The Summer Game

The Summer Game collects Roger Angell's baseball writings from 1962-1972, originally published in The New Yorker magazine. These essays chronicle a transformative decade in baseball history, including expansion teams, new stadiums, and changing dynamics in America's pastime. Angell travels to spring training sites, World Series games, and ballparks across the country to capture the sport's characters and culture. His reporting combines play-by-play accounts of crucial games with profiles of players, managers, and fans who shape baseball's daily rhythms. By following teams like the New York Mets from their bumbling inception to their 1969 championship, Angell documents both statistics and human stories. The narrative spans baseball's evolution from a regional sport into a national television phenomenon. The collection transcends standard sportswriting to explore deeper connections between baseball and American life in the 1960s. Through careful observation and precise language, Angell reveals how the game reflects broader cultural shifts while maintaining its timeless appeal.

Readers consistently note Angell's ability to capture baseball's emotional essence through detailed observations and lyrical writing. Many reviews highlight his descriptions of specific games and players from the 1960s that make readers feel present at the ballpark. Readers appreciate: - Historical value as a time capsule of 1960s baseball - Writing style that blends journalism with literary prose - Personal reflections that connect baseball to American culture - Detailed portraits of players like Tom Seaver and Carl Yastrzemski Common criticisms: - Some essays feel dated or require context about 1960s baseball - Focus on New York teams at expense of other markets - Occasional sections drag with excessive detail Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (482 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (89 ratings) "Angell writes about baseball the way John Updike writes about art," notes one Amazon reviewer. A Goodreads user states: "His metaphors and descriptions make routine plays feel like poetry."

Five Seasons by Roger Angell A collection of baseball essays spanning 1972-1976 continues Angell's chronicle of the sport with the same blend of personal observation and historical perspective found in The Summer Game.

The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn The story follows the Brooklyn Dodgers through their golden years and into retirement, capturing baseball's impact on both players and communities.

Ball Four by Jim Bouton A pitcher's diary of the 1969 season reveals the behind-the-scenes reality of professional baseball through firsthand accounts and clubhouse stories.

Hub Fans Bid Kid Adieu by John Updike This extended essay chronicles Ted Williams' final game at Fenway Park while examining the relationship between athletes and their followers.

The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence S. Ritter First-person accounts from early baseball players born between 1880 and 1900 preserve the voices and experiences of the game's foundational era.

🌟 Roger Angell started writing about baseball for The New Yorker in 1962 when he was 42 years old, and this book collects his first decade of baseball essays. ⚾ The book captures the expansion era of baseball (1962-1972), including the birth of the New York Mets and their miraculous 1969 World Series victory. 📝 Angell's stepfather was E.B. White, famous for "Charlotte's Web," and both men were longtime contributors to The New Yorker, helping shape the magazine's distinctive style. 🏆 The author continued writing about baseball well into his 90s, becoming the first non-newspaper writer to receive the Baseball Hall of Fame's J.G. Taylor Spink Award in 2014. 📚 The book is widely considered one of the finest pieces of baseball literature ever written, with The New York Times calling Angell "the poet laureate of baseball."