Holy Cow!

by Harry Caray, Bob Verdi

Autobiography of Harry Caray baseball personality

Genres: Baseball, Sports, Biography, Memoir, Nonfiction, Collections

246 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

Reviews

[Autumn Kearney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in Chicago I was a Cubs fan. At least I thought that I was one. It turned out that I was more of a Harry Caray fan than anything. His child like enthusiasm and love of the game was contagious. I always knew, no matter what, he was the biggest Chicago Cubs fan and cheerleader.

I don’t know if this book was great due to good writing skills or not. I do know that Mr. Caray has been missed and loved by many people. I am one of them.

It was nice hearing from you, Harry. Rest in peace.

[Jodie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child, I spent many summer afternoons listening to Harry Caray broadcast Cubs baseball on WGN. In my opinion, Harry Caray was the best baseball announcer of all time, a true voice of the fan. He did not just call balls and strikes. When the Cubs were playing badly, he called them out on it. Harry expressed how we, the Cubs fans, felt, the elation and the devastation, because he was a true fan of the game. I will always miss Harry Caray, and reading this book was like getting to spend time with him again.

Holy Cow! is Harry's autobiography. It's written in the same way Harry talked, very personal and down-to-earth. In the book, we learn that Harry was orphaned early in life. He never knew his father, and his mother died when he was seven or eight. He was taken in by his aunt and grew up very poor. When he was a young man, he pushed very hard to get sports broadcasting jobs. His belief in himself was really inspiring. Harry started his big league broadcasting career with the St. Lous Cardinals. He was with the Cardinals for the longest stretch of his career, and then they fired him. He then broadcasted for the Oakland A's for a season, the White Sox for a few years, and ended his career with the Cubs.

There are so many crazy stories in this book. Harry was always out and about and would find himself in a lot of strange situations. Once his car broke down late at night, and he was almost carjacked, until the criminals realized who he was, and instead of stealing his car, wanted to talk baseball. In another story, he was walking to a club and was actually hit by a car and went flying across the road.

In addition to the crazy stories, I also really enjoyed reading Harry's commentary on paid sports channels and night games at Wrigley. Long ago, the White Sox owner, Jerry Reinsdorf, wanted to start charging fans to watch White Sox games on television. Harry called this out as stupid and something that would ruin the game of baseball, so it didn't proceed. It was very prophetic because now fans can't watch any Major League Baseball games on television for free. Now you need to either own the highest tier cable plan or buy the team's streaming service to see any games. This has effectively taken the game away from many fans, and potential fans, and I think it is one of the factors ruining the game of baseball today (in addition to all the damn gambling).

Harry also commented that night games at Wrigley would be bad for the Cubs. Until August 8, 1988, all Cubs game at Wrigley Field were played during the day. However, the Cubs were pressured by Major League Baseball to install lights at Wrigley for night games. If they refused, they would need to play any future playoff games in either St. Louis or Pittsburgh because playoff games are at night on primetime television. In the book, Harry describes how night games totally change the fan vibe at Wrigley; fans care more about seeing a win at night versus during the day. As Harry states, "But when you have a night game, you're not selling sunshine and ivy. The viewer is more cynical, more critical--maybe because he or she has had a tough day at the office, maybe because he is there to watch a baseball game, period. He's not there to get a tan. At a night game, the expectation of the fan is higher." In my experience, I can definitely say Harry's right about that.

I recommend this book to anyone interested in sports broadcasting and to those who grew up listening to Harry broadcast the Cubs on WGN. It's a solid nostalgia read and was like reconnecting with an old friend.

[Josh Hitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up listening to Caray, but I never knew much about him, so this was a fun book to read. Caray has an interesting story on how he got into broadcasting, and he tells it well in the book. This came out a year after his stroke, so he talks about his recovery a bit, but mainly, it's about his long career and how he moved from team to team.

Highly recommended, it's a fun breezy read that makes you like Caray all over again.

[Monica Willyard Moen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harry’s voice was that of a beloved friend all through my childhood and early adulthood. I loved being a baseball fan, and so did he. That love and exuberance is here in this book with his unique voice shining through.

He was certainly prophetic in his thoughts concerning night games and how they would slowly creep from being the original promised 18 games a year to being almost a daily occurrence. I miss the day games with lots of sunshine, good feelings, and fresh air.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even though I was never able to listen to Harry Caray in person because he was before my time he is still a cubs legend and and I respect him. His book however is what I expected mosstly average but with some good points throughout.

[Jay French · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Carey’s “Holy Cow!” right after reading the book about him read by his long-time on-air partner Steve Stone “Where’s Harry?”. I recommend reading these together. Steve includes many of the same stories as Harry, but they are obviously told from an outsiders perspective. When you read Harry’s story, you understand what Harry wants you to understand about his life. The persona that he built over the years is on display here – Harry being the voice of the fans, Harry partying it up all night, Harry shilling for his friends and his oft-times beer sponsors. Harry also explains his rise through radio in Joliet and Kalamazoo, working there with Paul Harvey. The stories of his early life focus on the drive Caray had to become a sportscaster, and it is a surprisingly motivating story. But overall, you get from Harry that he dedicated himself to broadcasting, above all else including family. But from Stone, you get the sense that there also lurks a genius behind Harry’s rise, and sometimes it is an evil genius, or at least a remarkably self-centered genius. Stone illustrates the reasons behind some of the things that Harry did, things that added to his fame and tenure. Taking Stone’s book along with this book of Harry’s together, you get a much more complex idea of who Harry Caray was, and in my mind that make’s him a much more interesting person.
By the way, Goodreads suggests that the 5 books most similar to “Holy Cow!” are all horror books, four by Stephen King. I’ll need time to process this….

[Davy Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

We got WGN down in central Indiana in about 1967, back when I was playing baseball. I am a 3rd gen Cub fan, and I really liked Jack Brickhouse the best. He preceeded Harry, who I remembered as the Cardinals broadcaster.
I moved to Houston in 78 and have transitioned to the Astros after my heart was broken so many times. Primarily, the collapse of 1969, as it scarred me for life. Dandy Don Kessinger was my hero. Loved em all.
My son and I used to watch some Cubbie action back in the 80's down in Houston. I remember 1984 Padres choke job and 1989 SF annihalation too.
Gotta say I really liked Harry Caray a lot.
Walked past his place several years while walking to that great Chicago River tour. I fly to Cincinnati alot, through Midway and enjoy all the paraphernalia hanging at Harry's place at Midway.

[Tim Blackburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Luck and Effort"
Harry Caray

Harry gives the baseball fan an overview of his life story. His life and career took many twists and turns. He certainly lived life large. He details his carousing (PG Rated) along with his affinity for the bottle. He broadcast the St Louis Cardinals on the radio for 25 years ending in 1969. I'm a lifelong Cardinal fan but didn't begin listening to the radio broadcasts until my early teen years in the 1970s so I missed Harry as a Cardinal announcer. He is a baseball treasure. However, many of his antics would have led to his termination or at least reprimands in today's sports world. Some of his comments on the air haven't aged well. But it was a different time. The read itself was very easy and I enjoyed his interaction with players with whom I grew up collecting their baseball cards.

[Tristan Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you are a fan of broadcasters and a fan of baseball it is a must read. Published in the late 80’s there is very little on Harry Carry’s career as the cubs broadcaster. Nonetheless very interesting and cool to see how the sport of baseball has changed from the time he started to the time he released this book.

[Paul Hanson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun read on this American sports legend.

[Edward Morton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have finished this book really enjoyed it. Harry was a huge character that is dearly missed in baseball

[Barbara Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brought back many fun memories of ballgames with my dad in the 70’s and 80’s. It’s written much like Harry broadcasted, sometimes wordy and confusing, but we’ll worth the time.

[Aaron Horton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thus was a good book. I didn't know that much about Harry Caray. I knew he was an announcer for the White Sox and Cubs. This book shed some light on his life.

[John Brocato · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're a baseball fan who remembers Harry Caray broadcasting games on WGN, this is a fun book.

[Brent Soderstrum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am amazed by how many young people don't remember Harry Caray. He is best remembered by me as the Chicago Cubs blowhard announcer in the 1980s. In this 1989 autobiography Harry tells of the days when he was a Cardinals announcer, an A's announcer, a White Sox announcer and finally a Cubs announcer. Harry tells some great stories but he certainly had a huge ego. Most of the stories focus on what a great announcer he was and how much the fans loved him. From screaming "Holy Cow" to singing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" to his connection and love for Budweiser Harry gives a slanted view on Harry. I always thought he was way overrated as a TV announcer but my grandfather was a Cub fan and when he died I got his Harry Caray book. Figured it was time to give it a read. I am sure Cub fans miss him.

[Chris Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew that I was in trouble in the opening chapter when the author gets the date of his "life changing event" (a stroke) wrong.

Sanitzed autobiography that really just glosses over much of Caray's life and career. In retrospect, this book was likely written to capitialize on similar books (John Madden comes to mind) that were popular at the time.

[Monte Lamb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun to read the life story of Harry Caray. The book was written in 1989 and covers his entire career up to that point. There probably aren't too many secrets in this book that any real knowledgeable fan wouldn't already know, but it is fun to read and you do get some insights into what made Harry be Harry.

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is about what I would expect from Harry Caray - very self-serving and overblown. However, if you like baseball history, it is worth it to read about some of the things that he witnessed over his career.

[Michae;l · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book mostly tracked the career of Harry Caray through the eyes of the self-confident drunk himself. A lot of name dropping that may spark favorable memories in fans, especially older ones. Not a great read but for true fans of Harry.

[Louis Picone · Rating 5 out of 5]

exactly what I expected - I loved watching Hary Carry when we got cable & I could watch Cubs day games on WGN. This was a great history of baseball thru his eyes. I always think of him as a Cubs fan so it was surprising how many teams he announced for -including the Cardinals, A's, White Sox

[Stan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harry Caray's bildungsroman.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you grew up a Cubs fan in the 1980's, Harry was the TV voice you heard on a near daily basis. A humorous retrospective on Harry's early career.

[Ronald · Rating 3 out of 5]

read some time in 1992