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Maybe I'll Pitch Forever
“Not only was Satchel Paige an amazing athlete, he was one of the great American humorists in the tradition of Mark Twain, Will Rogers, and Yogi Berra. The most famous Black player of his era shines through the pages of this remarkable autobiography.” —John B. Holway Satchel Paige was forty-two years old in 1948 when he became the first Black pitcher in the American League. Although the oldest rookie around, he was already a legend. For twenty-two years, beginning in 1926, Paige dazzled throngs with his performance in the Negro Baseball Leagues. Then he outlasted everyone by playing professional baseball, in and out of the majors, until 1965. Struggle—against early poverty and racial discrimination—was part of Paige's story. So was fast living and a humorous point of view. His immortal advice was "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."
295 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
15 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Leroy Satchel Paige
6 books4 followers(from Wikipedia): Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige (July 7, 1906 – June 8, 1982) was an American baseball player whose pitching in the Negro leagues and in Major League Baseball made him a legend in his own lifetime. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, the first player to be inducted from the Negro leagues.
Paige was a right-handed pitcher and was the oldest rookie to play Major League Baseball at the age of 42. He played with the St. Louis Browns until age 47 and represented them in the Major League All-Star Game in both 1952 and 1953. His professional playing career lasted from 1926 until 1966.
Paige was a right-handed pitcher and was the oldest rookie to play Major League Baseball at the age of 42. He played with the St. Louis Browns until age 47 and represented them in the Major League All-Star Game in both 1952 and 1953. His professional playing career lasted from 1926 until 1966.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
September 11, 2019
I read this book decades ago and it enlightened me about the "place" of black athletes in baseball in the first half of the twentieth century. The book is important not for its insight or in depth reporting but for the fact that it was among the earliest books to tell about black players.
Edit 2019: In the mid 1960s my father took me to a baseball game at Comiskey Park in Chicago. I have no idea if he knew that Satchel Paige (one of my few sports heroes) was going to appear pregame (or between games since they still played doubleheaders back then) and Dad therefore did it to surprise me or if it was coincidence alone that let me see my baseball hero on the mound. Whichever it was, I was thrilled to have seen Satchel throw in person. There's a lot in life that stays with us and that evening is among my treasured memories. I held off writing any of this in this review because I didn't see fit to inject myself into it. I hope my memory is taken in the spirit I intend.
Edit 2019: In the mid 1960s my father took me to a baseball game at Comiskey Park in Chicago. I have no idea if he knew that Satchel Paige (one of my few sports heroes) was going to appear pregame (or between games since they still played doubleheaders back then) and Dad therefore did it to surprise me or if it was coincidence alone that let me see my baseball hero on the mound. Whichever it was, I was thrilled to have seen Satchel throw in person. There's a lot in life that stays with us and that evening is among my treasured memories. I held off writing any of this in this review because I didn't see fit to inject myself into it. I hope my memory is taken in the spirit I intend.
August 14, 2015
The famed pitcher Paige tells about his career, and most of it may even be true. From his early start, as a young teenager playing with grown men, to his many years in the Negro Leagues and his final triumphant entry into the majors (when he was past his prime), he pens a fascinating tale.
June 8, 2011
For awhile I had been looking to find a book on Satchel Paige that I could read. But there were a lot of books out there to choose from, but I could never pick one . It wasn't until I read Buck O'Neil's book that I settled on Maybe I'll Pitch Forever. If this book was good enough for Buck, then it was good enough for me.
As for Maybe I'll Pitch Forever, this pretty much tells it like it is from the man himself: Leroy "Satchel" Paige. It's your typical biography detailing his life from his days as a rambunctious kid to his time in the Negro Leagues to his eventual call up to the Major Leagues. Throughout the book as you listen in on Satch telling his stories about his barnstorming days, players like Josh Gibson and Jackie Robinson, you come away with a better understanding of the man and what he did for the game of Baseball.
There are a handful of players that I wish that I could have gotten the chance see to play: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Walter Johnson, Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson and of course Satchel Paige.
This book was pretty fascinating to read and was hard to put down once I started the book. It's quite engaging and funny at times. But you have to know something about the man himself. He was a showman of epic proportions and had a tendency to exaggerate his accomplishments during his playing days for the benefit of the writers that were following him at the time. Don't get me wrong, he was every bit as good as the legend tells it. But you will find yourself wondering from time to time about some of the stories he tells. But this doesn't take away from the thrill of reading about him though.
One last thing I have to point out before I wrap this up, it's still mind boggling to think that Satch at the age of 59, pitched 3 innings in the Big Show. Sheesh! And THAT story is true! :)
As for Maybe I'll Pitch Forever, this pretty much tells it like it is from the man himself: Leroy "Satchel" Paige. It's your typical biography detailing his life from his days as a rambunctious kid to his time in the Negro Leagues to his eventual call up to the Major Leagues. Throughout the book as you listen in on Satch telling his stories about his barnstorming days, players like Josh Gibson and Jackie Robinson, you come away with a better understanding of the man and what he did for the game of Baseball.
There are a handful of players that I wish that I could have gotten the chance see to play: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Walter Johnson, Jackie Robinson, Josh Gibson and of course Satchel Paige.
This book was pretty fascinating to read and was hard to put down once I started the book. It's quite engaging and funny at times. But you have to know something about the man himself. He was a showman of epic proportions and had a tendency to exaggerate his accomplishments during his playing days for the benefit of the writers that were following him at the time. Don't get me wrong, he was every bit as good as the legend tells it. But you will find yourself wondering from time to time about some of the stories he tells. But this doesn't take away from the thrill of reading about him though.
One last thing I have to point out before I wrap this up, it's still mind boggling to think that Satch at the age of 59, pitched 3 innings in the Big Show. Sheesh! And THAT story is true! :)
January 27, 2019
I would give this book six stars if I could. This is now one of my favorite autobiographies of all time.
It's hard to find something truly unique in this world, but Satchel Paige is authentically one-of-a-kind.
Yes, you do have to be somewhat of a baseball fan to enjoy the book. However, the discussions of his hardscrabble journeyman life and all his mistakes will resonate with any man.
It's truly baffling what he had to do to survive before he was finally allowed to play in the major leagues in his forties. He played for dictators in Latin America. He barnstormed through Canada. He played every side of the Negro Leagues. He never let up. He never quit. He never settled.
And it sounds like he never stopped talking. His ferocious internal engine is matched by his wry wit and incredible ability to turn a phrase.
The entire book is written in Ebonics, and truthfully, it should be kept in a Washington D.C. archive as a national treasure. You get a true measure of the imagination and intelligence of this man through his original word.
An absolute delight to read. I couldn't put it down.
It's hard to find something truly unique in this world, but Satchel Paige is authentically one-of-a-kind.
Yes, you do have to be somewhat of a baseball fan to enjoy the book. However, the discussions of his hardscrabble journeyman life and all his mistakes will resonate with any man.
It's truly baffling what he had to do to survive before he was finally allowed to play in the major leagues in his forties. He played for dictators in Latin America. He barnstormed through Canada. He played every side of the Negro Leagues. He never let up. He never quit. He never settled.
And it sounds like he never stopped talking. His ferocious internal engine is matched by his wry wit and incredible ability to turn a phrase.
The entire book is written in Ebonics, and truthfully, it should be kept in a Washington D.C. archive as a national treasure. You get a true measure of the imagination and intelligence of this man through his original word.
An absolute delight to read. I couldn't put it down.
April 7, 2019
What a great story, by a larger-than-life storyteller. You never know if what you read is 100% true, or exaggerated, but what Paige describes is a hard scrabble life of a guy who knows how to make money by capitalizing on his freakish abilities to play baseball, and who knows how to spend said money. Time and again, Paige tells of needing money, often after realizing a big payday or signing a playing contract. You learn a lot about his life, the ups and downs, family life, his difficulty in driving a car below the speed limit, and you learn about baseball at the time. You learn a lot about baseball, from the Negro League to pro ball, international play, and barnstorming for entertainment over the decades that Paige played. Paige has wonderful things to say about Bill Veeck. Paige also drops a couple of ethnic slurs along the way. But what I’ll remember about this book is how much of a character Paige was, and how funny he could be. He was full of himself, but he mostly backed up what he said. This was one of those audiobooks I found myself guffawing at while driving. Quite a hoot.
November 13, 2015
The first area of life where I was anything approaching color-blind was baseball (soon followed by music). Less than a decade after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Ernie Banks, Minnie Minoso and others were among the best in the game. More than a half-century later, it's not politically correct to point to sports prowess as an argument for equality, but as a young teenager, still on the fence on issues such as housing, schooling, voting rights and employment, it was a start. I bought this book when my admiration for the stars of the time made me curious about those who went before: Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and the rest. Satchel was a transitional figure. When the game desegregated, he got his chance, as the oldest player in the league. The story he tells, brash, and only as sanitized as it needed to be to get published in the pre-Jim Bouton days, would have confirmed the inveterate racist's worst fears, but I loved it.
May 1, 2016
"'Do you throw that fast consistently?' he asked me.
'No sir, I do it all the time.' That's the day I learned a new word."
It comes as no surprise that one of baseball's most mythical players was as interesting a person as he was a player. Whether Paige is discussing the dangers of playing for Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, smoking a cigarette to warm up for the world series, or just speaking of his greatness, his stories hooked me in and kept me reading. Despite being one of the greatest pitchers of all time, nothing came easy for Paige--it took 22 years of barnstorming around the world before he finally got the nod to become a major leaguer, and even then he never received the respect he had rightfully earned. Fighting through stomach worries, horrible money management and dim origins Paige succeeded where few would. In short, my unpracticed writing only shames the great Satch who is a legend and everyone should learn about him.
'No sir, I do it all the time.' That's the day I learned a new word."
It comes as no surprise that one of baseball's most mythical players was as interesting a person as he was a player. Whether Paige is discussing the dangers of playing for Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, smoking a cigarette to warm up for the world series, or just speaking of his greatness, his stories hooked me in and kept me reading. Despite being one of the greatest pitchers of all time, nothing came easy for Paige--it took 22 years of barnstorming around the world before he finally got the nod to become a major leaguer, and even then he never received the respect he had rightfully earned. Fighting through stomach worries, horrible money management and dim origins Paige succeeded where few would. In short, my unpracticed writing only shames the great Satch who is a legend and everyone should learn about him.
August 29, 2019
A quick read in the words of one of baseball’s most interesting characters. There will never be another Satchel Paige! This book is full of the bravado, eccentricity and excess that made Paige one of a kind. Set against the racial realities of the time, Paige strikes a stark contrast between his fun loving, play anywhere approach to the game, and the segregation that kept him from playing at the games highest level until he was in his 40’s.
June 2, 2021
3.75. It's hard to find a sports book that's just authentically written in the author's voice. Leroy Satchel Paige was am unbelievable pitcher and it's the world's lost that he didn't play in the major leagues until he was 42. He will always be an inspiration to all and a genuine talent who simply loved to pitch more than anything else in this world.
November 27, 2019
Such a great autobiography of a player that should be even more known than he is. It's raw, honest and enlightening to those who would like to learn more about not just Paige, but baseball in the early to mid 1900's. A truly priceless telling straight from the man himself.
December 3, 2013
I loved how the book captured the “voice” of Satchel Paige, his braggadocio and country story telling. And, yes, pitchers today are candy asses.
January 30, 2015
Satchel Paige was a great pitcher not a writer. But it was still interesting to hear about his life from his perspective.
October 21, 2021
If there’s any one person that embodies the spirit of America, it’s Satchel Paige. This book should be required reading in Elementary schools... incredible voice, 100x larger than life
January 12, 2025
This book will stick with me for a long time. Satchel Paige was an incredible baseball player with a larger than life persona. This book was an insightful look into baseball from the insanely long career of ‘Ol Satch. He started in the negro leagues, did a lot of barnstorming and did achieve his dream of playing in the major leagues (after the segregation ban ends with Jackie Robinson being signed to Brooklyn). He pitches his final major league game in 1965. The amount of baseball anecdotes, new players and managers that you will want to learn about- I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of baseball.
My biggest takeaway is what a shame it is that baseball was not integrated so much sooner. Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige played at the same time. Imagine seeing Paige pitch against Ruth! Imagine if Josh Gibson had been a known player. Honestly just imagine Paige in the majors while he was still a young guy!
This book just makes you think over and over that segregation does nothing but lessen. Baseball could have been that much better, just like every other profession that people were kept out of based on race.
Anyway this book will live in my head for a long time- I recommend.
My biggest takeaway is what a shame it is that baseball was not integrated so much sooner. Babe Ruth and Satchel Paige played at the same time. Imagine seeing Paige pitch against Ruth! Imagine if Josh Gibson had been a known player. Honestly just imagine Paige in the majors while he was still a young guy!
This book just makes you think over and over that segregation does nothing but lessen. Baseball could have been that much better, just like every other profession that people were kept out of based on race.
Anyway this book will live in my head for a long time- I recommend.
February 18, 2023
I would not want to vouch for the veracity of most of the stories Satchel Paige tells in this "as told to" autobiography, but I do believe the reader gets a good feel for Paige's persona and importance to Negro Leagues baseball. His details about his time in major league baseball seem to be correct, but that period was only a short time in his career when he was already in his 40s. Sadly, Paige's greatness occurred mostly out of the spotlight on barnstorming tours or various other kinds of exhibitions, in winter league games in the Caribbean, or in small town leagues. He didn't even always play in the Negro Leagues and often jumped teams for the opportunity to make an extra buck.
In all, this is a quick and fun read that is reasonably informative. Paige discloses a good deal about racism and white supremacy while outlining many of the hardships faced by the black man in America during the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, though he also notices some modest improvements over the years.
In all, this is a quick and fun read that is reasonably informative. Paige discloses a good deal about racism and white supremacy while outlining many of the hardships faced by the black man in America during the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s, though he also notices some modest improvements over the years.
February 9, 2020
The facts are not in dispute: Satchel Paige was one of the greatest ever. When he pitched for the Cleveland Indians in 1948 at the age of, according to him, 42, they won the World Series. They haven't won it since and that was 71 years ago. He pitched against the greatest players of multiple generations and beat them.
There's also no doubt that baseball never gave Satch a fair shake. The apartheid that split the sport for half a century forever stained records and careers. The man had to pitch in his 50s to qualify for a pension and he'd been pitching since he was seventeen. He was a "rookie" at the age of 42.
But Satchel made a living playing baseball even though it was hard and he also made a living being Satchel Paige. He is Satchel Paige in these pages, too, and it's a great slice of life in the Negro Leagues (full 3/4 of this book takes place before 1948, much like his career.) It does meander and it is for sure repetitive. I feel like it could use an edit, but I can also appreciate how impossible it is to edit this man.
So is it great literature? It is not. Is it an amazing story from someone who lived through and saw more of baseball than most men of his generation? For sure. If you are interested in Negro League history at all, you have to read this.
Most interesting to me is what Paige thought of Robinson. He didn't know him very well and that wouldn't have been his choice...that makes sense. Satchel knew some great Negro players who didn't play long enough to see integration...he probably could think of several guys who had been around longer and in his eyes deserved that honor more, including himself. It's important to remember that baseball integration isn't one person's story. There are a couple of generations of baseball players who deserve to to have their stories told just as much. Satchel makes sure we heard from him.
There's also no doubt that baseball never gave Satch a fair shake. The apartheid that split the sport for half a century forever stained records and careers. The man had to pitch in his 50s to qualify for a pension and he'd been pitching since he was seventeen. He was a "rookie" at the age of 42.
But Satchel made a living playing baseball even though it was hard and he also made a living being Satchel Paige. He is Satchel Paige in these pages, too, and it's a great slice of life in the Negro Leagues (full 3/4 of this book takes place before 1948, much like his career.) It does meander and it is for sure repetitive. I feel like it could use an edit, but I can also appreciate how impossible it is to edit this man.
So is it great literature? It is not. Is it an amazing story from someone who lived through and saw more of baseball than most men of his generation? For sure. If you are interested in Negro League history at all, you have to read this.
Most interesting to me is what Paige thought of Robinson. He didn't know him very well and that wouldn't have been his choice...that makes sense. Satchel knew some great Negro players who didn't play long enough to see integration...he probably could think of several guys who had been around longer and in his eyes deserved that honor more, including himself. It's important to remember that baseball integration isn't one person's story. There are a couple of generations of baseball players who deserve to to have their stories told just as much. Satchel makes sure we heard from him.
April 25, 2021
Maybe I'll Pitch Forever
In the springtime, I'm always in the mood for a baseball book or two. My knowledge of LeRoy Satchel Paige was only a thumbnail sketch: The Greatest Negro League Pitcher. I also knew that his debut in Major League Baseball at the age of 42 made him the oldest rookie player ever at (what at the time everyone thought was) the end of his career. Maybe I'll Pitch Forever is Paige's memoir of his life and baseball career.
His style is simple and folksy, in a tone that feels colloquial, but don't let this fool you. Paige is a sly storyteller, blending incredible true feats, exaggeration, braggadocio and disappointment. He pitched in a long gone era when pitchers threw far more innings than they do today. Between barnstorming leagues and international teams, then eventually the Negro League, Paige sometimes pitched multiple complete games for different teams on consecutive days, or even on the same day. He claims to tell people he threw 100 no-hitters but only because the real number was higher and he didn't want to sound boastful. So some of his remarkable accomplishments are records that no one could touch today. However he also has a gift for comic exaggeration, and so sometimes his feats must be taken with a grain of salt. Through it all, his voice is captivating. He refers to himself often in the third person (Old Satch) and you can hear him winking at the audience through the words. This book offers a fascinating peek into the very different world of baseball in the first half of the twentieth century, from the voice of one of its greatest pitchers.
In the springtime, I'm always in the mood for a baseball book or two. My knowledge of LeRoy Satchel Paige was only a thumbnail sketch: The Greatest Negro League Pitcher. I also knew that his debut in Major League Baseball at the age of 42 made him the oldest rookie player ever at (what at the time everyone thought was) the end of his career. Maybe I'll Pitch Forever is Paige's memoir of his life and baseball career.
His style is simple and folksy, in a tone that feels colloquial, but don't let this fool you. Paige is a sly storyteller, blending incredible true feats, exaggeration, braggadocio and disappointment. He pitched in a long gone era when pitchers threw far more innings than they do today. Between barnstorming leagues and international teams, then eventually the Negro League, Paige sometimes pitched multiple complete games for different teams on consecutive days, or even on the same day. He claims to tell people he threw 100 no-hitters but only because the real number was higher and he didn't want to sound boastful. So some of his remarkable accomplishments are records that no one could touch today. However he also has a gift for comic exaggeration, and so sometimes his feats must be taken with a grain of salt. Through it all, his voice is captivating. He refers to himself often in the third person (Old Satch) and you can hear him winking at the audience through the words. This book offers a fascinating peek into the very different world of baseball in the first half of the twentieth century, from the voice of one of its greatest pitchers.
May 11, 2020
Leroy Paige tells his story, from his growing-up years as a child from a large poor black family in Mobile, Alabama, to his dotage in the 1960's, retired but still marginally in the baseball industry, a necessity to make sure he would get his major league baseball salary.
He begins by describing how even as a small child, he had to do all sorts of odd jobs to bring money to help feed the family (along with everybody else), how he discovered his ability to throw things hard, his going into a reform school (actually a well-run one!) where he learned to improve himself and be responsible, how he went into the Negro Leagues and would hop from team to team whenever he could get more money, his delayed entry into major league baseball because of segregationist policies of the era, but mostly how wonderful a pitcher he was and how he kept making people money, to the point of irritating the reader.
Though a victim of poverty and racism, Paige was not without faults of his own, By his own admission, he had little sense of loyalty and looked out for number one, he spent his money freely and irresponsibly, no matter how much he got, and he certainly must have gotten onto peoples' nerves with his braggadocio and lack of loyalty, though he acknowledges that many people did help him out throughout his life. Still, he remains an important figure in baseball history, in large part because he helped to break the color barrier.
He begins by describing how even as a small child, he had to do all sorts of odd jobs to bring money to help feed the family (along with everybody else), how he discovered his ability to throw things hard, his going into a reform school (actually a well-run one!) where he learned to improve himself and be responsible, how he went into the Negro Leagues and would hop from team to team whenever he could get more money, his delayed entry into major league baseball because of segregationist policies of the era, but mostly how wonderful a pitcher he was and how he kept making people money, to the point of irritating the reader.
Though a victim of poverty and racism, Paige was not without faults of his own, By his own admission, he had little sense of loyalty and looked out for number one, he spent his money freely and irresponsibly, no matter how much he got, and he certainly must have gotten onto peoples' nerves with his braggadocio and lack of loyalty, though he acknowledges that many people did help him out throughout his life. Still, he remains an important figure in baseball history, in large part because he helped to break the color barrier.
August 19, 2020
I tho't of reading this book bc this year is the 100th anniversary of the Negro League's founding --glad i did bc Satchel Paige's amazing life comes alive.
"Satch" was quite a character and is candid about his past shortcomings --bragging, wasting money, etc but says how he's regretted his past lack of humility. He was proud of his mother and his 2nd wife and 6 children --(one boy!)
Satchel is mainly remembered for having pitched so many years and into the age when most would have long retired --and for the big leagues leaving him behind for many years, altho' their teams needed his ability.
He doesn't talk a lot about the racism he must have faced --but when he was older and famous, he did run into it from a racist hotel clerk. Excellent narrator --if not impossible, i could have been sitting with him and listening to him talk.
Our library only has the audio version, which is unusual. i may end up buying the printed book to refresh my memory and see photos, etc. Not a criticism, but it's a bit choppy --i think he was responding to a list of questions.
I've recommended this book to others, including a young family member who also pitches. Other than the appropriately-mentioned "N" word, IMO, it's fine for youth too.
Overdrive @ 1 and 1.25
"Satch" was quite a character and is candid about his past shortcomings --bragging, wasting money, etc but says how he's regretted his past lack of humility. He was proud of his mother and his 2nd wife and 6 children --(one boy!)
Satchel is mainly remembered for having pitched so many years and into the age when most would have long retired --and for the big leagues leaving him behind for many years, altho' their teams needed his ability.
He doesn't talk a lot about the racism he must have faced --but when he was older and famous, he did run into it from a racist hotel clerk. Excellent narrator --if not impossible, i could have been sitting with him and listening to him talk.
Our library only has the audio version, which is unusual. i may end up buying the printed book to refresh my memory and see photos, etc. Not a criticism, but it's a bit choppy --i think he was responding to a list of questions.
I've recommended this book to others, including a young family member who also pitches. Other than the appropriately-mentioned "N" word, IMO, it's fine for youth too.
Overdrive @ 1 and 1.25
December 27, 2018
Would have become aware of Satchel at an early age. Would have appreciated learning about his life via this book. Raised as Portland Beavers fan. This book would likely be a rewarding read.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portlan...
Baseball Racism, Motherhood and Apple Pie - with vanilla ice cream. (How often is chocolate ala mode?)
***
Did I read first read somebody's copy of this in the barracks* ... about the time of the Good Friday Earthquake? Anchorage in '64? There was an interesting assortment of books moving about upper floor of barracks. Some of us kept them tidy in a couple boxes in the game room. Where, at the pool table, I acquired some escape skills for future college academics
***
Barracks housed elint operatives. Guys listening to morse code ... typing on cyrillic keyboards, monitoring east Siberia russian defense networks ... some really bright, intense dudes. Banging morse on the steam pipes ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrilli...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portlan...
Baseball Racism, Motherhood and Apple Pie - with vanilla ice cream. (How often is chocolate ala mode?)
***
Did I read first read somebody's copy of this in the barracks* ... about the time of the Good Friday Earthquake? Anchorage in '64? There was an interesting assortment of books moving about upper floor of barracks. Some of us kept them tidy in a couple boxes in the game room. Where, at the pool table, I acquired some escape skills for future college academics
***
Barracks housed elint operatives. Guys listening to morse code ... typing on cyrillic keyboards, monitoring east Siberia russian defense networks ... some really bright, intense dudes. Banging morse on the steam pipes ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrilli...
January 2, 2023
First published in 1962 when the legend was still hoping for a return to the majors, this autobiography is one of those books I can’t believe I haven’t read before. The foreword and afterward added to the 1993 reprint add depth and historical background, but the content from the man himself needs no further explanation. Satchel Paige - “Ol’ Satch,” as he calls himself, was one of the best pitchers of all time. Three years after the original autobiography was published he pitched three scoreless innings against the Red Sox - with only Yaz getting a hit off him - at the astonishing age of 58 (or 59, or 62, depending on how old he claimed he was at the time).
The oldest rookie (42). The first black pitcher in the American League (the Negro Leagues are now finally considered “major leagues”). The first pitcher to play in both the Negro Leagues World Series and the Major Leagues World Series. The first Negro Leagues player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The movie “Don’t Look Back” (1981) is based on this book. An amazing story.
The oldest rookie (42). The first black pitcher in the American League (the Negro Leagues are now finally considered “major leagues”). The first pitcher to play in both the Negro Leagues World Series and the Major Leagues World Series. The first Negro Leagues player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
The movie “Don’t Look Back” (1981) is based on this book. An amazing story.
June 17, 2010
If you played a drinking game where you had to drink every time Satchel Paige called himself "Ol' Satch" you'd die of alcohol poisoning.
I found it a really enjoyable book, but one I couldn't take too seriously. Everything that ever happened on the mound, if all the things he claims happened even happened at all, he paints as being entirely in his control. Every hit he gave up was to make a point. Every strikeout was a sure thing, because he simply needed one. You get a good sense of what it would be like to hang out with Satchel Paige on a night he felt like B.S.ing.
I can't review this book without mentioning the much more credible and sober counterpart, Mark Ribowsky's Don't Look Back Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball. They're both worth reading, but if you only read one, go with Ribowsky's.
I found it a really enjoyable book, but one I couldn't take too seriously. Everything that ever happened on the mound, if all the things he claims happened even happened at all, he paints as being entirely in his control. Every hit he gave up was to make a point. Every strikeout was a sure thing, because he simply needed one. You get a good sense of what it would be like to hang out with Satchel Paige on a night he felt like B.S.ing.
I can't review this book without mentioning the much more credible and sober counterpart, Mark Ribowsky's Don't Look Back Satchel Paige in the Shadows of Baseball. They're both worth reading, but if you only read one, go with Ribowsky's.
April 5, 2012
The autobiography of Leroy Satchell Paige. It was super entertaining and it probably is the most interesting story of any baseball player that ever lived. He pitched 20 years in the negro leagues and then played 5 seasons in the majors starting at the age of 42. His career covered two eras from the segregated times of the 30s all the way until black players in the majors was pretty common. It was a different time when he played and it is funny to hear about how casual everything was. The guy had a sense of humor and had a funny way of describing things. He talked about how he used to strike Lou Gehrig and Joe Dimaggio out using his trouble ball. The fact that he pitched professionally for 35 years seems like a crazy fictional story but it really happened.
February 9, 2011
Not as good as Catching Dreams: My Life in the Negro Baseball Leagues, which along with a friend’s recommendation piqued my interest in reading more about Paige. It's still most definitely worth reading for all of Paige’s hilarious stories and experiences in baseball and his personal life. Only the Ball Was White is next.
June 17, 2015
Delightful little book. I get some hints of womanizing from Satchel, but it's not the area for tell all autobiographies. What an extraordinary career. Too bad there weren't better stats from the Negro leagues, because I'm not always sure that Satch's claim can all stand up, or, it could be that even he didn't really know how well he played. Interesting language and expressions salt the book. His comment that women and money are the two things you'll do almost anything for, was both interesting and revealing. This is a baseball fan's book, I don't know how much it adds to the greater story of the world. However, he's an interesting man, none the less.
August 30, 2011
Ole' Satch really did think highly of himself but even though he mentions how great his is constantly, I still love him. This man had to have been a true character and I don't think anyone could tell his story any better than he can. This book not only offers insight into the life of Satchel Paige but also presents a picture of what it was like to be a Negro League ball player. A must-read if you're interested in the subject.
April 9, 2014
I enjoyed the stories, the style and the presentation. It read like listening to tales around the living room or kitchen table. Memoirs are fascinating in that you get what the writer deems important and while I understand that in this instance, Paige was talking with his collaborator, the effect is much the same. The introduction and afterward added context and sense of place, bringing the book to date and in a sense completing it.
March 12, 2023
A wonderfully enjoyable book! Satchel Paige was one of the most colorful figures in the history of baseball and this book captures his voice telling his incredible story. His life was filled with ups and downs and he had times where he was his own worst enemy. He is very honest about it all. What a horrible and shameful thing it is that the people who ran pro baseball refused to allow Satchel and many, many other of the best players who ever lived, to compete on the major league level.
August 8, 2020
A fine book that details how great Paige was as a pitcher, though given that it is an autobiography, Paige doesn't dwell very much at all on his statistics. His humor and style is evident throughout, and he clearly knew that he was the biggest ticket in whatever town he showed up in. I still can't get over how long this guy pitched.
March 14, 2023
The longest baseball career in the history of the sport and only stopped at the age of 59, a few weeks before his 60th birthday. From the pickup games in the dirt of Mobile, Alabama through years of barnstorming and dominating the negro league, rising all the way to majors and the world series. No baseball life has been more complete, spanning so wide. No one will ever come close.
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