Steve Stone is a terrific color man - wry, knowledgeable, extremely accurate. It's easy to imagine that the Cubs' announcer spent years seething behind a smile while Harry Caray dominated the mike, botching plays, mangling names and spouting non sequiturs. You might figure that Stone's new book, "Where's Harry?" would be a chance to say who knew what the score really was.
To be sure, through page after page of Harry's mishaps, pratfalls and misunderstandings, there's an element of revenge in the guise of roast. Having said in the introduction that he wants to celebrate Harry without lionizing him, Stone proceeds to share tale after tale of Harry's cluelessness. The stories are funny - sometimes even hysterical. When Shawon Dunston had to miss a game because of a groin injury, Harry repeatedly referred to it as a hamstring injury. After the inning, when Stone corrected him, Harry responded, "You're right, Steve, but I really like to say 'hamstring.' I like that word better."
But if the aggregate effect makes Stone seems like he's being harsh on Harry, time and again he discusses his reverence and respect for the greatest baseball man never to take the field. In an interesting simile, he writes, "The man was like a walking encyclopedia of broadcasting, baseball and psychology all rolled into one."
In one of the most interesting revelations of the book, Stone claims much of Harry's maladroitness was intentional, a cleverly employed showman's tool. He dissects their everyday on-air banter and argues that Harry, originally a radio man, was creating characters for himself and his coworkers, all to provide the most entertainment to the fans.
But in the final analysis, "Harry's middle name was 'contradiction,'" writes Stone. He could be charming or volatile, reasonable or single-minded, sophisticated or dense. Barging through life without self-reflection, he argued for the sake of argument, and was sometimes just a grumpy old man.
Stone clearly misses Harry. "Now that he's gone, the world is way too quiet a place," he laments. And though he has the utmost respect for his new partner, Harry's grandson Chip (and Chip's presence allows Steve to actually do his job), a lot of the excitement's gone. Those who are larger than life leave a bigger hole when they depart.
(Keir Graff)
"Where's Harry? Steve Stone Remembers His Years with Harry Caray"
Steve Stone with Barry Rozner
Taylor Publishing Company, $24.95, 213 pages
copyright 1999 New City Communications, Inc.