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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.357092
EAN num: 9780875803678
ISBN number: 0875803679
Label: Northern Illinois University Press
Manufacturer: Northern Illinois University Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 486
Printing Date: January 02, 2007
Publishing house: Northern Illinois University Press
Release Date: December 15, 2006
Sale Popularity Level: 137886
Studio: Northern Illinois University Press
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To the batters who faced him, pitcher Sal Maglie looked like the hurler from hell. Tall and sinister in appearance, with glowering dark eyes and a formidable five-o'clock shadow, the famed righthander earned the nickname 'Sal the Barber' for his high-inside fastball that cut dangerously close to the batter's chin. But Maglie was much more than his intimidating image. This biography provides a colorful, detailed, occasionally shocking, and often moving narrative about the son of poor Italian immigrants who rose far beyond his family's and his own early dreams and became a star pitcher for the New York Giants. He then, at the apex of his career in the mid-1950s, joined the Brooklyn Dodgers. This is the story of a man whose early mediocrity and failures in the minor leagues in no way prefigured his later sucess and fame. Maglie's major league career shines with baseball drama. He was a key player in some of the most dramatic pennant races in baseball history and a participant in several of the sport's most famous games. Women found him irresistible, and his very first marriage was at times severely strained by his infidelities. Despite his sucess in baseball, he endured pain, disappointment, and personal tragedy. Through wide-ranging research that includes interviews with Maglie's relatives, friends, former teammates, and team officials, as well as newspaper reports, books, and magazines, Judith Testa creates an insightful and compelling portrait of one of baseball's most intriguing figures. Baseball fans and people interested in baseball history and in the Italian American experience will discover new insights and a wealth of information in Sal Maglie.
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Rated by buyers 
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Man oh man! What a great book. I am sure if Mr. Maglie were still with us he would approve. I have read so many great Biogrphies,especially on Baseball players, but none as well researched as this. I was never bored. I was however educated, delightfully so. I could almost hear a lovers voice telling this story, then later more so of a loving daughter. I have to rate this as probably #1 as a researched bio,and definitely in the top 10 all time entertaining baseball bios.Very well done Judith Testa.
Rated by buyers -
Fascinating and fully substantiated biography of one of the most notable figures in the greatest and quintessential American sport of Baseball. Written in polished prose this book is on one hand a page turner and on the other hand an erudite work of art, complete with multipage bibliography and citations of interviews and published articles. You don't have to be a baseball fan or even a sports fan to appreciate this book. If you enjoy reading authentic books about the lives of prominent personages, this is the one for you.
I encourage all to buy and read this book.
Rated by buyers 
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All of the other reviews were quite lengthy, so I'll try to make my brief. This is a very good book and very well researched, except for one thing. The author noted that home plate is 14" wide, whereas it's actually 17" wide. A quick check of the rule would have caught that mistake by the author or her editors.
Though very good I couldn't give this a 5* rating, as it didn't capivate me. The book is quite long - 407 pages of actual text less pictures. The print is 10 point, so it takes some time to read.
Sal had quite a sad life. Sal's wife died at 48 from breast cancer, and left Sal with two adopted sons. He and his wife couldn't have children, so they adopted two. Being childless bothered Sal's wife no end, and she even asked relatives to adopt their yet to be born children. Sal, Jr was a problem child, became a drug addict, and died early in life. Sal, Sr. was neither a model husband or model father. Sal returned to Niagra every winter (except when he played ball), so the town remained loyal to him by honoring him with numerous Sal Maglie Days throughout his lifetime.
Rated by buyers -
I never heard of Judith Testa before, but she has done an outstanding job in bringing Sal "The Barber" Maglie to life. Maglie's career encompassed the decade of the 1950's in which he became one of only a few major leaguers to play on all three New York teams. Sal's experience in the Mexican League during the 1940s proved to be a mixed bag for him. Playing conditions and life in Mexico left a lot to be desired, but it reunited him with manager Dolf Luque who rescued Sal's career by changing him from a thrower to a pitcher. Sal benefited from Luque's instruction on his return to the major leagues in the early 1950s. Sal became part of several historic baseball events such as Bobby Thompson's legendary home run in 1951, the four game sweep of the Indians in the 1954 World Series, and being on the losing end of Don Larsen's perfecto in the 1956 World Series. Most people probably remember Maglie as a member of the Giants, but Sal stated his experiences with the Brooklyn Dodgers remained the most memorable to him. Maglie moving from the Giants to the Dodgers was akin to Leo Durocher moving from manager of the Dodgers to the Giants. It was with Brooklyn with the 1956 season winding down that Sal tossed his no-hitter against the Philadelphia Phillies. Once bitter rivals such as Jackie Robinson and Carl Furillo became close friends of Sal upon his joining the Dodgers. Baseball's Barber spent brief periods with the Yankees, Red Sox, and Cardinals while later serving as a pitching coach with the Red Sox and the one-year 1969 Seattle Pilots. His post-baseball years were not especially kind to Sal since he, like several other players of his era, had a difficult time adjusting to a lower standard of living with only a small pension to live on. If you grew up during the 1950s like I did Sal Maglie was an integral part of the baseball scene whether you a fan of his team or not. Songwriter Terry Cashman honored Sal in his song "Willie, Mickey, and The Duke" and when I think of a photo of Sal Maglie it is the 1953 Bowman colour baseball card with a sinister look on his face as he ponders the batter at home plate who has the audacity to bring a bat up to the plate. A ton of thanks to writer Judith Testa for writing this book, and to her subject who played such a significant part in baseball's glorious history. Honor your baseball library with the inclusion of this book.
Rated by buyers -
Judith Testa's book on Sal Maglie is the best book I have read about a baseball player. It is refreshing to read a sports book that is well-written and that reached deep into the players life without becoming boring. Testa handles Maglie's career and life skillfully - she always seems to include enough detail to make you feel like you were there, but not so much that you lose interest.
Sal Maglie was an interesting man and fascinating pitcher in the 1950s. Reading about some of his life was of great interest to me as a fan and collector of the old New York Giants. Learning about Sal's childhood, marriage, family and time in the Mexican League with Dolph Luque was fascinating. Reading about many of the summer games he pitched in was all new to me as you usually only read about the major games, such as his no hitter, his participation in the "Shot Heard Around the World" game, Larsen's no hitter and the Willie Mays catch off of Vic Wertz game in the 1954 World Series. The anecdotes that Judith was able to capture thru players still living that played with Maglie added a great deal to her writing. I also enjoyed reading about Maglies coaching days with the Red Sox and how he helped to educate some of the younger ballplayers about how to pitch inside and take control of the plate from the batter.
Judith is a fan of the game and the era, a talented writer who is not a baseball writer per se. I can only hope she chooses to write another baseball book!
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