Praise for The First Fall Classic
THE WASHINGTON POST — “… the focus belongs on Vaccaro, who has written a smart, lively account of the series that goes beyond the games themselves — though his accounts of all of them are vivid — to show how what happened during that series reflected what was happening in the nation.”
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL — “… his mastery of the facts allows him to evoke a bygone world.”
THE BOSTON GLOBE — “As Vaccaro noted … you couldn’t make this stuff up if you tried. It was that kind of World Series, and its story is very well told.”
THE SUNDAY STAR-LEDGER — “Vaccaro … does a fine job recreating the atmosphere of burgeoning pre-World War I America … and putting a fine nostalgic haze on the time.”
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY — “Vaccaro, sports columnist for the New York Post, recreates the excitement of the 1912 World Series, complete with a hotly contested presidential campaign, an assassination attempt on Roosevelt and a grisly national murder trial. Two superb teams, the Boston Red Sox and New York Giants, reflect the bitter rivalry between the American and National Leagues, with several players destined for the Hall of Fame among them: Christy Mathewson, John McGraw, Tris Speaker and “Smokey Joe” Wood. Vaccaro tells the reader every riveting detail leading up to the games: death threats, gangster pressure, parents and truant officers seeking young boys with baseball fever. He pulls out all the stops through the series' competitive seven games, with the incredible tie-breaker and its aftermath. Informative yet entertaining, Vaccaro's extraordinary baseball chronicle renders the early days of our national pastime in all its grit and glory.”
NEW YORK POST — “During a 162-game season, it’s easy to shrug off a loss or three. When a ball bounces the wrong way in May, it doesn’t seem important. But not during the playoffs. Every pitch is as stressful as a root canal. There’s no time for slumps or a pitcher to bomb. This do-or-die mindset was born during the 1912 World Series, argues Post sports writer Vaccaro ... Almost every game was won by just one run and decided by a single play. It’s a gripping drama, especially during the final game, which makes the reader want to flip ahead just to end the suspense and see who won.”
BOOKLIST — “Author Vaccaro, sports columnist for the New York Post … does a nice job re-creating the spirit of the times, drawing his cast of characters … and calling a stirring series play-by-play. Some of the differences between then and now are obvious—grandstands in Fenway’s outfield, a far more visible presence of gambling, and dead balls, for instance. Otherwise, the series could have taken place last fall, so glorious and fallible were the players, so modern and transcendent the game.”
ALLSPORTSBOOKS.BLOGSPOT.COM — **** “Vaccaro has come up with a very readable recounting of events from a mere 97 years ago that ought to keep modern audiences entertained ... the combination of good research and lively writing makes "The First Fall Classic" worth an investment in time ...”
KIRKUS REVIEWS — “Thoroughly researched and briskly paced.”
