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Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, with Baseball on the Brink
The dramatic story of a legendary 1979 slugfest between the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies, full of runs, hits, and subplots, at the tipping point of a new era in baseball history
It was a Thursday at Chicago's Wrigley Field, mostly sunny with the wind blowing out. Nobody expected an afternoon game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs on May 17, 1979, to be much more than a lazy early-season contest matching two teams heading in opposite directions--the first-place Phillies and the Cubs, those lovable losers--until they combined for thirteen runs in the first inning. "The craziest game ever," one player called it. "And then the second inning started."
Ten Innings at Wrigley is Kevin Cook's vivid account of a game that could only have happened at this ballpark, in this era, with this colorful cast of heroes and heels: Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Bruce Sutter, surly slugger Dave Kingman, hustler Pete Rose, unlucky Bill Buckner, scarred Vietnam vet Garry Maddox, troubled relief pitcher Donnie Moore, clubhouse jester Tug McGraw, and two managers pulling out what was left of their hair.
It was the highest-scoring ballgame in a century, and much more than that. Bringing to life the run-up and aftermath of a contest The New York Times called "the wildest in modern history," Cook reveals the human stories behind the game--and how money, muscles and modern statistics were about to change baseball forever.
It was a Thursday at Chicago's Wrigley Field, mostly sunny with the wind blowing out. Nobody expected an afternoon game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs on May 17, 1979, to be much more than a lazy early-season contest matching two teams heading in opposite directions--the first-place Phillies and the Cubs, those lovable losers--until they combined for thirteen runs in the first inning. "The craziest game ever," one player called it. "And then the second inning started."
Ten Innings at Wrigley is Kevin Cook's vivid account of a game that could only have happened at this ballpark, in this era, with this colorful cast of heroes and heels: Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Bruce Sutter, surly slugger Dave Kingman, hustler Pete Rose, unlucky Bill Buckner, scarred Vietnam vet Garry Maddox, troubled relief pitcher Donnie Moore, clubhouse jester Tug McGraw, and two managers pulling out what was left of their hair.
It was the highest-scoring ballgame in a century, and much more than that. Bringing to life the run-up and aftermath of a contest The New York Times called "the wildest in modern history," Cook reveals the human stories behind the game--and how money, muscles and modern statistics were about to change baseball forever.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2019
About the author
Kevin Cook
56 books123 followersKevin Cook, the award-winning author of Titanic Thompson and Tommy’s Honor, has written for the New York Times, the Daily News, GQ, Men’s Journal, Vogue, and many other publications, and has appeared on CNN and Fox TV. He lives in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
February 11, 2019
Am I really turning 40 this year? I was born during the 1979 We are Family World Series, won by the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to family legend, my father was watching bits and pieces of the series in the maternity ward as I awaited my arrival to this planet. Little known to him was that the Pirates would be the last team in the Series to be trailing three games to one and go on to win the last two games on the road until our beloved Cubs would achieve the same feat in 2016. As such, a baseball fan was born. Baseball was changing in 1979 from a game steeped in the past with current veteran players and coaches who could still call names like Williams and DiMaggio teammates to a more modern one that relied on relief pitchers and platoon outfielders as well as free agency to bolster rosters as much as farm systems. As baseball readied itself for modern times, on a May afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Cubs and the Phillies would play an epic game that had spectators scratching their heads and is still found on clips on YouTube. As Kevin Cook, author of Electric October, writes, on May 17, 1979, anything can happen when the wind blows out at Wrigley Field.
My father attended his first Cubs game in 1954 and has always said that he enjoyed games against the Phillies more so than those against any other opponent. The Phillies at the time were almost as atrocious as the bottom feeder Cubs as neither team had any pitching worthy of a major league roster. He would see games with scores of 10-9 or 8-7 on a regular basis. Since the inception of the national league, other than a few championships by the Cubs at the beginning of the 20th century, both teams finished at or near the bottom of the league standingson a yearly basis. There had been a few teases in recent memory, most recently the 1969 Cubs that are still dubbed the best team not to play in the post season and a few iterations of the Phillies that played runner up to stellar Reds and Dodger teams of the 1970s. Until a few brief years in the 1980s, however, neither team would be in contention.
The 1979 Cubs and Phillies were headed in opposite directions. The Phillies had future Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, who loved to hit at Wrigley Field, and Steve Carlton on their roster and were bolstered by free agent acquisition Pete Rose, who came to the Phillies to win. The Cubs were the Cubs, cursed in 1945 and going no where. Yes, their 1979 roster included hall of fame closer Bruce Sutter and the infamous Bill Buckner as well as homer or bust Dave Kingman, but all would be gone within the next few years. The rest of the roster was cobbled together with has beens and other quality major leaguers whose better days were ahead of them when they joined other franchises. Yet, on May 17, 1979, it did matter if one was destined for Cooperstown or the minors. On May 17, 1979 the wind was gusting out at Wrigley, and, as I knew all to well growing up, when the wind blows out at Wrigley, anything can happen.
Kevin Cook, as he has done so well in his other micro history books about sports, focuses on a single sporting event and how it effected individual players. On the Cubs, besides Buckner and Kingman, he chose to examine relief pitcher Donnie Moore. A future all star closer with the Braves and Angels, Moore was a career minor leaguer with the Cubs because he had still not developed a quality third pitch. He had been up or down from the minors for the most part of six years in 1979 and a stellar outing on May 17 could cement his place on the Cubs roster for the rest of the year. Yet, neither Moore, or many of the pitchers on the day, would have good luck. With a 30 mile per hour wind out to left, the score was 7-0 after the top of the first. The Cubs battled back only to see the Phillies build up leads as large as 21-9 before the Cubs started inching closer. Schmidt would hit two home runs on this day, Kingman three. Any ball that went up in the air had a chance to go out. With the beer flowing, the organ churning, and score cards indecipherable, it was a day to remember for the 14,000 plus fans in attendance.
The year 1979 was nine years before Wrigley Field installed lights. This crazy game that Cook writes about had to be finished before nightfall or it would be suspended on account of darkness. By the time the epic game reached the ninth inning and was tied at 22 all, the shadows were creeping in. A game of this magnitude would need extra innings featuring a battle of future Hall of famers to decide the final score. Cook devotes one small chapter to each half inning leaving readers and fans at the edge of their seats as he leads up to the game’s final outcome. In a style that reminds readers of For the Love of the Game, Cook also segues to background information about key players on both teams. This added level of intrigue keeps readers glued to the pages as though the game was unfolding live while wanting to know about the game’s dramatic conclusion. Of course, the outcome did not favor the Cubs.
By the time the 1979 season drew to a close, the Cubs and Phillies had fizzled out, perhaps a result of overtaxing pitching staffs on an unforgettable May afternoon. Neither manager survived through the rest of the season, and many players on both teams would have new homes come the next season. A Phillies team with a new manager would come together and win it all the next year and then again nearly thirty years later in 2008. The Cubs, not until new ownership and management oversaw a remaking of the organization as one of lovable winners in 2016. Kingman fizzled out, Buckner became infamous, and Donnie Moore and Pete Rose suffered various tragic endings. Phillies catcher Bob Boone saw two of his sons join him as major leaguers, one of whom is a manager today, and the family just might become the first four generation major league family in the years to come. All these players would be forever linked together by a blustery May afternoon in 1979 where the wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field, where anything can happen.
4+ stars
My father attended his first Cubs game in 1954 and has always said that he enjoyed games against the Phillies more so than those against any other opponent. The Phillies at the time were almost as atrocious as the bottom feeder Cubs as neither team had any pitching worthy of a major league roster. He would see games with scores of 10-9 or 8-7 on a regular basis. Since the inception of the national league, other than a few championships by the Cubs at the beginning of the 20th century, both teams finished at or near the bottom of the league standingson a yearly basis. There had been a few teases in recent memory, most recently the 1969 Cubs that are still dubbed the best team not to play in the post season and a few iterations of the Phillies that played runner up to stellar Reds and Dodger teams of the 1970s. Until a few brief years in the 1980s, however, neither team would be in contention.
The 1979 Cubs and Phillies were headed in opposite directions. The Phillies had future Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt, who loved to hit at Wrigley Field, and Steve Carlton on their roster and were bolstered by free agent acquisition Pete Rose, who came to the Phillies to win. The Cubs were the Cubs, cursed in 1945 and going no where. Yes, their 1979 roster included hall of fame closer Bruce Sutter and the infamous Bill Buckner as well as homer or bust Dave Kingman, but all would be gone within the next few years. The rest of the roster was cobbled together with has beens and other quality major leaguers whose better days were ahead of them when they joined other franchises. Yet, on May 17, 1979, it did matter if one was destined for Cooperstown or the minors. On May 17, 1979 the wind was gusting out at Wrigley, and, as I knew all to well growing up, when the wind blows out at Wrigley, anything can happen.
Kevin Cook, as he has done so well in his other micro history books about sports, focuses on a single sporting event and how it effected individual players. On the Cubs, besides Buckner and Kingman, he chose to examine relief pitcher Donnie Moore. A future all star closer with the Braves and Angels, Moore was a career minor leaguer with the Cubs because he had still not developed a quality third pitch. He had been up or down from the minors for the most part of six years in 1979 and a stellar outing on May 17 could cement his place on the Cubs roster for the rest of the year. Yet, neither Moore, or many of the pitchers on the day, would have good luck. With a 30 mile per hour wind out to left, the score was 7-0 after the top of the first. The Cubs battled back only to see the Phillies build up leads as large as 21-9 before the Cubs started inching closer. Schmidt would hit two home runs on this day, Kingman three. Any ball that went up in the air had a chance to go out. With the beer flowing, the organ churning, and score cards indecipherable, it was a day to remember for the 14,000 plus fans in attendance.
The year 1979 was nine years before Wrigley Field installed lights. This crazy game that Cook writes about had to be finished before nightfall or it would be suspended on account of darkness. By the time the epic game reached the ninth inning and was tied at 22 all, the shadows were creeping in. A game of this magnitude would need extra innings featuring a battle of future Hall of famers to decide the final score. Cook devotes one small chapter to each half inning leaving readers and fans at the edge of their seats as he leads up to the game’s final outcome. In a style that reminds readers of For the Love of the Game, Cook also segues to background information about key players on both teams. This added level of intrigue keeps readers glued to the pages as though the game was unfolding live while wanting to know about the game’s dramatic conclusion. Of course, the outcome did not favor the Cubs.
By the time the 1979 season drew to a close, the Cubs and Phillies had fizzled out, perhaps a result of overtaxing pitching staffs on an unforgettable May afternoon. Neither manager survived through the rest of the season, and many players on both teams would have new homes come the next season. A Phillies team with a new manager would come together and win it all the next year and then again nearly thirty years later in 2008. The Cubs, not until new ownership and management oversaw a remaking of the organization as one of lovable winners in 2016. Kingman fizzled out, Buckner became infamous, and Donnie Moore and Pete Rose suffered various tragic endings. Phillies catcher Bob Boone saw two of his sons join him as major leaguers, one of whom is a manager today, and the family just might become the first four generation major league family in the years to come. All these players would be forever linked together by a blustery May afternoon in 1979 where the wind was blowing out at Wrigley Field, where anything can happen.
4+ stars
April 26, 2020
One of the best baseball books I've read, really good stuff. Yes, this book is about one game, but it has enough action for five games. I don't want to give away the ending, but let's just say one batter for a team came up to bat eight times and a different batter had seven RBI's and that wasn't even the same guy that homered three times! This game was a 1979 May regular season contest at Wrigley Field between the Phillies and Cubs. Kevin Cook, who also wrote a great book on the 1947 World Series, proves he can break down a single game as well. It's not just a play-by-play box score, but you learn a little about each of the hitters and pitchers in the game. After Cook finishes up the with actual game he talks about a few of the players in more detail such as Pete Rose, Bob Boone and Donnie Moore. Very good researched book, and well written. You won't want to put this down. I read half of the book in one night and the whole thing in about three days. Looking forward to Kevin Cook's next one.
June 13, 2026
5 Stars — More Than a Ballgame
As a lifelong Cubs fan, I absolutely loved this book.
It’s the Cubs 150th birthday. This book is a gift for Chicago Cubs fans!
I wasn’t at the famous May 17, 1979 Cubs-Phillies slugfest, but I remember watching the final innings on television as an eighth grader. I can still picture the excitement around Wrigley Field, the flags waving, and the feeling that something unforgettable was unfolding on a spring afternoon. For a young Cubs fan, Dave “Kong” Kingman was larger than life.
The wind was blowing out toward Waveland and Sheffield that warm May afternoon in 1979—and in the case of one legendary home run, deep down Kenmore Avenue. I watched from home with a box of Cheez-Its and a cold bottle of Tab, unaware that I was witnessing a game that Cubs fans would still be talking about nearly fifty years later. Some memories fade. Others settle into the heart and become part of who we are.
The crowds were different then—smaller and more neighborhood-based than today. Back in those days, the Cubs would often let people in after the seventh inning, and as word spread that something extraordinary was happening, fans poured into the ballpark. By the eighth inning, with the Cubs and Phillies trading runs in what was becoming a historic slugfest, Wrigley was packed and buzzing with energy.
The centerpiece of the book is, of course, one of the wildest games ever played. Kingman’s legendary home run remains part of Cubs folklore. The ball reportedly cleared the rooftops along Kenmore Avenue and landed out on the street itself. In true bleacher-creature fashion, a devoted fan later spray-painted a baseball on Kenmore to mark the landing spot. For years, Cubs fans sought it out as a reminder of one of the most majestic home runs ever hit at Wrigley Field.
What makes this book special, however, is that it offers much more than a retelling of a famous game.
The author skillfully weaves together Cubs history, Wrigleyville history, and the broader cultural backdrop of late-1970s Chicago. Along the way, readers are treated to mini-biographies of many of the players who made that era memorable. The book touches on the rich traditions of the franchise, including the famous Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance era, while also bringing to life the personalities who filled Wrigley during my childhood.
It’s easy to forget that the Cubs were actually in first place when this game was played. There was real excitement surrounding the team. Bill Buckner was having an outstanding season and even launched a grand slam in this game. Bruce Sutter was at the height of his powers, throwing a split-finger fastball that seemed to fall off a table as it approached the plate. The opposing Phillies were loaded with stars, led by Mike Schmidt and a roster that would soon become world champions.
The game itself is wonderfully recreated. Even if you know the outcome, the inning-by-inning narrative captures the absurdity, drama, and joy of a contest that somehow ended 23–22. The play-by-play is exciting, but the larger story is even better.
This book is part baseball history, part Cubs history, part Wrigleyville history, and part love letter to Wrigley Field.
For fans of the Cubs, especially those of us who grew up believing that hope lived somewhere between the ivy-covered walls and the bleachers, this book captures something deeper than a single game. It captures a moment in time and reminds us why baseball memories stay with us for a lifetime.
A home run.
5/5 Stars.
⸻
Dig a bit deeper into Cubs and bleacher fandom.
https://open.substack.com/pub/lposse1...
Reading this book reminded me that being a Cubs fan has never been just about baseball. It’s about faith, resilience, community, and the stories we pass down from one generation of bleacher creatures to the next. If you’d like to read more about what Wrigley Field and Cubs fandom have meant in my life, I invite you to check out my essay, Views from Section 504.
As a lifelong Cubs fan, I absolutely loved this book.
It’s the Cubs 150th birthday. This book is a gift for Chicago Cubs fans!
I wasn’t at the famous May 17, 1979 Cubs-Phillies slugfest, but I remember watching the final innings on television as an eighth grader. I can still picture the excitement around Wrigley Field, the flags waving, and the feeling that something unforgettable was unfolding on a spring afternoon. For a young Cubs fan, Dave “Kong” Kingman was larger than life.
The wind was blowing out toward Waveland and Sheffield that warm May afternoon in 1979—and in the case of one legendary home run, deep down Kenmore Avenue. I watched from home with a box of Cheez-Its and a cold bottle of Tab, unaware that I was witnessing a game that Cubs fans would still be talking about nearly fifty years later. Some memories fade. Others settle into the heart and become part of who we are.
The crowds were different then—smaller and more neighborhood-based than today. Back in those days, the Cubs would often let people in after the seventh inning, and as word spread that something extraordinary was happening, fans poured into the ballpark. By the eighth inning, with the Cubs and Phillies trading runs in what was becoming a historic slugfest, Wrigley was packed and buzzing with energy.
The centerpiece of the book is, of course, one of the wildest games ever played. Kingman’s legendary home run remains part of Cubs folklore. The ball reportedly cleared the rooftops along Kenmore Avenue and landed out on the street itself. In true bleacher-creature fashion, a devoted fan later spray-painted a baseball on Kenmore to mark the landing spot. For years, Cubs fans sought it out as a reminder of one of the most majestic home runs ever hit at Wrigley Field.
What makes this book special, however, is that it offers much more than a retelling of a famous game.
The author skillfully weaves together Cubs history, Wrigleyville history, and the broader cultural backdrop of late-1970s Chicago. Along the way, readers are treated to mini-biographies of many of the players who made that era memorable. The book touches on the rich traditions of the franchise, including the famous Tinker-to-Evers-to-Chance era, while also bringing to life the personalities who filled Wrigley during my childhood.
It’s easy to forget that the Cubs were actually in first place when this game was played. There was real excitement surrounding the team. Bill Buckner was having an outstanding season and even launched a grand slam in this game. Bruce Sutter was at the height of his powers, throwing a split-finger fastball that seemed to fall off a table as it approached the plate. The opposing Phillies were loaded with stars, led by Mike Schmidt and a roster that would soon become world champions.
The game itself is wonderfully recreated. Even if you know the outcome, the inning-by-inning narrative captures the absurdity, drama, and joy of a contest that somehow ended 23–22. The play-by-play is exciting, but the larger story is even better.
This book is part baseball history, part Cubs history, part Wrigleyville history, and part love letter to Wrigley Field.
For fans of the Cubs, especially those of us who grew up believing that hope lived somewhere between the ivy-covered walls and the bleachers, this book captures something deeper than a single game. It captures a moment in time and reminds us why baseball memories stay with us for a lifetime.
A home run.
5/5 Stars.
⸻
Dig a bit deeper into Cubs and bleacher fandom.
https://open.substack.com/pub/lposse1...
Reading this book reminded me that being a Cubs fan has never been just about baseball. It’s about faith, resilience, community, and the stories we pass down from one generation of bleacher creatures to the next. If you’d like to read more about what Wrigley Field and Cubs fandom have meant in my life, I invite you to check out my essay, Views from Section 504.
July 20, 2020
This was an impeccably researched book and also well written. Although the bulk of this book is about that single homer filled game in 1979 between the Phillies and Cubs, there is an extensive follow up section on most of the starters from both teams. With stars like Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, Bill Buckner, Bob Boone, Dave Kingman, Tug McGraw and Donnie Moore there is a lot of history to cover — and a surprising amount of triumph and tragedy.
If you are a fan of baseball of the 1970’s and 1980’s then this is a can’t miss book and certainly one of the best I’ve read covering that era.
4.5 stars
If you are a fan of baseball of the 1970’s and 1980’s then this is a can’t miss book and certainly one of the best I’ve read covering that era.
4.5 stars
January 14, 2019
On May 17, 1979, the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies played one of the biggest slugfests in the history of the game, with the Phillies winning the game 23-22 in ten innings. The two teams combined for thirteen runs in the first inning (Phillies 7, Cubs 6) and the Cubs came back from a 12 run deficit (21-9) only to lose the game in extra innings. This game, along with some history and follow-up stories on some of the players in that game, is shared in this very entertaining book by Kevin Cook.
The actual events of the game make up the bulk of the book, but Cook sandwiches the inning-by-inning description by first giving the reader a background history check on the two teams involved and finishes the book with stories about key players such as the Cubs’ Dave Kingman (who homered three times in the game) and Donnie Moore and the Phillies’ Bob Boone and Tug McGraw.
These players are featured in the post-game writing but what is truly impressive about this book is that EVERY player who made an appearance in this game gets his just due. Of course, there is more coverage of players who had a great game hitting (or had a terrible game on the mound) but no matter what contribution that player made to the historic game, Cook made sure to mention him. The reader will also get a true feeling of what it was like to see a game at Wrigley at that time – all day games, plenty of empty seats as Wrigley was less than half full on that Thursday afternoon, people waiting in the street on Waveland Avenue for home runs, fans camped on the rooftops - it’s all there and is a terrific trip back in time for readers who remember when only day games were played at Wrigley.
While the brief histories of the teams before the chapters on the game are enjoyable to read, the stories on some of the players following the game are even better. What is really interesting is how intertwined the stories of that game became and Cook’s reference to them. For example, it was interesting to read about how two Cubs teammates in that game, Donnie Moore and Bill Buckner, ended up crossing paths on different teams in the 1986 American League Championship Series. Most baseball fans know what happened to both men after that season, so I won’t rehash it here, but Cook’s prose will leave the reader emotionally spent when reading about them, especially Moore.
Any reader who is a fan of baseball of that era, a Cubs fan or a Phillies fan, this book must be added to his or her library. With rich detail and a knack for easy-to-read prose, Kevin Cook has written another excellent baseball book. It is certainly one that will stay in my library and will be pulled out when I want to remember the first Cubs game I saw on that relatively new industry called cable television.
I wish to thank Henry Holt and Company for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
The actual events of the game make up the bulk of the book, but Cook sandwiches the inning-by-inning description by first giving the reader a background history check on the two teams involved and finishes the book with stories about key players such as the Cubs’ Dave Kingman (who homered three times in the game) and Donnie Moore and the Phillies’ Bob Boone and Tug McGraw.
These players are featured in the post-game writing but what is truly impressive about this book is that EVERY player who made an appearance in this game gets his just due. Of course, there is more coverage of players who had a great game hitting (or had a terrible game on the mound) but no matter what contribution that player made to the historic game, Cook made sure to mention him. The reader will also get a true feeling of what it was like to see a game at Wrigley at that time – all day games, plenty of empty seats as Wrigley was less than half full on that Thursday afternoon, people waiting in the street on Waveland Avenue for home runs, fans camped on the rooftops - it’s all there and is a terrific trip back in time for readers who remember when only day games were played at Wrigley.
While the brief histories of the teams before the chapters on the game are enjoyable to read, the stories on some of the players following the game are even better. What is really interesting is how intertwined the stories of that game became and Cook’s reference to them. For example, it was interesting to read about how two Cubs teammates in that game, Donnie Moore and Bill Buckner, ended up crossing paths on different teams in the 1986 American League Championship Series. Most baseball fans know what happened to both men after that season, so I won’t rehash it here, but Cook’s prose will leave the reader emotionally spent when reading about them, especially Moore.
Any reader who is a fan of baseball of that era, a Cubs fan or a Phillies fan, this book must be added to his or her library. With rich detail and a knack for easy-to-read prose, Kevin Cook has written another excellent baseball book. It is certainly one that will stay in my library and will be pulled out when I want to remember the first Cubs game I saw on that relatively new industry called cable television.
I wish to thank Henry Holt and Company for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
February 18, 2023
So, I'm old enough to remember this game. I listened to it on the radio and saw parts on television. I am a lifelong Phillies fan. The author begins with a short history of both franchises. There are some fun nuggets about the original owner of the Cubs, Ed Delhanty and Eddie Sawyer of the Phillies. I even found the box score fascinating:so much to unpack. Multiple players had or would play for both teams. Barry Foote a catcher for the Cubs and a former Phil, was a pain in the rear to Cubs' gristled manager Herman Franks because he always talked about the way the Phillies organization did things. But this is more than a recap of a game with the most home runs and total bases in history or the twelve run lead blown by the Phillies that lead to a tenth inning. There are great quips between players like Bob Boone and Tug McGraw that were said during the game. We get to take a look at the personalities in the club houses, including personality feuds between Buckner and Kingman, Kingman and a female sports writer, the leadership of Rose, the genuine closeness between Schmidt and Madddox and other black players, the chiding of Bowa, the open hostility of the players against manager Dallas Green and vice versa(including Bob Boone and Steve Carlton totally ignoring Green's authority. There are plenty of interesting characters in this game and Cook takes a close look at the prickly Dave Kong Kingman, Bill Buckner, Bob Boone, and Donnie Moore. I found that portion to be shocking and it changed my opinion of Moore. The game epitomized where both teams were headed. The Cubs would plunge from contention but the Phillies 23-22 win would launch them into their first Word Championship the next year. An enjoyable read for any baseball fan but especially a Cubs or Phillies follower.
June 3, 2019
Great book about the Wildest games in Modern Baseball. Phillies eke out a 23-22 win after leading by 14 runs earlier in the game. Very good inning by inning description of the game, filled with lots of tidbits about many of the players. Also have a good first section about the history of the Cubs and Phillies, and then a good final section about the players after the game and later in life. The wind was blowing out at Wrigley and it led to an amazing game. As Larry Bowa said "it was the craziest game I ever played in, and then we started the 2nd inning!" Take a wonderful joyride through the late 1970's baseball with this book.
June 18, 2026
On May 17, 1979, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Chicago Cubs 23-22 in a historic 10-inning slugfest at Wrigley Field, aided by a strong wind blowing out. This wild, 4-hour shootout featured a combined 45 runs, 50 hits, 11 home runs, and 127 plate appearances (vs 75.5 MLB avg last 2 seasons). The game included a bunch of guys whose baseball cards I would collect: Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and Bruce Sutter, hitter Pete Rose, slugger Dave Kingman, unlucky Bill Buckner, catcher Bob Boone, and pitcher Tug McGraw. The Cubs rallied from a 12-run deficit by the 5th inning. However, 3B Mike Schmidt won the game for the Phillies by hitting his second HR of the day, a solo shot off Bruce Sutter in the top of the 10th inning. Kevin Cook's wonderful retelling of the day puts the reader right in the seats at Wrigley. I enjoyed hearing a little more about the careers of the guys involved in this epic battle, including the Boone family. This is a must-read for any true fan of America's pastime.
May 19, 2019
How can a book about a high-scoring baseball game that happened 40 years ago in Wrigley be entertaining? Other than doing an inning-by-inning recap of how the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Chicago Cubs on a windy May 17, 1979, what else could there be?
Kevin Cook has answered that in an excellent book that looks deep into the game and the players that slugged it out. It's full of anecdotes and goes much further into the bigger meaning of the game. Sure, it was a 23-22 game in Wrigley, but it symbolized the Cubs' futility of those days more than just that score. Down by 12 runs, Chicago came back, only to lose when Mike Schmidt hit a 10th inning home run.
There's a lot of information on what happened to the players of that game, including Dave "King Kong"Kingman (including the note that the conductor of the Addison el train used to call Wrigley "Kong Field," in recognition of the slugger. There's also info on what happened to Donnie Moore, one of the Cubs' pitchers in that game who later gave up the home run in the 1986 ALCS that gave Boston the Series bid over California. I knew Moore shot himself, but I didn't know the details of it all.
Cook also wrote "Electric October," about the 1942 World Series, which is a great read as well. And when it's football season, grab The Last Headbangers, his book on the NFL of the 1970s.
This truly an enjoyable book that has great play-by-play accounts with the strategy behind the plays, along with fun anecdotes, excellent research and a large context of what the game meant. A super book for any baseball fan.
Kevin Cook has answered that in an excellent book that looks deep into the game and the players that slugged it out. It's full of anecdotes and goes much further into the bigger meaning of the game. Sure, it was a 23-22 game in Wrigley, but it symbolized the Cubs' futility of those days more than just that score. Down by 12 runs, Chicago came back, only to lose when Mike Schmidt hit a 10th inning home run.
There's a lot of information on what happened to the players of that game, including Dave "King Kong"Kingman (including the note that the conductor of the Addison el train used to call Wrigley "Kong Field," in recognition of the slugger. There's also info on what happened to Donnie Moore, one of the Cubs' pitchers in that game who later gave up the home run in the 1986 ALCS that gave Boston the Series bid over California. I knew Moore shot himself, but I didn't know the details of it all.
Cook also wrote "Electric October," about the 1942 World Series, which is a great read as well. And when it's football season, grab The Last Headbangers, his book on the NFL of the 1970s.
This truly an enjoyable book that has great play-by-play accounts with the strategy behind the plays, along with fun anecdotes, excellent research and a large context of what the game meant. A super book for any baseball fan.
November 21, 2019
Ahh, yes, the week of senior year final exams. With one test left the next day and a beautiful Thursday with not much to do, I decided I'd head down to Wrigley to take in a game. Never bothered to study for the test, but I wasn't worried, after all the only way I could get a B was to fail the final.
Well, I failed the final, much like the Cubs failed to win, but no book would ever be written about the test.
Somewhere stashed away in the basement I have my scorecard for this day. It's one of those things I happen upon when tidying up. Outside of witnessing one of the longest home runs in major league history, I can also say I saw a shortstop drift back while an outfielder jogged in for a fly ball that eventually carried into the lower bleachers. For a couple of innings,I sat next to a Phillies fan who had never been to Wrigley. He asked me where the scoreboard was. No lie.
Well, I failed the final, much like the Cubs failed to win, but no book would ever be written about the test.
Somewhere stashed away in the basement I have my scorecard for this day. It's one of those things I happen upon when tidying up. Outside of witnessing one of the longest home runs in major league history, I can also say I saw a shortstop drift back while an outfielder jogged in for a fly ball that eventually carried into the lower bleachers. For a couple of innings,I sat next to a Phillies fan who had never been to Wrigley. He asked me where the scoreboard was. No lie.
August 9, 2019
Meh.
It's slight and underwhelming. Altogether it's less than the sum of its parts. It can be tricky to make a book out of just one regular season game. Mostly people do it by going off on tangents, using the game as a jumping off point to discuss other matters affecting the game or some of the key players and what they were going through. Cook does a little bit of that in his game recap, but not much. It's a page or two about this guy or about that guy. Mostly, it's a straight-ahead recap, plate appearance by plate appearance, at times nearly pitch by pitch. That's deadening.
Taking Cook's approach, however, makes it hard to fill out the book. Even in a game as wild as this one, there are only so many at bats to discuss. And indeed, Cook runs out of material - the game ends on page 152. But then the book keeps going for another 75 pages.
Yeah, there's this weirdly tacked on section, where he spends a chapter going over some of the players and features from the game, what happened to them after. So you get a chapter on Bob Boone's family. And one on the tragedy of Donnie Moore. You get a chapter on the 1980 Phillies world championship. And another on the fates of Bill Buckner and Pete Rose (a rather odd pairing. Yes they both had problems after the game, but very different problems).
OK, all of those guys are in the game and it relates, but the book doesn't set up that end section at all. The last third reads like filler. If you want to do that, you need to start the book with some personalities, and get us caring about them before the first pitch. The book doesn't do that, so we're not expecting their stories to continue like that. There is an intro section, but it's just a brief recap of the franchise histories of both squads.
There are some nice details. The game took place before the regular umpires returned to duty from a successful strike. The home plate umpire here had a terrible day calling balls/strike - in part because he had a major hangover. A sanitation truck caught on fire just outside the stadium during the game.
I've read two previous books by Cook: "The Last Headbangers" about the NFL from 1973-81, and Electric October about the 1947 World Series. Those were both very enjoyable and engaging works. This just reads like he tried to make a meal out of too little food.
2.5 stars.
It's slight and underwhelming. Altogether it's less than the sum of its parts. It can be tricky to make a book out of just one regular season game. Mostly people do it by going off on tangents, using the game as a jumping off point to discuss other matters affecting the game or some of the key players and what they were going through. Cook does a little bit of that in his game recap, but not much. It's a page or two about this guy or about that guy. Mostly, it's a straight-ahead recap, plate appearance by plate appearance, at times nearly pitch by pitch. That's deadening.
Taking Cook's approach, however, makes it hard to fill out the book. Even in a game as wild as this one, there are only so many at bats to discuss. And indeed, Cook runs out of material - the game ends on page 152. But then the book keeps going for another 75 pages.
Yeah, there's this weirdly tacked on section, where he spends a chapter going over some of the players and features from the game, what happened to them after. So you get a chapter on Bob Boone's family. And one on the tragedy of Donnie Moore. You get a chapter on the 1980 Phillies world championship. And another on the fates of Bill Buckner and Pete Rose (a rather odd pairing. Yes they both had problems after the game, but very different problems).
OK, all of those guys are in the game and it relates, but the book doesn't set up that end section at all. The last third reads like filler. If you want to do that, you need to start the book with some personalities, and get us caring about them before the first pitch. The book doesn't do that, so we're not expecting their stories to continue like that. There is an intro section, but it's just a brief recap of the franchise histories of both squads.
There are some nice details. The game took place before the regular umpires returned to duty from a successful strike. The home plate umpire here had a terrible day calling balls/strike - in part because he had a major hangover. A sanitation truck caught on fire just outside the stadium during the game.
I've read two previous books by Cook: "The Last Headbangers" about the NFL from 1973-81, and Electric October about the 1947 World Series. Those were both very enjoyable and engaging works. This just reads like he tried to make a meal out of too little food.
2.5 stars.
June 13, 2020
I have 77 books about the Chicago Cubs in my bookcase, including four biographies of Ernie Banks, three of Leo Durocher (if you count one I wrote as a high-school term paper), two of Jack Brickhouse, three of Harry Caray and two copies of a book about "Cubs Fans" that, amazingly, has a chapter on me. But it's been a long time since I enjoyed a Cubs book as much as I did "Ten Innings at Wrigley." As author Kevin Cook writes, in 1979 WGN-TV had started satellite transmissions of Cubs games to cable stations around America, which meant I got to watch the final exciting innings of "The Wildest Ballgame Ever, With Baseball on the Brink" (the book's subtitle) when I arrived home from work as a sports editor of an afternoon newspaper in Southern Illinois. I'm not spoiling anything by saying the final score was 23-22 in 10 innings. The game is legendary; every baseball fan should know who won. MLB.com just showed clips from it yesterday. The wind was blowing out, and moody Cubs slugger Dave Kingman was hot. Cook, an excellent writer, sets the scene in Part One, then tells the story half-inning-by-half-inning. I loved Cook's humor, such as this description of Kingman trying to catch a flyball in the top of the first: "Diving for it with the grace of a falling tree, he missed it." Cook's research also was outstanding. As much as I've followed Cubs baseball, I didn't know that Kingman and Bill Buckner, the other Cubs star of that era, couldn't stand each other. Or that Kingman didn't even like baseball. Or that Buckner was so lame and in such pain at that point in his career that he expected pitchers to cover first base for him on every play. This would have been a thin book if Cook had stopped after writing about the game, so in Part Three, he follows up on the careers of some of the game's key players. There was nothing to laugh about in the profile of pitcher Donnie Moore's sudden success as a reliever, then his elbow injury, his disintegrating marriage and the tragic shooting that ended the marriage and his life. The 78th Cubs book in my collection will be one of the best.
September 26, 2019
You don't have to love baseball to enjoy this book, although it might be a plus. The names of the players mentioned throughout should be familiar to most people who listened to or watched baseball in 1979. Names such as Pete Rose, Donnie Moore, Tug McGraw, Dave Kingman, and many more. The story is about a game at Wrigley Field on May 17, 1979 between the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies were a sure favorite to win but the Cubs fans showed up to cheer on their team. No one could have predicted the game they were treated to. At the end of the first inning the two teams combined for a total of thirteen runs between them and at the bottom of the ninth they were tied at twenty-two each. Both team's pitchers were wearing out as the score continued to rise. As the author says, "It was the highest-scoring ballgame in a century." There are many interesting side stories about the players in this book such as the tragedy of Donnie Moore who was a baseball great but who had a volatile side that he couldn't control and, as many may remember, attempted to kill his wife and committed suicide. There is also the story of Tug McGraw who learned that one of his one night stands had produced a son, Tim. McGraw befriended this young man but never acknowledged him as his son until Tim was seventeen. Tim McGraw became a very famous country/western singer. Many more stories in this book will bring back memories or inform the reader of something that they may not have known about their favorite players or team. Many years ago I listened to a book about the 1958 game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants, "The Best Game Ever", by Mark Bowden. It was the best audio book I have ever listened to. 'Ten Innings at Wrigley' would be another great sports book to listen to and it is available on audio. Don't let this book slip by just because you aren't a sports fan...you might just turn into one after reading about all the fun these guys had.
August 13, 2019
When I first saw Kevin Cook's book, Ten Innings, my initial reaction was to think that this was one of the wildest games that has been played in the past 40 years and maybe longer than that. It didn't have any real significance to the season and outside of the 23-22 score that took extra innings to have a winner. But Kevin's book is an example what of separates baseball from other sports.
Kevin delves into the daily lives of the players. He includes future events and how these players dealt with issues, baseball, family, money, etc. It is a great book that allows the reader to know and understand the relationships the players have with each other, with the opposing team, with umpires, their coaches and their team's ownership. This was an interesting time in which the players were on the verge of being able to change team through free agency. Very soon many of these players would be able to make much more money than had ever made. Kevin's book captures, in a special and unique way, the change baseball was going through and about to go through.
You don't have to be a Phillies or Cubs fan to enjoy this book. The setting, Wrigley Field, is probably the most unique place in the major leagues (I know, Fenway is right up there with Wrigley). Kevin writes about an unusual game in a special era of baseball . The game itself was certainly a wild one and baseball was on the brink of significant change and Kevin Cook does a great job describing that specific game and what was unfolding that would change baseball forever.
Kevin delves into the daily lives of the players. He includes future events and how these players dealt with issues, baseball, family, money, etc. It is a great book that allows the reader to know and understand the relationships the players have with each other, with the opposing team, with umpires, their coaches and their team's ownership. This was an interesting time in which the players were on the verge of being able to change team through free agency. Very soon many of these players would be able to make much more money than had ever made. Kevin's book captures, in a special and unique way, the change baseball was going through and about to go through.
You don't have to be a Phillies or Cubs fan to enjoy this book. The setting, Wrigley Field, is probably the most unique place in the major leagues (I know, Fenway is right up there with Wrigley). Kevin writes about an unusual game in a special era of baseball . The game itself was certainly a wild one and baseball was on the brink of significant change and Kevin Cook does a great job describing that specific game and what was unfolding that would change baseball forever.
January 1, 2022
This book was a delight. Of course, I love baseball (and consider MONEYBALL a comfort movie), and the inning-by-inning approach was as fun as watching a game. The baseball off-season equivalent of Christmas in July.
Cook covers some of the wild and woolly history of the Cubs and Phillies, which made me feel better about the Mariners' 20-year playoff drought, and the book is chockful of personalities and hilarious quotes and fascinating lore.
I'd never even heard of The Game and only had ever seen Bill Caudill and Dave Kingman play later as Oakland A's, but how can you not get romantic about baseball?
Cook covers some of the wild and woolly history of the Cubs and Phillies, which made me feel better about the Mariners' 20-year playoff drought, and the book is chockful of personalities and hilarious quotes and fascinating lore.
I'd never even heard of The Game and only had ever seen Bill Caudill and Dave Kingman play later as Oakland A's, but how can you not get romantic about baseball?
June 16, 2021
Kevin Cook writes about a wild baseball game between the Cubs and Phillies at Wrigley in 1979. While this game is the centerpiece of his work, he sets the table by giving fans an interesting historical perspective of the two clubs. Then he follows a number of players from the game and gives you insight to their personal and professional lives after the ‘79 slugfest. He concludes by contrasting some of the ‘79 player’s records and showing that in the modern metrics era of baseball today they would be held in much higher regard. All and all a fascinating read for baseball fans.
February 1, 2020
With so many crazy things going on in the world right now, I needed a baseball book. This one was like candy, offering a couple hundred pages about a wild game from 40 years ago between the Cubs and Phillies. The author describes this incredible game with engaging detail, and offers great context on the teams and players involved. I remember watching the highlights of this game as a kid and wishing I had been there. Forty years later, this book kind of gave me that chance.
July 16, 2019
Highly readable and plenty of great information about the Cubs and the Phillies. The struggle is that the game was basically meaningless. Wild, sure, but the stakes are already known and they are basically zero. Not Cook's fault, just makes it harder to buy in. You can kinda tell the players didn't even really care that much, that they're trying to make it more important in retrospect.
March 4, 2025
I’m a sucker for baseball books. This was a fun, quick, mostly lighthearted one. :)
May 9, 2019
https://www.themaineedge.com/sports/a...
No American sport is as enamored of its own history quite like baseball. Even as today’s players take the field, the shadows of those who came before are omnipresent. Baseball is as much about what was as it is about what is.
But there are some moments that transcend even the game’s historical affection. These are the times that make the leap from history to legend, the instances and accomplishments that are the foundation of baseball’s long and intricate mythology.
Kevin Cook’s “Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, with Baseball on the Brink” is a thorough exploration of one such instance, a single game in 1979 that wound up as one of the greatest offensive explosions in the history of Major League Baseball. That game – a May 17 contest that saw the Chicago Cubs play host to the Philadelphia Phillies – ultimately went 10 innings, with a final score of Phillies 23, Cubs 22; it was the highest scoring game of the modern era.
(It was second only in MLB history to a 1922 game that, funnily enough, featured these same teams; the Cubs triumphed in that one, with a score of 26-23.)
Through a combination of personal interviews and meticulous research, Cook gives an inning-by-inning rendering of the game (known to many as simply “The Game”), breaking down every on-field moment while also delving into some off-the-field exploration into the lives of some of the major players. An historic and iconic MLB moment, the picture painted of a generational contest.
In 1979, baseball was in the midst of drastic changes – some that were obvious, while others were subtler. Free agency was in its nascency, but even in those beginnings, the finances of the game were changing. The go-go ‘80s were just around the corner, while the more pharmaceutically-inclined end of that decade loomed as well. The landscape was in upheaval, with stratifying shifts of offensive and pitching philosophies either happening or about to happen.
And there, in the middle of it all, two National League foes faced off. It was May 17, a day game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. The teams were heading in opposite directions; the Phillies were an ascendant power in the NL, while the Cubs were settling into their usual spot toward the back of the division. The signs were there for this to be a high-scoring affair – Wrigley Field with the wind blowing out was the best place to hit in MLB – but there was no way to anticipate what would happen next.
Ten of the highest-scoring innings of all time. One of the greatest offensive explosions that the game had ever seen. The second-highest total runs scored in MLB history.
There were some impressive individual performances – Cubs outfielder Dave Kingman hit three home runs and drove in six, while Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt had two dingers and four walks; Philadelphia’s Larry Bowa had five hits; Chicago first baseman Bill Buckner had four – and six RBI. But the truth is that everyone who swung a bat on that day was primed for success.
Not so much for the pitchers. It was not a great day to be throwing the ball – the first six pitchers got hammered at an historic clip; the first three Philadelphia pitchers gave up 16 over five innings, while the first three Cubs hurlers gave up 21 over less than four. Only Ray Burris (Cubs) and Rawly Eastwick (Phillies) managed to escape unscathed, pitching 1 1/3 and two scoreless innings, respectively.
On either side of the game account, Cook provides some context. Part One of the book offers a condensed history of both franchises involved in the game; we get a look at the historic success (or lack thereof) of the two teams. Part Three looks at how things changed after the game – the Phillies World Series win the next year; the subsequent success and abrupt end of Dave Kingman’s career; Bill Buckner’s legacy-defining error and the sad tragedy of Donnie Moore.
A particular joy of baseball comes from digging through its fertile past. It’s remarkable to think that even in a game with a century-plus of history, there can still be outliers. To think that 45 runs were scored in this one contest; 45 times, home plate was touched. Despite the many thousands of games that had happened to that point (and have happened since), nothing like it had happened in over half-a-century.
It’s that uniqueness that Kevin Cook captures here. There’s an enthusiasm throughout that is infectious, drawing the reader up into the whirlwind combination of time, place and participants; 1979 was very much a crossroads for MLB, and Cook does a wonderful job of evoking that sense of transience.
“Ten Innings at Wrigley” is an engaging account of one of MLB’s greatest games, a look back at an offensive explosion the likes of which we may never see again. It is informative and evocative, transporting the reader to its ivy-covered, high-scoring locale. Baseball fans with an appreciation of the game’s history will enjoy this look back at an iconic moment in the sport.
No American sport is as enamored of its own history quite like baseball. Even as today’s players take the field, the shadows of those who came before are omnipresent. Baseball is as much about what was as it is about what is.
But there are some moments that transcend even the game’s historical affection. These are the times that make the leap from history to legend, the instances and accomplishments that are the foundation of baseball’s long and intricate mythology.
Kevin Cook’s “Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, with Baseball on the Brink” is a thorough exploration of one such instance, a single game in 1979 that wound up as one of the greatest offensive explosions in the history of Major League Baseball. That game – a May 17 contest that saw the Chicago Cubs play host to the Philadelphia Phillies – ultimately went 10 innings, with a final score of Phillies 23, Cubs 22; it was the highest scoring game of the modern era.
(It was second only in MLB history to a 1922 game that, funnily enough, featured these same teams; the Cubs triumphed in that one, with a score of 26-23.)
Through a combination of personal interviews and meticulous research, Cook gives an inning-by-inning rendering of the game (known to many as simply “The Game”), breaking down every on-field moment while also delving into some off-the-field exploration into the lives of some of the major players. An historic and iconic MLB moment, the picture painted of a generational contest.
In 1979, baseball was in the midst of drastic changes – some that were obvious, while others were subtler. Free agency was in its nascency, but even in those beginnings, the finances of the game were changing. The go-go ‘80s were just around the corner, while the more pharmaceutically-inclined end of that decade loomed as well. The landscape was in upheaval, with stratifying shifts of offensive and pitching philosophies either happening or about to happen.
And there, in the middle of it all, two National League foes faced off. It was May 17, a day game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field. The teams were heading in opposite directions; the Phillies were an ascendant power in the NL, while the Cubs were settling into their usual spot toward the back of the division. The signs were there for this to be a high-scoring affair – Wrigley Field with the wind blowing out was the best place to hit in MLB – but there was no way to anticipate what would happen next.
Ten of the highest-scoring innings of all time. One of the greatest offensive explosions that the game had ever seen. The second-highest total runs scored in MLB history.
There were some impressive individual performances – Cubs outfielder Dave Kingman hit three home runs and drove in six, while Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt had two dingers and four walks; Philadelphia’s Larry Bowa had five hits; Chicago first baseman Bill Buckner had four – and six RBI. But the truth is that everyone who swung a bat on that day was primed for success.
Not so much for the pitchers. It was not a great day to be throwing the ball – the first six pitchers got hammered at an historic clip; the first three Philadelphia pitchers gave up 16 over five innings, while the first three Cubs hurlers gave up 21 over less than four. Only Ray Burris (Cubs) and Rawly Eastwick (Phillies) managed to escape unscathed, pitching 1 1/3 and two scoreless innings, respectively.
On either side of the game account, Cook provides some context. Part One of the book offers a condensed history of both franchises involved in the game; we get a look at the historic success (or lack thereof) of the two teams. Part Three looks at how things changed after the game – the Phillies World Series win the next year; the subsequent success and abrupt end of Dave Kingman’s career; Bill Buckner’s legacy-defining error and the sad tragedy of Donnie Moore.
A particular joy of baseball comes from digging through its fertile past. It’s remarkable to think that even in a game with a century-plus of history, there can still be outliers. To think that 45 runs were scored in this one contest; 45 times, home plate was touched. Despite the many thousands of games that had happened to that point (and have happened since), nothing like it had happened in over half-a-century.
It’s that uniqueness that Kevin Cook captures here. There’s an enthusiasm throughout that is infectious, drawing the reader up into the whirlwind combination of time, place and participants; 1979 was very much a crossroads for MLB, and Cook does a wonderful job of evoking that sense of transience.
“Ten Innings at Wrigley” is an engaging account of one of MLB’s greatest games, a look back at an offensive explosion the likes of which we may never see again. It is informative and evocative, transporting the reader to its ivy-covered, high-scoring locale. Baseball fans with an appreciation of the game’s history will enjoy this look back at an iconic moment in the sport.
September 28, 2019
While this is in general at least a mildly entertaining book in parts about an interesting game, the book is not quite as exciting as it could have been. One gets the feeling that the author was particular interested in the larger story of some of the people involved, many of whom had compelling lives and personal histories, than he was about this particular game itself. The game was high-scoring, a 23-22 ten innings game between two teams that really didn't do anything in 1979, but the game itself and its discussion only takes up less than half of the space of the book. Most of the book is spent talking about two teams that I do not particularly care about and in the legacies of the people involved in the game, which in many ways is more compelling than the game itself and its ups and downs. Even the high scoring nature of the game appears to be due mainly to the crummy officiating as a result of having a hungover scab umpire who shrank the strike zone to such a small level that both teams were able to tee off on the ball almost at will. That tends to take away from this game's grandeur a bit.
This book of a bit more than 200 pages is divided into three parts. The book begins with starting lineups and rosters and shows where the Cubs and Phillies were as of May 1979, a few weeks into the season. After that the author discusses the Cubs and Phillies as the National League Least (I), pointing out the history of these two franchises and their failures. The middle part of the book is devoted to a discussion of the game itself, with lots of complaints about the umpire as well as a discussion of how the Phillies build a large lead and then watched it evaporate, forcing the game into extra innings, eventually leading to depleted bullpens on both sides and victory by the Phillies in ten. The third part of the book, and the most significant, discusses the legacies of the the people involved in the game, including the managerial drama of the Phillies, the testy relationship between Kingman and the media, the disgrace suffered later by Bill Buckner thanks to his world series error, the splitter and its legacy, as well as the family history of the Boones in baseball.
Ultimately, what makes this book enjoyable is the discussion of the people involved in this game. Whether one is dealing with a lassiez-faire manager who is too nice to deal with players in Philadelphia who could not win to the level of expectations (something that remains true even now), or one is looking at the troubled father-son relationship between Tug McGraw and his son Tim, this book has a lot to offer and a lot of material to reflect upon. Ultimately that material is of far greater weight than the game itself, which was a close game that was not played particularly well and which ultimately had no weight on the playoff races of the NL East in that year. Nor was society on the brink of anything at the time except for a merciful rejection of the malaise that had afflicted American political life for far too long, which ultimately led to our own age with its deep political divides and the obsession with data collection and statistics. This book is a throwback to a more corrupt time when a good game of baseball was seriously damaged by someone who shouldn't have been there abusing his authority as an umpire to create unnecessary drama and difficulty for two teams struggling for wins and relevance.
This book of a bit more than 200 pages is divided into three parts. The book begins with starting lineups and rosters and shows where the Cubs and Phillies were as of May 1979, a few weeks into the season. After that the author discusses the Cubs and Phillies as the National League Least (I), pointing out the history of these two franchises and their failures. The middle part of the book is devoted to a discussion of the game itself, with lots of complaints about the umpire as well as a discussion of how the Phillies build a large lead and then watched it evaporate, forcing the game into extra innings, eventually leading to depleted bullpens on both sides and victory by the Phillies in ten. The third part of the book, and the most significant, discusses the legacies of the the people involved in the game, including the managerial drama of the Phillies, the testy relationship between Kingman and the media, the disgrace suffered later by Bill Buckner thanks to his world series error, the splitter and its legacy, as well as the family history of the Boones in baseball.
Ultimately, what makes this book enjoyable is the discussion of the people involved in this game. Whether one is dealing with a lassiez-faire manager who is too nice to deal with players in Philadelphia who could not win to the level of expectations (something that remains true even now), or one is looking at the troubled father-son relationship between Tug McGraw and his son Tim, this book has a lot to offer and a lot of material to reflect upon. Ultimately that material is of far greater weight than the game itself, which was a close game that was not played particularly well and which ultimately had no weight on the playoff races of the NL East in that year. Nor was society on the brink of anything at the time except for a merciful rejection of the malaise that had afflicted American political life for far too long, which ultimately led to our own age with its deep political divides and the obsession with data collection and statistics. This book is a throwback to a more corrupt time when a good game of baseball was seriously damaged by someone who shouldn't have been there abusing his authority as an umpire to create unnecessary drama and difficulty for two teams struggling for wins and relevance.
August 15, 2019
This book brings you back to a simpler time of baseball, before launch angles and velocity became king. On a May day in 1979 the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies squared off in the second highest score in game in the history of Major League Baseball . It took 10 innings, but the Phillies defeated the Cubs 23 to 22.
The layout of the book was excellent. After starting with the start of the game, the author give us a brief history of each team. He then gives us a blow-by-blow account of the game broken up into half inning segments. After the game is ended, he then goes into what happens to each team and the players from each team. He reviews the rest of the 1979 season, and then brings the story up today to current times.
I really liked how the author told the story of the game, and the majority of the players who participated. There were some very interesting stories from some of the players involved in the game. Mr. Cook did a great job telling all their stories, not just the biggest stars like Rose, Schmidt, Buckner, and Kingman. The story behind Donnie Moore, who was the first relief pitcher in for the Cubs, was particularly fascinating.
While I was only two years old when this game occurred, I was always aware of the craziness of this game. This book did a great job bringing the game to life for me, and delving into baseball in the late 70s. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll love this book.
The layout of the book was excellent. After starting with the start of the game, the author give us a brief history of each team. He then gives us a blow-by-blow account of the game broken up into half inning segments. After the game is ended, he then goes into what happens to each team and the players from each team. He reviews the rest of the 1979 season, and then brings the story up today to current times.
I really liked how the author told the story of the game, and the majority of the players who participated. There were some very interesting stories from some of the players involved in the game. Mr. Cook did a great job telling all their stories, not just the biggest stars like Rose, Schmidt, Buckner, and Kingman. The story behind Donnie Moore, who was the first relief pitcher in for the Cubs, was particularly fascinating.
While I was only two years old when this game occurred, I was always aware of the craziness of this game. This book did a great job bringing the game to life for me, and delving into baseball in the late 70s. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ll love this book.
May 28, 2022
This a great baseball book. It focuses on the famous 1979, 10 inning slugfest between the Cubs and the Phillies. All you need to know about the game is that Dave Kingman and Bill Buckner were on one side, Mike Schmidt and Pete Rose were on another and the wind was blowing out. The stats from the game are jaw dropping, but Kevin Cook handles this moment in history perfectly. He is looking back on it and he analyzes both baseball at the time and the game in particular. But he also has fun. It is a very enjoyable read. The author starts by putting both teams in their historical perspective and then, throughout the inning by inning descriptions, takes side roads to tell the stories of the individual players. After telling about the game he has several chapters that complete the stories of key people including, Bob Boone, Pete Rose, Bruce Sutter, and Ronnie Moore. If you are a baseball fan, and have fond memories of the 70s this is a perfect read.
May 26, 2019
After nine innings in the Cubs-Phillies slugfest (which featured the stiff Chicago wind blowing the ball out of Wrigley Field on multiple occasions), the score was tied 22-22. The Phillies held the lead most of the way, after a nine-run first inning, but couldn’t hold off a determined Cubs attack. After a brief rundown of the storied histories of both clubs, Cook keeps the focus on the game --- providing an out-by-out, if not a pitch-by-pitch, rundown of each inning.
Read the rest of the review at Bookreporter.
Read the rest of the review at Bookreporter.
July 24, 2024
An interesting look at one of the weirdest games ever. A ten inning game that had 45 runs scored between the Cubs and Phillies in 1979. Does a good job of giving brief bios of both teams and giving details about the players. Also goes half inning by half inning describing the game.
Highly recommended, a fun quick read.
Highly recommended, a fun quick read.
June 1, 2019
Mustaches, greenies, and booze in the clubhouse. I’ll take all that over the steroid era any day. But these guys should have treated the few female sportswriters better.
June 20, 2019
Thoroughly researched, a fine accounting of a day in baseball history.
March 15, 2021
I saw a Cleveland Indians-Toronto Blue Jays game that was 10-10 after 9 innings, and then went to 12 or 13 before ending. It was crazy, comical, and full of what-ifs. The game described in this book had more than twice as many runs -- and, seemingly, 10 times the absurdity. Congrats to the author for bringing it to life.
For anyone who remembers baseball in the 1970s and 1980s, this is a great trip down memory lane, and with dozens of details that either weren't known or have long since been forgotten. I'm not a Cubs or Phillies fan (in fact, I'm a Mets fan, their archrivals at the time), but I remembered reading about that game, and I came out of this book with a lot more affection for many misunderstood characters who were in it.
Who'd imagine that Donnie Moore or Dave Kingman would be even remotely likeable, or that Tug McGraw had such a rough childhood that made him into the live-for-today freak that he was? Pete Rose, who has rightly been displayed as a despicable person on many levels since the early 1990s (betting on baseball, cheating on wives with teenage girls, tax evasion), in this book displays the love of the game that made him one of the sports icons of the mid-20th century. Then there's Mike Schmidt, Gary Maddox, Bob Boone -- classy guys.
I'd say there are only two people who don't get a pass. The first is the replacement ump who called balls and strikes; the author eviscerates him for dozens of terrible and inconsistent calls, and notes that he was nursing a huge hangover that didn't help his performance. The second villain is Bill Buckner, who is described as as completely self-centered as Kingman or Rose. Buckner didn't lose the game in any way for the Cubs, and while the author gives him his due for being a sweet hitter and for playing at a high level through agonizing leg and ankle pain for years, he writes multiple times about Buckner's selfishness in the clubhouse and on the field. (And yet, who knew that he stole 31 bases in a season early in his career before he hurt himself sliding?)
The game itself -- a 23-22 victory by the Phillies in 10 innings -- is covered half-inning by half-inning. It's the only game in which a pitcher and his catcher homered before they even came to the plate, with the Phillies' starter and catcher each knocking homers in the top of the 1st. The game also set a record for total bases, the home run record, and was the 2nd or 3rd highest-scoring game ever. You can credit it to a strong Chicago wind blowing from home plate out to left field and left-center.
The author is great about providing details, but not too much detail that he loses the pace of the story. When a batter got a 2nd chance because the ump missed a call on Strike 3, or when a wind-blow popup dropped over the outfield fence, this book tells you about it, and puts you in the mind of the pitcher who did everything right. In several cases, the pitchers who were savaged in the game were hanging onto their big-league careers, and an outing like that could have spelled a trip to the minors. Fortunately, the game was so absurd that managers seemed to understand that assigning blame was pointless.
Except for a couple of filler chapters near the front about the century of futility for the Cubs and Phillies, everything in this book fits. Even the epilogues are ok, as it's nice to remember what happened to some of the guys who were just establishing themselves at the time or who went to other towns because free agency was starting to allow player movement.
Baseball has changed since 1979, and not always in good ways. But it's still a game, and crazy things still happen. This book reminds us that it's a pastime, a diversion, a game. And sometimes, it exceeds even our wildest hopes.
For anyone who remembers baseball in the 1970s and 1980s, this is a great trip down memory lane, and with dozens of details that either weren't known or have long since been forgotten. I'm not a Cubs or Phillies fan (in fact, I'm a Mets fan, their archrivals at the time), but I remembered reading about that game, and I came out of this book with a lot more affection for many misunderstood characters who were in it.
Who'd imagine that Donnie Moore or Dave Kingman would be even remotely likeable, or that Tug McGraw had such a rough childhood that made him into the live-for-today freak that he was? Pete Rose, who has rightly been displayed as a despicable person on many levels since the early 1990s (betting on baseball, cheating on wives with teenage girls, tax evasion), in this book displays the love of the game that made him one of the sports icons of the mid-20th century. Then there's Mike Schmidt, Gary Maddox, Bob Boone -- classy guys.
I'd say there are only two people who don't get a pass. The first is the replacement ump who called balls and strikes; the author eviscerates him for dozens of terrible and inconsistent calls, and notes that he was nursing a huge hangover that didn't help his performance. The second villain is Bill Buckner, who is described as as completely self-centered as Kingman or Rose. Buckner didn't lose the game in any way for the Cubs, and while the author gives him his due for being a sweet hitter and for playing at a high level through agonizing leg and ankle pain for years, he writes multiple times about Buckner's selfishness in the clubhouse and on the field. (And yet, who knew that he stole 31 bases in a season early in his career before he hurt himself sliding?)
The game itself -- a 23-22 victory by the Phillies in 10 innings -- is covered half-inning by half-inning. It's the only game in which a pitcher and his catcher homered before they even came to the plate, with the Phillies' starter and catcher each knocking homers in the top of the 1st. The game also set a record for total bases, the home run record, and was the 2nd or 3rd highest-scoring game ever. You can credit it to a strong Chicago wind blowing from home plate out to left field and left-center.
The author is great about providing details, but not too much detail that he loses the pace of the story. When a batter got a 2nd chance because the ump missed a call on Strike 3, or when a wind-blow popup dropped over the outfield fence, this book tells you about it, and puts you in the mind of the pitcher who did everything right. In several cases, the pitchers who were savaged in the game were hanging onto their big-league careers, and an outing like that could have spelled a trip to the minors. Fortunately, the game was so absurd that managers seemed to understand that assigning blame was pointless.
Except for a couple of filler chapters near the front about the century of futility for the Cubs and Phillies, everything in this book fits. Even the epilogues are ok, as it's nice to remember what happened to some of the guys who were just establishing themselves at the time or who went to other towns because free agency was starting to allow player movement.
Baseball has changed since 1979, and not always in good ways. But it's still a game, and crazy things still happen. This book reminds us that it's a pastime, a diversion, a game. And sometimes, it exceeds even our wildest hopes.
November 17, 2019
Pretty good account of one of the strangest baseball games ever played, the 23-22 victory by the Phillies over the Cubs in Chicago on May 17, 1979. I grew up a Cubs fan and was 12 years old when this game was played. I remember hearing about it at the time, though I didn't watch it.
The book begins by giving some background on both star-crossed franchises. In 1979, the Cubs were 71 years into their eventual 108-year championship drought. At the time, the Phillies were the only franchise that had existed since the first World Series in 1903 and had never won a MLB championship. It goes on to dissect the game batter-by-batter while giving background on some of the players who took part in this historic game. It then finishes up by discussing the aftermath for both the teams and the players.
There are a lot of interesting stories here. The two that I found the most fascinating are those of Donnie Moore and Dave Kingman. Moore was a relief pitcher for the Cubs in 1979 who came into the game in the first (!) inning. He didn't succeed in harnessing his talent until 1984, after which he became a star closer for a couple of years for the California Angels. Unfortunately, Moore encountered emotional problems and was abusive to his wife. His life ended in tragedy in 1989.
Kingman, who I remember well as a Cubs player, was a world-class power hitter who seemed to be reaching for superstardom after being signed as a free agent by the Cubs in 1978. He homered 3 times in this game and finished 1979 with 48 circuit clouts, leading the NL. Ultimately, his boorish behavior toward both teammates and sportswriters made him a pariah. He quickly wore out his welcome in Chicago (he played only one more injury-filled year there) and after three good seasons in Oakland in 1984-86, no one wanted him and his career ended. Kingman was especially nasty toward female sportswriters (who were first allowed into locker rooms in the late '70's), and Cook recounts several stories about the sexism encountered by women working in baseball in this period. This seems especially timely because of the well-publicized incident in the Houston Astros' locker room after their victory in the 2019 ALCS when a member of the Astros' front office yelled at a female sportswriter, in profane terms, that he supported a player who had been suspended for domestic abuse.
However, there are also some errors in the book. Cook claims that the Cubs front office was racist in the 1970s and claims that star pitcher Ferguson Jenkins was traded after a poor year in 1973 because the Cubs' brain trust thought that the team had too many black players. Cook totally neglects to mention who the Cubs received in the trade for Jenkins: utility infielder Vic Harris and third baseman Bill Madlock - both of whom are African-American. I'm not denying the the Cubs' organization was racist in the 1970s, but to cite this trade as evidence shows a serious lack of knowledge. It would have been more insightful to cite Madlock's trade, three years later, as the evidence. Madlock was traded after the 1976 season because the Cubs would not pay his asking price for a new contract. The club traded him to San Francisco for a white player, Bobby Murcer, then gave Murcer a more lucrative contract than Madlock had asked for, though Madlock was a younger and, at this point in time, better player than Murcer.
Despite this, this is an enjoyable book and will be especially fascinating for Cubs or Phillies fans, or anyone who was a fan during this era of baseball history.
The book begins by giving some background on both star-crossed franchises. In 1979, the Cubs were 71 years into their eventual 108-year championship drought. At the time, the Phillies were the only franchise that had existed since the first World Series in 1903 and had never won a MLB championship. It goes on to dissect the game batter-by-batter while giving background on some of the players who took part in this historic game. It then finishes up by discussing the aftermath for both the teams and the players.
There are a lot of interesting stories here. The two that I found the most fascinating are those of Donnie Moore and Dave Kingman. Moore was a relief pitcher for the Cubs in 1979 who came into the game in the first (!) inning. He didn't succeed in harnessing his talent until 1984, after which he became a star closer for a couple of years for the California Angels. Unfortunately, Moore encountered emotional problems and was abusive to his wife. His life ended in tragedy in 1989.
Kingman, who I remember well as a Cubs player, was a world-class power hitter who seemed to be reaching for superstardom after being signed as a free agent by the Cubs in 1978. He homered 3 times in this game and finished 1979 with 48 circuit clouts, leading the NL. Ultimately, his boorish behavior toward both teammates and sportswriters made him a pariah. He quickly wore out his welcome in Chicago (he played only one more injury-filled year there) and after three good seasons in Oakland in 1984-86, no one wanted him and his career ended. Kingman was especially nasty toward female sportswriters (who were first allowed into locker rooms in the late '70's), and Cook recounts several stories about the sexism encountered by women working in baseball in this period. This seems especially timely because of the well-publicized incident in the Houston Astros' locker room after their victory in the 2019 ALCS when a member of the Astros' front office yelled at a female sportswriter, in profane terms, that he supported a player who had been suspended for domestic abuse.
However, there are also some errors in the book. Cook claims that the Cubs front office was racist in the 1970s and claims that star pitcher Ferguson Jenkins was traded after a poor year in 1973 because the Cubs' brain trust thought that the team had too many black players. Cook totally neglects to mention who the Cubs received in the trade for Jenkins: utility infielder Vic Harris and third baseman Bill Madlock - both of whom are African-American. I'm not denying the the Cubs' organization was racist in the 1970s, but to cite this trade as evidence shows a serious lack of knowledge. It would have been more insightful to cite Madlock's trade, three years later, as the evidence. Madlock was traded after the 1976 season because the Cubs would not pay his asking price for a new contract. The club traded him to San Francisco for a white player, Bobby Murcer, then gave Murcer a more lucrative contract than Madlock had asked for, though Madlock was a younger and, at this point in time, better player than Murcer.
Despite this, this is an enjoyable book and will be especially fascinating for Cubs or Phillies fans, or anyone who was a fan during this era of baseball history.
January 29, 2026
On May 17, 1979, (Five years to the day later, my beautiful wife was born) The Cubs and Phillies met on a Thursday afternoon on the North Side, it was unseasonably hot for mid May, 94 degrees with the wind blowing out at Wrigley. Both teams were struggling a bit. WGN hadn't started broadcasting Cubs games nationally yet, they weren't quite America's team. What seemed like a random May day, turned into what is arguably the best regular season baseball game of all time.
The totals looked like this: Eleven total pitchers, ninety-seven total bases, (still the most in baseball history) Eleven home runs, two triples, ten doubles and twenty-seven singles. The final score: Phillies: 23 Cubs: 22.
This author started with a brief cliffs notes history of both franchises, good, bad and ugly and each half inning is written in great and complete detail. There were also some profiles of the main characters. The two teams' managers, Herman Franks and Danny Ozark respectfully, Mike Schmidt, the Phillies' Hall of Fame third baseman, arguably the greatest third baseman in baseball history, who hit a grand slam, walked four times and committed three errors, the most of his career. Dave Kingman, "Kong," the Cubs' moody slugger, a man who once sent a dead rat to a sportswriter, hit three home runs that traveled an estimated 1600 feet. Bob Boone, the Phillies catcher who drove in a career high five RBI. Bill Buckner, Cubs first baseman, hit his only career grand slam in this game. Pete Rose, who was always, unapologetically Pete Rose. Ron Reed, the 6'7" Phillies pitcher, who once had 19 rebounds in a basketball game for Notre Dane, who had his worst game in an eighteen year career. Garry Maddox, the "Secretary of Defense" Phillies centerfielder, who had his face burned by napalm in Vietnam.Tug McGraw, the Phillies relief star who pitched hard and partied harder. Donnie Moore, the talented Cubs pitcher who found success and tragedy as an Angel pitcher in 1986. Willie Hernandez, five years away from winning a Cy Young and MVP Award for the Tigers, who gave up nine runs, the most of his career, and Bruce Sutter, the Cubs' future Hall of Fame closer who blew the save in this game with his split-finger pitch, which both eventually sent him to Cooperstown and ruined his arm. This cast of characters and what happened before and after this game, made for a really entertaining read.
It's a "B," the author spent way too much time discussing the current game and went off on a tangent about the old days. That wasn't really needed. I loved it overall, however.
Recommend if you love baseball books, or are a fan of either team.
The totals looked like this: Eleven total pitchers, ninety-seven total bases, (still the most in baseball history) Eleven home runs, two triples, ten doubles and twenty-seven singles. The final score: Phillies: 23 Cubs: 22.
This author started with a brief cliffs notes history of both franchises, good, bad and ugly and each half inning is written in great and complete detail. There were also some profiles of the main characters. The two teams' managers, Herman Franks and Danny Ozark respectfully, Mike Schmidt, the Phillies' Hall of Fame third baseman, arguably the greatest third baseman in baseball history, who hit a grand slam, walked four times and committed three errors, the most of his career. Dave Kingman, "Kong," the Cubs' moody slugger, a man who once sent a dead rat to a sportswriter, hit three home runs that traveled an estimated 1600 feet. Bob Boone, the Phillies catcher who drove in a career high five RBI. Bill Buckner, Cubs first baseman, hit his only career grand slam in this game. Pete Rose, who was always, unapologetically Pete Rose. Ron Reed, the 6'7" Phillies pitcher, who once had 19 rebounds in a basketball game for Notre Dane, who had his worst game in an eighteen year career. Garry Maddox, the "Secretary of Defense" Phillies centerfielder, who had his face burned by napalm in Vietnam.Tug McGraw, the Phillies relief star who pitched hard and partied harder. Donnie Moore, the talented Cubs pitcher who found success and tragedy as an Angel pitcher in 1986. Willie Hernandez, five years away from winning a Cy Young and MVP Award for the Tigers, who gave up nine runs, the most of his career, and Bruce Sutter, the Cubs' future Hall of Fame closer who blew the save in this game with his split-finger pitch, which both eventually sent him to Cooperstown and ruined his arm. This cast of characters and what happened before and after this game, made for a really entertaining read.
It's a "B," the author spent way too much time discussing the current game and went off on a tangent about the old days. That wasn't really needed. I loved it overall, however.
Recommend if you love baseball books, or are a fan of either team.
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