October Men: Reggie Jackson, George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin, and the Yankees' Miraculous Finish in 1978

by Roger Kahn

Book Overview

On the morning of October 2, 1978, the World Champion NewYork Yankees found themselves tied for first place with the Boston Red Sox. That day these rousing ball clubs would meet at Fenway Park. Both... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0156029715
• Release Date: March 2004
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 1.0" x 5.3"

Customer Reviews

What More Can Be Said on Steinbrenner's Yankees

Forests have been leveled to accommodate the number of books that have been written about the New York Yankees especially during the Steinbrenner years, and you have to wonder what can be said that hasn't been written about numerous times before. However, if I were to have only one book on this subject (I have several) this latest offering by Roger Kahn is the one I would choose. I admit to being partial to Kahn's writing in regard to baseball, but he delves into the personalities of George Steinbrenner, Billy Martin, Al Rosen, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Sparky Lyle, Gabe Paul, Dick Young, Larry MacPhail, and others with anecdotes and humor you probably haven't heard before. This book is littered with stress and alcohol as conflicting personalities clash their way through the 1978 season. Yes, part of the book provides a little history in regard to the Red Sox and Yankees in regard to their previous ownership, but even in this, the author tells these stories with quotes I haven't read in previous books. If you have enjoyed reading other books on this subject, and especially if you enjoy Roger Kahn's writing, this book will not disappoint you.

A Quite Wonderful Book

As my title suggests this is a splendid book, as remarkable in its way as Kahn's "The Boys of Summer," which a Sports Illustrated panel recently selected as the greatest baseball book ever written. The October Men are a different breed, contentious, many from broken homes, all dealing with a gifted but ferocius boss named Steinbrenner and a manager, Billy Martin, who was equally paranoid and brilliant (until the fourth drink, when he stopped being brilliant).It is remarkable how Kahn has brought these people so vividly to life 25 years later. The great race toward a championship, which includes Bucky Dent's famous October homer has never been more thrilling. Kahn interweaves social history, Yankee background, racism, social unrest with the touch of a great artist, which he is. He calls Reggie Jackson not a personality, but an earth force. What else can anyone say.If this sounds extravagent, I am not alone. I've noted elsewhere on the Internet that "October Men" has drawn rave reviews from Time Magazine, The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Dallas Morning News and just every other important media spot.... Buy this book and learm what real big-league baseball and great writing are all about.

Not Another "Boys Of Summer" But It's Not Trying To Be

I imagine it must be both a blessing and a curse to have written the Greatest Baseball Book of All Time. A blessing, from the outer recognition and inner satisfaction such an achievement brings; and a curse, because every time you again put ink to paper, your new child will be measured against your most successful offspring.I read the review stating that Roger Kahn's "October Men" is in the tradition of "Boys of Summer" and I ask in wonder if that writer read the earlier work. The first third of "Boys" is Kahn's memoir of growing up in Brooklyn as a Dodger fan, then covering the great team of 1952-53; but the heart of the book is his story of revisiting these men in middle age as they cope with life's challenges. Kahn himself said it's not a book about baseball but about "time and what time does to us all." A true classic, and deservedly so.That being said, the focus of "October Men" is on the wild, raucous Yankees of 1977-78. Although there are notations on what's happened to many of those Yanks in the quarter century that's passed, the spotlight is clearly on those two wild seasons. And that's just fine. It's a great story, and Kahn brings all his observational and descriptive skills to bear in telling it with insight, humor, and narrative power. Anyone who lived through that era should enjoy having it brought back to life so vividly; and for those youngsters who may wonder what all the fuss was about involving George and Billy and Reggie and Thurman and crew, there's no better introduction to their story.

"The Boys of Summer" for the next generation!

Kahn once again affirms his brilliance. No one writes better about Baseball, particularly New York Baseball. This new work is, to my thinking, his best ever.Of course, there is enough drama, character (and characters) for everyone and his Daddy to be able to write about baseball in general, and the New York Yankees in particular. Kahn takes the challenge of this much material on, and comes up with a better book than I can recall about Baseball ever. It covers a great deal, but his writing style is SO enjoyable, that it moves incredibly rapidly.He writes a bit about the history of New York Baseball, Willie, Mickey and the Duke, Joe D., Stengel, Berra, Jackson, Gehrig and of course Ruth (as have many others). Only Kahn, however, puts the sale in terms of 2003 dollars (proving it to be by far the hugest baseball deal of all time). ?Goodbye grits, Hello Oysters Rockefeller?. Who has ever turned such a phrase? No one but Kahn, telling in these five words more than anyone else has written before about the deal which brought North Carolinian Jim ?Catfish? Hunter to the Yankees. Being a passionate fan of New York baseball for more than half a century, Kahn has a love and knowledge of baseball second to none. Few writers (only Roger Angell and David Halberstam come to mind as near competitors) are able to bring this passion from heart to paper. He also writes this story in a manner most comprehensive, bringing the reader into the context of the story by relating what is happening in New York and the country which impacts the Yankees? story (this may be an answer to the criticism of another reviewer who laments the mention of U.S. Presidents and N.Y. Mayors).In taking about troubles experienced by ?The Dark Prince?, Billy Martin, Kahn notes that Herman Melville had written two busts: ?Redburn? and ?Mardi? before his epic Moby Dick. I don?t know if Kahn had written any busts before, but regardless of what else Kahn had written before, this is as great! Any lover of The Greatest Game On Earth will love this book.

October Men-A Book for all seaqsons

This is a terrific book that I could not put down. I was so surprise by it's contents. Most sports books about a certain event, there is the obligatory "Background chapter" where a brief history is given and then a great deal of detail about the event. Not so here.Mr. Kahn first presents a detailed history of the Yankees, a history involving money, sports and racism. In learning about the early Yankees and their special relationship with and the Red Sox, Mr. Kahn presents lot more pieces to the Babe Ruth Acquisition than I had known. It was fascinating to read about the previous owners, their relationships with their Managers and General Managers. There are reminders of the days before free agency, when the owners virtually owned the players.But more than just one pennant race, one great season, this is story about people. It is story about the self-destructing Billy Martin, the Powerful George Steinbrenner...it's a story about Thurman Munson, Reggie Jackson, Al Rosen and so many others. Its about how a baseball team is run and it is also a story about the reporters who covered them. If you like baseball, if you like the Yankees this behind the scenes look at a century, a decade and especially a year is compelling. Just remember: The 1978 World series is the conclusion of a great tale, the book is about so muc more than one year.