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3 comments about Chris Von der Ahe and the St. Louis Browns.

1. This is a fine book telling the story of the first genuine "character" to own a major league baseball team. Chris Von der Ahe owned a beer garden and boardinghouse in St. Louis near the Grand Avenue baseball park where teams played their games. He realized that his bar always picked up before and after baseball games, and he decided to merge is primary business with a secondary one, baseball. He soon owned the American Association's St. Louis Browns. Mustachioed, Roman nosed, and speaking with the Dutch accent that betrayed his birth in an obscure Germanic province in 1851, Von der Ahe became the prototypical spotlight grabbing major league baseball team owner. He referred to himself, in his thick accent as "der poss bresident," and the fans loved it. He spent freely, indulged his players, and built the Browns into a baseball dynasty in the 1880s. Von der Ahe loved the celebrity his ownership brought him, for now he was not just a prosperous businessman but both a prosperous businessman and a public figure. It was an unbeatable combination, perhaps the real attraction for baseball ownership up to the present, and something repeated many times by many different owners since. In a city rich in baseball history, no one has been more significant in shaping the game in early St. Louis than Chris Von der Ahe.
   
   Von der Ahe adored publicity for his baseball exploits, even going out of his way to garner it. He made every detail of running the team as a media event. For instance, immediately after each game the departing fans could watch Von der Ahe, flanked by armed guards, trundle a wheelbarrow containing bags with the day's receipts from the team's office to the bank. When the team's new press agent, Harry B. Martin, tried to persuade Von der Ahe that the fans should really hear more about the players in the daily newspapers, the Dutchman responded, "Martin, you was a good press agent but [predecessor George] Munson was the best press agent. Now you make the mistake of thinking that the people wish to read about them ball players. Martin they don't. What the American people like to read is about me."
   
   Von der Ahe's Browns were an excellent team and dominated the American Association throughout the 1880s. Indeed, the Browns ran away with the pennant in 1885 and it won the championship each year between 1885 and 1888 under the leadership of manager-first baseman Charles Comiskey, later the owner of the American League's Chicago White Sox. When he first came to St. Louis from the Dubuque Rabbits minor league team, Von der Ahe paid Comiskey a measly $90 a month. Comiskey worked wonders with the team then demanded, and received, top pay of $5,000 per year. But Von der Ahe thought this a small price to pay for Comiskey's services since the team made him some $75,000 a year during its glory years.
   
   The St. Louis franchise did not fare well in the 1890s, in part due to poor management by Von der Ahe. It was not entirely his fault, however. The combination of poor investing and economic depression as a result of the Panic of 1893 sent his resources into a downward spiral. This led to his drinking excessively and that, coupled with a succession of mistresses that infuriated his wife, prompted her to sue for divorce. By 1898 Von der Ahe was a hollow shell of what he had been a decade earlier. The final blow, and the other owners enjoyed levying it because of the animosity they had for both Von der Ahe's lifestyle and showmanship, happened when the league forced him to sell the club to more stable owners.
   
   "Chris Von der Ahe and the St. Louis Browns" is an excellent baseball biography of a significant figure in the development of nineteenth century baseball. Enjoy!



2. I can't help but wonder whether I would have grown so fond of historic baseball had I not moved to St. Louis some years ago. Between that and reading Tom Hetrick's books on 19th century baseball, I have come to appreciate the fascinating history of America's game where the Missouri meets the Mississippi. And like his "Misfits!" chronicling the Cleveland Spiders, "Chris Von der Ahe and the St. Louis Browns" is meticulously researched, a fascinating story of one of baseball's most flamboyant owners ever and his colorful charges, and yet somehow a very human, very cautionary tale. I've commented before on Tom Hetrick's knack for turning an historic baseball phrase. Von der Ahe, after releasing a weak catcher in 1891, says, "He could not catch a string of sausages, nor hit a dead elephant with a club." The book is loaded with them. From the triumphant years where the Browns were world champions to the years when they stunk up the cellar, Hetrick's narrative unfolds quickly, competently, and with great entertainment. I could not stop turning the pages. Congratulations to Tom Hetrick on another fine outing!



3. Major League baseball has had its share of controversial owners. But after reading "Chris Von der Ahe and the St. Louis Browns," I never thought I could meet a gent who could build a ballclub to prominence like Ted Turner, then break the team up quicker than Wayne Huzienga did with the Marlins. Von der Ahe also possessed the innovative streak of Charles O. Finley (what other owner, besides Chris, had a ball park with both a horse-race track and a "Shoot-the-Chutes" ride?), could fire a manager quicker than you can say "Steinbrenner," and may have known even less about the game than Marge Schott.

   Tom Hetrick's biography vividly takes us to the wild and wooly days of late-19th century baseball, when 10 home runs could get you the home run crown, pitchers never heard the term "pitch count," and umpires had good days if they could go the entire game without getting pummeled. This is the milieu for German immigrant Von der Ahe, as we follow his rags (a modest grocer and back-of-the-store saloon keeper) to riches (real estate magnate and self-proclaimed "Boss President" of the 4-time American Association champion St. Louis Browns franchise) to flaming rags (scandal, prison, bankruptcy and his Browns' ownership wrested away from him) story.

   Hetrick presents meticulous research on the largely obscure Von der Ahe. As a lover of baseball history, I liked his outstanding treatment into the history of the American Association, the league that, for ten years (1882-1891), challenged the established National League and ushered in the precursor of today's World Series. But this book is not just for "seamheads." Hetrick presents a rich portrait of St. Louis in its golden era. He also breathes life into the bombastic and often-outrageous Von der Ahe -- fractured English and all. I laughed out loud as Von der Ahe tells his team's press agent, Harry B. Martin, "Now you magke der mistake of drinkin [thinking] dat der beable [people] vish to read about dem bum ball players. Mardin, vot der American beable like to readt is aboudt me, Chris Von der Ahe." To this reader, "Der Poss Bresident" seems to have enough hot air to inflate a Zeppelin.

   As biographies go, Tom's book is a home run. A lively and fast read, it is a great account of the game as it was played in the 19th century as well as a portrait of a common immigrant who became a great success -- only to allow that success to eventually destroy him. And don't forget, the next time you're at the ballpark with a cold beer, make a toast to Chris Von der Ahe - the man who put beer and baseball together.

5 comments about Monica: From Fear to Victory.

1. What a great read. I loved this book. I read it some time ago, but it's still fairly clear in my head. Monica wrote about life before and after her attack and how difficult it was to move on. It's very inspiring, because she looked fear in the face and overcame it. It's such a shame this even had to happen, because she never really got back to the top of her game. She could have been the best female ever ever ever to play the game, but that was taken away from her by a deranged moron. This book will capture you from start to finish. You'll shed tears for sad and happy reasons, and any sports fan should read it through. She's one tough cookie. I highly recommend this.



2. I just got done reading this book and am really impressed. This books shows how much character, heart and love for the game Monica really has. It lets you into all the dark and happy times of her life, and helps you to realize that this girl really fought to be where she is.



3. I almost agree with the point "A sickening read".
   After I read this book, I totally lost my respect to Seles, except sorrow and pity.
   Is this what she wanted from the fans and readers? Just sorrow and hatred.
   
   In this book, Seles expressed her hatred to Steffi, not in the sun but secretly and ironically. Should she hate Steffi that much? Did she ever in this book mention that the CUT just "HALF AN INCH", (ironically, I saw the details about the stabbing from the US newspaper) why did she ignore the fact, but exaggerate the mental trauma? I really could not understand. Did she mention that her shrink in Colorado always thought she should have come back to the court after 3 months after the stabbing, which is not 9 months or 27 months. What could she complain about her staying away from the court for such a long time? Just because WTA rejected her greed to freeze her No.1 ranking until she could return to the court? This is what she mentioned in this book. I guess this is the only reason she rejected to come back until 1995. But at the same time she expressed her discontentment, always appearing on shows, just because her rival Steffi always won the Grand Slams? She thought she could have won the same awards and got the same money if she had not got stabbed. However, winning GS and defending No.1 title will not depend on both imagination and blah, blah talking.
   
   See what happened after this book published. After 1996 Australia Open title (just because Steffi missed that for personal reason), she could not get any GS tiltes any more. However, I always heard her noise in the past 10 years about if there had been no stabbing, she could have won ....blah, blah..... (her interviewing with the reporters). Is that the fact? Why was she always lost to Hingis, even eating double donuts? Why could not she beat Steffi even when Steffi had so many physical and mental problems from 1995 to 1999? Even in 1999 French Open? Whose fault?
   
   This book is called "From Fear to Victory", it means she truly got victory, right?
   So what else could she excuse for her lost in the past 10 years. Why was she still always indulged in the stupid stabbing, even just half an inch cut? Does that mean someday she will write another book, called "From Victory to Hell again"?
   
   Is she a loser? I guess she knows it herself definitely.



4. I think Monica is the coolest tennis player of all time, with two fisted forehand and backhand, hitting the ball like cannon and always goes for the lines no matter she is leading or behind. From this book, you had a chance to know the other side of Monica. She is gracious, humane and always willing to give. She is just a great champion on and off the court. In contrast, you can also see the personalities of many top players. They are selfish and never showed symathy for Monica's tragedy . I learnt a lot from the book and understand why Monica was voted as the Sanex Hero of the year.



5. I`m sure no reader will rate this review as helpful - negative reviews are never appreciated. But this is a very boring read, and makes the stabbing out to be the only remarkable event in Seles` life. There is plenty of wallowing in selfpity. Understandable about the stabbing, but the objections to her grunting, deaths of people in her life and every other bridge she has ever crossed in her life are written in meticulous detail so the reader is left in no doubt about what a hard life Seles has had.

   I used to like Monica Seles before I read this book, but this nauseating read made me think otherwise. It is deservedly out of print.

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