Hall of Famer Edd Roush. . . . "The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Cincinnati Reds" by Mike Shannon (Triumph, 2008) takes a look at fairly recent Reds history in a way the title suggests . . . and "Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame Highlights" by Greg Rhodes (Clerisy Press, 2007) is a quick, fun read that makes a nice stocking stuffer.

A Little Late
When he actually writes these days, I enjoy Paul Daugherty’s voice in the Cincinnati Enquirer. Love him, hate him or merely tolerate him as the lone newspaper sports columnist in town (you suck, Gannett), Daugherty is widely recognized as one of the country’s best sportswriters and an opinion talent I highly respect—even when I don’t agree with him. But his books, including this year’s “Catch Every Ball: How to Handle Life’s Pitches,” with Johnny Bench (Orange Frazer, 2008, $22.00) have left me decidedly flat. This Bench title is 20 years too late—the perfect timing would have been his induction to the Hall of Fame, especially in the self-help/inspirational category. What the struggling sports book market will welcome, however, is the definitive full-blown, tell-all Bench biographical treatment like those of Babe Ruth (Robert Creamer), Joe DiMaggio (Richard Ben Cramer) and Roberto Clemente (David Marannis). Until that time, you should read J.B.'s autobiography "Catch You Later," (HarperCollins, 1979), available at Amazon.com for around $10.

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