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Schoolboy: The Untold Journey of a Yankees Hero
The never-before-published memoir of Waite Hoyt, Hall of Fame pitcher for the New York Yankees in their first dynasty decade, longtime Cincinnati Reds broadcaster after his playing career, and vaudeville star, funeral director, oil painter, and alcoholic.
260 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2024
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July 14, 2024
A few months ago I chatted with one of my branch librarians about up and coming baseball books. In the Cincinnati community, people anticipated the publication of two books, one the latest biography on Pete Rose and the other a discovered memoir of Waite Hoyt also known as Schoolboy. Playing for the 1920s Yankees teams, Hoyt flew under the radar in terms of star power. His memoir garnered local press because Hoyt enjoyed a long second career as the broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds. The accolades on the back cover include one by local radio voice Lance McAllister, who I hear on the radio almost daily. As one who gleans much from memoirs of all types, I added Schoolboy to my holds list even if I had no idea what to expect from it. Sometimes those are the most rewarding books, the gems one discovers by word of mouth or on a library display that have zero expectations going in. That is what Schoolboy ended up being for me because even as a baseball fanatic I admittedly say that prior to reading this memoir, I had little idea who Waite Hoyt was. That would change with this reading.
Tim Manners met Hoyt’s son Christopher at some point in 1985, which developed into a decades long friendship. Not an author by any means, Manners had writing a book on his bucket list because a few of his family members were published authors. Chris green lighted the project for Manners to curate his father’s memoir after his cousin discovered eight boxes of files. With adept editors in tow, the project began. Schoolboy is still written in first person like any other memoir even though the author is deceased and another writer is telling his story. Gleaning that information, I read the book as though Hoyt wrote it himself while alive. I think to the epilogue, a question Christopher asked his father- what can younger generations learn from their elders? Waite Hoyt pondered this question, and I realized that this is why I, and countless others, have a penchant for reading memoirs: to discover life’s lessons from others’ and to apply them to our own lives. Waite Hoyt, through life’s peaks and valleys, had amassed a fountain of stories and lessons to tell both his son and all those who heard him on the radio during his second career. Although an unassuming member of the 1927 Yankees, Hoyt had been there with Ruth and company and transferred his version of the stories from that era to formulate the backbone of his own memoirs. What a treat.
Waite Hoyt grew up in Brooklyn at the turn of the 20th century. From a young age he loved baseball and became a pitcher out of necessity when one of his teams needed a hurler. As a young teen, he lucked into throwing batting practice for John McGraw’s New York Giants teams and signed his first professional contract with the Giants at age fifteen. That would not happen today but in the first decade of the 1900s when schooling was optional, teenagers would play professionally either for minor league or company teams. Not developed enough to shave, Hoyt quickly gained the nickname Schoolboy for his cute babyface that can be seen on the cover of the book. After a few years in the minors when it became apparent that McGraw did not trust youngsters or rookies, Hoyt returned home to Brooklyn where his fortunes eventually turned as he joined the Boston Red Sox when Babe Ruth was still a member of that organization. Although Hoyt was much younger than his teammates, he blossomed when finally out from the watchful eye of McGraw. Traded to the Yankees at the dawn of the roaring twenties, Hoyt returned home, and one could say he epitomized the decade. Learning and developing under Miller Huggins, Hoyt could be counted among the league leaders in wins during each year of his tenure with the Yankees, his best year being the 1927 Murderer’s Row team where his wins most likely had been aided by run support. Following Huggins’ untimely death in 1929, the Yankees traded Hoyt, and he became a journeyman pitcher, finally retiring after the 1938 season and twenty three seasons in professional baseball. During this time, he garnered many stories that he would utilize during his second career.
In 1941 the Hoyts left New York because Waite signed on to become the radio voice of the Cincinnati Reds. At the time, Cincinnati was a hot bed for radio and a springboard to bigger markets, including hall of fame broadcaster Red Barber who broadcasted Reds games before moving to become the voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Cincinnatians know Hoyt as the Reds’ broadcaster who would tell stories nonstop during rain delays. He had anecdotes about Ruth and Gehrig and includes a touching piece about training with Gehrig while ice skating. Hoyt also regaled listeners about his time on vaudeville circuits during an era when ball players had to work during the off season in order to pay the bills. He could name drop Mae West and Betty Grable as well as he could Ruth and Gehrig, and while Yankees brass might have frowned upon these offseason activities, they added color to a life already shaped by the roaring twenties era. As a broadcaster for the Reds, Hoyt also became an accomplished painter in oils and watercolors, selling many of his creations at a solo show. Like many of the broadcasters of that era, Hoyt was not just an athlete who moved to the booth, he was a storyteller who enjoyed many talents and regaled his radio audience with stories of the baseball during its bygone years.
While readers might say that Schoolboy is slow moving, I sat transfixed while reading about Ruth’s Yankees from an insider perspective. The roaring twenties were an age of vice- speakeasies, jazz, vaudeville, mafia controlled clubs- and the unassuming Hoyt experienced all of it. From his files, it became apparent to all involved in this project that Hoyt had been meaning to publish his memoirs while still alive. His writing is indicative of the fact that he left full time school at age fifteen to play baseball. Today, professional athletes and celebrity that age learn online or with an on-site tutor, modern luxuries not available in the 1910s. The writing style is simplistic but one cannot help but be charmed by a writer who can name drop Ruth, Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Mae West, and Al Capone. Schoolboy gives me hope that curators and family members can unearth files from ancestors whose memoirs are waiting to be published. Everyone has a story to tell. Waite Hoyt had a lifetime of stories to tell, and thankfully they finally made it to print. As Tim Manners ends the narrative, thank you Schoolboy.
3.75 stars
Tim Manners met Hoyt’s son Christopher at some point in 1985, which developed into a decades long friendship. Not an author by any means, Manners had writing a book on his bucket list because a few of his family members were published authors. Chris green lighted the project for Manners to curate his father’s memoir after his cousin discovered eight boxes of files. With adept editors in tow, the project began. Schoolboy is still written in first person like any other memoir even though the author is deceased and another writer is telling his story. Gleaning that information, I read the book as though Hoyt wrote it himself while alive. I think to the epilogue, a question Christopher asked his father- what can younger generations learn from their elders? Waite Hoyt pondered this question, and I realized that this is why I, and countless others, have a penchant for reading memoirs: to discover life’s lessons from others’ and to apply them to our own lives. Waite Hoyt, through life’s peaks and valleys, had amassed a fountain of stories and lessons to tell both his son and all those who heard him on the radio during his second career. Although an unassuming member of the 1927 Yankees, Hoyt had been there with Ruth and company and transferred his version of the stories from that era to formulate the backbone of his own memoirs. What a treat.
Waite Hoyt grew up in Brooklyn at the turn of the 20th century. From a young age he loved baseball and became a pitcher out of necessity when one of his teams needed a hurler. As a young teen, he lucked into throwing batting practice for John McGraw’s New York Giants teams and signed his first professional contract with the Giants at age fifteen. That would not happen today but in the first decade of the 1900s when schooling was optional, teenagers would play professionally either for minor league or company teams. Not developed enough to shave, Hoyt quickly gained the nickname Schoolboy for his cute babyface that can be seen on the cover of the book. After a few years in the minors when it became apparent that McGraw did not trust youngsters or rookies, Hoyt returned home to Brooklyn where his fortunes eventually turned as he joined the Boston Red Sox when Babe Ruth was still a member of that organization. Although Hoyt was much younger than his teammates, he blossomed when finally out from the watchful eye of McGraw. Traded to the Yankees at the dawn of the roaring twenties, Hoyt returned home, and one could say he epitomized the decade. Learning and developing under Miller Huggins, Hoyt could be counted among the league leaders in wins during each year of his tenure with the Yankees, his best year being the 1927 Murderer’s Row team where his wins most likely had been aided by run support. Following Huggins’ untimely death in 1929, the Yankees traded Hoyt, and he became a journeyman pitcher, finally retiring after the 1938 season and twenty three seasons in professional baseball. During this time, he garnered many stories that he would utilize during his second career.
In 1941 the Hoyts left New York because Waite signed on to become the radio voice of the Cincinnati Reds. At the time, Cincinnati was a hot bed for radio and a springboard to bigger markets, including hall of fame broadcaster Red Barber who broadcasted Reds games before moving to become the voice of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Cincinnatians know Hoyt as the Reds’ broadcaster who would tell stories nonstop during rain delays. He had anecdotes about Ruth and Gehrig and includes a touching piece about training with Gehrig while ice skating. Hoyt also regaled listeners about his time on vaudeville circuits during an era when ball players had to work during the off season in order to pay the bills. He could name drop Mae West and Betty Grable as well as he could Ruth and Gehrig, and while Yankees brass might have frowned upon these offseason activities, they added color to a life already shaped by the roaring twenties era. As a broadcaster for the Reds, Hoyt also became an accomplished painter in oils and watercolors, selling many of his creations at a solo show. Like many of the broadcasters of that era, Hoyt was not just an athlete who moved to the booth, he was a storyteller who enjoyed many talents and regaled his radio audience with stories of the baseball during its bygone years.
While readers might say that Schoolboy is slow moving, I sat transfixed while reading about Ruth’s Yankees from an insider perspective. The roaring twenties were an age of vice- speakeasies, jazz, vaudeville, mafia controlled clubs- and the unassuming Hoyt experienced all of it. From his files, it became apparent to all involved in this project that Hoyt had been meaning to publish his memoirs while still alive. His writing is indicative of the fact that he left full time school at age fifteen to play baseball. Today, professional athletes and celebrity that age learn online or with an on-site tutor, modern luxuries not available in the 1910s. The writing style is simplistic but one cannot help but be charmed by a writer who can name drop Ruth, Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Mae West, and Al Capone. Schoolboy gives me hope that curators and family members can unearth files from ancestors whose memoirs are waiting to be published. Everyone has a story to tell. Waite Hoyt had a lifetime of stories to tell, and thankfully they finally made it to print. As Tim Manners ends the narrative, thank you Schoolboy.
3.75 stars
July 15, 2025
In the acknowledgments of Schoolboy: The Untold Journey of a Yankees Hero, Tim Manners writes, “Curating this book was the most fun I’ve had with any project, ever.” That line hums with joy, and the book itself is living proof of it—a work of reverence and craft, stitched together with heart and soul. It isn’t merely a biography of Hall of Fame pitcher Waite Hoyt—it’s a resuscitation, a spiritual resurrection, an old jazz tune played in just the right key.
I’ve spent more hours than I can count with the lives of ballplayers echoing across the pages of dusty biographies, but this one stands apart like a cathedral in a cotton field. Schoolboy doesn’t just recount a life—it relives it, with all the grit and grace that made up the man. Waite Hoyt, the golden-armed pitcher for the immortal 1927 New York Yankees, steps from the shadows of sepia photographs and into the full light of day, speaking in his own words, telling his own tale. It’s a story that crackles with wit, with longing, with the slow-burn wisdom of a man who lived hard and looked back with both regret and wonder.
Manners performs a quiet miracle here, arranging Hoyt’s notes, letters, and unfinished memoirs like a composer laying out the score to a lost symphony. With the added texture of interviews recorded by Hoyt’s niece, Ellen Frell Levy, the portrait becomes vivid—layered and humane, marked by Hoyt’s lyricism and biting self-awareness.
The passages that truly sang for me were Hoyt’s recollections of the larger-than-life figures who filled the dugouts and clubhouses of that golden era—Babe Ruth in all his rowdy mythos, Lou Gehrig with his stoic fire, the brooding menace of Ty Cobb, and the war-weathered presence of Grover Cleveland Alexander. There’s even a full page devoted to Stan Musial, a refreshing gesture beautifully written. And then there’s Miller Huggins—his Yankee manager—whom Hoyt admired with the quiet loyalty of a soldier remembering his commanding officer.
The second act of Hoyt’s life, as a broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds, was just as captivating. His account of stepping behind the microphone reads like a frontier story—one man’s journey into a new land, learning the terrain, finding his voice. He called games for 24 years, his voice twining through radios and back porches, a companion to those of us who know the game best by the sound of it floating on a summer breeze.
What lingers most, though, is Hoyt’s honesty. He doesn’t varnish the rough patches—his battle with alcoholism, the vanity of youth, the doors closed behind him. He throws straight, especially when aiming at himself, and spares no truth in the telling. And yet, he’s generous in spirit, never harsh toward others, never settling scores. There’s something noble in that restraint.
This book isn’t just for fans of baseball—it’s for anyone who’s ever looked back on their life and tried to make sense of the road behind. It’s one of the finest baseball books I’ve ever held in my hands. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t tip my own cap to my dear friend Bobby, who gave it to me as a Christmas gift. Some gifts linger longer than others. This one will stay with me like the sound of a radio broadcast drifting through an open window on a summer night.
I’ve spent more hours than I can count with the lives of ballplayers echoing across the pages of dusty biographies, but this one stands apart like a cathedral in a cotton field. Schoolboy doesn’t just recount a life—it relives it, with all the grit and grace that made up the man. Waite Hoyt, the golden-armed pitcher for the immortal 1927 New York Yankees, steps from the shadows of sepia photographs and into the full light of day, speaking in his own words, telling his own tale. It’s a story that crackles with wit, with longing, with the slow-burn wisdom of a man who lived hard and looked back with both regret and wonder.
Manners performs a quiet miracle here, arranging Hoyt’s notes, letters, and unfinished memoirs like a composer laying out the score to a lost symphony. With the added texture of interviews recorded by Hoyt’s niece, Ellen Frell Levy, the portrait becomes vivid—layered and humane, marked by Hoyt’s lyricism and biting self-awareness.
The passages that truly sang for me were Hoyt’s recollections of the larger-than-life figures who filled the dugouts and clubhouses of that golden era—Babe Ruth in all his rowdy mythos, Lou Gehrig with his stoic fire, the brooding menace of Ty Cobb, and the war-weathered presence of Grover Cleveland Alexander. There’s even a full page devoted to Stan Musial, a refreshing gesture beautifully written. And then there’s Miller Huggins—his Yankee manager—whom Hoyt admired with the quiet loyalty of a soldier remembering his commanding officer.
The second act of Hoyt’s life, as a broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds, was just as captivating. His account of stepping behind the microphone reads like a frontier story—one man’s journey into a new land, learning the terrain, finding his voice. He called games for 24 years, his voice twining through radios and back porches, a companion to those of us who know the game best by the sound of it floating on a summer breeze.
What lingers most, though, is Hoyt’s honesty. He doesn’t varnish the rough patches—his battle with alcoholism, the vanity of youth, the doors closed behind him. He throws straight, especially when aiming at himself, and spares no truth in the telling. And yet, he’s generous in spirit, never harsh toward others, never settling scores. There’s something noble in that restraint.
This book isn’t just for fans of baseball—it’s for anyone who’s ever looked back on their life and tried to make sense of the road behind. It’s one of the finest baseball books I’ve ever held in my hands. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t tip my own cap to my dear friend Bobby, who gave it to me as a Christmas gift. Some gifts linger longer than others. This one will stay with me like the sound of a radio broadcast drifting through an open window on a summer night.
July 7, 2024
Sometimes it is easy to think of people we only see in black-and-white photos existing "out of time" and not real-life individuals. Tim Manners (editing Waite Hoyt) upends all that with the magnificent "Schoolboy"--a tome that spectacularly shows how even folks who lived 100 years ago still struggled with many of the same issues we do today.
Long story short, Manners had the good fortune to be presented a found-in-the-attic unpublished autobiographical manuscript from Hoyt himself! Hoyt, of course, was a star pitcher for the Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig-led New York Yankees baseball squads of the 1920s.
For Deadball Era baseball fanatics, this is an incredible historical find, as Hoyt regales readers with stories of the Bambino, Larrupin' Lou, George Sisler, Rogers Hornsby, Ty Cobb, and even Honus Wagner. Because the material was written so close to the source of the events, it seems imbued with a sense of no-nonsense truthfulness without legendary embellishments. It certainly helps that Hoyt seems intellectually and philosophically head-and-shoulders above the generally more rough-and-tumble early 20th century crowd. Hence the schoolboy moniker.
But the hallmark of "Schoolboy" is how forthright Hoyt talks about all aspects of his life. How much his parents sacrificed to allow him to chase a professional baseball dream--his disgust at the crude hazing procedures upon entry to MLB--his anxious thoughts about performing for a living--his lifelong love or art and poetry. Swap out a few words here and there and this story could be any number of professional athletes (or just individuals) in the here and now. There is not one iota of material here that feels dated or out-of-touch.
All things considered, I consider "Schoolboy" to easily be one of the best baseball books I've read this year! Hoyt-edited-by-Manners will not only delight baseball historians, but also biography devour-ers looking for glimpse back at humanity a century ago.
Long story short, Manners had the good fortune to be presented a found-in-the-attic unpublished autobiographical manuscript from Hoyt himself! Hoyt, of course, was a star pitcher for the Babe Ruth & Lou Gehrig-led New York Yankees baseball squads of the 1920s.
For Deadball Era baseball fanatics, this is an incredible historical find, as Hoyt regales readers with stories of the Bambino, Larrupin' Lou, George Sisler, Rogers Hornsby, Ty Cobb, and even Honus Wagner. Because the material was written so close to the source of the events, it seems imbued with a sense of no-nonsense truthfulness without legendary embellishments. It certainly helps that Hoyt seems intellectually and philosophically head-and-shoulders above the generally more rough-and-tumble early 20th century crowd. Hence the schoolboy moniker.
But the hallmark of "Schoolboy" is how forthright Hoyt talks about all aspects of his life. How much his parents sacrificed to allow him to chase a professional baseball dream--his disgust at the crude hazing procedures upon entry to MLB--his anxious thoughts about performing for a living--his lifelong love or art and poetry. Swap out a few words here and there and this story could be any number of professional athletes (or just individuals) in the here and now. There is not one iota of material here that feels dated or out-of-touch.
All things considered, I consider "Schoolboy" to easily be one of the best baseball books I've read this year! Hoyt-edited-by-Manners will not only delight baseball historians, but also biography devour-ers looking for glimpse back at humanity a century ago.
February 4, 2025
This book is a unique and remarkable work of nonfiction. Officially the autobiography of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Waite Hoyt, who died in 1984, it is more a showcase of the research skills and editing prowess of coauthor Tim Manners, who wrote the book 40 years after Hoyt’s passing without ever meeting the man. Manners took many clippings and notes from former major league pitcher Waite Hoyt and put them together in a way that reads like a memoir by Hoyt. He deserves a lot of credit for pulling off this project as it does describe Hoyt’s life completely in the first-person narrative.
Knowing that Hoyt was an important member of one of the greatest baseball teams in history, the 1927 New York Yankees, I expected more about his baseball career and that team. The parts that do describe any part of his time with that team are mostly about his interactions with teammates, especially Babe Ruth. However, one of the more interesting parts of the entire book did involve a member of that team, but well after both men had left the Yankees. When Hoyt was trying to get back into baseball shape one winter, he decided to do so at a local skating rink. Who did he see at the rink who was also skating as part of his conditioning? None other than Lou Gehrig!
The encounter with Gehrig, which covers an entire chapter, is an example of how the book reads – some baseball, but mostly topics that are important to Hoyt’s life but are not really part of the game. There are very interesting events that would not have occurred in Hoyt’s life had he not been a ball player such as meeting Al Capone, but if one is looking for a book on Hoyt’s baseball career, this doesn’t delve into that very deeply. That is surprising for a memoir, but it still deserves some praise just for putting together Hoyt’s complete story.
Knowing that Hoyt was an important member of one of the greatest baseball teams in history, the 1927 New York Yankees, I expected more about his baseball career and that team. The parts that do describe any part of his time with that team are mostly about his interactions with teammates, especially Babe Ruth. However, one of the more interesting parts of the entire book did involve a member of that team, but well after both men had left the Yankees. When Hoyt was trying to get back into baseball shape one winter, he decided to do so at a local skating rink. Who did he see at the rink who was also skating as part of his conditioning? None other than Lou Gehrig!
The encounter with Gehrig, which covers an entire chapter, is an example of how the book reads – some baseball, but mostly topics that are important to Hoyt’s life but are not really part of the game. There are very interesting events that would not have occurred in Hoyt’s life had he not been a ball player such as meeting Al Capone, but if one is looking for a book on Hoyt’s baseball career, this doesn’t delve into that very deeply. That is surprising for a memoir, but it still deserves some praise just for putting together Hoyt’s complete story.
June 22, 2025
A wonderful memoir from an original baseball lifer.
February 8, 2024
When given several totes filled with an unorganized collection of a lifetime of Waite Hoyt’s journals, letters, and mementos by Hoyt's son, Tim Manners felt compelled not only to sort through it all, but also to make a memoir out of it. I was intrigued by this premise: creating what amounts to a posthumous memoir of the great, but largely forgotten Yankee pitcher, a story told in his own words, thanks to his voluminous writings.
For the most part, Manners does a masterful job of organizing the tubs of information into an engaging narrative. In his own words, Hoyt comes across as an earnest product of a tight-knit family, that feared for his safety but nonetheless allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming a major league baseball pitcher at the tender age of 15. Over his career as a pitcher and play by play announcer, Hoyt developed a philosophical approach to the ups and downs of life. He was unflinchingly honest about his drinking problems, as well as his oversized ego, which led to many of his travails. But the admissions don’t weigh down the narrative at all.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for providing me with an ebook copy.
Being a baseball fan enhanced my enjoyment of this narrative. For instance, already knowing who John McGraw was, thanks to my reading of a biography of Jim Thorpe in which McGraw plays a role, it was interesting to read about the owner of the New York Giants’ dealings with Hoyt and the words of wisdom he passed along to the young pitcher.
It was also interesting to read about how unorganized the baseball minor leagues were, as compared to the highly organized Triple A, Double A, and Single A leagues of today. By far my favorite parts of the book were Hoyt’s remembrances of and observations about the legendary Yankee icons: Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
Hoyt’s second and third careers (broadcasting and painting) show that Hoyt was by no means a one-dimensional ballplayer. There are numerous funny anecdotes that liven the story up and move it along. Kudos to Manners for taking on such a monumental task. Hoyt’s own words bring the early 20th century era of major league baseball vividly to life and confirm that Hoyt certainly deserved his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for providing me with an e-book copy.
For the most part, Manners does a masterful job of organizing the tubs of information into an engaging narrative. In his own words, Hoyt comes across as an earnest product of a tight-knit family, that feared for his safety but nonetheless allowed him to pursue his dream of becoming a major league baseball pitcher at the tender age of 15. Over his career as a pitcher and play by play announcer, Hoyt developed a philosophical approach to the ups and downs of life. He was unflinchingly honest about his drinking problems, as well as his oversized ego, which led to many of his travails. But the admissions don’t weigh down the narrative at all.
My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for providing me with an ebook copy.
Being a baseball fan enhanced my enjoyment of this narrative. For instance, already knowing who John McGraw was, thanks to my reading of a biography of Jim Thorpe in which McGraw plays a role, it was interesting to read about the owner of the New York Giants’ dealings with Hoyt and the words of wisdom he passed along to the young pitcher.
It was also interesting to read about how unorganized the baseball minor leagues were, as compared to the highly organized Triple A, Double A, and Single A leagues of today. By far my favorite parts of the book were Hoyt’s remembrances of and observations about the legendary Yankee icons: Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
Hoyt’s second and third careers (broadcasting and painting) show that Hoyt was by no means a one-dimensional ballplayer. There are numerous funny anecdotes that liven the story up and move it along. Kudos to Manners for taking on such a monumental task. Hoyt’s own words bring the early 20th century era of major league baseball vividly to life and confirm that Hoyt certainly deserved his induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1969.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers of this book for providing me with an e-book copy.
May 3, 2024
This is a unique memoir in that the subject of the book died before the book was actually assembled. Tim Manners took many clippings and notes from former major league pitcher Waite Hoyt and put them together in a manner that reads like a memoir by Hoyt. Manners deserves a lot of credit for pulling off this project as it does describe Hoyt’s life completely in the first-person narrative.
Maybe it is because of this formatting that while the book mostly describes Hoyt’s life in chronological order, I found it a slog to get through the pages. Knowing that Hoyt was an important member of one of the greatest baseball teams in history, the 1927 New York Yankees, I expected more about his baseball career and that team. The parts that do describe any part of his time with that team are mostly about his interactions with teammates, especially Babe Ruth. However, one of the more interesting parts of the entire book did involve a member of that team, but well after both men had left the Yankees. When Hoyt was trying to get back into baseball shape one winter, he decided to do so at a local skating rink. Who did he see at the rink who was also skating as part of his conditioning? None other than Lou Gehrig!
The encounter with Gehrig, which covers an entire chapter, is an example of how the book reads – some baseball, but mostly topics that are important to Hoyt’s life but are not really part of the game. There are very interesting events that would not have occurred in Hoyt’s life had he not been a ball player such as meeting Al Capone, but if one is looking for a book on Hoyt’s baseball career, this doesn’t delve into that very deeply. That is surprising for a memoir, and at times the book does feel tedious to read, but it still deserves some praise just for putting together Hoyt’s complete story.
I wish to thank University of Nebraska for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
Maybe it is because of this formatting that while the book mostly describes Hoyt’s life in chronological order, I found it a slog to get through the pages. Knowing that Hoyt was an important member of one of the greatest baseball teams in history, the 1927 New York Yankees, I expected more about his baseball career and that team. The parts that do describe any part of his time with that team are mostly about his interactions with teammates, especially Babe Ruth. However, one of the more interesting parts of the entire book did involve a member of that team, but well after both men had left the Yankees. When Hoyt was trying to get back into baseball shape one winter, he decided to do so at a local skating rink. Who did he see at the rink who was also skating as part of his conditioning? None other than Lou Gehrig!
The encounter with Gehrig, which covers an entire chapter, is an example of how the book reads – some baseball, but mostly topics that are important to Hoyt’s life but are not really part of the game. There are very interesting events that would not have occurred in Hoyt’s life had he not been a ball player such as meeting Al Capone, but if one is looking for a book on Hoyt’s baseball career, this doesn’t delve into that very deeply. That is surprising for a memoir, and at times the book does feel tedious to read, but it still deserves some praise just for putting together Hoyt’s complete story.
I wish to thank University of Nebraska for providing a review copy of the book. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
February 28, 2024
𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭𝘣𝘰𝘺: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘠𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘴 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰 is an incredibly unique and remarkable work of nonfiction. Officially the autobiography of Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Waite Hoyt, who died in 1984, it is more a showcase of the research skills and editing prowess of coauthor Tim Manners, who wrote the book 40 years after Hoyt’s passing without ever - as far as I can gather - meeting the man.
Manners crafts Hoyt’s autobiography (through writings and transcripts provided by Hoyt’s family), creating a narrative reminiscent of Lawrence Ritter’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 with its first-person journey through early 20th century baseball. At the same time the book provides a candidness reserved for more modern autobiographies.
Manners does a fantastic job of allowing Hoyt’s voice to come through, including one of my favorite turns of phrase in the book: “The town of Lebanon evidently didn’t believe in our baseball prowess because they gave us a good lettin’ alone” (31).
On a personal note, there was a pleasant surprise when Waite spent a season with the Nashville Vols, playing at Sulphur Dell. My great-grandfather owned a semi-professional team (Patten Cats) and a ballpark (Patten Park) on the family farm in Lyles, Tennessee. The team occasionally played against the Vols both at Patten Park and at Sulphur Dell. The team didn’t exist when Waite was with the Vols, but kind of a fun little connection just for me.
Without a doubt this book is a recommend if you, like me, are a reader of baseball history and biography.
Manners crafts Hoyt’s autobiography (through writings and transcripts provided by Hoyt’s family), creating a narrative reminiscent of Lawrence Ritter’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘎𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘖𝘶𝘳 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 with its first-person journey through early 20th century baseball. At the same time the book provides a candidness reserved for more modern autobiographies.
Manners does a fantastic job of allowing Hoyt’s voice to come through, including one of my favorite turns of phrase in the book: “The town of Lebanon evidently didn’t believe in our baseball prowess because they gave us a good lettin’ alone” (31).
On a personal note, there was a pleasant surprise when Waite spent a season with the Nashville Vols, playing at Sulphur Dell. My great-grandfather owned a semi-professional team (Patten Cats) and a ballpark (Patten Park) on the family farm in Lyles, Tennessee. The team occasionally played against the Vols both at Patten Park and at Sulphur Dell. The team didn’t exist when Waite was with the Vols, but kind of a fun little connection just for me.
Without a doubt this book is a recommend if you, like me, are a reader of baseball history and biography.
December 12, 2023
I got this book from Netgalley so I can read and review it before its published.
He passed away in 1984 and with the help from ghostwriter, Tim Manners, we get his story in his words as Tim was given access to Waite’s archives from his family.
I had no clue who Waite Hoyt was, but from the description on Netgalley, I was very intrigued.
He is a Hall of Famer, he won 3 World Series, and he played with Babe Ruth on the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. He was signed as a professional ball player by the New York Giants in 1915 when we just a high school junior. He persevered and had much success.
After he left the game, he became a radio broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds.
I really enjoyed all the stories from his playing days and broadcasting days, and the book was a great read.
He passed away in 1984 and with the help from ghostwriter, Tim Manners, we get his story in his words as Tim was given access to Waite’s archives from his family.
I had no clue who Waite Hoyt was, but from the description on Netgalley, I was very intrigued.
He is a Hall of Famer, he won 3 World Series, and he played with Babe Ruth on the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. He was signed as a professional ball player by the New York Giants in 1915 when we just a high school junior. He persevered and had much success.
After he left the game, he became a radio broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds.
I really enjoyed all the stories from his playing days and broadcasting days, and the book was a great read.
January 31, 2024
This is a variation of an autobiography on that Tim Manners wrote the book use of the extensive notes and journals of Waite Hoyt who died in 1984. Hoyt is best known as a pitcher for the Yankees in the 1920s. The book itself focuses more on Hoyt himself rather than his baseball exploits, but they are sprinkled throughout. As a lifelong Yankees fan I found the book interesting, but would have liked to have read more about specific games he pitched. Overall a good book.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
July 10, 2024
Excellent! I hardly knew anything about Waite Hoyt, but this book told a pretty amazing story. His memoirs put to paper were so well written and honest. Even as a Hall of Famer, he hardly bragged about himself, telling stories about other stars from the 20's and 30's.
This book is a must-read for any baseball fan. Hearing first account stories about Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb and so many other stars and non stars from back then were so interesting and enjoyable.
His whole life is covered here in such honesty - about his alcoholism, being a bad husband and father from his first marriage, the mistakes he made in baseball and other careers during and after his baseball life showed what a good person he was. This can easily be a movie.
This book is a must-read for any baseball fan. Hearing first account stories about Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb and so many other stars and non stars from back then were so interesting and enjoyable.
His whole life is covered here in such honesty - about his alcoholism, being a bad husband and father from his first marriage, the mistakes he made in baseball and other careers during and after his baseball life showed what a good person he was. This can easily be a movie.
February 28, 2025
Waite Hoyt was one of the NY Yankees best pitchers during the Babe Ruth era. Following his retirement, he became a sportscaster for the Cincinnati Reds. This autobiography was culled from 5 boxes of memorabilia given to Tim Manners by Hoyt's son,Christopher after his father died in 1984.
This is an amazing reconstruction of the life of a complicated man who was so much more than a star pitcher. Although Hoyt partied with the best of them, he was an autodidact who never finished high school and was always reading books to educate himself. Coming from a theatrical family, he also did vaudeville during the winters of his Prime Years.
Reading this book is like spending time with Waite Hoyt himself. Highly recommended to all baseball fans.
This is an amazing reconstruction of the life of a complicated man who was so much more than a star pitcher. Although Hoyt partied with the best of them, he was an autodidact who never finished high school and was always reading books to educate himself. Coming from a theatrical family, he also did vaudeville during the winters of his Prime Years.
Reading this book is like spending time with Waite Hoyt himself. Highly recommended to all baseball fans.
June 2, 2025
Walking into this book I did not know anything about Waite Hoyt. I'm glad I am wanting to learn more about the history of baseball. He had some great things to say and interesting perspectives on legends such as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. However, this book is just not his pat on the back for a good life. He goes into his flaw - cheating on his wife and alcoholism. This Memoir/Biography is posthumous, but he had six boxes of notes so he intended to write a book. They did an excellent job of giving him his voice.
How did this book find me? I found it on Hoopla.
How did this book find me? I found it on Hoopla.
January 18, 2025
An interesting book compiled by notes left by Waite Hoyt, given to the author by the children of Waite. The biography is written in the tense of an autobiography 40 years after the death of the subject, a Major League Baseball pitcher in the 1920’s-1930’s and MLB announcer for the Cincinnati Reds in the 1940’s-1960’s. A peak into the life of early baseball and a Hall of Fame pitcher that many have not heard of.
August 1, 2025
A pretty remarkable book…lots of insight on the early game of baseball and I enjoyed the Ruth and Gehrig anecdotes. As mentioned in other reviews this was written after the death of Hoyt via his personal journals and notes. It was written in the first person and felt authentic.
May 9, 2025
Pretty good. He had an interesting life. Many life lessons here.
August 22, 2025
You throw the ball; you catch the ball, and you hit the ball.
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