Yaz

by Carl Yastrzemski with Al Hirshberg

book

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Nonfiction, Biography

Hardcover

First published April 15, 1968

Reviews

[Bj Shea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a Suprise on how much I liked. Learned a lot a Yaz. Dragged in the middle but overall a strong book.

[Christopher · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a lifelong Red Sox fan who witnessed virtually all of Yaz's career. I think he was a unique player who, if possible for a Hall of Famer, is underrated. His ability to grind out greatness may be unmatched in baseball history. Yaz was and is Tough with a capital. A private, proud man, he remains so and reveals little that diehards were not already aware of in this autobiography. His co writer Ezkenazi may shoulder most of the blame here. In my opinion, his job was to bring the private Yaz out and reveal more about the man and the player. Yaz played more MLB games than virtually any other player who ever lived in a 23 year career. A co writer of merit, I feel, would have had a treasure trove of stories, anecdotes, and personal memories to weave into an amazing book. Instead we are left with almost one third of the book detailing dry, flat, at bat and game details of the 1967 pennant race (note: in Yaz's 1968 autobiography, he claimed that the '67 pennant drive was such a crazy whirlwind that when fans recalled details of those games, he could not remember them all, he only rememebered scattered snapshots...). So obviously that part of the book was ghost written by a wayward co-writer. Comparatively, the book contains about 6 pages on the 1975 ALCS and World Series. An editor should have stepped in and asked for a rewrite of these sections. We learn very little about Yaz's hundreds of teammates. In this book, you will learn that Yaz loved Luis Tiant and Ralph Houk, and disliked Eddie Stanky. That's about it. There are some good descriptions of Yaz's incredible efforts and adjustments to play and cope with injuries and age. Yaz was and is a proud man and that comes through. Yaz only wanted to win, but the book uses too many pages describing Yaz's focus and efforts to reach statistical milestones in individual seasons and his career. This might skew some readers less familiar with his career (and those who didn't get to watch it) into thinking Yaz was a selfish player (see Jackson, Reggie), which he certainly was not. The book finishes strong with real emotion from Yaz about his farewell, but where was the real Yaz in the other 290 pages of the book? A great player, great man, a dissapointing read.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

It will surprise you to know that baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemshi almost became a Yankee.
Born in 1939 Yaz was a farm kid out in Suffolk County.on the eastern shore which had not been developed yet. His father encouraged his son figuring it was better than a life in agriculture. The
Yastrzemskis raised all kinds of vegetables to be sold in NYC markets. It was a tough life, but the
fact he excelled in sports especially baseball would be the making of him.

Yaz was ready to sign with the Yankees being that he was a fan of their's growing up. But his fther
got into an argument over bonus money and nixed the Yankees. So choosing among other teams the
Red Sox were chosen. He came up as a rookie in 1960.

The immortal Ted Williams retired after the 1960 season and come the next year Yaz was defending the left wing wall known as the Green Monster. He spent hours with someone hitting fungoes against
the wall so that Yaz could judge the caroms off the wall. He was in left field at Fenway Park for
the next quarter of a century.

Yaz got into a Word Series twice, in 1975 against the Reds and the famous impossible dream team
in 1967 against the Cardinals. That was the team that went from next to last to first place. Sadly
for the Red Sox they ran into Bob Gibson and his high heat and no World Series title. Yaz won the
triple crown tht year as well.

1967 was also a year of tragedy for the Sox and Yaz speaks sorrowfully of Tony Conigliaro who
got beaned with a baseball during the pennant drive. Conigliaro tried a comeback but was never
the same player.

Yaz also has good memories of Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey and he was a favorite of the multi-millionaire owner. He spent a lot of time at Yawkey's San Simeon like estate in South Carolina.

Two personal goals were reached in his career. Yastrzemski became the only American Leaguer
to get 3000 lifetime hits and 400 home runs as well. Yaz was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1989.

This book is for baseball fans especially Red Sox fans. Carl Yastrzemski was a class act in baseball
we could use a few more of them today.

[Tom Gase · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good autobiography on Carl Yastrzemski, the longtime leftfielder for the Boston Red Sox who replaced Ted Williams in 1961 and played all the way through 1983. He had over 3,000 hits and 400 home runs and is probably one of the top four Red Sox players of all time. Yaz talks about every year of his career and his childhood, but 1/3 of this book is dedicated to the 1967 season with another 50 pages geared toward the 1975 and 78 teams. So that I liked, especially since I haven't read too much on the 67 season. Good stuff if you're a baseball fan and a must read if you're a Boston Red Sox fan. Been wanting to read this since it came out around 1990 and I FINALLY got around to it.

[Daniel Suhajda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though it is more of a typical athlete bio, I really enjoyed it. I invested more time of my youth learning how to spell his name than any other player. I never saw him pla6 but knew him from his baseball cards. His cards from the 80s showed what looked like an old man. He was 10years younger than me now at 52. It just shows how hard sports could be back then. I love how classy he seems. Very much old school. Probably one of the last players to stay with one team for 20 plus years (though Ripken comes to mind).

[Chris Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly typical autobiography from an athlete. Yaz speaks a lot about his parents but is careful in regards to specifics of his wife and children. Understandable. Not much reflection on his HOF induction, as the book came out the same year. Much details on the 67 Impossible Dream not so much in regards to the 70s Red Sox or even his final years. I loved Yaz, would love to see an update

[Patrick Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the baseball heroes of my youth tells the story of his life in baseball.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A home run on the life and legacy of Boston Red Sox great, Carl "Yaz" Yastrzemski.

[Larry Hostetler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book for a non-Red Sox non-American League fan. I knew about Yaz, as the star outfielder and last person to win the triple crown. But whereas other players of the same era were much better known and had higher profiles Yaz was a conundrum. After reading the book I know why. A somewhat tortured person with a workmanlike approach to the game, he was somewhat ill-suited for the heights to which he rose professionally. I read Ted Williams' biography last year, and knew why Ted was mercurial and both adored and abhored. As the successor to Williams, Yaz suffered by comparison. But he deserves both the book and the hall of fame.

[Michael Wind · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick read; wonderful read about a baseball player who excelled at his craft for twenty three years. Proud. Competitive. Determined. Played through injuries. One of the best that ever played. Great book for young athletes.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bought this at a vintage book fair. Complete with Yaz's autograph. Kind of a time capsule. Probably best for hard core Sox fans, but enjoyable.

[Adara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. Rather heavy on the baseball descriptions, which isn't the best for someone who wasn't born for years after the games described took place, but still an enjoyable ride.

[Chris Gager · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure if this is the same Yaz bio/autbio I read back in the day but it's the only one listed for the 60's. Date read is a guess.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent biography

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brought back memories of 67. The year I fell in love with major league baseball.
2011 was the year I fell out of love with major league baseball.