| |  | Author: Henry W. Thomas
Creator: Ian Esmo
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
Category: Book
List Price: $83.95
Buy New: $11.73
You Save: $72.22 (86%)
New (3) Used (2) from $11.73
Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 3211542
Format: Unabridged
Media: Audio Cassette
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 12
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 6.7 x 2.4
ISBN: 0786112069
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9780786112067
ASIN: 0786112069
Publication Date: January 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!
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| Customer Reviews:
 Clearly the best pitcher of all time August 14, 2005
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I spent thousands of hours with baseball history, and created a game, played with dice, using the best players of all time, based on their ten best years. I leveled the playing field, adding homerun power to dead ball hitters and cutting it back from modern hitters. The game has reminded other people of the movie about Shoeless Joe Jackson and the other players getting the chance to play ball once again, in Kevin Costner's back yard.
Walter Johnson is clearly the greatest pitcher who ever lived, based on his stats. His 5 best years are better than any other pitcher's. His 10 best years are better than any other pitcher's. Not only is he the toughest pitcher of all time to pitch any given inning, but he gives you a lot more innings than the other top guys.
You could make a case for Pedro Martinez. His "per inning" stats over a 5 year prime are comparable to Johnson's, but he won't give you the innings, so his value to a team is limited by the amount of innings you can use him.
Koufax would be more competition for Walter Johnson if Koufax had 10 great seasons, but unfortunately he was misused and his arm couldn't take the misuse. Still, Johnson was better. It is astonishing to actually say that someone was better than Koufax, because I remember watching Koufax when I was a kid, and the man was awesome. I wasn't even a Dodger fan. I can understand how the fan of an opposing team could get all caught up in watching Walter Johnson. It's amazing to watch a true artist at work. Koufax was the best I have ever seen.
The reason I didn't give the book 5 stars was because there's just too much repetition about what a wonderful man Walter was. Enough already. You can tell me once, twice, five times, but by the 800th time I'm tired of it. That's what happens when your biography is written by your grandson. It gives the book a sort of pathos that it can do without. It's uncomfortable. Poor grandpa is dead. He was such a nice man. Everybody loved him. Anyone who didn't is a rat. Alright, already.
 A BIG BOOK ABOUT THE BIG TRAIN July 19, 2003
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
THIS BOOK IS ONE VERY DETAILED AND FACT FILLED BOOK. I DON'T LIKE LONG AND DETAILED BOOKS BUT THIS IS AN EXCEPTION. THE AUTHOR DOES A GREAT JOB TELLING OF HIS STORIED CAREEER. JOHNSON WAS ONE OF THE NICEST AND RESPECTED MEN THE GAME HAS EVER SEEN. HE TRULY HAD ONE OF THE GREATEST ARMS EVER. I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT THIS BOOK DOWN FOR IT TRULY IS A MUST READ. THE STORIES ABOUT HIM PITCHING TO SUCH GREATS AS BABE RUTH AND TY COBB AS FASCINATING. FOR HISTORIANS AND ALL NOSTALGIA FANS OF THE GRAND OLD GAME.
What a pitcher! What a book! February 6, 2002
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
One of the best baseball books I have ever read- easily on my top ten list and maybe even in my top five. I was not aware that the book was written by Johnson's great grandson until I began reading; this certainly gave the material a lot of credibility.
Walter Johnson was, without question, the greatest pitcher in baseball history. Along with Al Stump's work on Ty Cobb, Robert Creamer's work on Casey Stengel, and the recently published Cy Young biography (author's name escapes me), this book establishes a lasting legacy of Johnson on and off the field.
Who's the best? Walter June 26, 2001
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
Simply stated, this is the most detailed as well as accurate baseball bio, at least of a player from pre-WWII years, we have. Yet Thomas keeps the story moving, and we get the full picture of the man and his family life as well. Jack Kavanaugh's "Ol' Pete" (Grover Alexander), and Reed Browning's "Cy Young" make excellent relievers, but here's your starting pitcher, and Big Train didn't need bailing out very often.
The Big Book on The Big Train February 8, 2001
7 out of 7 found this review helpful
Written from the heart, and it shows. Truly a magnificent piece of work from Henry Thomas. I loved this book from beginning to end. Follow Walter Johnson from beginning to end through the eyes of someone that actually cares about Walter Johnson, his grandson. I cannot say enough great things about this book. Such a teriffic treat about a wonderful character in the history of baseball.
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