Van Lingle Mungo: The Man, The Song, The Players

Just as 1930s and 1940s Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants pitcher Van Lingle Mungo was surprised that Dave Frishberg wrote a song around his name back in 1969, so he might have been surprised to come across this book in the year 2014. Frishberg’s song “Van Lingle Mungo” listed 37 ballplayers in the lyrics. A different version contained three different names. That’s a total of 40, and all 40 are represented with biographies in this book. Dave Frishberg himself has been a member of SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) since 1984. This book, largely comprised of biographies of all the players mentioned in the song, is the product of the hard work and dedication of 31 other SABR members. SABR is the Society for American Baseball Research, a group of over 6,000 enthusiasts about the game of baseball whose research interests range from the game’s history to statistical analysis, records, cultural impact, and more. The BioProject is a SABR effort to research, write, and publish biographies of every player–and every person–ever connected with organized baseball. Anyone with a love of baseball can join SABR and become a part of these efforts. Included in the book Van Lingle Mungo are The Songwriter Dave Frishberg by Stew Thornley THE PLAYERS Hank “Heeney” Majeski by Mark Hodermarsky Johnny Gee by Armand Peterson Eddie Joost by Bill Nowlin Johnny Pesky by Bill Nowlin Thornton Lee by Gregory Wolf Danny Gardella by Charles Weatherby Van Lingle Mungo by Alan Cohen Whitey Kurowski by Rick Swaine Max Lanier by Gregory Wolf Eddie Waitkus by C. Paul Rogers Johnny Vander Meer by James W. Johnson Bob Estalella by Joanne Hulbert Augie Bergamo by Gregory Wolf Sigmund Jakucki by Gregory Wolf Johnny Mize by Jerry Grillo Barney McCosky by Jim Sargent Hal Trosky by Bill Johnson Augie Galan by Greg King Pinky May by Alan Cohen Stan Hack by Eric Hanauer Frenchy Bordagaray by Norm King Phil Cavaretta by Larry Baldassaro George McQuinn by C. Paul Rogers Howie Pollet by Warren Corbett Early Wynn by David Fleitz Art Passarella by Rob Edelman John Antonelli by Jim Sweetman Ferris Fain by Gregory Wolf Frankie Crosetti by Tara Krieger Johnny Sain by Jan Finkel Harry Brecheen by Gregory Wolf Lou Boudreau by Ralph Berger Frankie Gustine by Gregory Wolf Claude Passeau by Gregory Wolf Eddie Basinski by Dave Eskenazi, Steve Rudman, and Mark Armour Ernie Lombardi by Joe Wancho Hughey Mulcahy by C. Paul Rogers THE ADDITIONAL PLAYERS Roy Campanella by Rick Swaine Johnny Kucks by Alan Cohen Virgil Trucks by Gregory Wolf as well as the full lyrics to the song, how it was recorded, and other tidbits of interest.