Read Online Bill Veeck by Paul Dickson - Free Book Online Page B

he could play either of these roles—but as a remarkable iconoclast and individualist living through a time when conformity and corporate allegiance were valued personal attributes.
    If I have achieved this goal and gotten Veeck right or nearly so, then I have many to thank for their help. When I began this project, I could not have imagined how many people would actually contribute to it. The list is a function of Veeck’s continuing impact rather than my ability to place phone calls and set up appointments.
    Some of those who were interviewed for this book did not end up in the final narrative for the simple reason that their praise for the man became repetitive. From the players who knew Veeck or even those were around during his time, there was a universal response when one asked about him. It typically started with a broad smile followed by a question—“Bill Veeck?”—and a short gleefully delivered comment. “Bill Veeck? He did it up right. He was a real baseball man” was the response of Hall of Fame infielder BrooksRobinson. Jerry Coleman: “Bill Veeck? The greatest innovator. A lot ballparks could use a Bill Veeck today.” Ralph Kiner: “Bill Veeck? He was a fantastic man. I played a lot of tennis with him. Even with that bad leg, he was very competitive.”
    A—Steve Ackerman, Robert Ames Alden (former sports reporter for the
Cleveland Press
and the
Washington Post
), Carol Alley, Rebecca T. Alpert, Joshua Anderson CHS, Marty Appel, Jon Arakaki (who teaches communications at SUNY Oneonta), Mark L. Armour (SABR Biography Committee), Chris Axelrod.
    B—Nina Bahadur, Jack Bales (reference and humanities librarian, University of Mary Washington Library, for his material on Bill’s father), Steve Banker (the late oral historian), Ernie Banks, Allen Barra, Monica Pence Barlow (director of public relations for the Baltimore Orioles), Brad Beechen (Cubs usher and former classmate), Myron Belkind, Lea Beresford, Yogi Berra, Hal Bodley, Doug Boyd Jr. (director, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries), Lou Brissie, David Broder, Charlie Brotman.
    C—Eileen Canepari (membership services manager, Society for American Baseball Research), Terry and Mary Cannon (the Baseball Reliquary), John Carlson (late scholar of the Black Sox), Gene Carney, Jake Carrow (Chicago intern/researcher, Vanderbuilt University), George Case III, Jamie Ceasar, Frank Ceresi, Bill Chastine, Mike Clark, Roger Clark, Jim Clavin, Heather Cogge, Jerry Coleman, Chris Core, Bob Creamer.
    D—Ivan R. Dee, Laurina Deliso (Pima County, Arizona, deputy clerk), Joe DeMaestri, Larry Dierker, Larry Doby Jr.
    E—Morris Eckhouse, Edmund P. Edmonds (associate dean for library and information technology and professor of law, Kresge Law Library, Notre Dame Law School), Jonathan Eig, the late Gene Ellis, Eric Endess, Jim Evans (of the Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring).
    F—Dick Fischman, Donald L. Fordham (Veeck’s Sergeant, Headquarters Company, 3rd Special Weapons, 3rd Marine Division, Bougainville), Phil Friedman.
    G—Ned Garver, Tim Gay, Bill Gilbert, Mike Gimbel (statistician/organizer and defender of Veeck), Bill Gleason, Patricia Goforth (National Personnel Records Center, St. Louis), Peter Golenbock, Ray Grebey, Deborah Grodinsky (Skokie Public Library, Skokie, Illinois), Steve Grubeck.
    H—Ed Hartig (unofficial historian, Chicago Cubs), Ernie Harwell, Dick Heller, Roland Hemond, Katherine Hillenbrand (summer of 2009 intern),Phil Hochberg (attorney), David Hoekstra, Sam Holt (filmmaker), John Holway, Keith Horvath MD, dm Frank Howard.
    I—Jeff Idelson (director of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, who has a copy of Veeck’s Twelve Commandments in his office), Monte Irvin (Hall of Famer and World War II vet), Stan Isaacs, David Israel.
    J—Bill Jennings, Gary Johnson (Library of Congress, Periodicals Reading Room),