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The Team That Changed Baseball: Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.357640974886
EAN: 9781594160301
ISBN: 1594160309
Label: Westholme Publishing
Manufacturer: Westholme Publishing
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: May 15, 2006
Publisher: Westholme Publishing
Studio: Westholme Publishing
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Editorial Review:
One of the Most Important Teams in the History of Sports In 1947, major league baseball experienced its first measure of integration in the modern era when the Brooklyn Dodgers brought Jackie Robinson to the National League. While Robinson's breakthrough opened the gates of opportunity for African Americans and other minority players, the process of integration proved slow and uneven. It was not until the 1960s that a handful of major league teams began to boast more than a few Black and Latino players. But the 1971 World Championship team enjoyed a full and complete level of integration, with half of its twenty-five-man roster comprised of players of African American and Latino descent. That team was the Pittsburgh Pirates, managed by an old-time Irishman.
In The Team That Changed Baseball: Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates, veteran baseball writer Bruce Markusen tells the story of one of the most likable and significant teams in the history of professional sports. In addition to the fact that they fielded the first all-minority lineup in major league history, the 1971 Pirates are noteworthy for the team's inspiring individual performances, including those of future Hall of Famers Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Bill Mazeroski, and their remarkable World Series victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. But perhaps their greatest legacy is the team's influence on the future of baseball, debunking the myth that a multicultural clubhouse could not win and inspiring later championship teams such as the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics to open their doors fully to all talented players, regardless of race, particularly in the new era of free agency.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - An important team in baseball history
The 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates were "a product of an aggressive search for winning talent of any color and the willingness to play that talent at any position--even if it meant a lineup of blacks, whites, Asians, Latinos or any combination," according to author Bruce Markusen.
The 1971 Pirates, in fact, fielded the first all-black lineup on Sept. 1. The lineup was not a token lineup or an attempt to be the first team to do so. The Pirates were in the midst of a tight pennant race. The ... Read More
Rating: - You'll Feel Like You're Reliving the 1971 Season!
The subtitle of Bruce Markusen's The Team that Changed Baseball is "Roberto Clemente and the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates." I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and the '71 World Series is one I'll never forget. On top of all that, Roberto Clemente has always been a hero of mine, so I simply had to read this book.
One of the things that makes this title so special is the difference between media coverage of a World Series back then vs. one today. Every aspect of the game and players lives ... Read More
Rating:  - Not exactly what I expected
Those that love baseball or the Pittsburgh Pirates will love this book. The author has written a very engaging and easy read concerning the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates.Therein lies my problem. This book is essentially a chronological history of one year of one baseball team. I was expecting far more regarding integration and racial and social conflicts than what was included. There are whole chapters devoid of any discussion of race, integration, and other aspects one would associate with these issues. ... Read More
Rating:  - Integration in Major League Baseball
I lived in Pittsburgh in 1971 in an integrated neighborhood, watched the Pirates play but did not realize what was happening with the 1971 Pirates. This book taught me about Roberto Clemente's struggle throughout his career, particularly in spring training in the south. It also taught me about the Pirates' management and how they ignored the color line and created history in 1971.
Rating: - Seeing Roberto Clemente is even better
This book is about the Pittsburgh Pirates first and Roberto next however it was hard not to have Clemente on my mind throughout the story. As a boy in the fifties my father would give me $1.00 for the bus ride and right-field seats to the Pirates at Forbes Field. I will never forget the 'basket catches' and deadly throws to third base if any player dared to try and steal third. The Pirates played at Three Rivers in 1971, not a great stadium for baseball (or for football for that matter), seeing ... Read More
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