Author | Sparky Lyle, Peter Golenbock |
---|---|
Language | English |
Subject | baseball |
Genre | autobiography |
Publisher | Crown Publishers |
Publication date | 1979 |
Publication place | United States |
Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
Pages | 248 (first edition) |
ISBN | 0-517-53726-5 |
The Bronx Zoo: The Astonishing Inside Story of the 1978 World Champion New York Yankees is a nonfiction book written by former Major League Baseball pitcher Sparky Lyle and Peter Golenbock. A memoir of Lyle's tenure with the New York Yankees, the book documents the 1978 New York Yankees season, including the 1978 World Series and conflicts between players. The book was published by Crown Publishers in 1979.
The term "Bronx Zoo" became a nickname for the Yankees teams of the late 1970s through early 1980s.
The New York Yankees won the 1977 World Series. [1] Sparky Lyle, their closer, won the American League Cy Young Award that season, given to the league's best pitcher. [2] However, Yankees owner George Steinbrenner acquired relief pitcher Goose Gossage from the Pittsburgh Pirates that offseason, giving him a larger salary than Lyle's. [2] Though the Yankees wanted to have both Lyle and Gossage work late innings in games, it became apparent that the team would choose Gossage over Lyle in key situations. According to teammate Graig Nettles, Lyle went from "Cy Young to sayonara". Lyle demanded a trade and a larger salary, but received neither. [2] After the 1978 season, the Yankees traded Lyle to the Texas Rangers. [3]
Lyle dictated the book from March through November 1978 with a tape recorder. He received a $40,000 advance to write the book. [4]
In the book, Lyle talks about his penchant for practical jokes. One of his favorite jokes was to sit, naked, on the birthday cake of a teammate. [5]
Sport printed excerpts from the book before its publication. [6] The book spent 29 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, [7] peaking at number 2, [8] [9] and was the 13th best selling hardcover book of 1979. [10] Dell Publishing purchased the book from Crown for the paperback version. Lyle stated during the 1979 MLB season that he regretted writing the book, as the publicity distracted him from pitching. [4]
Lyle wrote a follow-up book in 1990, titled The Year I Owned the Yankees: A Baseball Fantasy, which parodied Steinbrenner's ownership of the Yankees. [11]
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees from 1973 until his death in 2010. He was the longest-serving owner in club history, and the Yankees won seven World Series championships and 11 American League pennants under his ownership. His outspokenness and role in driving up player salaries made him one of the sport's most controversial figures. Steinbrenner was also involved in the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast shipping industry.
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Richard Michael "Goose" Gossage is an American former baseball pitcher who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1972 and 1994. He pitched for nine different teams, spending his best years with the New York Yankees and San Diego Padres.
Albert Walter "Sparky" Lyle is an American professional baseball pitcher who spent sixteen seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1967 through 1982. He was a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago White Sox.
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The Bronx Zoo may refer to:
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Peter Golenbock is an American author. He is noted for his many books about baseball and other sports. Many of his books have been bestsellers.