Sports & Outdoors
Baseball
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The 1998 Yankees: The Inside Story of the Greatest Baseball Team Ever
"The 1998 Yankees were a perfectly constructed team. Jack Curry does an amazing job of telling the tales of that phenomenal group." -David Cone
Discover the inside story of the Yankees' unprecedented talent with this gripping account from a reporter who was there for the team's 125 wins.
The visiting clubhouse in San Diego was soggy, sweaty and sticky after the 1998 Yankees swept the Padres in four games and celebrated winning their 24th World Series title. The players raised bottles of Champagne, sprayed the bubbly on each other and reveled in a baseball season that might have been more memorable than any in history.
Jack Curry was part of that unforgettable scene as a reporter, navigating around the clubhouse to ask the same, pertinent question. After winning an unprecedented 125 games and pummeling teams along the way, were these Yankees, the Yankees of Jeter, Mariano, Posada, Pettitte, Bernie, O'Neill, Tino and so many other vital players, the best team ever?
"Right now, you would have to call them the best team ever," said owner George Steinbrenner.
Twenty five years later, Curry revisits that season to discuss how that team was built and why the Yankees were such a talented, refreshing and successful club. This book includes new interviews with more than 25 players, coaches and executives, who revealed some behind-the-stories about the magical journey and who also discussed the depth of this historic squad.
"From the first man to the 25th man on the roster, I don't think there's a team that had more talent and a team whose players knew their roles as well as our players did," said pitcher David Cone. "If you're using that as a barometer for the best team of all-time, then I think you can call us the best team of all-time."
During that wondrous season, Don Zimmer, a Yankee coach and a baseball lifer who began his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954, told associates there would never be another team like the 1998 Yankees. Zimmer was right. Twenty five years later, Curry describes how and why that Yankee team could be the best ever.
Discover the inside story of the Yankees' unprecedented talent with this gripping account from a reporter who was there for the team's 125 wins.
The visiting clubhouse in San Diego was soggy, sweaty and sticky after the 1998 Yankees swept the Padres in four games and celebrated winning their 24th World Series title. The players raised bottles of Champagne, sprayed the bubbly on each other and reveled in a baseball season that might have been more memorable than any in history.
Jack Curry was part of that unforgettable scene as a reporter, navigating around the clubhouse to ask the same, pertinent question. After winning an unprecedented 125 games and pummeling teams along the way, were these Yankees, the Yankees of Jeter, Mariano, Posada, Pettitte, Bernie, O'Neill, Tino and so many other vital players, the best team ever?
"Right now, you would have to call them the best team ever," said owner George Steinbrenner.
Twenty five years later, Curry revisits that season to discuss how that team was built and why the Yankees were such a talented, refreshing and successful club. This book includes new interviews with more than 25 players, coaches and executives, who revealed some behind-the-stories about the magical journey and who also discussed the depth of this historic squad.
"From the first man to the 25th man on the roster, I don't think there's a team that had more talent and a team whose players knew their roles as well as our players did," said pitcher David Cone. "If you're using that as a barometer for the best team of all-time, then I think you can call us the best team of all-time."
During that wondrous season, Don Zimmer, a Yankee coach and a baseball lifer who began his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1954, told associates there would never be another team like the 1998 Yankees. Zimmer was right. Twenty five years later, Curry describes how and why that Yankee team could be the best ever.
Editorial Reviews
"I feel that my 1998 team was the best of all-time. After a tough opening week, I managed a team that wasn't going to be denied following a disappointing ending in 1997. It was enjoyable to revisit that season with Jack Curry. In these pages, Jack reminds everyone what made that team so special."―Joe Torre, Hall of Famer and Yankees' manager for four World Series titles
"With fresh, insightful interviews of all the key characters and keen-eyed reporting, Jack Curry, like the 1998 Yankees, delivers one win after another. His book accomplishes a rare double play by bringing new perspective about a well-chronicled team while also unearthing never-before-told stories from that historic season. Consider this the 126th victory of that championship campaign."―Joel Sherman, New York Post baseball columnist and MLB Network insider
"I don't think there's such a thing as a perfect team, but I do think the 1998 Yankees were a perfectly constructed team. Everyone knew his role and excelled at it. We had confidence in each other's abilities to perform. Jack Curry covered that team's journey and he does an amazing job of telling the tales of that phenomenal group. It was a great team back then and this is a great book now."―David Cone, Five-time World Series Champion
"Are the 1998 Yankees the best baseball team ever? The question itself invites debate. What is beyond debate is that the '98 Yanks are on the short list of teams with a legitimate claim to that distinction. A claim for which Jack Curry, in colorful and telling details, makes a compelling case."―Bob Costas, Hall of Fame Broadcaster
"I highly recommend pre ordering this book!! I competed against this tough team out on the field but Jack Curry took me into their clubhouse and showed me why they were truly great!! I could not put the book down!"
―John Flaherty, 14-year major league veteran and YES Network broadcaster
"With fresh, insightful interviews of all the key characters and keen-eyed reporting, Jack Curry, like the 1998 Yankees, delivers one win after another. His book accomplishes a rare double play by bringing new perspective about a well-chronicled team while also unearthing never-before-told stories from that historic season. Consider this the 126th victory of that championship campaign."―Joel Sherman, New York Post baseball columnist and MLB Network insider
"I don't think there's such a thing as a perfect team, but I do think the 1998 Yankees were a perfectly constructed team. Everyone knew his role and excelled at it. We had confidence in each other's abilities to perform. Jack Curry covered that team's journey and he does an amazing job of telling the tales of that phenomenal group. It was a great team back then and this is a great book now."―David Cone, Five-time World Series Champion
"Are the 1998 Yankees the best baseball team ever? The question itself invites debate. What is beyond debate is that the '98 Yanks are on the short list of teams with a legitimate claim to that distinction. A claim for which Jack Curry, in colorful and telling details, makes a compelling case."―Bob Costas, Hall of Fame Broadcaster
"I highly recommend pre ordering this book!! I competed against this tough team out on the field but Jack Curry took me into their clubhouse and showed me why they were truly great!! I could not put the book down!"
―John Flaherty, 14-year major league veteran and YES Network broadcaster
Readers Top Reviews
JL
Growing up I was a NY Mets fan. So I really enjoyed reading about Daryl Strawberry. My high school boyfriend was a Yankees fan so that's when I began watching the Yankees. And when I saw Derek Jeter, that was when I really became a NY Yankees fan. When I think about the NY Yankees, the 1998 team is what I remember most. Mariano Rivera, Paul O'Neill, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Tino Martinez and of course Derek Jeter. Just to see their names again brings up so many memories of watching them play. This book is so riveting. It was interesting to read about David Wells and Joe Torre's relationship. This book is a must read for any baseball fan. Thank you to NetGalley, Twelve Books and Jack Curry for an ARC of "The 1998 Yankees: The Inside Story of the Greatest Baseball Team Ever".
Laurence GoldsteinTh
Pedestrian narration of a very good (best I saw) baseball team). Among the problems with Curry’s book besides his reliance on adjectives and adverbs rather than on nouns and verbs: no rosters, no monthly standings, and an epidemic of cliches.
For those of us who witnessed it happening, this book is a must-have. My only criticism is I wish it were longer. I got through it in a day and a half and was bummed when it was over (much like that great 98 team). Another fantastic job by Jack Curry.
Joe
Entertaining book, but there is an error early on. It says Mariano Rivera recorded the final out in 5 World Series wins. Mariano was on 5 WS winners but only recorded the final out in 4. John Wettland recorded the final out in 1996, before MO became the closer.
