It is a very sad fact that no matter how good a player is or was, they sometimes get forgotten in baseball history.  Flashier, louder and more savvy players come along and steal the spotlight while these great players just go about their business playing the game.  This also extends to other arenas like the Hall of Fame, because some players get forgotten by the voters in Cooperstown as well.  Baseball publishing is another area where so many of the stories that should be told, if for no other reason than preservation of the game’s history, usually are not.  Ken Boyer is one of those players that had an incredible career, but truly never got any of the written credit he deserved.  Boyer recently shared a book about himself and his siblings and a few books aimed at the juvenile set were published during his career, but up until now he has never gotten the book he really deserved.  Kevin McCann has published the book that baseball fans have been wanting and waiting for about Ken Boyer.

Ken Boyer was a staple of St. Louis Cardinals baseball for a long time.  Receiver of numerous accolades during his career, he was the type of baseball player parents were glad that their kids looked up to.  For some reason throughout time, Boyer never got the recognition he deserved form historians.  Perhaps it was his low key demeanor and how he went about his business or some other unknown reason, but it really is a shame the world has not recognized his talents.

Kevin McCann has produced a real gem with this book.  He takes a look at Boyer’s early life and how his early life struggles helped forge the strong personality that his was.  He also takes a look at Boyer’s climb up the baseball ladder.  Experiences in the Minor Leagues all added to the personality that eventually shone through in St. Louis.

McCann also takes the reader on a journey along with Ken Boyer through his impressive time manning Third Base for the Cardinals.  World Series triumphs, All-Star Games and an MVP award just to keep it interesting were all bestowed upon Boyer while manning the hot corner.  Next he takes you through the winding down portion of his career with stops with the Mets, White Sox and Dodgers.  But the journey doesn’t stop there with Boyer.  The author shows us the steps Boyer took to remain in baseball.  By starting at the bottom and working his way back up again, he was able to take over the managerial reigns of the Cardinals for a while with limited success before his untimely death in 1982.

Finally McCann makes a solid case for Boyer’s inclusion in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Honestly if you can make a solid case to have Ron Santo in the Hall  at this point then Ken Boyer is a no-brainer for induction.  For some reason baseball has overlooked Boyer’s career and has shown to some degree the flaws with the Hall of Fame voting system.

McCann has written a great book with this one.  The writing style flows smoothly, moves fast and makes the reader feel like they were actually there.  It is a great story that I for one am glad is finally being told on the level it deserves.  The book is very hard to put down once you get started.

Baseball fans should check this one regardless of team allegiance.  It is a player that should be given the historical respect he deserves and hopefully this book takes an important step forward in gaining recognition for the legacy Ken Boyer left behind.

You can get this book from the nice folks at BrayBree Publishing

Ken Boyer-All-Star, MVP, Captain

Happy Reading

Gregg