Book Review

Home Run Reading:
Clearing The Bases,The Greatest Baseball Debates Of The Last Century
by Allen Barra
(St. Martin's Press, 2002)

reviewed by Richard A. Forsten, Esquire

(Reviewer's Note: Not everything has to be about the law, and so I thought I'd review something a little less legal in nature, but something equally as important: baseball).

Who was (or is) the best pitcher in baseball history? Who was (or is) the best overall player in the modern era (ie., starting in 1950)? Who was better, Mickey Mantle or Willie Mays? These are just some of the questions that Allen Barra tackles (I know, that's a football term, sorry) in Clearing The Bases, The Greatest Baseball Debates Of The Last Century. Barra's book is an informed but fun read, that is often surprising, but is always well argued and well supported.

So, who is the greatest player of the modern era? There certainly is no shortage of possible candidates: Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Hank Aaron, Joe Morgan, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey, Jr.? But no, Barra settles on a player who won eight home run titles in sixteen full seasons, led his league in slugging in five seasons, on-base percentage in three seasons and won ten gold gloves. His choice for the greatest player of the modern era: Mike Schmidt. Surprised? Well, Barra makes an excellent case. Among other things, Schmidt won twice as many home run titles as Mantle and Mays combined. Indeed, no player in the modern era other than Schmidt has ever won more than four home run titles — yet Schmidt did it eight times. Barra's analysis is pretty compelling, although he admits that it is difficult for him to pick Schmidt over Williams or Musial, Mays or Mantle.

What about the best pitcher? Here, Barra looks at all of baseball history and focuses on Lefty Grove, Walter Johnson, Sandy Koufax and Roger Clemens. After breaking down all of the statistics, backwards and forwards, he concludes that Roger Clemens is the greatest pitcher of all time. Not convinced? Go through the numbers. It's close, but Barra makes a good case. (Personally, I wish Barra had looked a little closer at Cy Young — the man won 511 games, a record which, of all the records in baseball, will never be broken — but then again, this is Barra's book and arguments, not mine).

Another tough case to make: Mantle over Mays? Yes, that's what Barra concludes after an exhaustive review of their careers and statistics. This chapter was probably the hardest for Barra to write, because he confesses to growing up a Willie Mays fan. But he goes with what the numbers tell him, and the numbers tell him Mantle.

I could easily go on and on. Barra's writing on baseball is a joy to read and will cause you to look at the game and its history in a new light and with a new appreciation. He writes about Joe Jackson, why pitchers don't pitch complete games like they used to, and the 1986 Mets — the dynasty that never was. Towards the end, Barra throws in a few chapters on football, tackling (now the term applies) such topics as the greatest quarterback ever and the greatest running back ever. He also does a comparison of Bill Russell to Wilt Chamberlain.

For anyone with even a passing interest in baseball, Clearing The Bases, is fun. Hopefully there will be no strike-shortened season this year, but whether there is or not, Clearing The Bases reminds us of what baseball should be and why folks follow baseball to begin with.

Return to September 2002 Table of Contents.