Brooks on Books: Cooperstown Confidential by Zev Chafets

OK, so this book, full title "Cooperstown Confidential: Heroes, Rogues, and the Inside Story of the Baseball Hall of Fame," often reads like just a collection of dirt about the legends of the game. It is less a cohesive history of the Baseball Hall of Fame than a series of personalized rants and explorations of how the museum (and the sport itself) handle issues like race, drugs, and character. Much of the info in here doesn't exactly blow the lid off the place--even casual fans realize baseball has long had its share of miscreants, many of whom are in the Hall--and some of it is based on hearsay or supposition (For example, there are a lot of sinister motives attributed to the Hall's conservative, family-owned owners, but not a lot of proof).

Still, "Cooperstown Confidential" is an enjoyable book, and its history of the museum is a solid account. Chafets has an engaging style for those who don't mind his interjecting himself into the narrative. His stories about encounters with key baseball figures like pioneering union head Marvin Miller are enlightening, if a bit one-sided, and he offers valuable insights about the impact induction has on a ballplayer's career. A chapter in which he hangs out with recent HOF'er Goose Gossage is one of the best parts of the book. Clearly the effect of the honor is more than sentimental; big bucks are involved, especially for the older guys who played too early to get in on the huge contracts we see today.

Much of Chafets' arguments are based on his desire to eliminate the Hall of Fame charter's Rule 5, which is basically a character clause. He believes controversial figures like Pete Rose and Joe Jackson should be in, arguing that the Hall is full of scoundrels, anyway. The whole notion of a character basis for membership makes for interesting argument. Chafets continues, however, by making the case not just for the entry of players despite steroid use, but for legalizing performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, period. His arguments sort of go hand in hand here, I guess, but I would have liked to have read less about steroids and more about the Hall's internal politics and history.

In fact, the narrower the scope of the book--focusing on the Hall itself and its inhabitants, as well as membership means to its members--the more effective it is. It's less enlightening when Chafets uses Cooperstown as a springboard for tangents about broader aspects of the sport.

Throughout "Confidential," Chafets makes a lot of allegations about why things are the way in the Hall of Fame or why some people are in and some aren't. He doesn't offer a lot of proof, but relies on conspiracy theories and trying to connect some dots. Many fans might yearn for something more substantial. However, I enjoyed reading his take. The best way to go about this book is to treat it as an opinionated, subjective piece with some quality reporting in the mix.

It's been years since Bill James' analysis of the Hall of Fame (14 years since the latest edition, I believe), and while many pontificate on who should or should not be in, there isn't a whole lot out there about the internal workings of the system. Chafets doesn't provide a comprehensive objective look at the institution, but he does offer an entertaining history/rant that adds to the picture. It's a quick read and maybe a little slim at hardcover price, but I'd recommend "Cooperstown Confidential" as a library read or if you can get it at a good discount.