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Rod Carew: One Tough Out
An unforgettable story of insight, inspiration, and faith Growing up in a small town in the Panama Canal Zone, Rod Carew and his friends spent the long, temperate days hitting bottle caps with broomsticks, outfitted with mitts molded from paper bags, cardboard, and string. Each broomstick bat was customized by its owner; Carew's, slathered in black paint with yellow trim, bore in orange the number 42—that of his idol, Jackie Robinson. It was in this fashion, years before he would move to New York City in search of a better life, Carew honed the skills that would one day turn him into a perennial All-Star.
For 19 seasons, Carew was a maestro in the batter's box. Uncoiling from his crouched stance, he seemed to guide the ball wherever he wanted on the way to a whopping seven batting titles and a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
If only everything in life had been as easy as he made hitting look.
In One Tough Fighting Off Life's Curveballs, Carew reflects on the highlights, anecdotes, and friendships from his outstanding career, describing the abuse, poverty, and racism he overcame to even reach the majors. In conversational, confessional prose, he takes readers through the challenges he's conquered in the second half of his life, from burying his youngest daughter to surviving several near-fatal bouts with heart disease. He also details the remarkable reason he's alive the heart transplant he received from Konrad Reuland, a 29-year-old NFL player he'd met years before. Carew explains how that astonishing connection was revealed and the unique bond he and his wife, Rhonda, have since forged with his donor's family. As Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." As Carew recounts his story, Robinson's words take on an even greater resonance.
For 19 seasons, Carew was a maestro in the batter's box. Uncoiling from his crouched stance, he seemed to guide the ball wherever he wanted on the way to a whopping seven batting titles and a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
If only everything in life had been as easy as he made hitting look.
In One Tough Fighting Off Life's Curveballs, Carew reflects on the highlights, anecdotes, and friendships from his outstanding career, describing the abuse, poverty, and racism he overcame to even reach the majors. In conversational, confessional prose, he takes readers through the challenges he's conquered in the second half of his life, from burying his youngest daughter to surviving several near-fatal bouts with heart disease. He also details the remarkable reason he's alive the heart transplant he received from Konrad Reuland, a 29-year-old NFL player he'd met years before. Carew explains how that astonishing connection was revealed and the unique bond he and his wife, Rhonda, have since forged with his donor's family. As Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." As Carew recounts his story, Robinson's words take on an even greater resonance.
369 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 12, 2020
22 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
About the author
Rod Carew
10 books2 followersRodney Cline Carew is a Panamanian-American former professional baseball player and coach. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a second baseman, first baseman and designated hitter from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels. The most accomplished contact hitter in Twins history, he won the 1977 AL Most Valuable Player Award, setting a Twins record with a .388 batting average. Carew appeared in 18 straight All-Star Games and led the AL in hits three times, with his 239 hits in 1977 being the twelfth most in a season at the time. He won seven AL batting titles, the second most AL batting titles in history behind Ty Cobb, and on July 12, 2016, the AL batting title was renamed to the Rod Carew American League batting title.
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July 8, 2020
Here it is, baseball fans! Rod Carew: One Tough Out: Fighting Off Life's Curveballs is the memoir of one of baseball’s most adept bunters, slickest base stealers, and prolific hitters. Ever. Rod Carew was one of my favorite Twins’ players when I was growing up. Reading Rod’s stories of guys like Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva, and other famous players of the late 60s and 70s was this fan’s delight. He portrays their humanity and goodness in ways that only an insider and close friend can.
Rodney Cline Carew was born in Panama on a train on October 1, 1945. Because the train was segregated, a black nurse coached his mother Olga through the delivery. It wasn’t until little Rodney was screaming that Dr. Cline was summoned from the “white” section to check on the newborn. The nurse, Mrs. Allen, little Rod’s godmother, protector, and friend throughout his life. And God knows, he needed that. Olga and Eric, his parent already had three children when little Rod came along. The kids always called their parents by their first names. Rod became mother’s pet; his alcoholic father greatly resented this and used his young son for a punching bag. He also used whatever tool he had handy. Sometimes Eric beat Olga instead; sometimes he beat them both. Olga would tell her son, “God will take care of you.” Although it may not have seemed like it at the time, Rod came to believe that, and his faith saw him through many hard times. He was fortunate to have uncles and coaches as role models and protectors, and he had baseball.
He learned to play baseball as a youngster. He and his friends had little in the way of store-bought equipment. They fashioned balls and bats from whatever they could find., but it wasn’t until after he moved with his mother to New York, thanks to his godmother, that he got to play for real. After high school, got a tryout with the Minnesota Twins.
When he finally got called up to the big leagues, he not only had to adapt to the faster, stronger game, especially on defense, but he also had to learn how to be a man. As an abused child, he had always kept his feelings to himself, and he was often in flight mode. So when things didn’t go his way, in baseball or in life, his first instinct was to flee. That’s where Killebrew and Oliva proved to be invaluable. They took him under their wings and taught him much, much more than how to be a better baseball player. They helped him mature into becoming a better man.
Carew details his accomplishments on the field, which are impressive, to say the least. SEVEN steals of home in one season. I remember that year! Eighteen straight All Star appearances. 3, 053 career hits. Hall of Fame selection in his first year of eligibility! Over the course of his entire career, he averaged a mere two strikeouts per week! He went on to do some hitting and bunting coaching with the Angels, Twins, and Cleveland after his retirement; in fact, he and Tony O have still made spring training appearances for the Twins in recent years. He left the Twins for LA on a sour note. He quotes then-owner Calvin Griffith as making public statements about having moved the team from DC to the Twin Cities because black people don’t come to ball games, and there are so many white folks in Minnesota. He also said that Carew was foolish for having accepted the low-ball contract the Twins had offered that season. Calvin admitted that he knew Carew was worth so much more than he was willing to offer to pay him. That was it. Carew was moving on. On to the LA Angels, where he played for a number of years.
What is even more inspiring than his baseball accomplishments is the way the Carew blossomed from a sullen, angry young man into a benevolent man who is at peace with himself and others. He comes across with softness and wisdom as he tells of the painful journey of his happy-go-lucky, friendly daughter Michelle’s battle with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. I was moved to tears by his sharing of this ordeal. I could tell that sharing this and the work he does on behalf of children with cancer is deeply meaningful to him.
The second pivotal event was his divorce, followed by his second marriage to Rhonda Fedden, a single mom of two kids, business owner, and sports fan. In her, Rod has found a kindred spirit. She seems to ground him, enabling him to anchor his faith and become a more relaxed human being. She has been with him through good times and bad. The worst nearly killed him. Who would expect a fabulous athlete to have a bad ticker, even at the age of 70? Carew details his near-death experience and its aftermath. The episode left him stronger physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It also gave him a close relationship with another family and another cause to promote: heart health.
At the publication of this book, Rod and Rhonda are now grandparents. They are looking forward to travelling again. They are living and loving life. His book made me smile. It made me laugh. I felt angry, encouraged, and proud. I have missed baseball this summer. Do I think it should be played with so much Covid-19 lurking everywhere? No, I do not. But it was fun to relive some of the old days. Thank you, Rod. You were a special player, and you are an even more special person.
Rodney Cline Carew was born in Panama on a train on October 1, 1945. Because the train was segregated, a black nurse coached his mother Olga through the delivery. It wasn’t until little Rodney was screaming that Dr. Cline was summoned from the “white” section to check on the newborn. The nurse, Mrs. Allen, little Rod’s godmother, protector, and friend throughout his life. And God knows, he needed that. Olga and Eric, his parent already had three children when little Rod came along. The kids always called their parents by their first names. Rod became mother’s pet; his alcoholic father greatly resented this and used his young son for a punching bag. He also used whatever tool he had handy. Sometimes Eric beat Olga instead; sometimes he beat them both. Olga would tell her son, “God will take care of you.” Although it may not have seemed like it at the time, Rod came to believe that, and his faith saw him through many hard times. He was fortunate to have uncles and coaches as role models and protectors, and he had baseball.
He learned to play baseball as a youngster. He and his friends had little in the way of store-bought equipment. They fashioned balls and bats from whatever they could find., but it wasn’t until after he moved with his mother to New York, thanks to his godmother, that he got to play for real. After high school, got a tryout with the Minnesota Twins.
When he finally got called up to the big leagues, he not only had to adapt to the faster, stronger game, especially on defense, but he also had to learn how to be a man. As an abused child, he had always kept his feelings to himself, and he was often in flight mode. So when things didn’t go his way, in baseball or in life, his first instinct was to flee. That’s where Killebrew and Oliva proved to be invaluable. They took him under their wings and taught him much, much more than how to be a better baseball player. They helped him mature into becoming a better man.
Carew details his accomplishments on the field, which are impressive, to say the least. SEVEN steals of home in one season. I remember that year! Eighteen straight All Star appearances. 3, 053 career hits. Hall of Fame selection in his first year of eligibility! Over the course of his entire career, he averaged a mere two strikeouts per week! He went on to do some hitting and bunting coaching with the Angels, Twins, and Cleveland after his retirement; in fact, he and Tony O have still made spring training appearances for the Twins in recent years. He left the Twins for LA on a sour note. He quotes then-owner Calvin Griffith as making public statements about having moved the team from DC to the Twin Cities because black people don’t come to ball games, and there are so many white folks in Minnesota. He also said that Carew was foolish for having accepted the low-ball contract the Twins had offered that season. Calvin admitted that he knew Carew was worth so much more than he was willing to offer to pay him. That was it. Carew was moving on. On to the LA Angels, where he played for a number of years.
What is even more inspiring than his baseball accomplishments is the way the Carew blossomed from a sullen, angry young man into a benevolent man who is at peace with himself and others. He comes across with softness and wisdom as he tells of the painful journey of his happy-go-lucky, friendly daughter Michelle’s battle with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. I was moved to tears by his sharing of this ordeal. I could tell that sharing this and the work he does on behalf of children with cancer is deeply meaningful to him.
The second pivotal event was his divorce, followed by his second marriage to Rhonda Fedden, a single mom of two kids, business owner, and sports fan. In her, Rod has found a kindred spirit. She seems to ground him, enabling him to anchor his faith and become a more relaxed human being. She has been with him through good times and bad. The worst nearly killed him. Who would expect a fabulous athlete to have a bad ticker, even at the age of 70? Carew details his near-death experience and its aftermath. The episode left him stronger physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It also gave him a close relationship with another family and another cause to promote: heart health.
At the publication of this book, Rod and Rhonda are now grandparents. They are looking forward to travelling again. They are living and loving life. His book made me smile. It made me laugh. I felt angry, encouraged, and proud. I have missed baseball this summer. Do I think it should be played with so much Covid-19 lurking everywhere? No, I do not. But it was fun to relive some of the old days. Thank you, Rod. You were a special player, and you are an even more special person.
May 25, 2020
Rod Carew’s baseball career was one of excellence. In 19 seasons with Minnesota Twins and California Angels, Carew won seven batting titles, one Most Valuable Player award (1977 with the Twins), was an All-Star in 18 of his 19 seasons and amassed 3053 hits. He was elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility in 1991. But just five years later, he went through what no parent should experience – the loss of a child as his youngest daughter Michelle died of complications from leukemia at 18 years old. His grief and subsequent healing from this tragedy and his own life-threatening heart condition, as well as his baseball career, are captured in this poignant memoir written with Jaime Aron.
The book starts with Carew beginning to play a round of golf in September 2015 when he suffers a heart attack in the first tee box and is rushed to the hospital. He states that he saw a guardian angel – just what his daughter told him when she was brought back to life during her battle with leukemia. That sets the tone for the second half of the book as Carew shares his pain at losing his youngest daughter to her death and his other two daughters afterward as they left with their mother when she and Carew divorced soon after Michelle’s passing. Carew stated that “the demise and death of a teenage daughter either brings a husband and wife closer together or tears them apart. Michelle’s death tore us apart.”
Enter Rhonda Fedden. After meeting after a game in which Carew gave Rhonda and a friend jackets from the dugout when he was the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers he got her phone number – “Her last four digits were 3053. That’s the number of hits I had in my career.” They married in 2001 and both of them place their faith as very important in their life and it is clear in the writing that this faith not only carried them through Carew’s heart attack and subsequent heart and kidney transplants, but also when meeting the family of the 29 year old donor and having them become part of the family. Carew notes that the donor’s age matched his jersey number for both the Twins and Angels – another sign that God was watching over Carew.
Speaking of faith, Carew makes it known that while he did practice Judaism when he was married to his first wife (whose name is never mentioned, but was Marilyn) he never converted as was a popular myth made famous by Adam Sandler’s “Chanukah Song.” When Carew met with Sandler and told him this, it made for one of the lighter moments in the second half of the book.
The first half is dedicated to Carew’s childhood and baseball career, which had plenty of interesting stories. Born in Panama and raised in an abusive environment in which he and his mother suffered at the hands of his father, they eventually found their way to New York City, where a Twins scout conducted a tryout for Carew and after seeing him hit, hid him in the clubhouse so that the Yankees wouldn’t also see Carew perform. The Twins signed him and after some time in the minor leagues, he became the 1967 American League Rookie of the Year and his career took off from there.
Carew shares stories of both his bond with teammates and his moodiness (he called it his “fight or flight”, in which he wanted to use the flight) that nearly caused him to quit the game several times. The teammates he remembered most fondly are Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew from the Twins and Don Baylor with the Angels. Oliva and Carew are still close friends to this date and he remained in touch with “Charlie” (Killebrew) and “Groove” (Baylor) until their deaths in 2011 and 2017 respectively.
There are three other people who are often mentioned in the baseball section as being important to his career – Billy Martin, Calvin Griffith and Gene Autry. Carew credits Martin with not only helping him stay with the Twins (Martin was a coach with the Twins at the time) but also to help him become a better base stealer and bunter, two parts of the game in which he excelled. While Carew left the Twins because of some actions and a racist rant by Griffith, they eventually mended their relationship to the point that Griffith was one of the first people Carew called after he learned he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Of note, both Martin and Griffith were prominently mentioned in his induction speech. Carew also heaped praise for Gene Autry, “Groove” and Reggie Jackson as important people during his time in Anaheim.
Reading about Carew’s career, his grief over losing his daughter, his faith and strength during his near-death experience and his love for his wife and her children (he adopted them soon after marrying Rhonda) as well as the family of his donor will leave the reader inspired and joyful. The manner in which he fought off “curveballs”, whether in the batter’s box or for bigger issues in his life, is an inspiring story that any reader will enjoy, especially if the reader is a fan of Rod Carew the player as this reviewer has been since learning the game.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
The book starts with Carew beginning to play a round of golf in September 2015 when he suffers a heart attack in the first tee box and is rushed to the hospital. He states that he saw a guardian angel – just what his daughter told him when she was brought back to life during her battle with leukemia. That sets the tone for the second half of the book as Carew shares his pain at losing his youngest daughter to her death and his other two daughters afterward as they left with their mother when she and Carew divorced soon after Michelle’s passing. Carew stated that “the demise and death of a teenage daughter either brings a husband and wife closer together or tears them apart. Michelle’s death tore us apart.”
Enter Rhonda Fedden. After meeting after a game in which Carew gave Rhonda and a friend jackets from the dugout when he was the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers he got her phone number – “Her last four digits were 3053. That’s the number of hits I had in my career.” They married in 2001 and both of them place their faith as very important in their life and it is clear in the writing that this faith not only carried them through Carew’s heart attack and subsequent heart and kidney transplants, but also when meeting the family of the 29 year old donor and having them become part of the family. Carew notes that the donor’s age matched his jersey number for both the Twins and Angels – another sign that God was watching over Carew.
Speaking of faith, Carew makes it known that while he did practice Judaism when he was married to his first wife (whose name is never mentioned, but was Marilyn) he never converted as was a popular myth made famous by Adam Sandler’s “Chanukah Song.” When Carew met with Sandler and told him this, it made for one of the lighter moments in the second half of the book.
The first half is dedicated to Carew’s childhood and baseball career, which had plenty of interesting stories. Born in Panama and raised in an abusive environment in which he and his mother suffered at the hands of his father, they eventually found their way to New York City, where a Twins scout conducted a tryout for Carew and after seeing him hit, hid him in the clubhouse so that the Yankees wouldn’t also see Carew perform. The Twins signed him and after some time in the minor leagues, he became the 1967 American League Rookie of the Year and his career took off from there.
Carew shares stories of both his bond with teammates and his moodiness (he called it his “fight or flight”, in which he wanted to use the flight) that nearly caused him to quit the game several times. The teammates he remembered most fondly are Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew from the Twins and Don Baylor with the Angels. Oliva and Carew are still close friends to this date and he remained in touch with “Charlie” (Killebrew) and “Groove” (Baylor) until their deaths in 2011 and 2017 respectively.
There are three other people who are often mentioned in the baseball section as being important to his career – Billy Martin, Calvin Griffith and Gene Autry. Carew credits Martin with not only helping him stay with the Twins (Martin was a coach with the Twins at the time) but also to help him become a better base stealer and bunter, two parts of the game in which he excelled. While Carew left the Twins because of some actions and a racist rant by Griffith, they eventually mended their relationship to the point that Griffith was one of the first people Carew called after he learned he was elected to the Hall of Fame. Of note, both Martin and Griffith were prominently mentioned in his induction speech. Carew also heaped praise for Gene Autry, “Groove” and Reggie Jackson as important people during his time in Anaheim.
Reading about Carew’s career, his grief over losing his daughter, his faith and strength during his near-death experience and his love for his wife and her children (he adopted them soon after marrying Rhonda) as well as the family of his donor will leave the reader inspired and joyful. The manner in which he fought off “curveballs”, whether in the batter’s box or for bigger issues in his life, is an inspiring story that any reader will enjoy, especially if the reader is a fan of Rod Carew the player as this reviewer has been since learning the game.
https://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/20...
October 18, 2021
I guess I didn't realize how old I've become, but I interviewed Rod Carew for a magazine story in the 1980s, when he was newly an Angel, he was still married to his first wife, Marilyn, and his youngest daughter, Michelle, was just a slightly chubby 3-year-old before she went on to her lengthy illness with leukemia and eventually died when she was 18. She sounds like a cheerful character who brightened everyone's day, and I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet her as a young adult.
The thing about Rod Carew is that he's intense and idealistic. He's an introvert that the public won't let alone. When I interviewed him, he hadn't revealed all his beatings from his father. He's really open, once you get to know him, strongly committed to worthy ideals, and one of the best all-time hitters in baseball. He lives his life very purposefully--not an ounce of randomness in him--and has been through a lot of challenges successfully. The fact that he adopted Rhonda's kids and is a doting grandfather is endearing, especially since his two surviving biological daughters have cut him out of their lives. He probably doesn't remember me, but I feel I could sit down with him and have a fairly profound conversation at any time.
This book was fun and opened much more of Rod's personal history and ideals to me. I will always respect him as a person, and will be eternally dazzled by his ability to hit a ball with a bat. I'm glad that they've named the American League batting title award after him. He's a national treasure.
The thing about Rod Carew is that he's intense and idealistic. He's an introvert that the public won't let alone. When I interviewed him, he hadn't revealed all his beatings from his father. He's really open, once you get to know him, strongly committed to worthy ideals, and one of the best all-time hitters in baseball. He lives his life very purposefully--not an ounce of randomness in him--and has been through a lot of challenges successfully. The fact that he adopted Rhonda's kids and is a doting grandfather is endearing, especially since his two surviving biological daughters have cut him out of their lives. He probably doesn't remember me, but I feel I could sit down with him and have a fairly profound conversation at any time.
This book was fun and opened much more of Rod's personal history and ideals to me. I will always respect him as a person, and will be eternally dazzled by his ability to hit a ball with a bat. I'm glad that they've named the American League batting title award after him. He's a national treasure.
July 11, 2020
Enjoyed the parts about baseball best. Carew has had a messy life with many broken relationships. Even though he endured a lot with childhood abuse, the death of a daughter and his own health crisis I found it disappointing that with his strong faith he has not been able to forgive & reconcile with family.
June 25, 2020
Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee-1991, 7-time AL batting champ, member of the 3,000 hit club, No. 29 Rod Carew along with Associated Press sports writer and senior writer for the American Heart Association Jamie Aaron share this must read story of Rodney Cline Carew in One Tough Out; Fighting Off Life's Curveballs (pp.324). As a young girl growing up in the 70's in Minnesota I played outside all the time with the boys. One of our favorite activities was grabbing a glove, a couple pieces of plywood or whatever we could find, a baseball and playing hotbox. I liked Carlton Fisk, Joe Morgan, Luis Tiant, Johnny Bench and then of course, there was Rod Carew. After witnessing him play at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, MN with my Dad there was simply no one else like him. He was distinctive, smooth and impressive. It's no surprise then that Carew is the product of a loving, caring Mom who inspired him daily through neglect, abuse and abandonment by his Dad and encouraged him to remember he was never alone. In this book his story is told in 3 parts; his early life and introduction to baseball-hard to believe he would have been cut from a high school team, to his days as a Minnesota Twin and California Angel, his personal life turned upside down with the loss of his youngest daughter and his own health related issues along with the powerful and emotional story of how he received a new heart. For many us we knew all along how cool and inspiring Carew was as a baseball player but this book will confirm he is also a faith driven humanitarian. It's a home run!
April 9, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: WHEN I HEAR MY FAVORITE SONG I KNOW I’M GOING TO GET 2 HITS THAT DAY (NATIONAL ANTHEM)
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Rod Carew is a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. He had a lifetime batting average of 328… amassed 3,053 hits… and won seven American League Batting Championships… and never played in a World Series. There is so much more to meet the eye than those shiny statistics… when reviewing the “when-how-where-**AND**… “what” he was like as a person”. As like many other Hall of Famers… that plaque doesn’t make you a star as a person.
This book starts out in 2015 when Rod had a massive heart attack while out by himself golfing. From there it fades back to his birth in the Panama Canal Zone. And as he is wont to do throughout this book… he almost stops the presses to adamantly state that the lifetime rumors and stories attributed to his life are not true. He states quite forcibly that his given first and middle name (Rodney Cline) was not the name of the person who delivered him into this world on a railroad train… that was Mrs. Allen a nurse who became his Godmother. Dr. Cline was a doctor summoned from the white section of the train after he was born.
His childhood in the Panama Canal was one of poverty… and unparalleled love from and to his Mother Olga. She always told him he was destined for great things… and that G-d would always be there for him. On the other end of the rainbow was his physically abusing Father Eric… who would beat him every way under the sun. Add to that a long stay in the hospital for rheumatic fever… and Rod was scarred mentally… physically… and emotionally the rest of his life. When he and his Mother eventually moved to New York… Rod wound up becoming a virtuoso with a baseball bat like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix bent the strings of a guitar. He signed with the Minnesota Twins… and spent twelve seasons with them… and seven years with the California Angels. Among many accomplishments he hit over 300 fifteen years in a row. His childhood idols were number one (the same as mine) Jackie Robinson… and his second idol was “The Splendid Splinter” Ted Williams. When he got to meet both of them later in his life… he cherished those moments as two of the greatest of his career.
Carew was downright unfriendly and standoffish with his teammates… and none other than the great Billy Martin… who had more fights on and off the field… than Joe Louis did during his “Bum of the Month”… heavyweight reign… when managing Rod on the Twins… had the following suggestion for Carew: “Listen to me,” he said. “You work hard and I really believe in you. You’re going to be a great player. But you have to do something about your personality. Stop being a yo-yo-up and down, up and down.” “Yes, the hotheaded Billy Martin thought I was a head case… I could only laugh.”
His sour… unpleasant personality was also prevalent in the minds of the sportswriters… even on the day of his 3,000th hit… and… when he became eligible for the Hall of Fame. Mike Downey of the los Angeles Times wrote: Rod Carew is not always the most cordial fellow in the world, and often leaves you with nothing more than your thoughts about him. Take it from someone who has attempted in three different years, in three different cities, to approach Rod Carew, speak with him, get to know him a little, wish him luck, only to be treated like a bug that just crawled into the infielder’s cereal. At various times in his life, were Rod Carew ever treated by other human beings the way he himself sometimes treats human beings, he surely would have wondered what he ever did to make another man behave so insensitively.”
“In a December 1990 column outlining his Hall of Fame votes. Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe wrote: “This was a second baseman who bailed out on the double play… Carew was accused of protecting his numbers, sacrificing power for average, and hitting 340 without helping his team. When he retired, nobody noticed.”
When he won the American League Batting title in 1972 he became the third batting champion in the history of baseball to hit ZERO HOME-RUNS THE ENTIRE YEAR… joining Brooklyn’s Zack Wheat in 1918… and “Wee” Willie Keeler of the New York Giants in 1897. (Keeler coincidentally also played for Brooklyn before and after that unique year.)
A couple of other things Rod wanted to make clear was… though he married a Jewish woman… and they raised their children in the Jewish faith… and that he wore a Chai (a gift from his dying Father-in-law)… he never converted to the Jewish faith. He always took time to point out that though he chewed tobacco… he didn’t do it to pull back his cheek from his right eye to get a better view of the pitched ball. It was because his mouth was dry. He also states quite loudly that he never became a United States citizen.
After his playing days the book covers the sad painful death of his daughter… and Rod’s health battles including his heart transplant… and his getting involved in pushing awareness on both causes. I’m very disappointed in the fact that there are numerous typos in this book… AND ONE GIANT INCORRECT UNFORGIVABLE STATISTICAL MISTAKE… IN LISTING SOME PLAYERS WHO ACHIEVED THREE-THOUSAND HITS IN THEIR CAREER… HE LISTS TED WILLIAMS. ***THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT!!! TEDDY BALLGAME HAD 2,654 HITS **NOT-3,000!!** I don’t know what kind of editor this publisher has but it needs to be severely upgraded!
In summary: Carew was a great hitter… with no power… and questionable defense… and this book is a great story… WITH QUESTIONABLE QUALITY CONTROL!
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Rod Carew is a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer. He had a lifetime batting average of 328… amassed 3,053 hits… and won seven American League Batting Championships… and never played in a World Series. There is so much more to meet the eye than those shiny statistics… when reviewing the “when-how-where-**AND**… “what” he was like as a person”. As like many other Hall of Famers… that plaque doesn’t make you a star as a person.
This book starts out in 2015 when Rod had a massive heart attack while out by himself golfing. From there it fades back to his birth in the Panama Canal Zone. And as he is wont to do throughout this book… he almost stops the presses to adamantly state that the lifetime rumors and stories attributed to his life are not true. He states quite forcibly that his given first and middle name (Rodney Cline) was not the name of the person who delivered him into this world on a railroad train… that was Mrs. Allen a nurse who became his Godmother. Dr. Cline was a doctor summoned from the white section of the train after he was born.
His childhood in the Panama Canal was one of poverty… and unparalleled love from and to his Mother Olga. She always told him he was destined for great things… and that G-d would always be there for him. On the other end of the rainbow was his physically abusing Father Eric… who would beat him every way under the sun. Add to that a long stay in the hospital for rheumatic fever… and Rod was scarred mentally… physically… and emotionally the rest of his life. When he and his Mother eventually moved to New York… Rod wound up becoming a virtuoso with a baseball bat like Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jimi Hendrix bent the strings of a guitar. He signed with the Minnesota Twins… and spent twelve seasons with them… and seven years with the California Angels. Among many accomplishments he hit over 300 fifteen years in a row. His childhood idols were number one (the same as mine) Jackie Robinson… and his second idol was “The Splendid Splinter” Ted Williams. When he got to meet both of them later in his life… he cherished those moments as two of the greatest of his career.
Carew was downright unfriendly and standoffish with his teammates… and none other than the great Billy Martin… who had more fights on and off the field… than Joe Louis did during his “Bum of the Month”… heavyweight reign… when managing Rod on the Twins… had the following suggestion for Carew: “Listen to me,” he said. “You work hard and I really believe in you. You’re going to be a great player. But you have to do something about your personality. Stop being a yo-yo-up and down, up and down.” “Yes, the hotheaded Billy Martin thought I was a head case… I could only laugh.”
His sour… unpleasant personality was also prevalent in the minds of the sportswriters… even on the day of his 3,000th hit… and… when he became eligible for the Hall of Fame. Mike Downey of the los Angeles Times wrote: Rod Carew is not always the most cordial fellow in the world, and often leaves you with nothing more than your thoughts about him. Take it from someone who has attempted in three different years, in three different cities, to approach Rod Carew, speak with him, get to know him a little, wish him luck, only to be treated like a bug that just crawled into the infielder’s cereal. At various times in his life, were Rod Carew ever treated by other human beings the way he himself sometimes treats human beings, he surely would have wondered what he ever did to make another man behave so insensitively.”
“In a December 1990 column outlining his Hall of Fame votes. Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe wrote: “This was a second baseman who bailed out on the double play… Carew was accused of protecting his numbers, sacrificing power for average, and hitting 340 without helping his team. When he retired, nobody noticed.”
When he won the American League Batting title in 1972 he became the third batting champion in the history of baseball to hit ZERO HOME-RUNS THE ENTIRE YEAR… joining Brooklyn’s Zack Wheat in 1918… and “Wee” Willie Keeler of the New York Giants in 1897. (Keeler coincidentally also played for Brooklyn before and after that unique year.)
A couple of other things Rod wanted to make clear was… though he married a Jewish woman… and they raised their children in the Jewish faith… and that he wore a Chai (a gift from his dying Father-in-law)… he never converted to the Jewish faith. He always took time to point out that though he chewed tobacco… he didn’t do it to pull back his cheek from his right eye to get a better view of the pitched ball. It was because his mouth was dry. He also states quite loudly that he never became a United States citizen.
After his playing days the book covers the sad painful death of his daughter… and Rod’s health battles including his heart transplant… and his getting involved in pushing awareness on both causes. I’m very disappointed in the fact that there are numerous typos in this book… AND ONE GIANT INCORRECT UNFORGIVABLE STATISTICAL MISTAKE… IN LISTING SOME PLAYERS WHO ACHIEVED THREE-THOUSAND HITS IN THEIR CAREER… HE LISTS TED WILLIAMS. ***THIS IS ABSOLUTELY INCORRECT!!! TEDDY BALLGAME HAD 2,654 HITS **NOT-3,000!!** I don’t know what kind of editor this publisher has but it needs to be severely upgraded!
In summary: Carew was a great hitter… with no power… and questionable defense… and this book is a great story… WITH QUESTIONABLE QUALITY CONTROL!
December 30, 2022
Amazing!
A heartwarming account of the life of an extraordinarily gifted (and hard working) athlete. I did enjoy all the baseball references and encounters with so many legends, however, the greatest merit of this story is it's honesty, and raw humanity. In the end we are all together in this journey and shall help each other. That's what makes us great (not perfect). Thanks Mr. Carew, looking forward to the Spanish version, for my father.
A heartwarming account of the life of an extraordinarily gifted (and hard working) athlete. I did enjoy all the baseball references and encounters with so many legends, however, the greatest merit of this story is it's honesty, and raw humanity. In the end we are all together in this journey and shall help each other. That's what makes us great (not perfect). Thanks Mr. Carew, looking forward to the Spanish version, for my father.
July 27, 2023
HALL OF FAME BOOK BY A HALL OF FAME LEGEND
Outstanding performance by Baseball Hall of Fame Legend Rod Carew! Mr. Carew's play on the field is long complimented by his life, character, and Christian faith off the field.
This book should be a must for every baseball fan - Rod Carew's career and legacy is one that should live on long after he has moved on into his reward in Eternity!
GRADE: A
Outstanding performance by Baseball Hall of Fame Legend Rod Carew! Mr. Carew's play on the field is long complimented by his life, character, and Christian faith off the field.
This book should be a must for every baseball fan - Rod Carew's career and legacy is one that should live on long after he has moved on into his reward in Eternity!
GRADE: A
November 11, 2020
Words cannot express how this book made me feel and the admiration I feel for Rod Carew and all he has overcome. He discusses his upbringing, his baseball career, his daughter's cancer battle, and his heart transplant. Perfect for Twins fans or baseball fans especially. This book brought me to tears too many times to count.
March 31, 2022
OK, here's my review: I grew up poor and my dad was abusive. I moved to America, learned to play baseball, and made the major leagues. I set lots of records, led the league in batting a bunch, and made pretty much every all-star game. I was elected to the hall of fame. My daughter died of leukemia. I had a massive heart attack. God. God. God. God. The end.
December 8, 2023
The Twins were fortunate to have a man like Rod play for them. I wish I was young enough to have seen him play here. What he endured and overcame in his youth was inspiring. Along with what he endured with prejudice in the league. I’m glad he was able to see the positives in life and obtain a good, positive family support system. Thank you.
February 23, 2024
Having previously reading up on Rod Carew casually being a Twins fan made me realize how he’s on the Mt. Rushmore of all time Twins. After reading his biography made me realize how much more of a person he is outside of baseball and how he handled many life events that got in his way. Definitely a good read if you are a baseball fan or not
January 7, 2021
A fantastic read! Rising from an abusive childhood to a Hall of Fame baseball career, Rod Carew has lived a life that Hollywood could not replicate. Definitely would recommend this book to any fan of the all American game.
June 23, 2022
This is an absolutely fantastic book. Mr. Carew tells his life story which certainly doesn’t stop at his baseball career end - it was just getting started. His story is wonderfully written and I so appreciate the transparency he showed in sharing his life in print.
June 6, 2020
Not only a great book about a great baseball player, but a great book about a genuine human being. His story is one of family, caring and definitely being one tough out. Highly recommended! #29!
August 16, 2020
Nice easy read with a good message. I knew about the baseball player but not about the struggles in his life. God bless Rod Carew.
August 29, 2020
Learned some new things about my favorite player as a kid. It was a good, short read.
April 2, 2021
Rod could hit.
May 13, 2022
The hall of famer shares the tough times he’s faced. Craig Hoffer might like this one.
February 16, 2023
Fantastic!
May 23, 2023
This is a fantastic baseball memoir by one of the game's all-time great hitters. They don't really make pure hitters anymore (although, I just watched the Marlins play a few games and Luis Arraez is starting to look like the second coming of Carew or Gwynn with his level stroke that seems to result in a line drive in every at bat) and it's a shame because I love small ball with its audacious running, its stealing, its sneaky bunts, squeeze plays and constant probing of the defense. Carew stole home 17 times in his career, and there are few things more exciting in sports than watching someone steal home. Consider me a member of The Society for the Promotion of Rod Carew Style Baseball.
The book's title, "One Tough Out" refers not only to the way Carew played baseball, but also how he has lived his life. He grew up in a poor neighborhood in a poor nation (Panama). His father was an abusive alcoholic who hated Carew more than his other children and focused his violence on him. Carew was blessed with other father figures though, who taught him how to play baseball and pushed him towards better things. He was also blessed with good women in his life, such as his mother and Margaret Allen, the nurse who cared for his mother when he was born (on a moving train) and then helped him and his mother emigrate to the United States.
The first half of the book deals with his early life and his baseball career. He was an absolutely dominant hitter who won the batting title seven times and went to the all star game 18 times. I didn't know much about him before reading this book. I knew that he was a Twins/Angels legend, a high batting average/low home run guy and a hall of famer, but not much more than that. Nowadays he seems like a kindly and wise elder statesman of baseball and I was surprised to learn that he was a hot head when he was younger, and that he continued to carry around the bitter effects of his abusive childhood for many years. He credits Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew with helping to level him out.
The second half of the book deals with some of the trials he has faced since retirement. The chapters dealing with the leukemia diagnosis, cancer battle and death of his teenage daughter, Michelle, were absolutely heartrending. I know it shouldn't matter, but whenever I read about something bad happening to a child who is the same age/sex as one of my own, it really gets to me. I could so easily see my own 18 year old in the place of Carew's daughter, and it made a wreck of me. I listened to those chapters while jogging this morning and I must have looked like an absolutely insane person running around with tears pouring down my stupid face.
Ultimately this is an inspiring book about overcoming trials and continuing to grow as a person well into your old age.
Also, shockingly, it turns out that Adam Sandler lied to us about Carew being Jewish in his Chanukah Song (he married a Jewish woman, and raised his daughters in the faith, but never converted himself).
The book's title, "One Tough Out" refers not only to the way Carew played baseball, but also how he has lived his life. He grew up in a poor neighborhood in a poor nation (Panama). His father was an abusive alcoholic who hated Carew more than his other children and focused his violence on him. Carew was blessed with other father figures though, who taught him how to play baseball and pushed him towards better things. He was also blessed with good women in his life, such as his mother and Margaret Allen, the nurse who cared for his mother when he was born (on a moving train) and then helped him and his mother emigrate to the United States.
The first half of the book deals with his early life and his baseball career. He was an absolutely dominant hitter who won the batting title seven times and went to the all star game 18 times. I didn't know much about him before reading this book. I knew that he was a Twins/Angels legend, a high batting average/low home run guy and a hall of famer, but not much more than that. Nowadays he seems like a kindly and wise elder statesman of baseball and I was surprised to learn that he was a hot head when he was younger, and that he continued to carry around the bitter effects of his abusive childhood for many years. He credits Tony Oliva and Harmon Killebrew with helping to level him out.
The second half of the book deals with some of the trials he has faced since retirement. The chapters dealing with the leukemia diagnosis, cancer battle and death of his teenage daughter, Michelle, were absolutely heartrending. I know it shouldn't matter, but whenever I read about something bad happening to a child who is the same age/sex as one of my own, it really gets to me. I could so easily see my own 18 year old in the place of Carew's daughter, and it made a wreck of me. I listened to those chapters while jogging this morning and I must have looked like an absolutely insane person running around with tears pouring down my stupid face.
Ultimately this is an inspiring book about overcoming trials and continuing to grow as a person well into your old age.
Also, shockingly, it turns out that Adam Sandler lied to us about Carew being Jewish in his Chanukah Song (he married a Jewish woman, and raised his daughters in the faith, but never converted himself).
September 5, 2020
While reading "One Tough Out", the first thing that will jump out as strange is that a third of the way into the experience, Rod Carew's brilliant baseball career has basically been wrapped up in terms of coverage. What more could possibly fill the rest of the pages? Well, the "what more" turns out to be the best part of this book.
You see, in addition to being a Hall of Fame baseball player and one of the greatest pure hitters to ever step in the batter's box, Carew's personal life--both the tragedies and inspirations--is even more remarkable.
After the recap of his playing career is finished, the middle section of "One Tough Out" chronicles the death of his daughter, Michelle, from a rare form of leukemia. While incredibly sad, that event also served as an inspiration for Rod--and others--to heavily promote bone marrow donation in the United States.
Then, just when you think another major event couldn't possibly happen to Carew, he is diagnosed with major heart issues, requiring the installation of a mechanical device to keep him alive and eventually a new heart (via transplant) altogether. To top things off, the heart ends up being from someone he knows! Through this experience, Rod starts the Heart of 29 initiative and urges millions of Americans (especially athletes) to get routine heart exams.
When I began reading "One Tough Out", I thought I would be getting a relatively straightforward sports bio. Instead, I ended up with so much more. Not only was Rod Carew a joy to watch on the diamond, but the toughness and inspiration he showed off of it is ultimately what has come to define him, and this book really captures that.
You see, in addition to being a Hall of Fame baseball player and one of the greatest pure hitters to ever step in the batter's box, Carew's personal life--both the tragedies and inspirations--is even more remarkable.
After the recap of his playing career is finished, the middle section of "One Tough Out" chronicles the death of his daughter, Michelle, from a rare form of leukemia. While incredibly sad, that event also served as an inspiration for Rod--and others--to heavily promote bone marrow donation in the United States.
Then, just when you think another major event couldn't possibly happen to Carew, he is diagnosed with major heart issues, requiring the installation of a mechanical device to keep him alive and eventually a new heart (via transplant) altogether. To top things off, the heart ends up being from someone he knows! Through this experience, Rod starts the Heart of 29 initiative and urges millions of Americans (especially athletes) to get routine heart exams.
When I began reading "One Tough Out", I thought I would be getting a relatively straightforward sports bio. Instead, I ended up with so much more. Not only was Rod Carew a joy to watch on the diamond, but the toughness and inspiration he showed off of it is ultimately what has come to define him, and this book really captures that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2020
Autobiography from Twins great Rod Carew. Not knowing a ton about Mr. Carew since he was slightly before my time, I found the book to be very informative. Mr. Carew excelled despite a rough childhood including an abusive father.
The book was broken down into basically two halves, his childhood through playing career and his life after. Both sections were roughly half the book. While I was much more interested in the first half than the second half, I understand why he devoted so much time to his life after his playing career. Mr. Carew endured through tragic events like his daughter passing from leukemia and his need of a new heart. Once he dealt with these tragedies, he spent time using his celebrity to draw attention to the causes.
Overall a good not great baseball book. Baseball fans it is worth the read, but know you are getting much more than a baseball life, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
The book was broken down into basically two halves, his childhood through playing career and his life after. Both sections were roughly half the book. While I was much more interested in the first half than the second half, I understand why he devoted so much time to his life after his playing career. Mr. Carew endured through tragic events like his daughter passing from leukemia and his need of a new heart. Once he dealt with these tragedies, he spent time using his celebrity to draw attention to the causes.
Overall a good not great baseball book. Baseball fans it is worth the read, but know you are getting much more than a baseball life, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
November 13, 2020
Rod Carew’s autobio contains stories about his Hall of Fame baseball career, but what hits home the most is when he recounts his family life and health issues. He doesn’t hide that he’s a flawed man, and talks about his life with refreshing honesty.
April 11, 2023
The baseball career parts were good..post-career, less so. It’s hard cause the guy has been through so much personal hell, losing his daughter, serious health issues himself..compelling and heart wrenching stuff but doesn’t make for juicy baseball reading.
September 27, 2021
God
He will forever be a legend. God loves this man and all around him. One of the best pure hitters in the game.
He will forever be a legend. God loves this man and all around him. One of the best pure hitters in the game.
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