A Scout’s Report

Many in baseball consider the scout to be the most important figure in any organization: It is the scout’s work in the high school and college bleachers that unearths future legends. Few have achieved more—and in such grand style—than George Genovese.
In a game that values numbers, Genovese’s are staggering. No other scout has been responsible for more players in a single lineup, more home runs by players signed or more All-Star and World Series highlights than Genovese.
Genovese’s eye for talent is unmatched, his advocacy for the players he discovers is unrivaled, and the investment he makes toward their success is a difference maker. This autobiography is the story of his seven decades in baseball as a player, manager and scout.

The late George Genovese was regarded by peers as the greatest baseball scout of all time. His playing career spanned 16 seasons and included a stint in the major leagues. Following 11 seasons as a minor-league manager, Mr. Genovese developed a level of proficiency many believe will never be duplicated. His profession’s highest honor, the lifetime achievement award bestowed by the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, bears his name. He lived in North Hollywood, California.
Dan Taylor is a former award-winning television sportscaster. The origins of his announcing work stretch back to summer involvement with minor-league baseball. He lives in Fresno, California.

George Genovese and Dan Taylor
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 252
Bibliographic Info: 15 photos, appendices, index
Copyright Date: 2015
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9730-0
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1897-5
Imprint: McFarland

Table of Contents

Foreword by Tommy Lasorda 1
1. Where Did You Find This Guy? 5
2. My Pop’s Prophesy 12
3. Daydream Believer 17
4. Getting in the Game 24
5. The Man and Stan 28
6. The Real Fight 32
7. The Heart of the Battle 37
8. Back to Baseball 43
9. Welcomed by an Actor 48
10. Telegram from Washington 58
11. Delivering the Mail 67
12. The Goose Shooter 73
13. A Hornet’s Nest 83
14. Getting Off the Island 89
15. The Unlikeliest Result 94
16. Taking a Giant Leap 103
17. The ­Second-Chance Man 110
18. Going to Bat 121
19. Calling with a Calling 127
20. The Winning Hand 132
21. The Different View 142
22. The More Friends You Make 148
23. My ­Brother-in-Law Has a Player 155
24. The Champagne Is on Ice 161
25. Spies, Lies and Long Pop Flies 166
26. Special Delivery Disappointment 170
27. The Test of Loyalty 176
28. A Change of Face 183
29. The Escape Hatch 190
30. The Mystery of the Game 196
31. A Promise Fulfilled 203
32. Shaken and Shattered 209
33. Keys from Success 214
34. The Price You Pay for Progress 219
35. Hooked by the Fish 224
Epilogue by Dan Taylor 230
Appendix A: Major League Players Signed by Genovese 237
Appendix B: Career Home Runs by Players Signed or Recommended by Genovese 238
Index 239

“The saga of George Genovese gives us a long-waited insight into the most underappreciated and unpublicized segment of the baseball world.”—Bill Brown, Houston Astros’ television broadcaster; “A wonderful read for everyone in the game and fans alike. If you love the game this book is a ‘page turner.’ For someone who may think they know everything about scouting: read this book. You’ll learn more.”—Dave Van Horne, Miami Marlins’ radio broadcaster; “The stories are fascinating and further remind me that scouting is the lifeblood of baseball. This is a very enjoyable book to read.”—Jerry Howarth, Toronto Blue Jays’ radio broadcaster.