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Sweet Lou
In this illustrated chronicle of the New York Yankees, the ex-Yankee player and manager portrays his years in the major league and the players and managers he has worked with
300 pages, Hardcover
Published April 8, 1986
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 22, 2020
I first read this book for a 7th grade book report in 1987. When I grabbed it off the shelf I thought George Brett was pictured on the cover! In the more 30 years since I have reread Sweet Lou several times.
Already an avid baseball player, Sweet Lou introduced me to the New York Yankees and caused me to fall deeply in love with the game. Piniella became my sports hero. Less than six months after reading Sweet Lou I met the man outside of the King Dome prior to a Mariners/Yankees game.A few years later Piniella was managing my hometown Mariners, a role he would hold for a decade.
Sweet Lou is a book about leadership and life. Baseball provides the backdrop. It is notable that Piniella released this book before he managed his first game, yet the book explains what kind of manager he intended to be—and how he got there. Lou then proceeded to on of the greatest managerial careers in Major League history, one that followed his outstanding playing career.
As manager Lou won a World Series, guided his team to the most season wins in MLB history, and was beloved by his players—three of whom have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with others to follow.
Lou Piniella will likely join his star players in the HOF sometime in the next few years.
Sweet Lou taught my younger self to learn from bad examples of leaders along with the good, the importance of performing in the clutch—when the outcome is in doubt and hangs in the balance—and that in a life well lived family and relationships will take precedence over performance and achievement.
Already
Already an avid baseball player, Sweet Lou introduced me to the New York Yankees and caused me to fall deeply in love with the game. Piniella became my sports hero. Less than six months after reading Sweet Lou I met the man outside of the King Dome prior to a Mariners/Yankees game.A few years later Piniella was managing my hometown Mariners, a role he would hold for a decade.
Sweet Lou is a book about leadership and life. Baseball provides the backdrop. It is notable that Piniella released this book before he managed his first game, yet the book explains what kind of manager he intended to be—and how he got there. Lou then proceeded to on of the greatest managerial careers in Major League history, one that followed his outstanding playing career.
As manager Lou won a World Series, guided his team to the most season wins in MLB history, and was beloved by his players—three of whom have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, with others to follow.
Lou Piniella will likely join his star players in the HOF sometime in the next few years.
Sweet Lou taught my younger self to learn from bad examples of leaders along with the good, the importance of performing in the clutch—when the outcome is in doubt and hangs in the balance—and that in a life well lived family and relationships will take precedence over performance and achievement.
Already
December 30, 2019
Normally you're reading this is you ate a Yankee fan or a fan of Lou. A friend loved this to me, add a baseball fan. I have to say it isn't intermittent reading, nor all that well written. It is fun though, and it had it's moments with back and forth banter with management.
December 28, 2023
I read a book, Sweet Lou, but neglected to add an author to my notes from my sports website, from 2006/2007. I am assuming it is this one authored by Lou Pinella himself.
My notes from the book:
Bob Lemon, Yankee Manager, from Long Beach CA
son Jerry died, jeep accident 10/27/1978, Phoenix AZ
was travelling to see his brother Jim, other brother Jeff.
Lou's career started out in Selma, Alabama (1962)
George Wallace disbanded league
refused to allow Integrated teams (1963) "took Latins, but not blacks"
Thurmon Munson was his best friend on the team.
Yankee's have a history of coming from behind.
***
I think the part about Lemon, was Lemon's son & brothers. I probably noted it because he was from Long Beach CA where I lived for the better part of 20 years.
Prior to moving to Long Beach, I worked for a Restaurant/bar in Woodbridge mall, Treehouses. The owner was Lou Pinella. I did not see him much, as he usually visited the restaurant in the evening, and I worked lunch shift.
I had switched shifts with a worker one day and waited on Lou's "party of 8" ~ may have been 10 or 12. I asked for Lou's autograph that night when we were both in the kitchen, asked for my daughter Lori.
My notes from the book:
Bob Lemon, Yankee Manager, from Long Beach CA
son Jerry died, jeep accident 10/27/1978, Phoenix AZ
was travelling to see his brother Jim, other brother Jeff.
Lou's career started out in Selma, Alabama (1962)
George Wallace disbanded league
refused to allow Integrated teams (1963) "took Latins, but not blacks"
Thurmon Munson was his best friend on the team.
Yankee's have a history of coming from behind.
***
I think the part about Lemon, was Lemon's son & brothers. I probably noted it because he was from Long Beach CA where I lived for the better part of 20 years.
Prior to moving to Long Beach, I worked for a Restaurant/bar in Woodbridge mall, Treehouses. The owner was Lou Pinella. I did not see him much, as he usually visited the restaurant in the evening, and I worked lunch shift.
I had switched shifts with a worker one day and waited on Lou's "party of 8" ~ may have been 10 or 12. I asked for Lou's autograph that night when we were both in the kitchen, asked for my daughter Lori.
May 21, 2014
Very interesting! I borrowed this book from the Akron-Summit County Public Library after discovering it on a bibliography of the book "Munson". I learned a lot about Lou Piniella including his close friendship with Thurman Munson, captain and catcher of the New York Yankees until his plane crashed and he died in 1979.
Lou Piniella is an interesting guy. I know him as a manager. I didn't really know anything about him as a player -- this book provided me with the information I sought.
The only thing that would have made this book better would have been an index and bibliography.
Lou Piniella is an interesting guy. I know him as a manager. I didn't really know anything about him as a player -- this book provided me with the information I sought.
The only thing that would have made this book better would have been an index and bibliography.
July 28, 2023
Your typical (auto)biography, but a fun read for fans of Lou Piniella and/or baseball.
October 5, 2010
Fun read, especially for Lou Piniella fans and/or Cubs fans
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews