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Shut Out
Shut Out is the compelling story of Boston's racial divide viewed through the lens of one of the city's greatest institutions - its baseball team, and told from the perspective of Boston native and noted sports writer Howard Bryant. This well written and poignant work contains striking interviews in which blacks who played for the Red Sox speak for the first time about their experiences in Boston, as well as groundbreaking chapter that details Jackie Robinson's ill-fated tryout with the Boston Red Sox and the humiliation that followed.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 6, 2010
I was so excited that someone had actually taken the time to write a comprehensive book about the history of the racism within the Red Sox organization, at least up until 2002, which is when the book was published. Bryant is thorough, and he doesn't let anyone off easily, including the Boston press, who are partially responsible for bad stuff, but don't like to take responsibility for it. Here are some of the things that made me give this book fewer stars than I might have liked to:
1. Bryant is a rambler. He frequently takes 5 sentences to say something that should only take 2, which is weird considering he's a journalist who usually has to think about column inches.
2. Bryant's writing style lacks any real personality. He writes like a reporter for the Boston Herald... which is what he is (or at least was). He starts out the book talking about how older members of his family were pissed at him for liking the Red Sox when he was a kid, saying that no one Black could ever root for the team. But he only tells this short little anecdote about this one time he was listening to a game on the radio. Maybe the book would have been stronger with more personal touches.
3. The book is full of typographical errors. Not Bryant's fault I recognize, but not cool, and really distracting.
The good thing was that the book actually is pretty comprehensive and I learned a lot about the topic. The part that was the most interesting to me was the chapter about Mo Vaughn. He's a player I remember from being a kid and it was interesting to look at him through the eyes of my adult self. All I remembered about Mo Vaughn was the negative personal stuff that came out in the media when he left the team (that and that he was a seriously amazing hitter, of course), and I don't think I ever knew how good he was for the team. I remember my dad being really pissed when they let him go, and saying something about losing the heart of the team, but I wasn't aware enough of the intricacies of baseball at the time to really know what he meant. Plus, Vaughn did all kinds of stuff for the city of Boston, and for race relations in Boston that he never really got credit for-- so interesting.
So, to sum up: Writing=bad, topic= interesting but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book unless you're ready for a slog. Maybe someday someone will write a better one.
1. Bryant is a rambler. He frequently takes 5 sentences to say something that should only take 2, which is weird considering he's a journalist who usually has to think about column inches.
2. Bryant's writing style lacks any real personality. He writes like a reporter for the Boston Herald... which is what he is (or at least was). He starts out the book talking about how older members of his family were pissed at him for liking the Red Sox when he was a kid, saying that no one Black could ever root for the team. But he only tells this short little anecdote about this one time he was listening to a game on the radio. Maybe the book would have been stronger with more personal touches.
3. The book is full of typographical errors. Not Bryant's fault I recognize, but not cool, and really distracting.
The good thing was that the book actually is pretty comprehensive and I learned a lot about the topic. The part that was the most interesting to me was the chapter about Mo Vaughn. He's a player I remember from being a kid and it was interesting to look at him through the eyes of my adult self. All I remembered about Mo Vaughn was the negative personal stuff that came out in the media when he left the team (that and that he was a seriously amazing hitter, of course), and I don't think I ever knew how good he was for the team. I remember my dad being really pissed when they let him go, and saying something about losing the heart of the team, but I wasn't aware enough of the intricacies of baseball at the time to really know what he meant. Plus, Vaughn did all kinds of stuff for the city of Boston, and for race relations in Boston that he never really got credit for-- so interesting.
So, to sum up: Writing=bad, topic= interesting but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book unless you're ready for a slog. Maybe someday someone will write a better one.
September 20, 2014
A great historical look at the effect of choices on the future of a business. Bryant presents his case in a fair and balanced way, and while never stating that it was 100% based on prejudice, it is impossible to deny the truthfulness of his claims that the struggles of the Sox were at least partially based on prejudice.
January 16, 2023
As a native Bostonian and an African-American, Howard Bryant is uniquely qualified to write this journalistic history of race and baseball in Boston since World War II. I gained much more respect for both Jim Rice and Mo Vaughn reading the book and came to wish they had never traded Reggie Smith away. Since the book was published twenty-one years ago, though, I was surprised to realize how much has changed in the time since this was written. Pedro Martinez is described as the future at one point and it was published a year before David Ortiz was signed, before Jackie Robinson’s number was retired throughout baseball, before Jersey Street reverted to its old name, before Jim Rice’s number was retired and he became a featured regular on NESN, and before many of the old reporters interviewed died, most notably Will McDonough.
This is not to say that I think that there’s no longer a problem of race with the Red Sox, in Boston, or in the nation at large (this last is obvious and the topic for another book/review). I think it’s gotten better in Boston, but that it can and will get better still. I write this as a white guy who really can’t speak with any true authority. At the two games I attended this year, I noticed many Hispanic fans, but still comparatively few Black fans. Obviously, that’s a tiny sample size and purely anecdotal, but I still think baseball nationwide has a problem attracting African-American athletes and believe this directly relates to reduced African-American fan interest. This reduced interest is reflected in Boston and probably made worse by the history.
I saw the same flaws I noticed in the only other book by Bryant I’ve read, his The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism, which is one of my all-time favorite books. In particular, I’m referring to a kind of unfinished quality to Bryant’s writing. Some phrasing seems awkward and there is more repetition than one would expect from a polished, published book. I would think this would be addressed by his editor and I wonder if the finished product came in too late for a more thorough edit. This is a quibbling complaint, though, since Bryant’s writing is generally excellent and his research so thoroughly comprehensive (especially the interviews – he talked with everybody). I’m looking forward to reading pretty much everything else he’s written.
This is not to say that I think that there’s no longer a problem of race with the Red Sox, in Boston, or in the nation at large (this last is obvious and the topic for another book/review). I think it’s gotten better in Boston, but that it can and will get better still. I write this as a white guy who really can’t speak with any true authority. At the two games I attended this year, I noticed many Hispanic fans, but still comparatively few Black fans. Obviously, that’s a tiny sample size and purely anecdotal, but I still think baseball nationwide has a problem attracting African-American athletes and believe this directly relates to reduced African-American fan interest. This reduced interest is reflected in Boston and probably made worse by the history.
I saw the same flaws I noticed in the only other book by Bryant I’ve read, his The Heritage: Black Athletes, a Divided America, and the Politics of Patriotism, which is one of my all-time favorite books. In particular, I’m referring to a kind of unfinished quality to Bryant’s writing. Some phrasing seems awkward and there is more repetition than one would expect from a polished, published book. I would think this would be addressed by his editor and I wonder if the finished product came in too late for a more thorough edit. This is a quibbling complaint, though, since Bryant’s writing is generally excellent and his research so thoroughly comprehensive (especially the interviews – he talked with everybody). I’m looking forward to reading pretty much everything else he’s written.
March 13, 2024
The Red Sox were the last team to integrate when they called up Pumpsie Green in 1959, 12 years after Jackie Robinson debuted, 2 years after Jackie retired. This book, by an African American Boston native, goes into detail about the history of racial issues in Boston, not just by the Sox, but the Boston Globe and the city as a whole.
The Good: This was a very detailed book, focusing primarily on Tom Yawkey's ownership tenure, where he surrounded himself with racist ex-players like Eddie Collins and Joe Cronin, who refused to sign black players. Both Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays had tryouts, but both were told that they were never going to make it. Imagine a Red Sox lineup with Jackie, Willie and Ted Williams. There were extensive profiles of Pumpsie Green, Earl Wilson, Tommy Harper, Reggie Smith, Jim Rice, Ellis Burks, Oil Can Boyd and Mo Vaughn, each having different experiences as black players in Boston who were scrutinized more if they spoke their minds than guys like Carlton Fisk, Carl Yasztremski, Fred Lynn and Wade Boggs did for obvious reasons. There was a rule through the 80's that there had to be an even number of black players so none of the white players had to room with them on the road. There were prominent black players (Dave Winfield, Kirby Puckett, Tim Raines, Joe Carter ) who refused to sign there as free agents and would make sure that their contracts stated that they could not be traded to Boston at all.
The Bad: He focuses a lot on guys like Peter Gammons and Will McDonough, sports writers at the Globe who had different opinions on race in Boston and hated each other. I would have liked to have seen less of a focus on the reporter side.
There are unfortunate things about our history that I wish we could un-invent. Whether or not the Sox were a racist franchise under Tom Yawkey will never be determined accurately. This book presents a lot of facts that make it seem so.
C+
The Good: This was a very detailed book, focusing primarily on Tom Yawkey's ownership tenure, where he surrounded himself with racist ex-players like Eddie Collins and Joe Cronin, who refused to sign black players. Both Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays had tryouts, but both were told that they were never going to make it. Imagine a Red Sox lineup with Jackie, Willie and Ted Williams. There were extensive profiles of Pumpsie Green, Earl Wilson, Tommy Harper, Reggie Smith, Jim Rice, Ellis Burks, Oil Can Boyd and Mo Vaughn, each having different experiences as black players in Boston who were scrutinized more if they spoke their minds than guys like Carlton Fisk, Carl Yasztremski, Fred Lynn and Wade Boggs did for obvious reasons. There was a rule through the 80's that there had to be an even number of black players so none of the white players had to room with them on the road. There were prominent black players (Dave Winfield, Kirby Puckett, Tim Raines, Joe Carter ) who refused to sign there as free agents and would make sure that their contracts stated that they could not be traded to Boston at all.
The Bad: He focuses a lot on guys like Peter Gammons and Will McDonough, sports writers at the Globe who had different opinions on race in Boston and hated each other. I would have liked to have seen less of a focus on the reporter side.
There are unfortunate things about our history that I wish we could un-invent. Whether or not the Sox were a racist franchise under Tom Yawkey will never be determined accurately. This book presents a lot of facts that make it seem so.
C+
October 19, 2024
A very engaging history, but needs a good copy edit. Mr. Bryant says too many things too many times, sometimes repeating entire thoughts and gists in adjacent sentences with only slight variations in diction. Like psalms.
Too, Mr. Bryant makes use of numerous journalistic sources—from both published writings and interviews—and frequently cites their opinions rather than declaring his own: 'Rarely, thought Clark Booth, was there enough introspection, on the parts of whites and blacks...' It is an odd and clunky way to source ideas and opinions, in that a random person we haven't heard from or about, maybe for several chapters, is suddenly *there* thinking at us, and (a) it can take a moment to recognize the abrupt transition from a narrative past tense (so-and-so player did a thing or said a thing) to a journalistic past tense (so-and-so reporter *thought* a thing—meaning he put it in print—about the narrative we were just discussing; and (b) we need to remember who the hell he was.
I was not following baseball during any of the period covered by this book (1945–2002) and have had little to do with or in Boston my entire life; so few of the personae Mr. Bryant presents had any visceral meaning to me. Still, the stories of institutional and old-boy racism, of shabby treatment of players and the practical and emotional effects thereof: these are deeply affecting. They make rage. I was uncomfortably satisfied to learn that Will McDonough, Boston Globe columnist and guardian angel of racist f*cks, died in 2003; uncomfortable mostly that the angel of death didn't collect this piece of sh*t from his cradle.
I should clarify that I read the 2003 reprint, including a new foreword (by Roger Kahn) and a new afterword by the author. The grammar and spelling errors noted by other reviewers were pretty thoroughly scrubbed in this edition, which makes it all the more annoying nobody thought to copy edit the damn thing.
Too, Mr. Bryant makes use of numerous journalistic sources—from both published writings and interviews—and frequently cites their opinions rather than declaring his own: 'Rarely, thought Clark Booth, was there enough introspection, on the parts of whites and blacks...' It is an odd and clunky way to source ideas and opinions, in that a random person we haven't heard from or about, maybe for several chapters, is suddenly *there* thinking at us, and (a) it can take a moment to recognize the abrupt transition from a narrative past tense (so-and-so player did a thing or said a thing) to a journalistic past tense (so-and-so reporter *thought* a thing—meaning he put it in print—about the narrative we were just discussing; and (b) we need to remember who the hell he was.
I was not following baseball during any of the period covered by this book (1945–2002) and have had little to do with or in Boston my entire life; so few of the personae Mr. Bryant presents had any visceral meaning to me. Still, the stories of institutional and old-boy racism, of shabby treatment of players and the practical and emotional effects thereof: these are deeply affecting. They make rage. I was uncomfortably satisfied to learn that Will McDonough, Boston Globe columnist and guardian angel of racist f*cks, died in 2003; uncomfortable mostly that the angel of death didn't collect this piece of sh*t from his cradle.
I should clarify that I read the 2003 reprint, including a new foreword (by Roger Kahn) and a new afterword by the author. The grammar and spelling errors noted by other reviewers were pretty thoroughly scrubbed in this edition, which makes it all the more annoying nobody thought to copy edit the damn thing.
February 18, 2023
An interesting baseball book that covers the Red Sox since WWII with an emphasis on the team's racial relationships. It also is a good history of baseball in this period focus on race and a social commentary on Boston, especially on its newspaper and the writers. Written in 2002, I believe the story for the Red Sox has changed. Interestingly there is a new book out that attempts to make the case that Tom Yawkey (owner) was not racist but from reading Shut Out it would be a hard case to prove.
The negative is that the book is not well written which is a surprise as I have enjoyed Bryant's other books. He rambles often in his writing with so many words that the train of thought and facts is hard to follow. Often the same sentence (or 2 or 3) is repeated in the following paragraph. There are numerous errors in spelling and context that editing should have caught.
Still for subject matter this is an important book that every baseball fan should read.
The negative is that the book is not well written which is a surprise as I have enjoyed Bryant's other books. He rambles often in his writing with so many words that the train of thought and facts is hard to follow. Often the same sentence (or 2 or 3) is repeated in the following paragraph. There are numerous errors in spelling and context that editing should have caught.
Still for subject matter this is an important book that every baseball fan should read.
July 12, 2021
I give it five stars for two things: one, being a ground-breaking compendium of what, until its publication, were things that I'd only read anecdotally over the years, or simply never heard of. It's cogently written as well. Sometimes, Howard reintroduces the same person or topic multiple times as if he hadn't previously mentioned it at all (just a personal pet peeve of mine--to me, there's discontinuity in this), but the subject matter is probed well and his considerations of the complex personalities of people like Jim Rice, Will McDonough and others is strong. Glad I finally read this book--I'm hoping he does a revised edition afterword on its 20th anniversary.
June 27, 2020
An important and very readable book about racism and the 20th-century Boston Red Sox. After passing on players such as Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays, the Red Sox were the last team to integrate - in 1959, 12 years after Robinson debuted for the Dodgers. Throughout the next 40 years, African-American players would struggle with playing in Boston, often feeling isolated during their years in Fenway. Bryant got access to many of the important voices for this story. I might have had an advance copy, as there were far more spelling and grammar errors than I typically see in any book.
September 12, 2022
Finally! Someone has methodically gone through the history of racism and the Red Sox. The author connects the dots between what to Jackie Robinson through Mo Vaughn. Book is filled with examples. Imagine an outfield of Ted Williams, Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays. It could have happened. Forget the curse of Bambino, it was the curse of racist ownership. Extra points for taking down Will McDonough..
July 4, 2019
Cataloguing the Red Sox’s checkered history of racism and reluctance to embrace African American players, Shut Out sheds light on Major League Baseball as a whole and how teams reflect their cities. Bryant provides rich perspective on Boston, its press, and the team it loves. He can be a tad repetitive but his insights make the book powerful and well worth any baseball fan’s time.
November 25, 2024
I learned a ton about the Red Sox organization, its players, the Boston sports media, and the history of racism in Boston through this book. It rambles at times—but it’s really informative.
Worth the read for any Boston sports fan.
Worth the read for any Boston sports fan.
June 12, 2020
This is probably more of a 1.5 stars -- but it gets above 1.0 only because there are enough interesting facts tossed in here. Otherwise, I would say it was badly written and badly edited.
September 17, 2018
I've been a pretty avid Sox fan for over twenty years and am vaguely aware of the claims of their racist history. It was rewarding and interesting to read the whole story. Bryant covers the history well and captures the way in which the Red Sox were institutionally racist even at times when not obviously or overtly so. He ties in the complicated and unique race realities of Boston well with the specific details of the situation with the Red Sox. It was a little dry but very competent and interesting. I'm glad I read it and glad the Red Sox organization finally seems to be past this sordid history. I'm looking forward to reading Bryant's most recent book.
December 1, 2016
I've read this book three times for various purposes and I'm continually impressed. Bryant brings a masterful knowledge of social problems into the world of sports writing, making for a refreshingly informative but entertaining sports book. Bryant's analysis of Red Sox history is loaded with insider interviews of former players, awareness of the city's insular tribes, and familiarity with the cliques of sportswriters. This is a book for you if you're tired of the old "bewitched and cursed" cliches or of standard hagiographies that tend to comprise the Red Sox cottage industry.
I wonder how the book would end if Bryant made a second edition? Since its publication, the Red Sox have won three World Series and the rosters have been increasingly diverse. I'd love to get Bryant's take on how the city has embraced David Ortiz and about homegrown African American players like Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley.
I wonder how the book would end if Bryant made a second edition? Since its publication, the Red Sox have won three World Series and the rosters have been increasingly diverse. I'd love to get Bryant's take on how the city has embraced David Ortiz and about homegrown African American players like Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley.
May 24, 2007
Compelling case, although it's a hard slog - reads like a thesis, a little bit. Can't understand the Red Sox without it, though.
July 15, 2010
A disappointing book. The writing is rambling and the examples don't support the author's desired end point.
June 24, 2011
Comprehensive review of how the Boston Red Sox treated players of African-American descent.
April 29, 2013
An eye opening account of race and baseball in Boston. A really good read, if your interested in either.
November 3, 2014
Sobering read about Boston and sports, but a great read as well. Very enlightening.
Want to read
June 8, 2015Excellent, and depressing for any resident of metro Boston/fan of the Sox or Civil Rights in the late 20th Century.
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