When the Game Changed: An Oral History of Baseball's True Golden Age: 1969--1979 by George CastleMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book a lot. Like a lot of older fans, I've gone from knowing pretty much all the players on all the teams in my youth, to being mystified as to who the 75 relievers on every team might be. This book concentrates on an era (1969-1979) well familiar to me, and beloved. From the stars of the era, to free agency, to the characters, to ten cent beer night and disco demolition, it's all stuff I love.
The layout of the book is very readable, with chapters punctuated with long boxed-off quotes from the participants such as Fergie Jenkins, Dusty Baker and Brooks Robinson among many many others. While the material was pleasantly familiar, I did learn a fair bit of stuff I hadn't known before. Who knew Dave KIngman could wrangle a 33-gallon beer keg? (4 other players together couldn't budge it.) or that John Candelaria enjoyed a 250 dollar hot dog in the dugout (including the fine.)
If you like baseball and like this era or want to know how the sport became what it is today, this book is for you.
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