John Moody (1)

The Pittsburgh Pirates hadn't been a winning team until they won the World Series in 1960, beating the Yankees, and a significant part of their success that season was due to a pitcher named Vernon Law. Law was a Mormon from Idaho whose fastball and clean living set a great example - especially for a boy like Moody - and the hard-working "ironman" once pitched 18 innings in a single game. But in the revelry following winning the National League pennant, some drunken and rough-housing teammates injured Law's ankle. In spite of the painful injury he won Games 1 and 4, but by Game 7 it became apparent that it was affecting his pitching. Because he had to adjust his delivery, it also caused him a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder, and his career never really recovered.

First let me clarify that Moody is *not* a Mormon; he is simply a great admirer of Vernon Law. He explains a lot about the Mormon Church, and not only does he get it right, he is also very admiring of Law's religious beliefs. But in spite of his hero-worship, the book is about more than just Law; it's about a team that pulled together and did something unexpected, as well as a story about the smoky town of Pittsburgh which didn't get a lot of respect back then. It's also his own story of growing up in Steel-town, and it all comes together in a book that anyone who's ever had a sports hero can relate to. At first, his condescending comparisons of players and kids then and now was a little annoying, but I had to admit he had some valid points. And the chapter where he chronicles the Series was told with such excitement that I could barely put the book down. I'm not sure how important or well-known of a "mystery" it was over who caused the injury to Law, but I found the book to be a fun, easy, and nostalgic read (loaded with pictures). Even though 1960 was way before my time, I could easily relate to the worship of a sports hero, and the way a favorite team gave a small city something to cheer for.… (mais)

The Pittsburgh Pirates hadn't been a winning team until they won the World Series in 1960, beating the Yankees, and a significant part of their success that season was due to a pitcher named Vernon Law. Law was a Mormon from Idaho whose fastball and clean living set a great example - especially for a boy like Moody - and the hard-working "ironman" once pitched 18 innings in a single game. But in the revelry following winning the National League pennant, some drunken and rough-housing teammates injured Law's ankle. In spite of the painful injury he won Games 1 and 4, but by Game 7 it became apparent that it was affecting his pitching. Because he had to adjust his delivery, it also caused him a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder, and his career never really recovered.

First let me clarify that Moody is *not* a Mormon; he is simply a great admirer of Vernon Law. He explains a lot about the Mormon Church, and not only does he get it right, he is also very admiring of Law's religious beliefs. But in spite of his hero-worship, the book is about more than just Law; it's about a team that pulled together and did something unexpected, as well as a story about the smoky town of Pittsburgh which didn't get a lot of respect back then. It's also his own story of growing up in Steel-town, and it all comes together in a book that anyone who's ever had a sports hero can relate to. At first, his condescending comparisons of players and kids then and now was a little annoying, but I had to admit he had some valid points. And the chapter where he chronicles the Series was told with such excitement that I could barely put the book down. I'm not sure how important or well-known of a "mystery" it was over who caused the injury to Law, but I found the book to be a fun, easy, and nostalgic read (loaded with pictures). Even though 1960 was way before my time, I could easily relate to the worship of a sports hero, and the way a favorite team gave a small city something to cheer for.… (mais)

The Pittsburgh Pirates hadn't been a winning team until they won the World Series in 1960, beating the Yankees, and a significant part of their success that season was due to a pitcher named Vernon Law. Law was a Mormon from Idaho whose fastball and clean living set a great example - especially for a boy like Moody - and the hard-working "ironman" once pitched 18 innings in a single game. But in the revelry following winning the National League pennant, some drunken and rough-housing teammates injured Law's ankle. In spite of the painful injury he won Games 1 and 4, but by Game 7 it became apparent that it was affecting his pitching. Because he had to adjust his delivery, it also caused him a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder, and his career never really recovered.

First let me clarify that Moody is *not* a Mormon; he is simply a great admirer of Vernon Law. He explains a lot about the Mormon Church, and not only does he get it right, he is also very admiring of Law's religious beliefs. But in spite of his hero-worship, the book is about more than just Law; it's about a team that pulled together and did something unexpected, as well as a story about the smoky town of Pittsburgh which didn't get a lot of respect back then. It's also his own story of growing up in Steel-town, and it all comes together in a book that anyone who's ever had a sports hero can relate to. At first, his condescending comparisons of players and kids then and now was a little annoying, but I had to admit he had some valid points. And the chapter where he chronicles the Series was told with such excitement that I could barely put the book down. I'm not sure how important or well-known of a "mystery" it was over who caused the injury to Law, but I found the book to be a fun, easy, and nostalgic read (loaded with pictures). Even though 1960 was way before my time, I could easily relate to the worship of a sports hero, and the way a favorite team gave a small city something to cheer for.… (mais)

I enjoyed reading this book as it relates the life in baseball of the only Mormon playing baseball in 1960, Vernon Law of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates were the Cinderella team that year by beating the notorious New York Yankees in the World Series.

The author, a long-time fan of Law's talks of how the Pirates were of ultimate importance to him as a six-year old boy living in Pittsburgh. Other readers have discounted the author's detours into his personal life as a fan of Law and the Pirates. But I really related since the other is roughly one month older than me. I paints a great picture of what baseball meant to us Baby Boomers in the 50s and 60s. I too, as a Mormon, was excited to see Vernon Law on the mound the few chances we got to see a Pirates game on TV in California. In those days before 24/7 sports channels and cable TV, we were lucky to see the Game of the Week on TV. Growing up a San Francisco Giants fan, I always hoped to see the Pirates on TV with the hopes that Law would be pitching that day.

In the last chapter of the book, the author has members of the 1960 World Series winning Pittsburgh Pirates share short recollections of that season. Several of them state that they aren't mad that today's players are negotiating multi-million dollar contracts. One player said me got just a little over $6,000 bonus for being a member of the World Series winning team that year. Many of these same players argue that many of today's players wouldn't have been playing major league baseball back in the 50s and 60s since there were only twelve teams then. With three times as many teams today, many of today's players would only be able to play minor league baseball during the 50s and 60s.

If you enjoy the Golden Age of baseball, if you enjoy learning about a true gentleman and a hero, with you enjoy a Cinderella story, then this book is for you.… (mais)