Writer and author Robert Creamer passed away last week at the age of 90. Creamer was an original staff writer at Sports Illustrated when the magazine came into existence in 1956. He was also a distinguished author of several terrific baseball books, including biographies of Casey Stengel and Mickey Mantle.
His best known book perhaps was his 1974 biography of Babe Ruth titled "Babe: the Legend Comes to Life". It is considered by many as the best biography of Ruth ever written. I recall that when I worked in Cleveland, I lent my copy of "Babe" to a woman with whom I worked. She wasn't a baseball fan, particularly, but she loved the book, as it described so well one of the true larger than life figures of the 20th century.
I would also recommend another terrific book by Creamer called "Baseball and Other Memories in 1941" (1991). Now, only a baseball fan would enjoy this one, I think, but it really is a terrific book, almost a memoir, about following Brooklyn and the Yankees, DiMaggio and the 56 game streak, Williams and .400, all in the year when America was on the brink of war. Truly a great book.
Finally, you may also remember Bob Creamer as a contributing talking head on Ken Burns' "Baseball" documentary.
RIP Robert W. Creamer.
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