The Sommer Frieze

With all the hubbub about LaTroy Hawkins wearing #21, it’s interesting to note that Monument Park is about more than just the players. Others who contributed to the Greatest Dynasty in Sports are honored there too, starting with individuals such as Jacob Ruppert, Mel Allen and Bob Sheppard. They didn’t play, but each was (and in the case of Sheppard is) a huge part of Yankees history. Is there any question that one day a plaque will be unveiled in the New Stadium to honor the Boss?

Which makes today’s book review in the N.Y. Post very interesting indeed. With this being the last year of Yankee Stadium at its original site, the release of Ed Barrow, The Bulldog Who Built the Yankees’ First  Dynasty (by Daniel R. Levitt, University of Nebraska Press) seems very timely. Of all the monuments and plaques in Monument Park, Barrow’s seems like it may be the one most forgotten about. Ed Barrow died 55 years ago, but his place in baseball history is extremely secure. He was among the first of the great general managers. All he did was to architect the Greatest Dynasty in Sports. Until 2004, Barrow was also known for two other things: 1) as the man who converted the Babe into an outfielder, and 2) as the last Red Sox manager to win a World Series.

Upon coming to the Yankees to be their “business manager” (now G.M.), Barrow raided his former employer for other ballplayers. I won’t go into it here, but I’ll give you, the reader, some homework. Check out those Yankees teams of the early 1920’s and look at who, besides Ruth, came over from the Boston teams of the previous decade—a decade that saw the Red Sox win four World Series, three with Ruth on the team. It wasn’t just the 1920’s either. In 1930, Barrow laid the foundation for the next decade by getting a pitcher from Boston who had (at that time) a very bad career record—Charles “Red” Ruffing. Once with the Yanks, Ruffing became a Hall of Famer. He is #2 on the all-time Yankee list in victories.

 I hope to have the time to be able to get and read this book. Although I haven’t seen any of it, I think it should be recommended reading for Yankees fans everywhere, and thus add it to the links at right. You can click there, and it will take you to Amazon.com’s page on the book.