Joe McCarthy was headed towards a career as a plumber--until the parish priest intervened, and convinced McCarthy's mother that he could make more of himself in baseball. She relented, and Joseph Vincent McCarthy embarked on a career that ranks him among the greatest managers ever. In 24 years his teams took nine pennants, seven World Series titles, and never finished lower than fourth. This biography of Joe McCarthy details the 90-year life of one of the greatest managers in baseball's history. Baseball was McCarthy's ticket out of a working-class existence in Germantown, Pennsylvania, taking him to college, the minor leagues, managerial stints in baseball's backwaters, and on to remarkable years with the Yankees, Cubs and Red Sox--years filled with triumph and heartbreak. Seven championships and the highest managerial winning percentage ever earned him entry to the Hall of Fame, but McCarthy will always be remembered for his deft handling of his players. McCarthy's ability to handle even "unmanageable" players won him the respect of all. His effect on the lives of his young charges was, in his mind, his greatest legacy.

A daring--and controversial--second look at Senator Joseph McCarthy that declares that many of his notorious accusations were actually true. 16-page photo insert.

This is a book for historians, journalists—and for all of us who need to remember this turbulent time on our nation's past, and its lessons for today.

"The definitive job, and I can't imagine what else there is to say about him."—Walter Lippman "This is an appraisal without apology. If its judgments are uncompromising, they are also given without rancor, indeed with an air of almost sympathetic curiosity about the phenomenon that was McCarthy. . . . It is no surprise that [Rovere's] book is a vividly written, sophisticated recreation of a political episode whose manic qualities already begin to seem unbelievable."—Anthony Lewis

1950: U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy starts on his path of exposing communists inside the United States Government, dedicating himself to such a task without regard for the livelihoods and/or reputations of those he felt were a threat to the United States. Regarded least of all by this crusading politician is his beautiful wife Lady Constantina Chatterley of British Royalty who doesnt enjoy the lonely days and nights spent at his Virginia estate. She has also been warned against doing anything which may create a scandal for him. She eventually discovers other forms of entertainment (and other men) to enjoy but then finds herself in the crosshairs of those who oppose her husband: tabloid photographers, people hes vilified and foreign agents seeking a Cold War advantage over their American enemy.

The Baseball Guide provides a thorough review of the 1998 professional baseball season and a glimpse ahead to 1999. The Guide gives baseball fans: -- Team-by-team schedules and directories-- Team-by-team seasons in review and records-- Post-season highlights and box scores-- Transactions and award winners