Elston And Me: The Story Of The First Black Yankee » (1)

Of all the great ballplayers to wear Yankee pinstripes, Elston Howard was among the proudest. Remarkable temperament and courage made him the Jackie Robinson of baseball's most storied franchise. No Yankee carried himself with more dignity. No Yankee had greater respect for his teammates or love for his wife and family. And no one loved being a Yankee more than Elston Howard. Beginning with Howard's early years as a St. Louis teenager, the book relates his encounters with racism and his love of baseball. He began his professional career for the legendary Negro League team the Kansas City Monarchs. His three decades with the New York Yankees include numerous anecdotes about fellow Yankee legends such as Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, and Yogi Berra. With countless personal moments and never-before- published photographs and clippings from family albums, Elston and Me is the touching story of one of baseball's great players.

Publishers Weekly

Arlene Howard, Elston Howard's widow, details her husband's life from his St. Louis childhood through his untimely death. The book successfully conveys both the respect that Howard commanded from his teammates and his struggles in being the first black member of the Yankees, one of the last teams to integrate because their general manager at the time, George Weiss, "saw no need to integrate a ball club strongly supported by white, upscale fans." Often compared to Jackie Robinson, Howard faced criticism both from racists and from blacks who believed he did not speak out strongly enough against discrimination. The book makes clear that Howard was accepted by his teammates (most notably Yogi Berra), who were apparently not bigoted like Weiss and others in the organization. Surprisingly, and disappointingly, the author focuses primarily on baseball matters and does not really lend much insight into Elston's life off the field. Describing Howard's 1956 "so-so season," she recalls that he was hospitalized "after he broke out in welts. The doctors said they were the result of nerves," but she gives no further explanation. Most of the portraits of Elston as a man come secondhand from players and coaches rather than directly from his wife. The one exception concerns Howard's quest to become the first black manager in the majors; his private thoughts in this endeavor are clearly conveyed. Still, despite its shortcomings, the book is engaging, and Howard's life is interesting enough that it should do well among both Yankee fans and baseball history buffs. 30 b&w photos. (Nov.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.