emorable baseball season, this time in which the St. Louis Cardinals defeat the New York Yankees to win the World Series.
             Throughout his book, The Summer of '49, Halberstam does his utmost to be even handed, between the Red Sox and Yankees, but it is clear nonetheless that his primary allegiance is to the Yankees. It is through little details in the book, that only an avid baseball fan can notice his bias, not that this reader had any qualms about it.
             In The Summer of '49, Halberstam turns his investigating reporting and characteristic narrative style to the world of baseball. With a simple and unpretentious style, Halberstam writes an altogether engrossing book. His narrative is energetic, loaded with baseball statistics, records, and outstanding vignettes. His simple phrasing and his vivid characterization almost make the reader feel as if he/she was actually there. "You feel all right Yogi?" he asked. "Yeah I'm fine," Berra said. "Then why the hell didn't you run it out?" Keller asked. Those were hard words from a man who did not waste words. Berra looked over to DiMaggio as if to ask for help. DiMaggio gave him a withering look. Eddie Lopat, who had watched the entire scene unfold, thought to himself, Now I know why this team is special." (135)
             Drawing on his years as an investigator, Halberstam interviewed almost every living member of the Red Sox and Yankees and several people on the outside-fans, broadcasters, writers, and baseball executives-over a hundred in all. Through his connections at various newspapers, Halberstam managed to interview, Dominic DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto, Mel Allen, Pee Wee Reese, and numerous others. The only person who Halberstam did not interview was Joe DiMaggio who repeatedly declined. Halberstam also used over fifty secondary sources, including, My Turn AT Bat by Ted Williams, The Glory of Their T...