Yankees-Dodgers Book Recommendations for the 2024 World Series
Once upon a time in Major League Baseball’s history, there was a stretch where the Yankees and the Dodgers (both the Brooklyn iteration, and the current Los Angeles version) would regularly meet one another in the World Series. From the 41-year span of 1941-1981, the Yankees and Dodgers made their World Series matchup the most frequent out of any other possible pairing, meeting 11 times in the Fall Classic.
Now, 43 years since their last World Series confrontation, the Yankees and Dodgers are set to renew their rivalry in what promises to be a star-studded, memorable affair to determine which franchise will conclude the 2024 MLB postseason on top of the baseball world. We’ll be tuned in here at The New York Public Library, as we wish the best of luck to the hometown New York Yankees in their quest for title #28. But for those moments when you’re not tuned into the action, be sure to check out some of the many baseball-related offerings we feature in our collection. Here are some relating to these iconic franchises:
Legends
The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created
by Jane Leavy
For the first 19 seasons of New York Yankee history, the franchise struggled to find its identity. From their birth in Baltimore, to becoming the New York Highlanders, to sharing the Polo Grounds with its primary tenants the New York Giants, sustained success eluded the Yankees. Then in 1920, things began to look up. And it all started with the Babe. It was in January of 1920 when the rival Boston Red Sox sold George Herman "Babe" Ruth to the Yankees kicking off a century of success unlike any other in sports. The Yankees improved substantially immediately after the acquisition of Ruth, finally winning championship #1 in 1923, the same year the original Yankee Stadium opened its doors. Babe Ruth’s life and career are without a doubt one of a kind. You’ll absolutely want to check out this biography of the big fella to learn all about him.
Daybreak at Chavez Ravine: Fernandomania and the Remaking of the Los Angeles Dodgers
by Erik Sherman
One extremely tragic backdrop to the 2024 World Series, is the recent, heartbreaking passing of former Los Angeles Dodgers lefthander Fernando Valenzuela. Fernando was one of the Dodgers most memorable players in the franchise’s decorated history, and the influence he had on the Latino community in Los Angeles and beyond will live forever. Prior to this year, the last time the Yankees and Dodgers met one another in a World Series was 1981, the year Valenzuela put his name on the map. He burst onto the baseball scene in explosive fashion, winning both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards in the National League. Come the playoffs, Valenzuela continued his great success, pitching to the tune of a 2.21 ERA over 40 ⅔ innings, including a complete game victory over the Yankees in the Fall Classic, en route to the Dodgers’ 5th World Series victory. He will undoubtedly be missed. You can learn all about him through this fantastic Erik Sherman book.
Back in the Day
New York Yankees: A Curated History of the Bronx Bombers
by Mark Feinsand
From Babe Ruth, to Lou Gehrig, to Joe DiMaggio, to Yogi Berra, to Mickey Mantle, on and on down the line, it’s hard to top the past the New York Yankees have put together. In the history of sports, the illustrious franchise boasts more memorable wins, legends, and lore than arguably any other in American sports, if not the globe. Their brand has become a symbol of success, and in this book, former Yankee beat writer and current baseball insider Mark Feinsand takes a deep dive into all of the moments, both those that are instantly memorable and those that are less-heralded, that have turned the Yankees into the distinguished ballclub the world knows them to be.
Jackie Robinson: An Integrated Life
by J. Christopher Schutz
Baseball has a long, storied, and sometimes checkered history. Is there a more important happening than Robinson ending segregation in baseball, breaking the game’s color line, and opening the door for other African Americans to participate in a league where for so long they were barred? MLB doesn’t seem to think so. In 1997, the league bestowed upon the late Robinson the ultimate sign of respect, retiring his iconic #42 across the entire league. The struggles and triumphs Robinson and his family experienced have been covered in many a book. And for this post, we’ll spotlight this one by J. Christopher Schutz, that delves into not only Robinson’s achievements on the field, but off of it as well from a civil rights standpoint.
Constructing a Winner
The Yankee Way: The Untold Inside Story of the Brian Cashman Era
by Andy Martino
Let’s briefly go basketball for a moment! Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan and the team’s former general manager Jerry Krause always seemed to be at loggerheads. One particular disagreement the pair had was over quotes about who wins championships. Is it the players? Is it the coaches? Is it the organization? Look, it’s undoubtedly a combination of the three. And in Yankeeland, general manager Brian Cashman is now in part of his fourth (fourth!!!!) decade at the wheel. His success is undeniable. In this book, Andy Martino takes a look under the hood at Cashman’s role in making the Yankees run the way they do. Minor spoiler: it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. But nevertheless, even though times change, Cashman putting together a winning product on the field is one thing that seems to never go out of style.
Forever Blue: The True Story of Walter O'Malley, Baseball's Most Controversial Owner, and the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles
by Michael D'Antonio
You want to talk about somebody who had guts, look no further than former Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley. In the mid-1950s, the midwest was actually the home to the westernmost ballclubs of Major League Baseball. Though it was undeniably controversial, and by no means a unanimously-beloved move, O’Malley uprooted his Dodgers to the west coast of the United States (as did Horace Stoneham with his New York Giants). Time has since proved this move to be one of the most gutsy, successful situations in the long history of baseball. Fans wanting to learn more about O’Malley and his contributions to the sport will certainly want to check this title out.
There's No Place Like Home
Remembering Yankee Stadium: An Oral and Narrative History of "The House That Ruth Built"
by Harvey Frommer
While it’s not around any longer, the longtime home of the New York Yankees, known as “original Yankee Stadium,” will never be forgotten. If you were a fan that actually got to experience the ballpark in person, or are just someone that’s only seen it in highlights, you know just how historic a ballpark the one-time Yankee home was. Sports historian Harvey Frommer got to experience many significant moments in the building’s history. Here, he turns back the hands of time and reminisces on the days gone by at The House That Ruth Built.
City of Dreams: Dodger Stadium and the Birth of Modern Los Angeles
by Jerald Podair
While the original Yankee Stadium may be a place of the past, Dodger Stadium is still alive and kicking. Upon their arrival in LA, the Dodgers spent their first handful of years playing home games at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (and hey, picking up a title in 1959 in the process!). Now the third oldest stadium in the league, the place dubbed “Blue Heaven on Earth” by the late, great Tommy Lasorda is a gorgeous place to watch a game. However, its initial construction was immensely controversial, despite it in the end leading to a revitalization for the city. In this book, Jerald Podair explores all sides, good and bad, of the stadium that stands in Chavez Ravine.
Why Can't We Be Friends?
To end this blog post, hey! Let’s be sure to enjoy ourselves during this World Series, regardless of who you’re rooting for. We’ve got a fantastic, marquee matchup that’s sure to entertain viewers from all over. With these final picks, let’s throw it back to a different era of baseball in New York, where 3 teams (including those Dodgers) called the city home, attaining success, and finding themselves in the World Series seemingly on an annual basis. Enjoy the World Series everybody!
New York City Baseball: The Golden Age, 1947–1957 by Harvey Frommer
Summer in the City: New York Baseball 1947-1957 by Vic Ziegel