Casey At The Bat [Hardcover]

There are several altered versions of Thayer's classic poem in existance.
This book uses one of them.

I love this poem, and I wish the author had stuck with the original.
Especially when Ernest Lawrence Thayer is listed as the author!

Also- the images of Casey and the spectators are of modern
day participants. Casey is wearing a helmet and his name and
number are on the back of his uniform. Not like a player
in 1888 at all.

Leroy Neiman is a great artist, and that is the only reason I give this
2 stars.

Having a son named Casey, I have many copies of "Casey at the Bat". Each and every one of them has Cooney and Burrows die at first. The new Harper Collins edition reads.."And then when Cooney died at second, and Burrows did the same..." Not only does this interrupt the meter of the poem, it doesn't make any baseball sense. Mudville is losing by two runs in the bottom of the ninth. When Cooney gets up there are no outs. How does he die at second? How does Burrows do the same? Did they try to stretch a single into a double? I can just see the veins popping out on the managers forehead when they pulled that stunt. This line is really something to think about and I am wondering where the editors at Harper Collins came across it.
The illustrations by Leroy Neiman are wonderful. Here you see a very Mantlesque looking Casey straining every muscle to connect with that pitch and end the game with a towering blast. I also loved the fact that they are not in color. The only disturbing part is that before the final verse of the poem, you are clearly shown that Casey has missed the ball. Now we all know that Casey struck out, but you don't want to know that until the text tells you. To this day I always hope that air which is shatterd has been the result of his hitting the ball. The placement of Mr Neiman's illustrations takes that hope away. If I had been reading this to my son for the first time, he would surely have seen that the mighty Casey had failed. There would have been no need to read the last stanza. I certainly do not recommend this as a childs first introduction to this poem. The format and illustrations are wonderful, but save it for your second purchase!

What do you get when you combine Ernest Thayer's beloved, boys of summer poem and artist, Leroy Neiman's rich, charcoal illustrations? A unique and evocative rendering of Americana that adds an additional rare gem to the rich collection of Casey At The Bat books. Mr Neiman's unique, expressive, and dynamic artwork brings the poem to life in all its emotional splendor and glory. From the introduction by New York Yankee's manager, Joe Torre, to the very last page, as muscular Casey, bat in hand, hangs his head and takes that lonely walk from the plate into fictional history, young and old alike will be entranced by this powerful and engaging, larger than life story. Perfect for youngsters 8 and older, Leroy Neiman's, oversized, coffee table-like Casey At The Bat is a combination of verse and artwork at its finest, and a must for both baseball fans and art lovers everywhere.