Thurman Munson’s newest biography, the third, has the whole story of his fatal plane crash, the demons he fought all his life, and a humanity he only allowed his closest friends and family saw.
Charles O. Finley, owner of the Kansas City/Oakland A’s was one of the most innovative owners ever. But his biggest changes were unintentional, driven by his ego and greed, and they forced him out of baseball.
Yankee managing partner George Steinbrenner was an authoritarian, intrustive team owner, who loved controversy and seeing his name in the media. Though he mellowed in his final years, tumult was the order of the day in Yankeedom.
The first part of Dayn Perry’s biography of Reggie Jackson speculates too much on his psychological deficits. Perry never spoke to Jackson. Part 2 recycles well-known years about Reggie’s Yankee years.
Thurman Munson was a great ballplayer, but deeply sensitive and insecure. He held grudges and had several rivalries with teammates opponents, and the media.
George Steinbrenner changed baseball, like him or not.
Charles O. Finley was the most innovative baseball owners since Bill Veeck. His two most important, lasting changes were accidents that forced him out of baseball: he was the first to lose a star player in salary arbitration and another star to free agency. A career insurance salesman with no baseball experience, he also took a team of perennial losers and, as his own general manager, won three straight World Championships with players he developed in his farm system. Only Connie Mack, owner/general manager of the Philadelphia A’s, a lifelong baseball man, matched that achievement.