Books and articles about Dick Young

Young received the J.G. Taylor Spink Award from the Hall of Fame in 1979. For over 30 years he covered baseball with a breezy style that antagonized many in the game and attracted millions of readers to his column, "Young Ideas." He began as a messenger boy with the New York Daily News and, in his 45 years there, rose to sports editor. In 1982 he moved to the New York Post.

RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » "I said to Roger [Kahn], 'How would you like to wake up tomorrow morning and find out that Dick Young had written your book?'": Carl Erskine » "[In 1956] Young cited two instances in which Alston mismanaged Koufax": Edward Gruver

Young railed against drug abuse, coming down hard on users among athletes. When Dwight Gooden came back from treatment in 1987, Young advised fans to stand up and boo him. He criticized the Commissioner's office for its lenient drug policy, and founded a Memorial Fund for the Phoenix House Foundation Drug Education and Prevention Program. Nobody was immune from criticism; while covering the Dodgers, Young was barred from the clubhouse by two managers. (NLM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » March 8, 1947: In Havana's new Stadium del Cerro, the Dodgers, behind three pitchers, beat the Yankees in 10 innings 1–0. Carl Furillo scores on Pete Reiser's double, and Snuffy Stirnweiss's 10th-inning single is the only Yankee hit. On hand to watch is Connie Zimmerman, an associate of mobster Lucky Luciano, and a racing handicapper, Memphis Engelberg. As Burt Solomon writes, Leo Durocher points out the men to sports writers Dick Young and Milt Gross, saying, "Look at that. If I had those guys in my box, I'd be kicked out of baseball. Are there two sets of rules? One applying to managers and one applying to club owners. When asked about if the me are his guests, Dodger GM Larry MacPhail snaps, "What are you. The goddam FBI?" MacPhail calls Durocher a liar, and in a bizarre turn, later files charges against the manager with the commissioner's office. » August 27, 1951: "The two fine Italian arms of Branca and Furillo had a no-hitter running for eight innings" writes columnist Dick Young; in the 3rd inning Ralph Branca's no-hitter seems broken by a one-hop shot to RF by pitcher Mel Queen, but Carl Furillo guns him out at first. Branca, pitching on two days rest, finally gives up two Pirate hits in the 9th before winning, 5–0. In the nitecap the Pirates jump on Erv Palica for three runs in the first inning and hold on for a 5–3 win behind Bill Werle and Vern Law. Clyde McCullough is the "Big Un" with a two-run double and a two-run homer. The Pirates continue to be the only team with a season edge on the Dodgers. » August 24, 1975: After New York wins the first game, 9–5 in San Francisco, the Giants Ed Halicki records a somewhat controversial no-hitter in beating the Mets 6–0 in the 2nd game. The 6'7" righthander strikes out 10 Mets to improve his record to 8–10. Craig Swan takes the loss. The controversy arise when Rusty Staub hits a ball off Halecki's leg, which caroms to the 2B Derrel Thomas, who picks it then drops it. Official scorer Joe Sargis rules it an E-4. NY columnist Dick Young, watching the game on TV, writes that it should be a hit and accuses Sargis of subscribing to the theory that the first hit of a starter should be a 'good one.' The no-hitter stands but UPI's Sargis loses his job as a sometime scorer.