Alou
My Baseball Journey
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4.7 • 16 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Growing up in a tiny shack in the Dominican Republic, Felipe Alou never dreamed he would be the first man born and raised in his country to play and manage in Major League Baseball—and also the first to play in the World Series.
In this extraordinary autobiography, Alou tells of his real dream to become a doctor, and an improbable turn of events that led to the pro contract. Battling racism in the United States and political turmoil in his home country, Alou persevered, paving the way for his brothers and scores of other Dominicans, including his son Moisés.
Alou played seventeen years in the Major Leagues, accumulating more than two thousand hits and two hundred home runs, and then managed for another fourteen years—four with the San Francisco Giants and ten with the Montreal Expos, where he became the winningest manager in franchise history. Alou’s pioneering journey is embedded in the history of baseball, the Dominican Republic, and a remarkable family.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Famed outfielder Alou, who made history in 1958 as the first person to go from the Dominican Republic to playing with a major league team, delivers a fascinating memoir of his baseball career. Alou's career as a player and later as a coach inspired many Dominican players to move to the U.S.: "The pipeline was open, and it wouldn't be too long before the trickle turned into a flood." Alou was enrolled at the University of Santo Domingo, studying to be a doctor, when, at age 21 in 1956, he was signed by the New York Giants. He played in its farm teams until he made it to the majors after the team moved to San Francisco in 1958. He is honest about the reality of his life, including dealing with racism ("There was a pecking order in baseball... and the third-class citizens were the Latinos") and having to get off-season jobs to make ends meet. He recounts the highlights from his glory days in the 1960s, when he played with future Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Orlando Cepeda, and recalls winning more than 1,000 games as a manager for both the Giants and the Montreal Expos. This is a powerful memoir of a remarkable player who made a lasting impact on America's pastime. Correction: An earlier version of this review incorrectly identified Felipe Alou as a Hall of Fame inductee and a pitcher.
Customer Reviews
Inspirational and heartwarming
This masterful book is a must read. Touching on many topics unrelated to baseball while giving you tremendous insights into Major League Baseball. The struggle of the Dominican people, racism and the importance of family to name a few. And the incredible human being who is the primary subject of the book. Alou: My baseball journey should top your must reads list.
Inspiring story, beautifully told
Alou is a great story of perseverance and success. Even if you know next to nothing about baseball like me you will enjoy this book. Baseball is simply the thread that runs through Felipe Alou’s life, but his story goes beyond the game. Alou is great American, ah, I mean Dominican, success story that’s beautifully told through superb writing by Peter Kerasotis, one of my favorite writers.