- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: Mariner Books; None edition (Mar 7 2007)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0618871896
- ISBN-13: 978-0618871896
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 363 g
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,734,788 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
By age 23, Johnny Goodman (1909–1970) rose to the top of the golf world; in 1933, he became the last amateur to win the U.S. Open, and five years later made the cover of Time. Blaine's storytelling gifts (Desperate Season; The Midnight Band of Mercy) have imbued Goodman's life with casual naturalism. The son of Lithuanian immigrants, Goodman grew up in Omaha's slaughterhouse district. Abandoned by his father after his mother died when he was 14, the Omaha orphan practiced his swings while working as a caddy at the local Field Club. By 19, he was the city's best golfer, and in 1929 he traveled to Pebble Beach, where he made sports headlines by beating the defending champ, the legendary Bobby Jones. Blaine is an avid golfer himself, and his insights into the game are evident in his re-creations of matches, and he paints a vibrant 1920s backdrop. Contrasting Jones's profitable endorsements and movie deals with Goodman's idealism and desire to maintain his amateur status, Blaine breathes life into this compelling Depression-era tale of fame and obscurity. 8-page photo insert not seen by PW. (June 5)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Johnny Goodman (1909-70), the last amateur to win the U.S. Open, has been relegated to a footnote in golf history, his triumphs overshadowed by the more media-friendly exploits of Francis Quimet and Bobby Jones, but this involving biography should bring him at least some of the attention he has deserved for decades. The dirt-poor Goodman, son of Lithuanian immigrants, did not fit the profile of an amateur golfer in the 1920s, when the Bobby Jones legend was created: amateurs were supposed to be gentlemen, like Jones, from east of the Mississippi, who played the game for love, not money, and were comfortable entering country clubs by the front door. So when Goodman, a caddy from Omaha, upset Jones in the first round of the 1929 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach, golf's establishment was not amused. Blaine tells the fascinating story of Goodman's subsequent rise through the amateur ranks and his astounding victory in the 1933 U.S. Open in the context of this sociopolitical drama. With the Depression gripping the country, Goodman should have been a folk hero in the Seabiscuit mold, but it never quite happened, thanks mostly to his status as the anti-Jones. For an all-encompassing picture of American golf in its early years, pair the Goodman story with these two related accounts by Mark Frost: The Greatest Game Ever Played (2002), about Quimet's victory in the 1913 Open, and his The Grand Slam (2004), about Jones' great year in 1930. Bill Ott
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars (2 customer reviews)
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoroughly engrossing and enjoyable, Sep 1 2006
By Michael B. Sussman - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The King of Swings: Johnny Goodman, the Last Amateur to Beat the Pros at Their Own Game (Hardcover)
Great stories these days are hard to find, so reading the King of Swings was a rare treat. Michael Blaine's golf descriptions of actual tournaments from 70 years ago brought each match to life as if I was watching on TV as I was reading. I couldn't wait for another match to begin with Johnny Goodman taking on the best in the world. He was a unique and special person and I treasure being introduced to him. This has been a book that resonates within me months after my reading experience.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A piece of golf history, Mar 31 2010
By R. D. McManes - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The King of Swings: Johnny Goodman, the Last Amateur to Beat the Pros at Their Own Game (Hardcover)
The King of Swings details portions of Johnny Goodman and his idol Bobby Jones careers and the struggle to remain amateur during a time when many golfers decided to cash in on their golfing skills. A worthy addition to your collection of golf books.RD
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