Guys, Dolls, and Curveballs: Runyon on Baseball

by Jim Reisler (Editor)

Guys, Dolls, and Curveballs is a delightful collection of ballpark dispatches from one of the game's most unique chroniclers—Damon Runyon, the legendary reporter and creator of such mythic gangster icons as Nathan Detroit and the Lemon Drop Kid. Best known as the bard of Broadway for turning two-bit hustlers and deadbeat horseplayers of Jazz Age New York City into literary legend, Runyon was first and foremost a newspaperman. After arriving in New York from Colorado in 1911, Runyon went to work for Hearst News Service as a baseball beat writer. It was at the ballpark that he honed his legendary skills for finding the story where no one else bothered to look. A master wordsmith, Runyon covered giants of the era such as Ty Cobb, and a Boston Red Sox pitcher named Babe Ruth. In addition, he brought an influential style to observing the rituals and rhythms of the ballpark, wryly commenting on everything from the gamblers and bookies doing business to the particular style of hat worn by a woman in the crowd. Editor Jim Reisler collects Runyon's writings on every facet of the game, making this a unique and indispensable look at our beloved pastime.

Genres: Baseball, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 10, 2005

Reviews

[Larry Hostetler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting collection of articles covering baseball in the early 20th century.

The book covered many subject and personalities, most of which related to New York (the Giants primarily, but then the Babe Ruth Yankees). Coverage of various World Series of the time also was included.

The focus on personalities made this a good book, but the limitations of a sports section article made it less than five stars. What can be included in 100 short articles has less depth than what 10 lengthy mini-biographies can contain. But the quotidian inclusions adds usually unstated color to the subjects.

Well worth reading. A good read.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved reading these articles - it took me a long time to get through it, partly because Netflix is the devil, but mostly because I kept putting the book down to google players I'd never heard of who figure prominently in Runyon's essays. It was fascinating to get a look at players like Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, and Babe Ruth through contemporary eyes rather than as historical figures - and to discover that even in their active playing days they were legendary. I enjoyed this a lot.

[Kenneth Flusche · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a reference book rate it a 5, as short term intertainment rate it a five, as long term 8 weeks it's a two. Wish this book was published a few entrees at a time in my daily newspaper, much as it was originally written. I reconized many passeges from biographies of players in that time frame. I also laughed a lot at things I never knew happened in the same time frame. enjoyed.

[Fred Daly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've had this book for a while, finally got around to reading it. It's a book to browse in, not to read straight through. I thought I would like it because I love baseball and I enjoy Runyon's stories, but a compendium of articles scattered over twenty-plus years turns out not to be such a treat. He has the occasional priceless zinger (e.g., after the Giants lost the 1912 World Series, he talks about John McGraw "trying to win a world's championship without the consent of his players"), but too much of the book consists of batter-by-batter accounts of long-ago games. I was also irritated by the number of typos, which could possibly be intentional, preserving errors in the original newspaper accounts, but I doubt it.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s worth the read just to hear Runyon’s voice as a sportswriter, but this could easily have been a lot shorter. I found myself skimming through quite a few of the more rudimentary articles. But man, Runyon really was a one of one.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was an interesting perspective... I guess. It is a collection of the dude's baseball columns. The back cover describes it as "gentle wit" but I think that is a euphemism for "boring." I skimmed most of the second half of the book. The section about the Black Sox scandal was relatively interesting, and I always like stuff on baseball history. But it was just super boring most of the time.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some real nice essays that ought to be read by all fans of baseball writing, as Runyon was the first powerhouse and is so often caricatured in modern stories.

[Kaite Stover · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my all-time favorite authors, Damon Runyon writes about one of my all-time favorite subjects, baseball.

[Elwood D Pennypacker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whatta writa'!