cover image Innocence and Wonder: Baseball Through the Eyes of Batboys

Innocence and Wonder: Baseball Through the Eyes of Batboys

Neil Isaacs. Masters Press, $14.95 (242pp) ISBN 978-1-57028-000-9

Leaving no base untouched, Isaacs has assembled an oral history of batboys from 1915 to '91. Fans weary of tiresome analogies about baseball being life, and America besides, will rediscover that it's only a game played by talented men with foibles. Batboys recall the shock of seeing idols smoking (never in dugouts), name the good and bad tippers and reveal the off-stage mettle of stars. Hank Le Bost remembers Babe Ruth ``as an outstanding pitcher,'' and George Catloth saw ``crazy'' Ruth throw cherry bombs in the showers. Maury Povich (yes, the Maury Povich) recalls the ``classic batboy's nightmare,'' freezing as a runner came toward him, sliding for the plate. New batboys learned fast never to take a bat from a hitter's hand and some were privy to suspicions of who was ``corking'' bats. Unwelcome changes include the need to ``babysit millionaires,'' while players care more for ``stats and cash'' than winning. Jack Hughes tells of seeing a furious Billy Martin marching back and forth in front of manager Casey Stengel's closed door and cursing him out, only to discover later that the great Casey wasn't inside. Brief mentions of Virgil Trucks, Warren Spahn, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson only whet the appetite for more than the bunts given here. Still, batboy life is a facet of baseball rarely seen, making this a worthwhile addition to a fan's collection. Photos not seen by PW. (Sept.)