Dodgers vs. Yankees: The Long-Standing Rivalry Between Two of Baseball's Greatest Teams

by Michael Schiavone

A History of the Epic Rivalry between Two of Baseball's Powerhouses that Has Spanned Over Eighty Years—from Ebbets Field to Dodger Stadium, from Babe Ruth to Reggie Jackson The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees are two of the most storied and popular teams in not only baseball, but all of sports. Their rivalry began in New York and continued with the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn and moving to sunny California. The two teams have even met in the World Series a record eleven times! For a long time, the Dodgers-Yankees rivalry was the marquee match-up in baseball. For as good as the Dodgers were, the Yankees were almost always better. But why were the Yankees so much better than the Dodgers? Were the Dodgers “chokers” when it mattered most? Or was it simply the case that the baseball gods favored the team that would be later known to its detractors as the “Evil Empire” over the boys in blue? From Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series, Jackie Robinson’s famous steal of home in the 1955 Series, or Reggie Jackson’s three-home-run game in the 1977 Series, Dodgers vs. Yankees provides a history of this rivalry—from their first World Series match-up in 1941 until the present day. Every game between the two teams, including inter-league play, is covered as author Michael Schiavone attempts to answer why the Yankees have reigned supreme over the Dodgers. Whether you’re a fan of the Yankees or Dodgers—both on the East and West Coast—Dodgers vs. Yankees offers the most complete overview and analysis of these team’s timeless rivalry.

Genres: Baseball

240 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 30, 2020

About the author

Michael Schiavone has been writing professionally since 2000. After graduating from Dickinson College, he worked as a stockbroker in San Francisco and Boston during the late '90's dot-com boom. Following that bubble's burst, he tended bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Currently he works as a day trader and emergency medical technician on Massachusett's North Shore.

When not writing, Michael practices mixed martial arts (gets his ass kicked) and obsessively cleans his house. He lives with his wife, Abbie (an artist), their son, Colton, and twotemperamental rescue dogs.
His first novel, Call Me When You Land, was published on October 21st, 2011. His story collection, You'd Be Crazy Not to Love It Here, is represented by Barbara Braun Associates, Inc.

Michael can be reached at schiavone@hotmail.com

Reviews

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited for this book to come out. As a longtime Yankee fan with a passion for the game, the prospect of a book exploring the rich history behind this legendary rivalry was absolutely thrilling. Schiavone’s exploration of the Yankees/Dodgers rivalry is fairly detailed, particularly with regard to the games themselves. Each World Series matchup between the two teams is presented with a detailed, play-by-play account, down to the last out. Every home run, RBI, strike out, pitching change, hit, run, and error of every single matchup between the two baseball powerhouses is presented in great detail. Want to know the slash line of your favorite baseball legends? It’s in there. But despite the detail, the writing is awkward, clumsy, and at times confusing. There are errors throughout that went unedited. The author utilizes the same anecdotes ad nauseam. He briefly introduces a concept and then choose not to delve into it for several paragraphs, as was his approach to the signing of Jackie Robinson. He briefly mentions the historic signing of the first African American ballplayer in 1947, a pivotal moment in sports as well as civil rights history, and then doesn’t explore the subject for several more paragraphs. If you weren’t certain of the outcome of a game or series, don’t count on Mr. Schiavone to build any suspense. He lets you know right up front who’s going to win, not only in his word usage, but in the layout of the book itself. If the Dodgers win the series, their season is discussed first. If it’s the Yankees who win, we start the chapter by learning about their season. And for every matchup, you know which team is going to win the series before you even get to the opening pitch. There is some, but very little discussion of the behind the scenes goings on of each team. Little time is spent discussing the players and coaches as people. Who were the players? What were their thoughts on the rivalry? How did the Yankees players and coaches feel about having to play against an African American for the first time? How did they view the opposing players? Were they friends off the field? Who was Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle, Robinson, Koufax...? While I am aware that this is not a biography, a few more anecdotes that might let the readers into the minds of the players, some simple insights into who the players were and why they were so revered, would have gone a long way to making this book more interesting. Despite all of my frustration with the writing and the layout of this book, I still found it enjoyable. I appreciated the details in the accounts of the games and the wave of nostalgia that overcame me as I relived some of my most cherished childhood memories. I appreciate the research that Mr. Schiavone put into this book. Had I been able, I would have increased the rating by half a star, but Goodreads does t seem to like half stars. I simply couldn’t get past the clumsy writing. It’s a good book, and a great book for baseball fans. I highly recommend it for Dodger and Yankee fans in particular. I simply think the book could have undergone a more thorough editing and rewrite process. I’m certainly willing to give it another read.

[Sam Spade · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read about the longest rivalry in baseball history. Both teams originally based in New York with the Dodgers being in Brooklyn before moving across country to LA. The book is about the seasons for each team that led to a meeting in the World Series. I am not a fan of either team but to be honest the Yankees owned the Dodgers winning 8 of the 11 times they met.

The book has quite a few typos and as an aside editing/proof reading in the industry is terrible.

Some interesting anecdotes and stories behind the scenes, for example the Dodgers in 1978 trading a utility infielder by the name of Glen Burke because he was in a gay relationship with the son of Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda.

If you enjoy baseball history you will enjoy the book.

[George Polansky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dogers-Yankees rivalry. World series meetings.

[Mr. Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can also see this review, along with others I have written, at my blog, Mr. Book's Book Reviews.

Mr. Book just finished Dodgers vs. Yankees: The Long-Standing Rivalry Between Two Of Baseball’s Greatest Teams, by Michael Schavone.

This book takes a look at all 11 of the World Series played between the Yankees and Dodgers, from 1941-81. Each chapter follows the same template: An introduction are an introduction area that covers each team since the last time the teams met in the World Series, followed by sections for a recap of each team’s season and then a game-by-game recap of the World Series.

All of the important moments in the rivalry are covered, along with plenty of plenty of background information. It was a very enjoyable read, as well as extremely informative. Highlights such as Larsen’s perfect game, Reggie’s three homers and his hip incident, Amoros’s catch, Koufax’s domination, Tommy Henrich’s rally starting strikeout and so much more are included in this excellent book.

I give this book an A.

Goodreads requires grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an A equates to 5 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).

I had previously given this author’s book, The Dodgers: 60 Years in Los Angeles, a B+ in May 2018.

This review has been posted at my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews, and Goodreads.

Mr. Book originally finished reading this on June 30, 2020. He finished reading it on October 22, 2024.