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Jane Leavy

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and published in 2002. The biography was significant as it was written with the somewhat reluctant approval of Koufax, who is famously known for being a private person. While he did not sit down for an interview with her, he allowed her to talk to his friends and old teammates and also agreed to
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Coming in 2025 from Hachette: "Make Me Commissioner: I Know What's Wrong and I Can Fix It". Couldn't think of anyone else after Koufax, Mantle and Ruth.
878: 1352: 303:. Leavy wrote her master's thesis on Smith, having decided to become a sportswriter like him while studying at Barnard; it was later published in 1322: 1202: 934: 660: 484: 901: 1327: 1297: 1317: 1287: 1282: 1277: 1242: 1237: 1061: 476: 967: 1332: 453: 1292: 216: 1028: 475:, created his larger-than-life persona and became the first modern celebrity. The book was a finalist for 'Best Biography' at the 712: 1307: 471:, Leavy's book contains previously unknown details about his childhood. It also lays out how Ruth, with the help of his agent 776: 434: 1007: 365:. Like many women sportswriters, particularly at the time, Leavy encountered sexism and harassment while she was working. 591: 472: 1116: 626:"Nice Jewish Girl Sportswriter: How Jane Leavy came to write books about Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth and Sandy Koufax" 1302: 457: 294: 819: 1347: 1092: 870: 343: 299: 1227: 599: 690: 522: 421: 1232: 771: 550: 538: 413: 396: 135: 652: 906: 850: 804: 750: 630: 514: 407: 319: 238: 94: 411:
as a "bawdy baseball novel" and as "slapstick with the ring of truth". The novel was described by
401:. Partially based around her own experiences and life, it follows a woman sportswriter who is the 1120: 972: 939: 855: 355: 337: 271: 270:, to Fay (née Fellenbaum) and Morton Leavy. She has a younger sister named Annette. She attended 242:. Leavy primarily writes about baseball and is best known for her biographies on baseball greats 1212: 1172: 385: 361: 305: 88: 1053: 1158: 534: 449: 286: 267: 193: 53: 331: 275: 98: 84: 437:
and details the cultural and social changes that occurred over the course of his career.
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accounts that she was working on her fifth book, due to be published in 2025 and by the
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for the new (fictitious) Washington Senators baseball team. It was described by
325: 1148: 229: 1198: 1193: 468: 251: 22: 384:), politics, and popular culture. She was also the beat reporter for the 381: 373: 349: 1029:"Jane Leavy receives 2019 SABR Seymour Medal at NINE Conference banquet" 1208: 1087: 377: 233: 440:
In 2010, she wrote another best-selling baseball biography called
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In 1990, Leavy wrote a comic, semi-autobiographical novel called
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The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood
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The Last Boy: Mickey Mantle and the End of America's Childhood
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magazines. She has written for many publications, including
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Make Me Commissioner: I Know What's Wrong and I Can Fix It
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fan and her childhood hero was Yankees star centerfielder
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Leavy wrote her first best-selling baseball biography on
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Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni
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verify biographical facts. The book was written around
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was published in 2018. Unlike previous biographies on
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over the years and the problems the sport is facing.
217: 205: 199: 196: 169: 161: 142: 126: 108: 77: 60: 37: 30: 465:The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created, 713:"What It Took to Write About Baseball as a Woman" 571:The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created 417:as "the best novel ever written about baseball". 280:Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism 851:"Mantle Biography Delves Into Traumas and Myths" 820:"Conversation: 'Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy'" 592:"Still No Cheering in the Press Box: Jane Leavy" 372:for nine years, mainly covering sports (mainly 8: 596:Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism 293:. Her other chilhood hero was sportswriter 27: 224:; born December 26, 1951) is an American 1117:"Paid Notice: Deaths - Leavy, Morton L." 1058:Spitball: The Baseball Literary Magazine 236:who previously worked as a reporter for 1268:21st-century American women journalists 1258:20th-century American women journalists 1128:from the original on September 26, 2023 935:"Babe Ruth, the First Modern Celebrity" 681: 679: 677: 583: 1203:Society for American Baseball Research 1033:Society for American Baseball Research 744:Lichtenstein, Grace (March 25, 1990). 657:Society for American Baseball Research 647: 645: 490:All three of Leavy's biographies were 485:Society for American Baseball Research 871:"Mickey Mantle, America's 'Last Boy'" 849:Sandomir, Richard (13 October 2010). 521:. The book is about the evolution of 7: 933:Swansberg, John (December 2, 2018). 1343:Sportswriters from Washington, D.C. 1338:Sportswriters from New York (state) 1253:21st-century American women writers 1248:20th-century American women writers 947:from the original on March 17, 2023 746:"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" 725:from the original on March 16, 2023 477:National Book Critics Circle Awards 830:from the original on April 5, 2023 711:Helfand, Zach (October 15, 2018). 452:great while he was working at the 14: 1273:21st-century American journalists 1263:20th-century American journalists 1054:"CASEY Award: Best Baseball Book" 980:from the original on May 30, 2023 914:from the original on May 20, 2020 881:from the original on June 2, 2023 798:Leavy, Jane (September 3, 2002). 779:from the original on May 30, 2023 1165: 1151: 509:In 2023, Leavy announced on her 266:family on December 26, 1951, in 192: 1353:The Washington Post journalists 1095:from the original on 2024-08-19 1064:from the original on 2023-04-26 1010:from the original on 2024-03-21 966:Leavy, Jane (October 8, 2018). 765:Barra, Allen (April 27, 1990). 693:from the original on 2023-04-05 663:from the original on 2023-03-16 624:Castle, George (May 30, 2019). 606:from the original on 2022-07-07 800:"In General, a Private Koufax" 559:Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy 430:Sandy Koufax: A Lefty's Legacy 323:, Leavy was a staff writer at 1: 1323:Jewish American sportswriters 1328:People from Roslyn, New York 1298:American women sportswriters 388:, taking over the role from 1318:Jewish American journalists 900:Leavy, Jane (May 8, 1983). 1369: 1288:American women biographers 1283:Jews from Washington, D.C. 1278:Jews from New York (state) 1243:21st-century American Jews 1238:20th-century American Jews 20: 1333:Roslyn High School alumni 533:Leavy primarily lives in 458:Atlantic City, New Jersey 454:Claridge Hotel and Casino 174: 1293:American women novelists 285:Growing up, Leavy was a 21:Not to be confused with 767:"Squeeze Play (review)" 444:on her childhood hero, 344:The New York Daily News 300:New York Herald Tribune 1308:Barnard College alumni 600:University of Maryland 262:Leavy was born into a 1124:. September 3, 2003. 877:. November 24, 2010. 638:on November 25, 2020. 523:Major League Baseball 479:in 2018, and won the 463:Her third biography, 435:Koufax's perfect game 278:in 1974 and from the 274:, and graduated from 16:American sportswriter 826:. October 21, 2002. 772:Entertainment Weekly 539:Truro, Massachusetts 414:Entertainment Weekly 368:Leavy worked at the 136:Henry Chadwick Award 907:The Washington Post 805:The Washington Post 751:The Washington Post 631:Chicago Jewish News 515:Hachette Book Group 408:The Washington Post 320:The Washington Post 239:The Washington Post 95:Columbia University 1121:The New York Times 973:Sports Illustrated 940:The New York Times 856:The New York Times 687:"About Jane Leavy" 517:, which is titled 356:Sports Illustrated 338:The New York Times 272:Roslyn High School 154:(divorced) 1190:Articles by Leavy 1173:Journalism portal 386:Baltimore Orioles 362:The Village Voice 306:The Village Voice 185: 184: 48:December 26, 1951 1360: 1303:Baseball writers 1186: 1185: 1183:Official website 1175: 1170: 1169: 1168: 1161: 1159:Biography portal 1156: 1155: 1154: 1138: 1137: 1135: 1133: 1113: 1107: 1106: 1101: 1100: 1079: 1073: 1072: 1070: 1069: 1050: 1044: 1043: 1041: 1039: 1025: 1019: 1018: 1016: 1015: 996: 990: 989: 987: 985: 963: 957: 956: 954: 952: 930: 924: 923: 921: 919: 897: 891: 890: 888: 886: 867: 861: 860: 846: 840: 839: 837: 835: 816: 810: 809: 795: 789: 788: 786: 784: 762: 756: 755: 741: 735: 734: 732: 730: 708: 702: 701: 699: 698: 683: 672: 671: 669: 668: 649: 640: 639: 634:. Archived from 621: 615: 614: 612: 611: 588: 535:Washington, D.C. 496:A Lefty's Legacy 450:New York Yankees 287:New York Yankees 268:Roslyn, New York 220: 215: 214: 211: 210: 207: 204: 201: 198: 181: 178: 155: 113:A Lefty's Legacy 54:Roslyn, New York 51: 47: 45: 28: 1368: 1367: 1363: 1362: 1361: 1359: 1358: 1357: 1218: 1217: 1181: 1180: 1171: 1166: 1164: 1157: 1152: 1150: 1147: 1142: 1141: 1131: 1129: 1115: 1114: 1110: 1098: 1096: 1081: 1080: 1076: 1067: 1065: 1052: 1051: 1047: 1037: 1035: 1027: 1026: 1022: 1013: 1011: 1004:bookcritics.com 998: 997: 993: 983: 981: 965: 964: 960: 950: 948: 932: 931: 927: 917: 915: 902:"Mickey Mantle" 899: 898: 894: 884: 882: 869: 868: 864: 848: 847: 843: 833: 831: 818: 817: 813: 797: 796: 792: 782: 780: 764: 763: 759: 743: 742: 738: 728: 726: 710: 709: 705: 696: 694: 685: 684: 675: 666: 664: 651: 650: 643: 623: 622: 618: 609: 607: 590: 589: 585: 580: 547: 531: 317:Before joining 315: 276:Barnard College 260: 218: 195: 191: 175: 157: 153: 149: 134: 119: 115: 104: 85:Barnard College 78:Alma mater 73: 52: 49: 43: 41: 33: 26: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1366: 1364: 1356: 1355: 1350: 1348:Tennis writers 1345: 1340: 1335: 1330: 1325: 1320: 1315: 1310: 1305: 1300: 1295: 1290: 1285: 1280: 1275: 1270: 1265: 1260: 1255: 1250: 1245: 1240: 1235: 1230: 1220: 1219: 1216: 1215: 1206: 1196: 1187: 1177: 1176: 1162: 1146: 1145:External links 1143: 1140: 1139: 1108: 1074: 1045: 1020: 991: 958: 925: 892: 862: 841: 811: 790: 757: 736: 718:The New Yorker 703: 673: 641: 616: 582: 581: 579: 576: 575: 574: 568: 562: 556: 546: 543: 530: 527: 390:Thomas Boswell 314: 311: 259: 256: 183: 182: 172: 171: 167: 166: 163: 159: 158: 151: 147: 146: 144: 140: 139: 128: 127:Notable awards 124: 123: 110: 106: 105: 103: 102: 92: 81: 79: 75: 74: 72: 71: 68: 64: 62: 58: 57: 39: 35: 34: 31: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1365: 1354: 1351: 1349: 1346: 1344: 1341: 1339: 1336: 1334: 1331: 1329: 1326: 1324: 1321: 1319: 1316: 1314: 1311: 1309: 1306: 1304: 1301: 1299: 1296: 1294: 1291: 1289: 1286: 1284: 1281: 1279: 1276: 1274: 1271: 1269: 1266: 1264: 1261: 1259: 1256: 1254: 1251: 1249: 1246: 1244: 1241: 1239: 1236: 1234: 1231: 1229: 1228:Living people 1226: 1225: 1223: 1214: 1210: 1207: 1204: 1200: 1197: 1195: 1191: 1188: 1184: 1179: 1178: 1174: 1163: 1160: 1149: 1144: 1132:September 26, 1127: 1123: 1122: 1118: 1112: 1109: 1105: 1094: 1090: 1089: 1084: 1078: 1075: 1063: 1059: 1055: 1049: 1046: 1038:September 10, 1034: 1030: 1024: 1021: 1009: 1005: 1001: 995: 992: 979: 975: 974: 969: 962: 959: 946: 942: 941: 936: 929: 926: 913: 909: 908: 903: 896: 893: 880: 876: 872: 866: 863: 858: 857: 852: 845: 842: 829: 825: 821: 815: 812: 807: 806: 801: 794: 791: 778: 774: 773: 768: 761: 758: 753: 752: 747: 740: 737: 724: 720: 719: 714: 707: 704: 692: 688: 682: 680: 678: 674: 662: 658: 654: 648: 646: 642: 637: 633: 632: 627: 620: 617: 605: 601: 597: 593: 587: 584: 577: 572: 569: 566: 563: 560: 557: 554: 553: 549: 548: 544: 542: 540: 536: 529:Personal life 528: 526: 524: 520: 516: 512: 507: 505: 504:The Big Fella 502:in 2010, and 501: 497: 493: 488: 486: 482: 481:Seymour Medal 478: 474: 473:Christy Walsh 470: 466: 461: 459: 455: 451: 447: 446:Mickey Mantle 443: 438: 436: 431: 427: 423: 418: 416: 415: 410: 409: 404: 403:beat reporter 400: 399: 393: 391: 387: 383: 379: 375: 371: 366: 364: 363: 358: 357: 352: 351: 346: 345: 340: 339: 334: 333: 328: 327: 322: 321: 312: 310: 308: 307: 302: 301: 296: 292: 291:Mickey Mantle 288: 283: 281: 277: 273: 269: 265: 257: 255: 253: 249: 248:Mickey Mantle 245: 241: 240: 235: 231: 227: 223: 222: 213: 189: 180: 173: 168: 164: 160: 148:Peter Isakoff 145: 141: 137: 132: 131:Seymour Medal 129: 125: 122: 121:The Big Fella 118: 114: 111: 109:Notable works 107: 100: 96: 93: 90: 86: 83: 82: 80: 76: 69: 66: 65: 63: 59: 55: 50:(age 72) 40: 36: 29: 24: 19: 1130:. 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Retrieved 595: 586: 570: 564: 558: 552:Squeeze Play 551: 545:Bibliography 532: 518: 511:social media 508: 503: 500:The Last Boy 499: 495: 489: 464: 462: 441: 439: 429: 426:Sandy Koufax 422:Hall of Fame 419: 412: 406: 398:Squeeze Play 397: 394: 369: 367: 360: 354: 348: 342: 336: 330: 324: 318: 316: 304: 298: 284: 261: 244:Sandy Koufax 237: 226:sportswriter 187: 186: 120: 117:The Last Boy 116: 112: 67:Sportswriter 18: 1233:1951 births 1083:"JaneLeavy" 494:finalists: 492:Casey Award 326:womenSports 1222:Categories 1209:Jane Leavy 1199:Jane Leavy 1099:2023-12-12 1068:2023-06-01 1014:2023-05-26 697:2023-03-16 667:2023-03-16 610:2024-03-02 578:References 380:, and the 258:Early life 230:biographer 188:Jane Leavy 61:Occupation 44:1951-12-26 32:Jane Leavy 1194:Grantland 951:March 17, 918:March 16, 834:March 16, 729:March 16, 506:in 2018. 498:in 2002, 483:from the 469:Babe Ruth 428:, called 295:Red Smith 282:in 1976. 252:Babe Ruth 177:janeleavy 23:Jane Levy 1126:Archived 1093:Archived 1062:Archived 1008:Archived 978:Archived 945:Archived 912:Archived 879:Archived 828:Archived 777:Archived 723:Archived 691:Archived 661:Archived 604:Archived 487:(SABR). 424:pitcher 382:Olympics 374:baseball 350:Newsweek 162:Children 1201:at the 1088:Twitter 984:May 30, 885:June 2, 783:May 30, 297:of the 170:Website 156:​ 152:​ 1205:(SABR) 573:(2018) 567:(2010) 561:(2002) 555:(1990) 537:, and 378:tennis 359:, and 313:Career 264:Jewish 250:, and 234:author 232:, and 143:Spouse 138:(2022) 133:(2019) 70:Author 56:, U.S. 150: 1213:IMDb 1134:2023 1040:2024 986:2023 953:2023 920:2023 887:2023 836:2023 785:2023 731:2023 370:Post 332:Self 329:and 221:-vee 179:.com 99:M.A. 89:B.A. 38:Born 1211:at 1192:on 875:NPR 456:in 219:LEV 1224:: 1102:. 1091:. 1085:. 1060:. 1056:. 1031:. 1006:. 1002:. 976:. 970:. 943:. 937:. 910:. 904:. 873:. 853:. 822:. 802:. 775:. 769:. 748:. 721:. 715:. 689:. 676:^ 659:. 655:. 644:^ 628:. 602:. 598:. 594:. 460:. 392:. 376:, 353:, 347:, 341:, 309:. 254:. 246:, 228:, 46:) 1136:. 1071:. 1042:. 1017:. 988:. 955:. 922:. 889:. 859:. 838:. 808:. 787:. 754:. 733:. 700:. 670:. 613:. 212:/ 209:i 206:v 203:ɛ 200:l 197:ˈ 194:/ 190:( 165:2 101:) 97:( 91:) 87:( 42:( 25:.

Index

Jane Levy
Roslyn, New York
Barnard College
B.A.
Columbia University
M.A.
Seymour Medal
Henry Chadwick Award
janeleavy.com
/ˈlɛvi/
LEV-vee
sportswriter
biographer
author
The Washington Post
Sandy Koufax
Mickey Mantle
Babe Ruth
Jewish
Roslyn, New York
Roslyn High School
Barnard College
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism
New York Yankees
Mickey Mantle
Red Smith
New York Herald Tribune
The Village Voice
The Washington Post
womenSports

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