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Lefty and Tim: How Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver Became Baseball's Best Battery
Lefty and Tim is the dual biography of Hall of Fame pitcher Steve “Lefty” Carlton and catcher Tim McCarver, detailing their relationship from 1965, when they played with the St. Louis Cardinals, through 1980, when they played for the Philadelphia Phillies. Along the way McCarver became Carlton’s personal catcher, and together they became the best battery in baseball in the mid-to-late 1970s.
At first glance Carlton and McCarver appear like an odd couple: McCarver was old school, Carlton new age. At the beginning of his career, McCarver believed that the catcher called the pitches, encouraged the pitcher when necessary, and schooled the pitcher when he deviated from the game plan. But Lefty, who pioneered the use of meditation and martial arts in baseball, was stubborn too. He wanted to control pitch selection. Over time, Carlton and McCarver developed a strong bond off the diamond that allowed them to understand and trust each other. In the process, Steve Carlton became one of the greatest left-handers in the history of Major League Baseball, an achievement that would not have been possible without Tim McCarver as his catcher. Not only did McCarver mentor Carlton as a young hurler with the Cardinals, but he helped resurrect Carlton’s career when they were reunited in Philadelphia midseason in 1975. Carlton won his second Cy Young Award with McCarver behind the plate in 1977.
Told in the historical context of the time they played the game, Lefty and Tim recounts the pair’s time in the tumultuous sixties, with the racial integration of the St. Louis Cardinals and the dominance of pitching, and in the turbulent seventies, characterized by MLB’s labor tensions, the arrival of free agency, and the return of the lively ball that followed the lowering of the pitcher’s mound in 1969.
At first glance Carlton and McCarver appear like an odd couple: McCarver was old school, Carlton new age. At the beginning of his career, McCarver believed that the catcher called the pitches, encouraged the pitcher when necessary, and schooled the pitcher when he deviated from the game plan. But Lefty, who pioneered the use of meditation and martial arts in baseball, was stubborn too. He wanted to control pitch selection. Over time, Carlton and McCarver developed a strong bond off the diamond that allowed them to understand and trust each other. In the process, Steve Carlton became one of the greatest left-handers in the history of Major League Baseball, an achievement that would not have been possible without Tim McCarver as his catcher. Not only did McCarver mentor Carlton as a young hurler with the Cardinals, but he helped resurrect Carlton’s career when they were reunited in Philadelphia midseason in 1975. Carlton won his second Cy Young Award with McCarver behind the plate in 1977.
Told in the historical context of the time they played the game, Lefty and Tim recounts the pair’s time in the tumultuous sixties, with the racial integration of the St. Louis Cardinals and the dominance of pitching, and in the turbulent seventies, characterized by MLB’s labor tensions, the arrival of free agency, and the return of the lively ball that followed the lowering of the pitcher’s mound in 1969.
356 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 27, 2022
The two men who are the subject of this book, Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver, are both members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, albeit in different areas. Carlton, one of the most dominant left-handed pitchers in the history of the game, was a first-ballot inductee for his pitching. McCarver, who had a long productive career as a catcher for several teams, had even more success as a broadcaster and his long and illustrious career there was rewarded with the Ford C. Frick Award, the highest honor bestowed to baseball broadcasters and a spot in the Hall of Fame.
However, Hall of Fame credentials are not all that link the two together. They both started their careers with the St. Louis Cardinals, where they developed a friendship that would develop into a great working relationship where McCarver became Carlton’s personal catcher – first with the Cardinals until they traded McCarver to the Philadelphia Phillies before the 1970 season and then later when Carlton was also sent to the Phillies before the 1972 season for a brief time before becoming teammates once again in 1976. This pairing of pitcher and catcher is captured in this book by William C. Kashatus.
Kashatus is known for his work on books about the Phillies, especially the depth of knowledge he has about the team and it shows in this book. The seasons in which Carlton and McCarver worked together are captured in great detail with a lot of game descriptions and rundowns of the outcomes of their teams. This is the case for not only their time together in Philadelphia but also in St. Louis, where there is a good deal of writing about the state of the Cardinals franchise in the 1960’s as well as the rise of the Phillies in the 1970’s from a last place team in 1972 to the championship 1980 season, even though the pair was no longer together as McCarver left the team after 1979 and after a brief stop in Boston, started his broadcasting career in 1980.
If this review sounds like it talks a lot about the baseball and not much about the two men who are the subject of the book, that reflects how the book is structured. In the introduction, Kashatus tells the reader that this will not be a biography of the two men but instead will focus on the teamwork and results of their time working together to bring success to both franchises. He certainly succeeded on that goal as the reader will learn much about the success for both men on the diamond, especially Carlton. The best chapter in the book about Lefty is about Carlton’s best season – 1972 when he went 27-10 for a last-place Phillies team.
However, that season saw him only work briefly with his friend McCarver because Tim was traded that season to the Montreal Expos and did not rejoin the Phillies until 1976, when the battery became even more productive and was seen by a larger audience as the Phillies won the National League East division for three consecutive seasons. These seasons are captured as well as 1972 by Kashatus and readers will learn a little more about stars on that team such as Mick Schmidt and Greg Luzinski as well as Carlton and McCarver.
While this book is not heavy into details about Carlton and McCarver, especially their personal lives, it is one that serious baseball fans of that era will enjoy reading to learn more about the success of a very effective pitcher and catcher team.
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...
However, Hall of Fame credentials are not all that link the two together. They both started their careers with the St. Louis Cardinals, where they developed a friendship that would develop into a great working relationship where McCarver became Carlton’s personal catcher – first with the Cardinals until they traded McCarver to the Philadelphia Phillies before the 1970 season and then later when Carlton was also sent to the Phillies before the 1972 season for a brief time before becoming teammates once again in 1976. This pairing of pitcher and catcher is captured in this book by William C. Kashatus.
Kashatus is known for his work on books about the Phillies, especially the depth of knowledge he has about the team and it shows in this book. The seasons in which Carlton and McCarver worked together are captured in great detail with a lot of game descriptions and rundowns of the outcomes of their teams. This is the case for not only their time together in Philadelphia but also in St. Louis, where there is a good deal of writing about the state of the Cardinals franchise in the 1960’s as well as the rise of the Phillies in the 1970’s from a last place team in 1972 to the championship 1980 season, even though the pair was no longer together as McCarver left the team after 1979 and after a brief stop in Boston, started his broadcasting career in 1980.
If this review sounds like it talks a lot about the baseball and not much about the two men who are the subject of the book, that reflects how the book is structured. In the introduction, Kashatus tells the reader that this will not be a biography of the two men but instead will focus on the teamwork and results of their time working together to bring success to both franchises. He certainly succeeded on that goal as the reader will learn much about the success for both men on the diamond, especially Carlton. The best chapter in the book about Lefty is about Carlton’s best season – 1972 when he went 27-10 for a last-place Phillies team.
However, that season saw him only work briefly with his friend McCarver because Tim was traded that season to the Montreal Expos and did not rejoin the Phillies until 1976, when the battery became even more productive and was seen by a larger audience as the Phillies won the National League East division for three consecutive seasons. These seasons are captured as well as 1972 by Kashatus and readers will learn a little more about stars on that team such as Mick Schmidt and Greg Luzinski as well as Carlton and McCarver.
While this book is not heavy into details about Carlton and McCarver, especially their personal lives, it is one that serious baseball fans of that era will enjoy reading to learn more about the success of a very effective pitcher and catcher team.
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...
June 15, 2022
Subtitled: How Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver Became Baseball’s Best Battery
Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver both started their baseball careers playing for the St. Louis Cardinals during into 60s and early 70s before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies because of union activism (McCarver) and salary demands (Carlton). Carlton became a Hall of Fame pitcher largely because of his achievements for the Phillies, although never earning the job of starting catcher, McCarver served for much of the 70s as Carlton’s ‘personal catcher,’ helping his old friend from St. Louis become better than he’d ever been before.
Lefty & Tim provides biographies of both men and a season-by-season rundown of each man’s baseball career, particularly for seasons where the two were teammates. After being an all-star and World Series hero at catcher in the 1960s and then reaching the post-season several more times with the Phillies in the 70s, McCarver went on to become a standout sportscaster, eventually entering the Hall of Fame himself for his on air work. Carlton pitched into the later half of the 1980s before retiring and then earning election to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
I gave Lefty & Tim five stars on Goodreads. This book will appeal to baseball fans in general, and specifically to fans of the sport during the 60s and on through the 80s.
Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver both started their baseball careers playing for the St. Louis Cardinals during into 60s and early 70s before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies because of union activism (McCarver) and salary demands (Carlton). Carlton became a Hall of Fame pitcher largely because of his achievements for the Phillies, although never earning the job of starting catcher, McCarver served for much of the 70s as Carlton’s ‘personal catcher,’ helping his old friend from St. Louis become better than he’d ever been before.
Lefty & Tim provides biographies of both men and a season-by-season rundown of each man’s baseball career, particularly for seasons where the two were teammates. After being an all-star and World Series hero at catcher in the 1960s and then reaching the post-season several more times with the Phillies in the 70s, McCarver went on to become a standout sportscaster, eventually entering the Hall of Fame himself for his on air work. Carlton pitched into the later half of the 1980s before retiring and then earning election to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
I gave Lefty & Tim five stars on Goodreads. This book will appeal to baseball fans in general, and specifically to fans of the sport during the 60s and on through the 80s.
October 6, 2022
Steve Carlton was one of the best pitchers in baseball history. Carlton won 329 games, the 2nd highest total for a left-hander. He struck out 4,136 batters—a record for left-handers at the time he retired in 1988. Carlton was the first pitcher to win 4 Cy Young Awards, and he set a record for most strikeouts in a game when he fanned 19 Mets in 1969. Carlton, known by his nickname of “Lefty,” was a first ballot Hall of Famer, easily elected in 1994 when he was named on 95.82% of the ballots. Throughout his career, Carlton was known for his unorthodox training regimen, which included martial arts exercises, and for his silence with the media.
William C. Kashatus’ 2022 book Lefty & Tim: How Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver Became Baseball’s Best Battery, examines the careers of Carlton and Tim McCarver, who became Carlton’s “personal catcher” with the Phillies from 1975-1979. The connection between McCarver and Carlton began in 1965 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Carlton was a rookie: 1964 was his first year in professional baseball. McCarver, only 3 years older than Carlton, was already well-established as a major leaguer. He had made his MLB debut at the tender age of 17 in 1959, and by 1963 he was the Cardinals’ starting catcher. McCarver was a hitting star of the 1964 World Series, appearing in all 7 games and hitting .478 as the Cardinals beat the New York Yankees.
Carlton and McCarver were both stubborn men. Carlton wasn’t impressed by McCarver’s status, as he approached the catcher during spring training and said to him “Hey, you’ve gotta call for more breaking pitches when we’re behind in the count.” McCarver yelled at Carlton for having the gall to question his pitch calling. Carlton calmly walked away. The next day, McCarver apologized to Carlton for chewing him out. Carlton accepted McCarver’s apology and said, “I wasn’t listening anyway.” (Lefty & Tim, p.32-3)
Despite this rocky beginning to their relationship, Carlton and McCarver soon became good friends, and McCarver was behind the plate during 1967, 1968, and 1969 as Carlton established himself as one of the best young pitchers in baseball. McCarver had another stubborn ace pitcher to deal with on the staff of the St. Louis Cardinals: Bob Gibson. McCarver and Gibson had clashed early on, but eventually came to a terrific understanding of one another, both as baseball players and as human beings. Gibson was also influential on Steve Carlton’s development as a pitcher. Gibson was no-nonsense on the mound. The mound was his office, and you didn’t mess with Gibson in his office. To Gibson, opposing hitters were the enemy. They were not to be fraternized with. Carlton developed the mental attitude to act the same as Gibson did on the mound.
Carlton was known for his long silence with the media, so he might seem like an unlikely candidate for a biography. There have been two books written about Carlton’s amazing 1972 season, when he won 27 games for the last-place Philadelphia Phillies, but Kashatus takes a wider view of Carlton’s career. Kashatus got a lot of information from Carlton off the record, but ultimately, Lefty decided not to do any on the record interviews for the book. It’s a shame, because it would be fantastic to have Carlton’s story in his own words, but Kashatus did a terrific job of writing Lefty & Tim, even without the participation of one of the two subjects. (And besides, the garrulous McCarver, who did several interviews with Kashatus, probably did enough talking for two people.)
Kashatus has done an excellent job of combing through the historical record to find good quotes from Carlton in the interviews he has done. The myth is that Steve Carlton never talked to the press, but that’s not true. Carlton gave plenty of interviews from 1965 until 1977, and even during his media silence from 1977 to 1986, Lefty still did the occasional interview here and there.
Carlton began his career with an excellent fastball and curveball, and in 1969 he added a devastating slider. Carlton threw the slider from the same arm slot as his fastball, which meant that batters couldn’t tell which pitch was coming. Lefty’s slider broke down and in on right-handed batters, and down and away on left-handed batters. Standing 6 foot 4 and weighing 210 pounds in his prime, Carlton was strong enough to throw the slider without putting strain on his elbow.
Lefty had one of the greatest seasons a starting pitcher has ever had in 1972, when he won 27 games and claimed his first Cy Young Award. But from 1973-1975, Carlton’s won-loss record was 44-47. But things were about to change. In mid-1975, the Phillies reacquired McCarver, after he was released by the Red Sox. The Phillies had one of baseball’s great defensive catchers in Bob Boone, but Boone and Carlton had different theories about pitch calling. Slowly, McCarver started to catch all of Carlton’s starts.
Bob Boone had introduced Carlton to strength and martial arts coach Gus Hoefling, and the strenuous workouts helped improve Carlton’s performance on the mound. One of the best-known exercises called for Carlton to stick his left arm into a barrel of rice and try to work his hand down to the bottom of the barrel. Phillies starter Jim Lonborg, plagued by elbow problems, tried the rice workout and never had elbow issues again. Hoefling’s training also focused on the mental aspect of sports. One day, fellow starting pitcher Larry Christenson saw Carlton lying on the trainer’s table before a start with his eyes closed. Christenson asked Lefty what he was doing. Kashatus writes that Lefty’s response was that “he was visualizing the spin on his slider and how he was planning to throw it against the various batters in the opposing team’s lineup that night.” (p.186)
After the 1975 season, Carlton’s lifetime record stood at 148-119, for a winning percentage of .554. From 1976 through the 1984 season, Carlton’s record was 165-88, for a winning percentage of .652. Carlton won 20 games 4 times from 1976-1982, and he won 3 more Cy Young Awards. The Phillies also turned into a powerhouse, making the playoffs 6 times from 1976-1983, culminating in the team winning their first World Series in 1980.
Lefty & Tim will serve as the definitive book about how Steve Carlton became one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. Lefty & Tim also makes a compelling case for Tim McCarver’s reputation as a great handler of pitchers, and as a superbly intelligent student of baseball. Kashatus has interviewed many people close to Carlton and McCarver to create a comprehensive account of their baseball careers. If you’re a fan of either Steve Carlton or Tim McCarver, you should read Lefty & Tim.
William C. Kashatus’ 2022 book Lefty & Tim: How Steve Carlton and Tim McCarver Became Baseball’s Best Battery, examines the careers of Carlton and Tim McCarver, who became Carlton’s “personal catcher” with the Phillies from 1975-1979. The connection between McCarver and Carlton began in 1965 with the St. Louis Cardinals. Carlton was a rookie: 1964 was his first year in professional baseball. McCarver, only 3 years older than Carlton, was already well-established as a major leaguer. He had made his MLB debut at the tender age of 17 in 1959, and by 1963 he was the Cardinals’ starting catcher. McCarver was a hitting star of the 1964 World Series, appearing in all 7 games and hitting .478 as the Cardinals beat the New York Yankees.
Carlton and McCarver were both stubborn men. Carlton wasn’t impressed by McCarver’s status, as he approached the catcher during spring training and said to him “Hey, you’ve gotta call for more breaking pitches when we’re behind in the count.” McCarver yelled at Carlton for having the gall to question his pitch calling. Carlton calmly walked away. The next day, McCarver apologized to Carlton for chewing him out. Carlton accepted McCarver’s apology and said, “I wasn’t listening anyway.” (Lefty & Tim, p.32-3)
Despite this rocky beginning to their relationship, Carlton and McCarver soon became good friends, and McCarver was behind the plate during 1967, 1968, and 1969 as Carlton established himself as one of the best young pitchers in baseball. McCarver had another stubborn ace pitcher to deal with on the staff of the St. Louis Cardinals: Bob Gibson. McCarver and Gibson had clashed early on, but eventually came to a terrific understanding of one another, both as baseball players and as human beings. Gibson was also influential on Steve Carlton’s development as a pitcher. Gibson was no-nonsense on the mound. The mound was his office, and you didn’t mess with Gibson in his office. To Gibson, opposing hitters were the enemy. They were not to be fraternized with. Carlton developed the mental attitude to act the same as Gibson did on the mound.
Carlton was known for his long silence with the media, so he might seem like an unlikely candidate for a biography. There have been two books written about Carlton’s amazing 1972 season, when he won 27 games for the last-place Philadelphia Phillies, but Kashatus takes a wider view of Carlton’s career. Kashatus got a lot of information from Carlton off the record, but ultimately, Lefty decided not to do any on the record interviews for the book. It’s a shame, because it would be fantastic to have Carlton’s story in his own words, but Kashatus did a terrific job of writing Lefty & Tim, even without the participation of one of the two subjects. (And besides, the garrulous McCarver, who did several interviews with Kashatus, probably did enough talking for two people.)
Kashatus has done an excellent job of combing through the historical record to find good quotes from Carlton in the interviews he has done. The myth is that Steve Carlton never talked to the press, but that’s not true. Carlton gave plenty of interviews from 1965 until 1977, and even during his media silence from 1977 to 1986, Lefty still did the occasional interview here and there.
Carlton began his career with an excellent fastball and curveball, and in 1969 he added a devastating slider. Carlton threw the slider from the same arm slot as his fastball, which meant that batters couldn’t tell which pitch was coming. Lefty’s slider broke down and in on right-handed batters, and down and away on left-handed batters. Standing 6 foot 4 and weighing 210 pounds in his prime, Carlton was strong enough to throw the slider without putting strain on his elbow.
Lefty had one of the greatest seasons a starting pitcher has ever had in 1972, when he won 27 games and claimed his first Cy Young Award. But from 1973-1975, Carlton’s won-loss record was 44-47. But things were about to change. In mid-1975, the Phillies reacquired McCarver, after he was released by the Red Sox. The Phillies had one of baseball’s great defensive catchers in Bob Boone, but Boone and Carlton had different theories about pitch calling. Slowly, McCarver started to catch all of Carlton’s starts.
Bob Boone had introduced Carlton to strength and martial arts coach Gus Hoefling, and the strenuous workouts helped improve Carlton’s performance on the mound. One of the best-known exercises called for Carlton to stick his left arm into a barrel of rice and try to work his hand down to the bottom of the barrel. Phillies starter Jim Lonborg, plagued by elbow problems, tried the rice workout and never had elbow issues again. Hoefling’s training also focused on the mental aspect of sports. One day, fellow starting pitcher Larry Christenson saw Carlton lying on the trainer’s table before a start with his eyes closed. Christenson asked Lefty what he was doing. Kashatus writes that Lefty’s response was that “he was visualizing the spin on his slider and how he was planning to throw it against the various batters in the opposing team’s lineup that night.” (p.186)
After the 1975 season, Carlton’s lifetime record stood at 148-119, for a winning percentage of .554. From 1976 through the 1984 season, Carlton’s record was 165-88, for a winning percentage of .652. Carlton won 20 games 4 times from 1976-1982, and he won 3 more Cy Young Awards. The Phillies also turned into a powerhouse, making the playoffs 6 times from 1976-1983, culminating in the team winning their first World Series in 1980.
Lefty & Tim will serve as the definitive book about how Steve Carlton became one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. Lefty & Tim also makes a compelling case for Tim McCarver’s reputation as a great handler of pitchers, and as a superbly intelligent student of baseball. Kashatus has interviewed many people close to Carlton and McCarver to create a comprehensive account of their baseball careers. If you’re a fan of either Steve Carlton or Tim McCarver, you should read Lefty & Tim.
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May 6, 2022I like baseball.
If I was a Cardinal fan or a Phillies fan, I would likely enjoy this book. There is A LOT of game summaries here.
Does not feel like an active written story of two great players and their interactions. Rather, it is a recap of game scores and a few anecdotal remarks added in.
Disappointed.
If I was a Cardinal fan or a Phillies fan, I would likely enjoy this book. There is A LOT of game summaries here.
Does not feel like an active written story of two great players and their interactions. Rather, it is a recap of game scores and a few anecdotal remarks added in.
Disappointed.
November 20, 2022
I read this book thanks to netgalley. I love baseball and wanted to read this book but it was more of a history book with plenty of dates.
September 15, 2024
If you're looking for a recap of the Carlton-McCarver years in St. Louis and Philadelphia, you'll get that here. If you're looking for a tell-all authoritative biography for either, you will be sorely disappointed as Kashatus states from the beginning that a biography wasn't his objective.
Much of the book is a recap of numbers and statistics that he dug up from BaseballReference.com and there are huge swaths of pages where there's little emotion. It's clear he wasn't able to speak with Steve Carlton at all and his contact with McCarver also seems limited. Much of the narrative is based on quotes from old newspaper stories (the notes section is very long!).
There's also a number of typos from the misuse of baseball terms to mere mathematical errors.
There were a lot of behind-the-scenes info of which he had no access to that I would have loved to have known. Steve Carlton's life after baseball would also have been interesting as he has long since moved to a ranch in Colorado and shunned the game and much of his family.
I ended up skimming large portions of the book that I thought were mired in minutiae but I enjoyed the walks down memory lane and reading about the names and places of my baseball fan youth.
Much of the book is a recap of numbers and statistics that he dug up from BaseballReference.com and there are huge swaths of pages where there's little emotion. It's clear he wasn't able to speak with Steve Carlton at all and his contact with McCarver also seems limited. Much of the narrative is based on quotes from old newspaper stories (the notes section is very long!).
There's also a number of typos from the misuse of baseball terms to mere mathematical errors.
There were a lot of behind-the-scenes info of which he had no access to that I would have loved to have known. Steve Carlton's life after baseball would also have been interesting as he has long since moved to a ranch in Colorado and shunned the game and much of his family.
I ended up skimming large portions of the book that I thought were mired in minutiae but I enjoyed the walks down memory lane and reading about the names and places of my baseball fan youth.
June 6, 2022
I would rate this book 3.75 stars out of 5.
Obviously the main focus of this story is about Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton and Catcher and reporter Tim McCarver and their careers in the Major Leagues. Two individuals whose careers span the 60's, 70's and 80's who had tremendous work ethic and pride in their craft. Many consider them the greatest battery or pitcher and catcher combo. There relationship started in St. Louis with the Cardinals and would eventually have stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and with the general manager of the Phillies recognizing that McCarver was like a security blanket for Steve so he brought back McCarver a second time with the Phillies. A couple of things I found interesting was one how could Steve was at throwing even in his teenage years and how that helped him to hunt. The second was to read that at one time both Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan were thought of as underachievers. Can you imagine what those same people if alive what would have thought at the end of both men's career. In my opinion this is a well researched book and maybe a little deeper then what a casual fan of baseball would be looking for. But if you are baseball diehard or a Phillie Fanatic this should be right up your alley. Thank you to Netgalley and University of Nebraska Press for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
Obviously the main focus of this story is about Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton and Catcher and reporter Tim McCarver and their careers in the Major Leagues. Two individuals whose careers span the 60's, 70's and 80's who had tremendous work ethic and pride in their craft. Many consider them the greatest battery or pitcher and catcher combo. There relationship started in St. Louis with the Cardinals and would eventually have stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and with the general manager of the Phillies recognizing that McCarver was like a security blanket for Steve so he brought back McCarver a second time with the Phillies. A couple of things I found interesting was one how could Steve was at throwing even in his teenage years and how that helped him to hunt. The second was to read that at one time both Steve Carlton and Nolan Ryan were thought of as underachievers. Can you imagine what those same people if alive what would have thought at the end of both men's career. In my opinion this is a well researched book and maybe a little deeper then what a casual fan of baseball would be looking for. But if you are baseball diehard or a Phillie Fanatic this should be right up your alley. Thank you to Netgalley and University of Nebraska Press for an ARC for a fair and honest review.
September 11, 2022
For background: Lefty and Tim is the dual biography of Hall of Fame pitcher Steve “Lefty” Carlton and catcher Tim McCarver, detailing their relationship from 1965, when they played with the St. Louis Cardinals, through 1980, when they played for the Philadelphia Phillies. Along the way McCarver became Carlton’s personal catcher, and together they became the best battery in baseball in the mid-to-late 1970s. Older baseball fans will be familiar with these two men and the effect they left on baseball. Philadelphia Phillie fans will love the background of these two friends. A great gift idea for the older baseball fan.
December 9, 2022
Writing about Lefty and Tim must have been like pulling teeth but there was enough here to make me happy. I can see why some players hate talking to the press because the players words can be taken out of contex. Steve was firm in his stance of No talking to the press...Policy is policy!
May 19, 2023
Pretty good. Without perspnal interviews with carlton s certain insight is lost
December 19, 2024
I bought myself this book as a treat for being very brave and moving to another country for college and at the time the Phillies were in a weird slump right before the post season that was painful to watch so I decided to disappear back into the good ol days when the team knew how to win World Series titles. The story of Lefty and Tim is a love letter of the beauty of baseball, a slow meandering complicated mess of a game that brings people together. I throughly enjoyed reading this book (my favourite part of baseball has always been the stats which about half of the book is) my one gripe was since I was reading this book on kindle I thought there was about 100 more pages of the story left when I finished it; instead there was 100 pages of stats which wile interesting were hard to read on the kindle, not the books fault just slightly annoying.
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