A Portrait of Friendship

“ A good friend knows all your best stories, a best friend has lived them with you.”

The novel, The Teammates, a New York Times bestseller written by David Halberstam, certainly lives up to its high praise. It is depicted by Halberstam, who is known for his coverage of the Vietnam War, as a portrait of friendship between four of the most beloved baseball players to ever play the game, all of which played for the Boston Red Sox during the same time period. Johnny Pesky, Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, and Bobby Doerr were four of the closest teammates in baseball history. Back in their playing days, the 1930s-1950s, trading and signing big name players was not as common as it is today, especially considering the large sums of money big name franchises like the New York Yankees throw around. Therefore, the “core four” of the early 20^th century Red Sox stayed in Boston and played together for their entire careers. This summary of the book serves to identify the significance the book has on its readers. The Teammates, due to its in depth detail on the player’s relationships, displays how true friendship is really garnered through many years of bonding and adversity. The book is enjoyable for all demographics of age because it ties all four of their lives and sheds light on how they became such a close group. Halberstam talks of their times playing minor league baseball up to when they reach their late 80s. As shown by this progressive timeline, the book can be shared by people of all ages, specifically those with a love of sports, baseball, or Red Sox Nation.