Audiobook9 hours
Electric October: Seven World Series Games, Six Lives, Five Minutes of Fame That Lasted Forever
Written by Kevin Cook
Narrated by Joe Barrett
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
()
About this audiobook
The 1947 World Series was "the most exciting ever" in the words of Joe DiMaggio, with a decade's worth of drama packed into seven games between the mighty New York Yankees and underdog Brooklyn Dodgers. It was Jackie Robinson's first Series, a postwar spectacle featuring Frank Sinatra, Ernest Hemingway, and President Harry Truman in supporting roles. It was also the first televised World Series-sportswriters called it "Electric October."
But for all the star power on display, the outcome hinged on role players: Bill Bevens, a journeyman who knocked on the door of pitching immortality; Al Gionfriddo and Cookie Lavagetto, bench players at the center of the Series' iconic moments; Snuffy Stirnweiss, a wartime batting champion who never got any respect; and managers Bucky Harris and Burt Shotton, each an unlikely choice to run his team.
Kevin Cook brings the '47 Series to life, introducing us to men whose past offered no hint they were destined for extraordinary things. For some, the Series was a memory to hold onto. For others, it would haunt them to the end of their days. And for us, Cook offers new insights-at once heartbreaking and uplifting-into what fame and glory truly mean.
But for all the star power on display, the outcome hinged on role players: Bill Bevens, a journeyman who knocked on the door of pitching immortality; Al Gionfriddo and Cookie Lavagetto, bench players at the center of the Series' iconic moments; Snuffy Stirnweiss, a wartime batting champion who never got any respect; and managers Bucky Harris and Burt Shotton, each an unlikely choice to run his team.
Kevin Cook brings the '47 Series to life, introducing us to men whose past offered no hint they were destined for extraordinary things. For some, the Series was a memory to hold onto. For others, it would haunt them to the end of their days. And for us, Cook offers new insights-at once heartbreaking and uplifting-into what fame and glory truly mean.
Author
Kevin Cook
Kevin Cook is the author of over ten books, including The Burning Blue, Ten Innings at Wrigley, and Kitty Genovese. He has written for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, GQ, Smithsonian, and many other publications and has often appeared on CNN, NPR, and Fox News. An Indiana native, he lives in Northampton, Massachusetts.
More audiobooks from Kevin Cook
Waco Rising: David Koresh, the FBI, and the Birth of America's Modern Militias Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Home Game: Big-League Stories from My Life in Baseball's First Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Tommy's Honor: The Story of Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris, Golf's Founding Father and Son Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Burning Blue: The Untold Story of Christa McAuliffe and NASA's Challenger Disaster Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, with Baseball on the Brink Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related to Electric October
Related audiobooks
Billy Ball: Billy Martin and the Resurrection of the Oakland A's Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5In Scoring Position: 40 Years of a Baseball Love Affair Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWarren Spahn: A Biography of the Legendary Lefty Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Mantle: The Best There Ever Was Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Leo Durocher: Baseball's Prodigal Son Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Fall from Grace: The Truth and Tragedy of “Shoeless Joe” Jackson Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Tom Seaver: A Terrific Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Here's the Catch: A Memoir of the Miracle Mets and More Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic: Reggie, Rollie, Catfish, and Charlie Finley's Swingin' A's Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Yogi Berra: Eternal Yankee Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5108 Stitches: Loose Threads, Ripping Yarns, and the Darndest Characters from My Time in the Game Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the '69 Mets Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson's First Season Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5So Many Ways to Lose: The Amazin’ True Story of the New York Mets—the Best Worst Team in Sports Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Memories from the Microphone: A Century of Baseball Broadcasting Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Grinders: Baseball's Intrepid Infantry Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsLou Gehrig: The Lost Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Inside The Empire: The True Power Behind the New York Yankees Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Moment in Time: An American Story of Baseball, Heartbreak, and Grace Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Year of the Pitcher: Bob Gibson, Denny McLain, and the End of Baseball's Golden Age Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Intangiball: The Subtle Things That Win Baseball Games Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Lou: Fifty Years of Kicking Dirt, Playing Hard, and Winning Big in the Sweet Spot of Baseball Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Long Shot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Called Shot: Babe Ruth, the Chicago Cubs, and the Unforgettable Major League Baseball Season of 1932 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5America's Game: The Epic Story of How Pro Football Captured a Nation Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Sports & Recreation For You
Getting to Neutral: How to Conquer Negativity and Thrive in a Chaotic World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How Am I Doing?: 40 Conversations to Have with Yourself Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Right Call: What Sports Teach Us About Leadership, Excellence, and Decision-Making Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Straight Shooter: A Memoir of Second Chances and First Takes Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Cactus Jack: A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Gambler: Secrets from a Life at Risk Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A River Runs Through It Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It Takes What It Takes: How to Think Neutrally and Gain Control of Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Relentless: From Good to Great to Unstoppable Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Mindful Athlete: Secrets to Pure Performance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Peak: The New Science of Athletic Performance That is Revolutionizing Sports Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Confident Mind: A Battle-Tested Guide to Unshakable Performance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Read Nature: An Expert's Guide to Discovering the Outdoors You've Never Noticed Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mental Toughness Training For Young Athletes - Parent's Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sixty-One: Life Lessons from Papa, On and Off the Court Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike's Elite Running Team Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Pivots, Blockers, and Jammers: The History of Roller Derby Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ringmaster: Vince McMahon and the Unmaking of America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/580/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster by Training Slower Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Path Lit By Lightning Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Religion of Sports: Navigating the Trials of Life through the Games we Love Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wooden: A Lifetime of Observations and Reflections On and Off the Court Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Arthur: The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Just Tyrus: A Memoir Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Electric October
Rating: 4.178571357142857 out of 5 stars
4/5
28 ratings10 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I am a sucker for baseball books, so this one was right up my alley. I loved it! Cook tells so much more than the story of the 1947 World Series. He tells the story of some of the men who played a part in it complete with their back-stories, the effects on their lives later, and the effects on their families. Cook takes all of these stories and seamlessly weaves them together into a narrative that would be interesting even if you aren't a baseball fan. It's a great book.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5"Electric October" is a delightful account of the 1947 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers as seen by six of its participants. The former are represented by manager Bucky Harris, infielder George Sternweiss and pitcher Bill Bevins, the latter by manager Burt Shotton, outfielder AL Gionfriddo and infielder Cookie Lavagetto. Author Kevin Cook offers a brief biography of each person with which we can see a long-ago America, an America of the late nineteenth- and early-twentieth century: kids growing up in small towns with dads who worked six (or seven) days a week, kids who had to drop out of school to work to help the family survive, kids whose only escape was playing baseball. Kids who beat all the odds and made it to the Big Leagues. Harris and Shotton and Lavagetto were (or became) baseball lifers, spending decades in the game as player, coach, manager, or executive, at all levels of the game. The others had the proverbial "cup of coffee," with two-three-four seasons at most at the highest level. But long tenure or short, all six men can truly be deemed as "lifers," the game never far from their heart and soul. Washington Post sportswriter Tom Boswell once memorably penned something to the effect that, at around age eight or nine, the game grabs of you and never lets go. As it did with these six. And their trials through life, from Pennsylvania to California, from broken homes and enduring tough times (imagine growing up in the Depression which was immediately followed by a world war), these six found themselves together in two of baseball's most fabled green cathedrals (Yankee Stadium and Ebbets Field) in baseball's greatest moment, the World Series. Mr Cook has written a very readable book, similar in vein to Halberstam's "October 1964" and Kahn's "Boys of Summer" but without attempting to wrench soul-searing drama from every moment. There is no lack of poignant moments, to be sure, but this work is not soap opera or docu-drama; rather, it is simply an excellent story, well told, of six guys who loved baseball, and who found themselves together for nine days one early October, seven decades ago. May that our descendants, seven decades from now, treat us as honestly and respectfully, and with such affection.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I read this book in two sittings. It is a gem of a book if you are interested in baseball history. Author Kevin Cook chose the very memorable 1947 World Series with six of the influential members who achieved fame, however fleeting, in this fall classic. Bill Bevens, Al Gionfriddo, Cookie Lavagetto, Snuffy Stirnweiss, Burt Shotten, and Bucky Harris are the featured individuals. Author Cook introduces each of the notables during their growing up years and the difficult childhood they experienced. The Christmas present of one of them was to take one shot out of a B B gun. We also learn how Bill Bevens received his nickname of "Bill." The fan in Ebbets Field who serenaded his favorite player, Cookie Lavagetto. Bucky Harris and Burt Shotton leaders of their respective teams and their players thoughts of each of them. Shotton had to suddenly step into the Dodgers job when Durocher was suspended and be a calming influence with the coming of Jackie Robinson onto the team. The regret of one of the featured players was that he signed the petition against Robinson playing on the Dodgers.The book also includes a summary of each of the seven games of the 1947 World Series. I often find this to be difficult to get through in books but in this case the author made it interesting to me. We also get to know how different team members got along with one another. We are treated (?) to the bombastic roaring redhead, Larry MacPhail's drunken exit during the Yankees' celebration following their Series win.The book concludes with a review of each of the featured individuals and their life following the 1947 Series. Some went on to longer careers in baseball as managers or coaches while others found the going to be difficult to remain in the game. The book contains sixteen pages of photos several of which I have not seen previously. If you enjoy baseball history this book belongs in your library.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Electric October, the story of the 1947 World Series between the Yankees and the Dodgers provides a very human backdrop to the unfolding drama. Kevin Cook selected six individuals – ranging from role players, bench sitters and a former wunderkind manager to tell the story before, during, and after the seven-game series. Their stories are quite a contrast from those you might think of as the stars of the game – Joe DiMaggio and Jackie Robinson and the fact that this was the first World Series televised, although with an audience that primarily was limited to East Coast bars and taverns. Cook does a good job of interweaving the stories into a coherent accounting of the games. Although their fame was limited (only one made it to the baseball Hall of Fame and that was only after intense lobbying with the Veterans’ Committee), the six lives highlighted in the book are both fascinating and heartbreaking – pitching eight and two thirds inning of no-hit baseball and losing the game – make for a great way to live this history again.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Electric October is a book about baseball, and specifically the 1947 World Series. But more than that, it goes beyond the game to examine what happened to the participants in this most exciting series. Yankees Bill Bevens and Snuffy Stirnweiss, Dodgers Al Gionfriddo and Cookie Lavagetto, and the managers Bucky Harris and Burt Shotton, all played key roles in the seven gripping games. To some of us baseball fans, we do know those names (like Stirnweiss for winning the batting championship or Lavagetto for being the first manager of the Twins), but mostly this was their brief moment of glory, making this one of the most exciting Series. What happened to these six characters in the following years rounds out the full story detailed in this book. This is perhaps not a book for everyone, but for devoted fans of the game it will keep you absorbed throughout.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Kevin Cook does a good job of sharing the backstory behind the 1947 World Series. After introducing the focal participants, he summarizes the games by highlighting the actions of these lesser known players who contributed to each team's success. You won't find a lot here about Robinson or DiMaggio--enough has been written about them. Electric October isn't exactly a page-turner, but it's a good read for anyone who is a fan of the game.
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5An engaging profile of six (6) lesser known participants in the 1947 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, a seven (7) game classic. Cook's account focuses on the lives and contributions of players: Stuffy Stirnweiss, Cookie Lavagetto, Bill Bevens and Al Gionfriddo; as well as managers: Bucky Harris and Burt Shotton. As engaging, and perhaps deserving of its own full account, was Cook's account of the 1924 World Series, which Harris' won as the 27 year old player manager of the Washington Senators. The book is expertly researched and contains details of the time that really bring the book to life. While engaging, Electric October does not quite meet Halberstam expectations. The book clunks along in spots and could perhaps benefit with more fluid organization. Overall, a worthwhile read.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Kevin Cook's Electric October: Seven World Series Games, Six Lives, Five Minutes of Fame That Lasted Forever is a wonderfully crafted baseball book, written in a smooth, breezy style, that chronicles the lives and careers six key men in the epic 1947 Dodgers vs. Yankees World Series: Snuffy Stirnweiss, Bill Bevens, Cookie Lavagetto, Al Gionfriddo, Bucky Harris, and Burt Shotton. Cook weaves together the threads of their early lives and careers into the fabric of that remarkable seven-game Series, and then traces their trails out into the ups and downs of their later years. The author's description of game action is highly engaging, and he displays a deft hand sketching their human side away from the diamond.My only minor quibble is that in the midst of the World Series game action, Cook occasionally cites players' WAR (wins above replacement), one of the newer baseball metrics designed to gauge a player's overall value. While some may find the WAR stat useful in this historical context (I don't, primarily because I don't fully understand its calculation nor accept its validity), its placement in the book jarringly took me out of that simpler time and place 70 years ago, albeit momentarily, that he had otherwise recreated so vividly with his seemingly effortless storytelling ability.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Well told story of the 1947 World Series between the Dodgers and Yankees, seen through the eyes of six of the participants. Bucky Harris, Snuffy Stirnweiss and Bill Bevens' Yanks defeated Burt Shotton, Al Gionfriddo and Cookie Lavagetto's Dodgers four games to three in what at the time was widely considered the greatest World Series ever. The book relates the experiences of these six men and how seven days in October affected them for the rest of their lives.I've now read six books of this type that relate all the details of a single season or cluster of seasons; Crazy '08, Baseball in '41, Summer of '49, October of 1964 and Dynastic, Bombastic and Fantastic, written by such notables as Robert Creamer and David Halberstam, and this latest is every bit as good as those were. I'd never heard of Kevin Cook before, but I'll gladly read any other baseball books he cares to write.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5An enjoyable baseball book focusing on 6 less famous participants in the 1947 World Series, their background, the seven series games, and their lives afterwards. Juggling 6 lives occasionally created a bit of confusion but it presented a good picture of the reality of baseball lives, the ups and downs, negotiating fame and a family through it all.