Baseball has had its fair share of one-and-out champions, but few clubs have dominated the sport for any great length of time. Given the level of competition and the expansive length of the season, it is a remarkable accomplishment for a team to make multiple World Series appearances in a short timespan. From the Baltimore Orioles of the 1800s who would go to any length to winâincluding physically accosting opponentsâto the 1934 Cardinals known as the âGashouse Gangâ for their rough tactics and determination, and on to George Steinbrennerâs dominant Yankees of the late twentieth century, baseballâs greatest teams somehow found a way to win year after year. Spanning three centuries of the game, Baseballâs Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them examines twenty-two of baseballâs most iconic teams. Each chapter not only chronicles the clubâs era of supremacy, but also provides an in-depth look at the players who helped make their teams great. Nearly two hundred player profiles are included, featuring such well-known stars as Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, and Pete Rose, as well as players who were perhaps overshadowed by their teammates but were nonetheless vital to their teamâs reign, such as Pepper Martin, Allie Reynolds, and George Foster. With a concluding chapter that profiles the clubs that were on the cusp of greatness, Baseballâs Dynasties and the Players Who Built Them is a fascinating survey of what makes some teams dominate year after year while others get only a small taste of glory before falling to the wayside. Written in a lively style with amusing anecdotes and colorful quotes, this comprehensive book will be of interest to all fans and historians of baseball.
nl
en