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The Called Shot: Babe Ruth, the Chicago Cubs, and the Unforgettable Major League Baseball Season of 1932
In the summer of 1932, at the beginning of the turbulent decade that would remake America, baseball fans were treated to one of the most thrilling seasons in the history of the sport. As the nation drifted deeper into the Great Depression and reeled from social unrest, baseball was a diversion for a troubled country—and yet the world of baseball was marked by the same edginess that pervaded the national scene.
On-the-field fights were as common as double plays. Amid the National League pennant race, Cubs’ shortstop Billy Jurges was shot by showgirl Violet Popovich in a Chicago hotel room. When the regular season ended, the Cubs and Yankees clashed in what would be Babe Ruth’s last appearance in the fall classic. After the Cubs lost the first two games in New York, the series resumed in Chicago at Wrigley Field, with Democratic presidential candidate Franklin Roosevelt cheering for the visiting Yankees from the box seats behind the Yankees’ dugout.
In the top of the fifth inning the game took a historic turn. As Ruth was jeered mercilessly by Cubs players and fans, he gestured toward the outfield and then blasted a long home run. After Ruth circled the bases, Roosevelt exclaimed, “Unbelievable!” Ruth’s homer set off one of baseball’s longest-running and most intense debates: did Ruth, in fact, call his famous home run?
Rich with historical context and detail, The Called Shot dramatizes the excitement of a baseball season during one of America’s most chaotic summers.
On-the-field fights were as common as double plays. Amid the National League pennant race, Cubs’ shortstop Billy Jurges was shot by showgirl Violet Popovich in a Chicago hotel room. When the regular season ended, the Cubs and Yankees clashed in what would be Babe Ruth’s last appearance in the fall classic. After the Cubs lost the first two games in New York, the series resumed in Chicago at Wrigley Field, with Democratic presidential candidate Franklin Roosevelt cheering for the visiting Yankees from the box seats behind the Yankees’ dugout.
In the top of the fifth inning the game took a historic turn. As Ruth was jeered mercilessly by Cubs players and fans, he gestured toward the outfield and then blasted a long home run. After Ruth circled the bases, Roosevelt exclaimed, “Unbelievable!” Ruth’s homer set off one of baseball’s longest-running and most intense debates: did Ruth, in fact, call his famous home run?
Rich with historical context and detail, The Called Shot dramatizes the excitement of a baseball season during one of America’s most chaotic summers.
408 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 2020
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May 27, 2020
Prior to the 2016 season, the most famous Chicago Cubs World Series appearance could have very well been in a year that they were not victorious. That year was 1932, the year that Babe Ruth, the most famous man in America, may or may not have called his shot immediately before homering into the right field bleachers. There was no reddening ivy because it had not been planted yet, but on a crisp autumn day, the Babe gave sports fans cause to discuss his legend in an otherwise difficult year for Americans. In his new book that studies the 1932 baseball season from a broad societal perspective, Thomas Wolf takes readers back in time 88 years to when the shot was the most talked about sports event in America.
The year 1932 had turning point in American history written all over it. The country, and world, were in the third year of an economic depression. People lost jobs and homes and some did not know where their next meal would come from. World War I veterans demanded a pension and in the summer descended on Washington, D.C. to assemble and seek an audience with President Hoover. Prohibition was still the law of the land, but speakeasies freely operated because many Americans despite the depression appreciated a refreshing beer after a hard day. Larger than life personas such as aviator Charles Lindbergh and gangster Al Capone dominated the headlines, yet even Capone was a proclaimed baseball fan as the game reigned as America’s past time. Only two men might have been bigger than Capone in 1932: New York governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who sought the Democratic nomination for president and Babe Ruth, the home run hitter for the New York Yankees who had long captured the imaginations of Americans from all walks of life. The Babe was in the twilight of his career, and Roosevelt was about to embark on his first term as President. Perhaps one of these men could lift the spirits of Americans feeling the effects of the depression.
During the 1930s, the Cubs were one of the top teams in the national league. Chicagoans call the decade the Cubs heyday as the team won the pennant in 1929, 1932, 1935, and 1938. Managed by Charlie Grimm and having star players like catcher Gabby Hartnett and third baseman Stan Hack, the Cubs challenged the Cardinals and Giants for top billing in the National League on an annual basis. Meanwhile, the Yankees were the Yankees, playing in the majestic Yankee Stadium and having a lineup full of stars- Ruth, Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Tony Lazzeri, and manager Joe McCarthy, who used to manage the Cubs and built their pennant winning roster. Franklin Roosevelt was a huge fan and would attend a World Series game in Chicago amid his campaign trail. Who could not be a fan of Babe Ruth, a mainstay on the Yankees since 1920, the sultan of swat, the home run king who boosted the hopes of boys everywhere. After a heated pennant race in the national league, the Cubs would face the Yankees in the World Series, pitting the cities of Chicago and New York in a fall classic that is still talked about all these years later.
For those hoping to read about the Babe’s called shot, there is a chapter devoted to it at the book’s denouement. Wolf places the shot in the context of the entire season. While ball players still imagine themselves calling their shot today, the Babe’s gone run was only one event that defined the year. Cubs shortstop Billy Jurges was shot in his hotel room by scorned lover Violet Popovich in July. This event galvanized the Cubs and propelled them to the pennant. It also captivated then eighteen year old Bernard Malamud to write about the scene in his first novel The Natural twenty years later. Supreme Court justice John Paul Stevens attends games at Wrigley Field as a teenager, and gangster John Dillinger snuck into the bleachers under an assumed name to watch the Cubs. Rumor had it that he was a skilled ball player in his own right. Wolf jumps all over the place in this book, but that is life. A baseball season is going to have its peaks and valleys and moments that define which teams are victorious or also rans. Wolf does this not just for the season, but for the entire year in the context of American history. Even though Babe Ruth’s home run does not dominate the entire book, the narrative is equally compelling.
So did the Babe call his shot to the Wrigley Field right field bleachers on October 1, 1932 or not? Cubs pitcher Guy Bush claims that the Babe was merely heckling Cubs players whereas sports writers claim that the homer was indeed called. This home run will be disputed as long as Americans play baseball. Eighty eight years later, it is still one of the most talked about home runs in baseball history, with Babe Ruth remaining larger than life. Ruth and Roosevelt gave Americans hope in 1932, which is all they could ask for after dealing with tough times. Despite a few typos (I may have been given an ARC in lieu of a finished copy), Thomas Wolf’s account of the 1932 baseball season is a fun look at a year, events, and characters that helped define American history in the first half of the 20th century.
4 stars
The year 1932 had turning point in American history written all over it. The country, and world, were in the third year of an economic depression. People lost jobs and homes and some did not know where their next meal would come from. World War I veterans demanded a pension and in the summer descended on Washington, D.C. to assemble and seek an audience with President Hoover. Prohibition was still the law of the land, but speakeasies freely operated because many Americans despite the depression appreciated a refreshing beer after a hard day. Larger than life personas such as aviator Charles Lindbergh and gangster Al Capone dominated the headlines, yet even Capone was a proclaimed baseball fan as the game reigned as America’s past time. Only two men might have been bigger than Capone in 1932: New York governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who sought the Democratic nomination for president and Babe Ruth, the home run hitter for the New York Yankees who had long captured the imaginations of Americans from all walks of life. The Babe was in the twilight of his career, and Roosevelt was about to embark on his first term as President. Perhaps one of these men could lift the spirits of Americans feeling the effects of the depression.
During the 1930s, the Cubs were one of the top teams in the national league. Chicagoans call the decade the Cubs heyday as the team won the pennant in 1929, 1932, 1935, and 1938. Managed by Charlie Grimm and having star players like catcher Gabby Hartnett and third baseman Stan Hack, the Cubs challenged the Cardinals and Giants for top billing in the National League on an annual basis. Meanwhile, the Yankees were the Yankees, playing in the majestic Yankee Stadium and having a lineup full of stars- Ruth, Gehrig, Bill Dickey, Tony Lazzeri, and manager Joe McCarthy, who used to manage the Cubs and built their pennant winning roster. Franklin Roosevelt was a huge fan and would attend a World Series game in Chicago amid his campaign trail. Who could not be a fan of Babe Ruth, a mainstay on the Yankees since 1920, the sultan of swat, the home run king who boosted the hopes of boys everywhere. After a heated pennant race in the national league, the Cubs would face the Yankees in the World Series, pitting the cities of Chicago and New York in a fall classic that is still talked about all these years later.
For those hoping to read about the Babe’s called shot, there is a chapter devoted to it at the book’s denouement. Wolf places the shot in the context of the entire season. While ball players still imagine themselves calling their shot today, the Babe’s gone run was only one event that defined the year. Cubs shortstop Billy Jurges was shot in his hotel room by scorned lover Violet Popovich in July. This event galvanized the Cubs and propelled them to the pennant. It also captivated then eighteen year old Bernard Malamud to write about the scene in his first novel The Natural twenty years later. Supreme Court justice John Paul Stevens attends games at Wrigley Field as a teenager, and gangster John Dillinger snuck into the bleachers under an assumed name to watch the Cubs. Rumor had it that he was a skilled ball player in his own right. Wolf jumps all over the place in this book, but that is life. A baseball season is going to have its peaks and valleys and moments that define which teams are victorious or also rans. Wolf does this not just for the season, but for the entire year in the context of American history. Even though Babe Ruth’s home run does not dominate the entire book, the narrative is equally compelling.
So did the Babe call his shot to the Wrigley Field right field bleachers on October 1, 1932 or not? Cubs pitcher Guy Bush claims that the Babe was merely heckling Cubs players whereas sports writers claim that the homer was indeed called. This home run will be disputed as long as Americans play baseball. Eighty eight years later, it is still one of the most talked about home runs in baseball history, with Babe Ruth remaining larger than life. Ruth and Roosevelt gave Americans hope in 1932, which is all they could ask for after dealing with tough times. Despite a few typos (I may have been given an ARC in lieu of a finished copy), Thomas Wolf’s account of the 1932 baseball season is a fun look at a year, events, and characters that helped define American history in the first half of the 20th century.
4 stars
April 27, 2020
Nearly 80 years after the event took place, a home run in the fifth inning of game three of the 1932 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs is still being discussed and debated. Yankee outfielder Babe Ruth came to the plate and while being heckled by players from the Cubs dugout, he supposedly pointed to center field and proceeded to homer in the area to which he pointed. The verification of that event, while still being debated today, is only one of a number of topics about the 1932 baseball season on display in this excellent book by Thomas Wolf.
The possibility of a reader getting confused by the title and not reading anything about the “called shot” until near the end is the only thing about the book that may not sit well with that reader. Otherwise, the reader is treated to great writing about the 1932 Yankees, Cubs, key personnel on both clubs, a little bit about teams that challenged them to their pennants and also the social, political and economic issues of that year.
Wolf dives deep into some of the better known baseball players of that time, especially if they were with the Yankees or Cubs that season. Of course, Babe Ruth is prominently mentioned throughout the book. Another well-known player is Rogers Hornsby, who is given a less-than-flattering portrayal as he was fired as the Cubs’ player-manager 99 games into the season. Hornsby’s penchant for gambling is also on display here, getting him into financial difficulty to the point he was borrowing money from Cubs teammates.
There is also an excellent write up on the Cubs shortstop Billy Jurges, who was shot by his girlfriend Violet Popovich. Wolf does include that among the many Cubs fans in attendance at Wrigley Field that year was Bernard Malamud, who used a fictional account of this incident in his novel “The Natural.” There is also an excellent story about how two prisoners were able to attend one of the World Series games with the prison warden at Wrigley. It is connections to non-baseball people like this that make the book an excellent read as it does show that baseball, especially at that time, had an impact on so many people in all walks of life.
The book also delves into the political and economic landscape at the time. America was in the midst of the Great Depression and the presidential campaign is also discussed. Especially noteworthy is the fact that both parties had their convention in Chicago that year. The writing on these topics is just as engrossing and informative as the baseball writing.
As for the subject of the title, readers who wish to know whether this really took place or not will be disappointed to learn that Wolf doesn’t engage in that debate, leaving it for others. But his description of that home run, as well as the rest of the material in the book, make for outstanding reading and readers who are interested in baseball or history should add this book to their list.
I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
The possibility of a reader getting confused by the title and not reading anything about the “called shot” until near the end is the only thing about the book that may not sit well with that reader. Otherwise, the reader is treated to great writing about the 1932 Yankees, Cubs, key personnel on both clubs, a little bit about teams that challenged them to their pennants and also the social, political and economic issues of that year.
Wolf dives deep into some of the better known baseball players of that time, especially if they were with the Yankees or Cubs that season. Of course, Babe Ruth is prominently mentioned throughout the book. Another well-known player is Rogers Hornsby, who is given a less-than-flattering portrayal as he was fired as the Cubs’ player-manager 99 games into the season. Hornsby’s penchant for gambling is also on display here, getting him into financial difficulty to the point he was borrowing money from Cubs teammates.
There is also an excellent write up on the Cubs shortstop Billy Jurges, who was shot by his girlfriend Violet Popovich. Wolf does include that among the many Cubs fans in attendance at Wrigley Field that year was Bernard Malamud, who used a fictional account of this incident in his novel “The Natural.” There is also an excellent story about how two prisoners were able to attend one of the World Series games with the prison warden at Wrigley. It is connections to non-baseball people like this that make the book an excellent read as it does show that baseball, especially at that time, had an impact on so many people in all walks of life.
The book also delves into the political and economic landscape at the time. America was in the midst of the Great Depression and the presidential campaign is also discussed. Especially noteworthy is the fact that both parties had their convention in Chicago that year. The writing on these topics is just as engrossing and informative as the baseball writing.
As for the subject of the title, readers who wish to know whether this really took place or not will be disappointed to learn that Wolf doesn’t engage in that debate, leaving it for others. But his description of that home run, as well as the rest of the material in the book, make for outstanding reading and readers who are interested in baseball or history should add this book to their list.
I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
May 19, 2022
The best damn baseball book that's come out in a long time. Seymour Medal Finalist for Society of American Baseball Research for 2021. BABE RUTH, PEOPLE! Fun stories, play by plays of the games. This is a very fine writer, also writes true crime books.
April 27, 2020
Reading the ARC of this book in the Kindle mode was a challenge due to several words tht were incomplete and a complete lack of the numbers frequently referred to such as home runs, RBIs, batting average, pitching record, etc. That said with the corrections that will be in the final version released for publication this will be an interesting and engaging read for those who are interested in the legend surroundng the "called shot".
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog. I also posted it to my Facebook page.
February 20, 2022
Baseball by the Book #258 060120: Did Babe Ruth really call his shot? Author Thomas Wolf takes us back to the baseball season of 1932, which included an off-field shooting, a spectacular pennant race and one of the most storied events in baseball history — which may not have happened at all.
July 19, 2020
The Called Shot is a treasure chest for readers who love baseball and who love to see the tangential and fascinating intersections between baseball and American history. Wolf adeptly and vividly brings to life well known characters of the game like the Babe, Dizzy Dean, Jimmie Foxx, and Kenesaw Mountain Landis, historical figures like Bernard Malamud, John Paul Stevens, Al Capone, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and little known but incredibly interesting baseball figures like Mickey Finn, George Moriarty, and Billy Jurges who was shot by showgirl Violet Popovich in a Chicago hotel.
1932 was a pivotal year in baseball history, and was the last year Babe Ruth appeared in a World Series and Wolf masterfully weaves the narrative from the beginning of the Babe's career to the end. So many baseball books get bogged down in game accounts but Wolf manages to feature the action of the game through the lens of the players themselves, which deepens the readers attention to the action and heightens the excitement and the drama. His kaleidoscopic approach to the people and the era serves to both propel the narrative and enhance the overall reading experience. As a baseball fan, I could not recommend this book more and I was thankful for it, particularly in a time with no baseball to watch.
1932 was a pivotal year in baseball history, and was the last year Babe Ruth appeared in a World Series and Wolf masterfully weaves the narrative from the beginning of the Babe's career to the end. So many baseball books get bogged down in game accounts but Wolf manages to feature the action of the game through the lens of the players themselves, which deepens the readers attention to the action and heightens the excitement and the drama. His kaleidoscopic approach to the people and the era serves to both propel the narrative and enhance the overall reading experience. As a baseball fan, I could not recommend this book more and I was thankful for it, particularly in a time with no baseball to watch.
May 20, 2020
In the 1932 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs legend has it that Babe Ruth called a home run over the centre field fence of Wrigley Field. “The Babe” had faced the abuse of Cubs players and fans alike and responded in the way he knew best. He pointed out over centre field and he sent the ball on that same trajectory to silence his opponents. The story is disputed by some of those who were there, but in the hearts of fans and the collective consciousness of baseball it is true.
The Called Shot by Thomas Wolf is the story of that season, brilliantly told as it balances the details of the season and the stars of the field with off field drama and the social history of the time. The Yankees and the Cubs are considered in great detail as they make their way towards their respective league pennants, one more directly than the other. There is a goldmine of stories about leading players of the day, enhanced by statistics as only baseball knows how, and also the broader context of personalities off the field and drama in personal lives from gambling, and debts to partying and late night shootings.
Chicago itself also takes a major role as not only the host city of one of the World Series teams but also the host of the presidential candidate conventions for both parties. It was a city at the heart of America during a time of upheaval and change. An eclectic mix of characters gathered there around politics, business, organised crime and baseball, and all of them find their way into Wolf’s wonderfully researched and detailed history.
Perhaps the richest seam of all comes from the fans, such as the prison warder and the lifer convict who travelled together to see a World Series game. Baseball writing has a real knack for capturing the love between fans and the game, a depth of relationship that never goes away and builds a nostalgia and respect for history that finds physical form in Cooperstown, and Wolf adds to that proud tradition here.
The title of The Called Shot refers to one legendary moment in the game’s history, but the book itself is bursting with stories about the players, owners and also the fans that will surely delight anyone who loves baseball.
The Called Shot by Thomas Wolf is the story of that season, brilliantly told as it balances the details of the season and the stars of the field with off field drama and the social history of the time. The Yankees and the Cubs are considered in great detail as they make their way towards their respective league pennants, one more directly than the other. There is a goldmine of stories about leading players of the day, enhanced by statistics as only baseball knows how, and also the broader context of personalities off the field and drama in personal lives from gambling, and debts to partying and late night shootings.
Chicago itself also takes a major role as not only the host city of one of the World Series teams but also the host of the presidential candidate conventions for both parties. It was a city at the heart of America during a time of upheaval and change. An eclectic mix of characters gathered there around politics, business, organised crime and baseball, and all of them find their way into Wolf’s wonderfully researched and detailed history.
Perhaps the richest seam of all comes from the fans, such as the prison warder and the lifer convict who travelled together to see a World Series game. Baseball writing has a real knack for capturing the love between fans and the game, a depth of relationship that never goes away and builds a nostalgia and respect for history that finds physical form in Cooperstown, and Wolf adds to that proud tradition here.
The title of The Called Shot refers to one legendary moment in the game’s history, but the book itself is bursting with stories about the players, owners and also the fans that will surely delight anyone who loves baseball.
May 6, 2020
Reading the ARC provided by Netgalley I was grateful for the approval of the book. What I was disappointed in was that there were many typos and just incomplete stats when revering to a player or even a historical figure.
The story takes you back to 1932 in the height of the depression and you get a look at the baseball world first through the Yankees than to the Cubs. You do get a little history of both clubs and of players. Herewith the Yankees, he goes into Ruth mainly and also other top stars from the day. You are taken through parts of the Hoover administration and how he was trying to fix things but nothing was working. You also had what was called the bonus march on Washington, veterans from World War were promised money and other things only to be denied so they not only marched on D.C. but were now camping out.
You move along the season with Cubs shortstop Billy Jurges being shot in his hotel room by his girlfriend Violet Popovich. Which would later become the basis for the book the Natural written by a young man who was in the stands at the Cubs game. You also get a look at the Presidential primary which was being held in Chicago and the back-door deals for a man named F.D.R. to run for president. He was not even their and flew they’re from New York to accept the nomination.
His descriptions of the games and the different players will keep you entertained, as will the fights different players have among themselves, umpires, and sometimes fans. Sounds from the stands must have been great along with all of the chatter from the dugout and the field, for this is one of the author's descriptions of what Ruth was pointing to or at. You still get to make up your own mind as to what happened. People at least baseball ones will continue to talk about this for years to come. This book though was so much more and if it was not for all of the typos, I would give it 5 stars, instead, it is 4 because of those. I hope if you like the sport you will take the time to read this good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at
www.1rad-readerreviews.com
The story takes you back to 1932 in the height of the depression and you get a look at the baseball world first through the Yankees than to the Cubs. You do get a little history of both clubs and of players. Herewith the Yankees, he goes into Ruth mainly and also other top stars from the day. You are taken through parts of the Hoover administration and how he was trying to fix things but nothing was working. You also had what was called the bonus march on Washington, veterans from World War were promised money and other things only to be denied so they not only marched on D.C. but were now camping out.
You move along the season with Cubs shortstop Billy Jurges being shot in his hotel room by his girlfriend Violet Popovich. Which would later become the basis for the book the Natural written by a young man who was in the stands at the Cubs game. You also get a look at the Presidential primary which was being held in Chicago and the back-door deals for a man named F.D.R. to run for president. He was not even their and flew they’re from New York to accept the nomination.
His descriptions of the games and the different players will keep you entertained, as will the fights different players have among themselves, umpires, and sometimes fans. Sounds from the stands must have been great along with all of the chatter from the dugout and the field, for this is one of the author's descriptions of what Ruth was pointing to or at. You still get to make up your own mind as to what happened. People at least baseball ones will continue to talk about this for years to come. This book though was so much more and if it was not for all of the typos, I would give it 5 stars, instead, it is 4 because of those. I hope if you like the sport you will take the time to read this good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at
www.1rad-readerreviews.com
July 30, 2020
I dropped this rating by a half-star, consider it 4.5 stars, because of a massive, glaring error about three-fourths through the book. In a graph comparing seasons of Ruth, Jimmie Foxx and Hack Wilson, he noted Wilson's 56 home runs and 191 RBIs occurred in the 1929 season. He also made the same comment in copy associated with the graph. However, baseball fans know that Wilson had his outstanding season in 1930, not 1929.
Otherwise, this is a well-researched book that looks at the 1932 baseball season. The title, "The Called Shot," is somewhat deceptive if you're looking immediately for an explanation of Babe Ruth's 'Predicted home run" in Game 5 of the World Series. Wolf does provide great stuff at the end of the book about that, including comments from umpires and other players who saw it happen. So, did Ruth call the home run against Charlie Root? Was he pointing at the Cubs' shortstop Mark Koenig and saying they should pay him a full Series share? Was he returning taunts that the Cubs had made against him during the games? Wolf provides some good insight into what actually happened, giving the clearest version of the event.
The book also chronicles the 1932 season from the start and give vignettes of players who became key in the Series. He also adds historical context, weaving the presidential campaign throughout the book, along with other political and national news.
Other than that error, it was a great read. Obviously, something that big makes the reader wonder about the credibility of the other research. I had heard that the ARC of this book had several typos in it, so I'm hoping this was just an oversight.
Otherwise, this is a well-researched book that looks at the 1932 baseball season. The title, "The Called Shot," is somewhat deceptive if you're looking immediately for an explanation of Babe Ruth's 'Predicted home run" in Game 5 of the World Series. Wolf does provide great stuff at the end of the book about that, including comments from umpires and other players who saw it happen. So, did Ruth call the home run against Charlie Root? Was he pointing at the Cubs' shortstop Mark Koenig and saying they should pay him a full Series share? Was he returning taunts that the Cubs had made against him during the games? Wolf provides some good insight into what actually happened, giving the clearest version of the event.
The book also chronicles the 1932 season from the start and give vignettes of players who became key in the Series. He also adds historical context, weaving the presidential campaign throughout the book, along with other political and national news.
Other than that error, it was a great read. Obviously, something that big makes the reader wonder about the credibility of the other research. I had heard that the ARC of this book had several typos in it, so I'm hoping this was just an oversight.
December 13, 2020
Within the pages of "The Called Shot", author Tomas Wolf does a remarkable job of relaying events from the 1932 MLB season. The writing style and prose are a joy to read and Wolf really makes the events jump off the page.
Why the middle-of-the-road 3-star rating, then? In large part, because I felt the narrative lacked direction. A couple of examples:
-The title. Perhaps 5-8 pages are devoted to the "Called Shot" event. I would imagine some people might feel a bit ripped off by that. Fortunately, Wolf's descriptions of 1930s baseball paper over a lot of that, but the title here is pure false advertising.
-From what I could gather, the main thrust of the narrative here centered on the '32 seasons of the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs and how they ultimately met in the World Series. Sticking strictly to that material was great. However, much time was spent delving into the Washington Senators, for instance, or commissioner Landis' travails. While not entirely disinteresting in their own right, these diversions proved to be exactly that for me during the reading experience. I actually loved the social and political context given for the baseball events--no problems there at all. But when the narrative strayed from Yankees/Cubs into those other areas, it felt meandering to me.
Overall, as an enormous baseball history fan (especially of this particular time period), I had no problems plowing through this tome in short order. I found many of the topics fascinating and learned a lot in the process. If able, my exact rating here would be 3.5 stars. Yet, I couldn't quite round up to 4 due to what I perceived to be a bit of focus-loss and the disappointment that the title's promise would ultimately never be fulfilled.
Why the middle-of-the-road 3-star rating, then? In large part, because I felt the narrative lacked direction. A couple of examples:
-The title. Perhaps 5-8 pages are devoted to the "Called Shot" event. I would imagine some people might feel a bit ripped off by that. Fortunately, Wolf's descriptions of 1930s baseball paper over a lot of that, but the title here is pure false advertising.
-From what I could gather, the main thrust of the narrative here centered on the '32 seasons of the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs and how they ultimately met in the World Series. Sticking strictly to that material was great. However, much time was spent delving into the Washington Senators, for instance, or commissioner Landis' travails. While not entirely disinteresting in their own right, these diversions proved to be exactly that for me during the reading experience. I actually loved the social and political context given for the baseball events--no problems there at all. But when the narrative strayed from Yankees/Cubs into those other areas, it felt meandering to me.
Overall, as an enormous baseball history fan (especially of this particular time period), I had no problems plowing through this tome in short order. I found many of the topics fascinating and learned a lot in the process. If able, my exact rating here would be 3.5 stars. Yet, I couldn't quite round up to 4 due to what I perceived to be a bit of focus-loss and the disappointment that the title's promise would ultimately never be fulfilled.
June 19, 2023
4.5 stars
I should have read the subtitle more carefully as I thought that this audiobook was about Babe Ruth's called shot in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series in Chicago. The called shot is actually the climax of the book, not the topic. The topic is, more or less, the 1932 MLB season with a lot of history, both baseball, American history, and personal history of some of the players thrown in. The shot itself doesn't happen until Chapter 26. As a fan of baseball history, I enjoyed all the extra info that I didn't anticipate, but I was hoping for more on that special Ruth home run...did he or did he not actually call it on the fourth pitch of the at-bat? The author spends very little time on any speculation or analysis of what little evidence there is.
The narrator of the audiobook is Barry Abrams. His voices for the various characters such as Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, and FDR are all okay but somewhat similar. The one that I thought he did pretty well was Lou Gehrig (my opinion based solely on what we can hear in the available snippets of Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech).
I should have read the subtitle more carefully as I thought that this audiobook was about Babe Ruth's called shot in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series in Chicago. The called shot is actually the climax of the book, not the topic. The topic is, more or less, the 1932 MLB season with a lot of history, both baseball, American history, and personal history of some of the players thrown in. The shot itself doesn't happen until Chapter 26. As a fan of baseball history, I enjoyed all the extra info that I didn't anticipate, but I was hoping for more on that special Ruth home run...did he or did he not actually call it on the fourth pitch of the at-bat? The author spends very little time on any speculation or analysis of what little evidence there is.
The narrator of the audiobook is Barry Abrams. His voices for the various characters such as Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, Kennesaw Mountain Landis, and FDR are all okay but somewhat similar. The one that I thought he did pretty well was Lou Gehrig (my opinion based solely on what we can hear in the available snippets of Gehrig's "Luckiest Man" speech).
October 25, 2020
A very good book on the 1932 baseball season, which culminated with the Chicago Cubs facing the New York Yankees in the World Series. Wolf talks about what is going on off the field as well as on so you get a good grip of what exactly it was like to be watching in 1932. Wolf does great research and weaves the season with individual stories on Ruth, Rogers Hornsby, Joe McCarthy, Mr. Wrigley, Billy Sturges, Kip Cuyler, Lou Gehrig and many others. My only wish is the book is "The Called Shot", so I felt there needed to be more on that. The actual Game 3 of the World Series is only described for about six pages. The next chapter is about Game 4. Later on in the book Wolf describes and reports on what may or may not have happened with Ruth's called shot. To me, that NEEDS to be either the next chapter or in the same chapter. Don't have the reader waiting for more there, go to that story right then. Otherwise a very good baseball book and look forward to reading another by the author if he chooses to write one.
May 4, 2022
An interesting look at a the great 1932 baseball season. The called shot was a small moment in time but definitely one of the most known baseball moments of the era. In the book Wolf does his best to give both sides (did he call or didnt he call his shot) equal billing and describes the aftermath and the building legacy well. Wolf does a great job in going through the season and talking about the pennant races and a lot of interesting and newsworthy instances that happened around baseball. Really the only weak point to me is that he often lost the narrative and went on a tangent about something that only at best loosely had anything to do with the season. Seems that he did a lot of research and wanted to get everything he found interesting in.
Highly recommended, the weakness I found in the narrative did not deter my enjoyment of the book overall. Though again I think he lost the plot, the things he meandered into were interesting if not topical.
Highly recommended, the weakness I found in the narrative did not deter my enjoyment of the book overall. Though again I think he lost the plot, the things he meandered into were interesting if not topical.
June 28, 2020
I listened to the audio version of this book. An interesting listen that covers the 1932 baseball season. The season had it all from a player to being shot by his lover to Babe Ruth supposedly calling his shot in the World Series. Jimmy Fox has a career year, and Babe Ruth was as always larger than life.
The book starts around the turn of the century to set the stage and then wraps up the careers of some of the main players, mostly Babe Ruth. Overall interesting listen about a fascinating time in the US. There is a bit of politics and general interest thrown in to enhance the story, which I thought it did. Overall a solid read about baseball during the depression.
The book starts around the turn of the century to set the stage and then wraps up the careers of some of the main players, mostly Babe Ruth. Overall interesting listen about a fascinating time in the US. There is a bit of politics and general interest thrown in to enhance the story, which I thought it did. Overall a solid read about baseball during the depression.
July 2, 2023
Okay; I'm not a huge baseball fan. However, I know the author so I purchased this book as soon as it was published in 2020. I regret to say that it took me 3 years to decide I needed to read this. My loss!
This book is fantastic even for someone like me. Tom obviously did tons of research and includes a lot of statistics, but he also makes it interesting by developing the characters, creating suspense, foreshadowing, antagonism, and adding all the other elements of a good story! I had no idea about most of the information included in this narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and even told my husband we now need to include Cooperstown on a future trip!
This book is fantastic even for someone like me. Tom obviously did tons of research and includes a lot of statistics, but he also makes it interesting by developing the characters, creating suspense, foreshadowing, antagonism, and adding all the other elements of a good story! I had no idea about most of the information included in this narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and even told my husband we now need to include Cooperstown on a future trip!
December 31, 2020
I read this book prior to attending the author's online talk with our library. Baseball is okay, but I'm not a big fan. I expected the book to be boring, but was pleasantly surprised how nicely the author wove together stories so that it wasn't just all baseball stats! Don't get me wrong, for the true baseball fanatic, there were plenty of stats! After awhile I had to gleen over them in order to maintain my interest.
February 3, 2021
A really well researched and written account of the 1932 season and the World Series that followed. The book touches on gangland era Chicago, the 1932 presidential race, the shooting of Billy Jorges which inspired the book then movie "The Natural" Did the Babe call his shot? The author seems to side on the probably not side of the did he or didn't he. As a big baseball fan and a bit of a history buff it was an interesting look at a many ways different America.
December 27, 2021
7/10⭐️
I decided to mix it up a little and read a nonfiction book. This was about the Major League Baseball Season of 1932, and I really enjoyed it. Some crazy things happened (one player got shot by his girlfriend!) that season. If you’re a baseball fan or a history buff, I’d highly recommend this audiobook!
I decided to mix it up a little and read a nonfiction book. This was about the Major League Baseball Season of 1932, and I really enjoyed it. Some crazy things happened (one player got shot by his girlfriend!) that season. If you’re a baseball fan or a history buff, I’d highly recommend this audiobook!
May 16, 2023
Much more than 'The Called Shot'. One of the best baseball books I have read. I wish this was how all baseball books focused on a particular season were written. Covers all aspects of 1932, social, political, as well as in depth baseball. Great book.
October 1, 2024
What a day to finish a book…. October is for baseball .
A pretty comprehensive look at the 1932 season which includes the last Babe Ruth World Series, a Cubs player being shot mid season and other landmarks.
A fun and interesting read
A pretty comprehensive look at the 1932 season which includes the last Babe Ruth World Series, a Cubs player being shot mid season and other landmarks.
A fun and interesting read
February 9, 2021
Interesting story, too many typos though. (e.g. Charlie/Charley Berry on the same page!)
May 5, 2023
Mild with engaging stories scattered throughout.
June 2, 2023
A fine baseball book made a four by the off field elements :)
July 17, 2024
Baseball is mentioned only occasionally. This is a miscellany of colorful stories from 1900 to 1940. It is way too long for a book not about the expected subject.
August 25, 2022
Lots of stats and history.
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