August "Garry" Herrmann - by William A Cook (Paperback)

About the Book

The owner of the Cincinnati Reds and head of the National Commission, Garry Herrmann was one of the most influential magnates of the deadball era. This is the definitive account of his life and career.

Book Synopsis

August Garry Herrmann entered the murky waters of 19th century machine politics in Cincinnati, serving as a trusted lieutenant to one of the most powerful political bosses in the country, George B. Cox. Herrmann, a gifted man who introduced modern management principles to municipal government and oversaw the committee that built Cincinnati's modern water works system, eventually did for baseball what he did for his home town, guiding it into a new century.

Along with George B. Cox and Cincinnati mayor Julius Fleischmann, Herrmann bought the Cincinnati Reds from John T. Brush in 1902. By 1903 he had chaired the peace conference between the leagues that ushered in the modern game. With the leagues united, Herrmann was selected to head up the National Commission, a three-person ruling body that governed major league baseball in the years before the commissionership.

Review Quotes

"a monumental and comprehensive biography...a detailed history...important"-Sports Collectors Digest; "Cook does a good job of tapping into the source of Herrmann's success in both city politics and baseball governance...presents a balanced picture of his subject"-Nine; "a wonderful book...if you want to learn more about the progressive era and early baseball, get this book"-The Inside Game (SABR Deadball Era Committee Newsletter).

About the Author

William A. Cook is the author of numerous books, including 11 on baseball history, and has appeared in productions on ESPN2 and the MLB Network. A former health care administrator and township councilman in North Brunswick, New Jersey, he resides in Manalapan, New Jersey.