The October Twelve: Five Years of Yankee Glory--1949-1953

Now that Phil Rizzuto has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, perhaps the propaganda barrage on his behalf is over. But one volume still remains to be dealt with: this relaxed autobiography in which the ex-shortstop and long-time broadcaster, writing with freelancer Horton, concentrates on the period when the Yankees were world champions for five consecutive years. He talks about the 12 men who played on all of those teams, including pitcher Allie Reynolds; his great friend, catcher Berra; infielders Bobby Brown, now American League president, and Johnny Mize; and, to be sure, Rizzuto himself, together with a number of lesser-known figures. He also discusses Joe DiMaggio and Mickey Mantle, who played on some of the teams, and manager Casey Stengel, whom Rizzuto has never forgiven for rejecting him cruelly when he tried out for the Brooklyn Dodgers. And there are paragraphs and even chapters by some of the 12, which fill out the picture. However entertaining, the book is badly organized. (May)