Review: Alou (2018)

By Felipe Alou amongst Peter Kerasotis

The holler "Alou" isn't quite specific when it comes to a baseball game book.

Which ane is it about? Felipe Alou, who was a really solid histrion throughout the 1960s as well as and therefore became a successful manager? How well-nigh his blood brother Matty, but a one-time batting champion? Or some other blood brother Jesus, who had a good-sized career too? Finally, there's Moises, Felipe's boy who had several fine seasons inward the majors.

The respond of the question, if you lot didn't await at the byline or the photo, is Felipe. He's come upward out amongst his minute autobiography, "Alou." The outset ane was written dorsum inward the 1960s, therefore it's fair to nation this baseball game lifer has an update coming to him.

Let's larn ane indicate right away here. Felipe's woman bring upward had a first holler of Alou, piece his manlike someone bring upward was a Rojas. The mother's holler came lastly inward the Dominican Republic, where the solid unit of measurement resided, therefore Felipe was an Alou equally a baseball game player. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 relative, Mel Rojas, avoided that petty problem, as well as eventually was a pitcher on ane of Felipe's managed teams inward Montreal.

You mightiness non intend of Felipe Alou equally a pioneer, but he genuinely fits that description. Alou was ane of the the outset major league players to come upward from Latin America, which is quite an achievement. Adding to the luster of that arguing was that he grew upward quite pathetic inward a modest town inward the D.R. The living infinite was well-nigh the size of a typical sleeping room yesteryear American standards, as well as some of it had a dirt floor. There wasn't much coin for fun as well as games, therefore Felipe had to improvise. He was expert at the baseball game business office of it, but idea he would expire a doctor. However, when the Giants waved a petty bonus coin at him, the solid unit of measurement could non afford to plough it down.

The best business office of the majority concerns Alou's struggles inward the early on years of his career. He was outset sent to Louisiana, where inward the tardily 1950s it was to a greater extent than of import to segregate the squad than it was to win. Alou was sent to Florida from there, as well as took out his frustrations on opposing batters. Baseball readers know the drill - split houses, less-than-equal chance to play, etc. But it nevertheless hurts to read such material, fifty-fifty from a distance of lx years.

Alou had to a greater extent than such problems ane time he got to San Francisco. Manager Bill Rigney never gave him a run a jeopardy either. When Alou looked around the Giants' roster, he saw it alluvion amongst talent inward the early on 1960s. Orlando Cepeda as well as Willie McCovey were exactly coming into their own, as well as Alou's brothers were next him to the majors equally well. Oh, some guy named Willie Mays was patrolling amount field, as well as it's fair to nation no ane was going to larn playing fourth dimension at his expense.

Somebody had to go, as well as Felipe went to Milwaukee - which eventually headed to Atlanta. Alou was expert in that place too, equally he received some MVP votes as well as was a business office of some expert but non Braves teams. Injuries eventually slowed him downward to the indicate where he bounced around a few teams as well as retired inward the mid-1970s. Some of the statistical comparisons are made to order him amongst Amos Otis, Chet Lemon as well as Dusty Baker, as well as those travel pretty well.

Even so, he never would bring had a minute majority had his baseball game career non had a minute act. Alou worked his means upward the ladder equally a fry league director as well as major league coach. Just when you lot idea he'd live out of chances, he landed the Montreal Expos' project inward 1992. There he guided the most unlucky squad inward history yesteryear some standards. The Expos of 1994 were a cracking squad, patently headed for a entitle when labor troubles stopped the flavor inward early on August. There was no World Series that year, no run a jeopardy to attempt out how expert the squad was. Montreal broke upward the squad over the winter, leaving us wondering. Alou is wondering himself - that squad mightiness nevertheless live inward Montreal had it non been for that labor dispute.

Alou managed the Expos through 2001, took a yr off, as well as went dorsum to the Giants equally skipper at the historic catamenia of 68 inward 2003. The Giants had 2 expert years as well as 2 bad ones, as well as finally he was done. Here he has some stories well-nigh some of his players, such equally Pedro Martinez as well as Barry Bonds. You tin tell that he earned the abide by of his players, treating them similar men but was no pushover. In a dissimilar fix of circumstances, Alou in all likelihood is inward the Hall of Fame - but he had to play the mitt he was dealt.

Those circumstances volition forestall some casual baseball game fans inward America from reading this. There aren't many stories of cracking triumphs. Still, "Alou" ought to live a big striking inward baseball-crazed sections of Latin America. He has an inspirational story to present, as well as he has tales of such Latin baseball game heroes equally Roberto Clemente as well as Juan Marichal - non to get upward the balance of the solid unit of measurement - equally well. Those who specialize inward Latin baseball game or inward Expos history should plough over this an extra star. But it's a comfortable read for the balance of us.

Three stars

Learn to a greater extent than well-nigh this book. 

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