When the Game Changed - by George Castle (Paperback)

About the Book

An authoritative look back at the decade that brought America's favorite game into the modern era.

Book Synopsis

An authoritative look back at the decade that brought America's favorite game into the modern era.

From the Back Cover

Acclaimed baseball writer George Castle recreates the sport's most revolutionary decade via the memories of those who played, managed, and covered baseball from 1969 to 1979. During these ten years, baseball arose from a sport perceived as slow and old-fashioned (playing second fiddle to the booming NFL) to become faster-paced, more inclusive, and progressive. In addition to a remarkable array of Hall of Famers and budding stars, the era saw rules tweaked to promote offense, free agency, arbitration, the first players' strike, the designated hitter, the first African-American manager, the first all-black and Latin starting lineup, baseball's first $1 million annual salary, the rise of the closer and bullpen specialization, Tommy John surgery--and much, much more. Contributors include: A-list players and managers such as Fergie Jenkins, Billy Williams, Gaylord Perry, Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, Bruce Sutter, Brooks Robinson, Orlando Cepeda, Tom Seaver, Phil Niekro, Jim Rice, Jim Palmer, Bert Blyleven, Tommy John, Lou Piniella, Fred Lynn, Luis Tiant, Earl Weaver, and Sparky Anderson; as well as everyday players; coaches; front-office staff; announcers; and sportswriters.

Review Quotes

"I pitched throughout the era, not knowing the ongoing history of the game as well as I should, but George Castle was on top of his game during that time. George knows baseball history as well as any journalist or author in today's game and will certainly bring this era to life in this book."

-Ferguson Jenkins, Hall of Famer and 1971 NL Cy Young Award winner

"I have read all of George Castle's books, and I can say without hesitation that he is one of those rare individuals who is extremely gifted both as a reporter and a writer. I have also seen George work the Cubs' clubhouse, and it is clear that he has a rapport with team personnel that no other reporter in Chicago can touch. They trust him and they respect him, which means they will also tell him things they will never dare tell anyone else."

--Buzz Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights and Three Nights in August

"I had the wonderful opportunity to play professional baseball over fifteen seasons, and of all the characters in this great game, no one stood out like George Castle. He has always shown to have the most knowledge of anyone when it comes to baseball history. I spent a full season with him on his radio show, Diamond Gems, and his wealth of information on baseball is mindboggling. For those who take the time to read this gem, be prepared to learn more than you ever have about the game."

--Doug Glanville, former Phillies and Cubs outfielder and now a NYTimes.com baseball columnist

"From uniforms to facial hair to Afros to strike zones, this decade saw it all. . . .If you're a baseball fan, and especially one who grew up idolizing the players of the '70s, this is a must read."

--Chicago Examiner

About the Author

George Castle has covered Major League Baseball and the Chicago Cubs since 1980 for a variety of newspapers and magazines, and for the Times of Northwest Indiana, the Chicago area's fourth-largest daily newspaper. An author of nine books, he hosts and produces a weekly syndicated baseball show, Diamond Gems, which is broadcast on 35 affiliates and a national sports radio Internet network. Castle has become a multimedia purveyor of baseball inside information and analysis, using a network of close clubhouse and front-office relationships to continually produce scoops and informative pieces that outflank other media. He has gotten to know--and gain the trust--of almost all of the important figures in Chicago and genearl baseball history. Castle has also appeared on a wide variety of network radio--including ESPN, Sporting News, and Sirius--and local sports-talk radio programs. He was tapped by producers as one of the historical experts on the Cubs for Wait Til' Next Year: The Saga of the Chicago Cubs, the HBO 2006 special on the team. He lives in Chicago.