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.
