Veeck As In Wreck: The Autobiography of Bill Veeck

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The book was very meaningful to me since I was 12 years old in 1959 when the White Sox won the American League championship. Fox and Aparicio were our idles. Big Ted Kluzuski was amazing_. Sad. to hear of all the heath problems Mr Veeck had to endure. He was a baseball legend. The White Sox are having an embarrassing season the last couple years, if only Bill Veeck still owned the WhiteSox. Rest in peace Bill.

The two things you need to know before you buy "Veeck -- As In Wreck" -- and you will buy this book, you must, if you've ever bought any professional sports bio before -- are the names Veeck and Linn.Bill Veeck you know from reputation -- the wacky promoter who invented everything from Ladies' Day to Disco Demolition Night. The man owned several baseball franchises (including the Chicago White Sox twice, for some reason), and was known as a both a promotional genius and a shrewd financier.As for Ed Linn... well, Linn was also the ghostwriter for another fantastic, edgy, opinionated baseball book, Leo Durocher's "Nice Guys Finish Last". Not surprisingly, "Veeck" reads a lot like the Durocher tome (and it came first, too!). On every page here you'll find a funny anecdote, a scary bit of prescience, and a unique look at an otherwise-beloved icon. With Veeck's memory and Linn's acid pen, this book is quite hard to put down. Or to pick up, for that matter.Sports bios tend to hold back these days, let's face it. They're not as long and not as insightful as the Linn books. And the gift of time has helped ripen these pages. When Veeck talks about baseball's financial need to institute interleague play -- writing from 1961 -- you know this man saw around a few decades' worth of corners. When he takes the Yankees to task for failing to capitalize on Roger Maris's pursuit of the Babe Ruth home run record, and notes that it was a once-in-a-lifetime event, he's right -- so baseball got it right in '98, when McGwire came to town, and when the record fell yet again in '01, hardly anyone noticed.In the meantime you'll laugh at the sad fates of Bobo Holloman and Frank Saucier, the latter being the only ballplayer ever to be removed from a game for a midget. You'll be intrigued by Veeck's take on Larry Doby, and by his bitter retorts at Del Webb, then-owner of the hated behemoth Yankees. And you'll marvel at just how little has really changed in baseball since Veeck was retired. Owners plotting franchise shifts in shady back-room deals (Montreal, Florida. Florida, Boston). Owners doing everything to baseball except what really benefits the sport (It's a tie in Milwaukee!). Veeck lamenting not the high price of talent but rather the high price of mediocrity (how much is Colorado paying for Denny Neagle and Mike Hampton?)...Just about the only highlight not covered is the sight of White Sox outfielder Chet Lemon wearing shorts. One of the few Bill Veeck innovations that did not catch on, and aren't we all better off...

Just flat out an entertaining and insightful book. As you can tell from the title, Veeck is great at self deprecating humor. His straightforward tone on things like his WW2 injury, leg amputation, divorce also make him endearing, although he is a very brand conscious, PR savvy person, so some discretion helps. I enjoyed many great stories from his experiences running different minor and major league franchises.There are a great amount of insights into different areas here as well - there are many player memoirs and some coaching/managerial memoirs, but not as many from the owner perspective. Veeck gives us a window into financing, the politics of ownership, ownership issues such as revenue allocation and rules changes - it also provides some history from the time when the distinction between the AL and NL was better defined and when the minors and majors had a different relationship.A great read for its humor, insight, and history.

I am close to finishing this book, and must say that it is a must-read for any fan of the game. I had always heard that this book was a classic, and I can absolutely attest that it is. Mr. Veeck's first hand view and insights are amazing. He was so much more than a showman, which is illustrated in this well-written book. There was truly a method to his madness. Bill Veeck understood his fan base by interacting directly with his fans. I loved the fact that he sat with the fans in the stands rather than in a private box or away from the field of play. His ideas were revolutionary and far-ahead of his fellow club owners, and so many have become intregal parts of baseball's culture and financial structure (e.g., exploding scoreboards; giving to local charities; revenue sharing). Not all of his ideas worked, but he cared and was always trying to find ways to bring people to his team's games and have a truly fun time at the ballpark. That is missing today with all the high priced seating and expensive foods. I love the game of baseball, but have observed that it has become increasingly unrelatable to the average fan with the high priced seating, some of which is policed by security and is exclusive and corded off. Also, the food choices, while much improved, are incredibly expensive (e.g,, $20 sandwiches; $7 ice cream cones/helmet cups; $8 sodas; $6 bag of peanuts). Mr. Veeck was truly a maverick and it's a shame that he kept being run out of baseball by the other owners and Commissioners who saw him as more trouble instead of genuinely considering his ideas for the greater good of the game. I had the good fortune too of writing to Mr. Veeck when his owned the White Sox in the 1970s, and he graciously wrote me back a personal note, which I still have today.

Being a White Sox fan since birth, I have always thought I would like to read his biography. I am glad that I finally did. Even though some of his ideas and promotions were over the top his TRUE LOVE for baseball was undeniable. He truly knew that baseball was in the entertainment business and he was competing for the all mighty dollar with movies, concerts, zoos, etc. Unfortunately for him however his timing was always at the wrong time, and his finances. Him wanting to move to the west coast, his wanting to move the Brown's to Baltimore and his final purchase of the White Sox and the beginning of free agency while saving them from moving to Seatle. For anyone wanting to know about how the game and owners operated back then and about some of the great players of there time this is a entertaining read.

I gave this a four because I was expecting more details of his marketing activities in baseball. However, it is a fine autobiography and if you know Veeck or have heard of him you should buy it.

Very well written. Surprisingly captivating tales despite my unawareness of all characters involved.