Stout, funnily enough the author of Red Sox Century, documents decade by decade the ups and downs of the most storied franchise in sports, a team that almost never was. In 1903, Ban Johnson, then president of the American League, sat in his office in the Flatiron building fighting his two-year-old battle to place a new franchise in New York. At a time when "the subway system took shape underground, [when] working farms still dotted the upper reaches of Manhattan," Johnson had to compete with then Giants owner Andrew Freedman, who legally could do little to keep Johnson out, but as a Tammany Hall member "practically" could stop the franchise before the first pitch. Johnson eventually won out, and the Yankees soon erected their first stadium in Washington Heights and signed their first star, Wee Willie Keeler. From this departure point the book examines various eras of Yankee dominance, usually centered on the star of that age, be it Ruth, DiMaggio, Mantle, Jackson or Jeter. The book (which includes writings by Ira Berkow, Howard Bryant, Charles Devens, David Halberstam, Ring Lardner and Molly O'Neil) traces the key games and events of the years and blends them into a strong narrative. A well-written and thorough look at the Yanks, it will nevertheless take a true (and devoted) fan to devour all the play-by-play of past games. Still, this is essential for Yankees fans. (Sept. 4)
