Moe Berg: Athlete, Scholar, Spy

Rating:
Summary: Moe Berg--A Fascinating Life
Review: This fast-paced biography of Moe Berg, reprinted from the 1970's, recounts an amazing life. As a catcher in the major leagues for several years, Berg was an asset both behind the plate and in the bullpen. A true linguist, he mastered more than a dozen languages perfectly, from Latin and Sanskrit to French and Japanese. He enjoyed newspapers in all languages and woe to anyone who disturbed his papers before he was done with them! Known as "the professor", Berg even obtained a law degree and would sometimes practice law in the off-season. Moe Berg helped introduce major league baseball to the Japanese in the 1930's. He also played a major role in espionage, both against the Japanese and the Nazi's. His encounter with Heisenberg in Zurich, trying to determine whether Germany was on the verge of producing an atomic bomb, is an amazing story. Athlete, scholar, and spy--yes, Berg was all three--a gifted and courageous man who is finally getting more widespread recognition.

Rating:
Summary: Moe Berg--A Fascinating Life
Review: This fast-paced biography of Moe Berg, reprinted from the 1970's, recounts an amazing life. As a catcher in the major leagues for several years, Berg was an asset both behind the plate and in the bullpen. A true linguist, he mastered more than a dozen languages perfectly, from Latin and Sanskrit to French and Japanese. He enjoyed newspapers in all languages and woe to anyone who disturbed his papers before he was done with them! Known as "the professor", Berg even obtained a law degree and would sometimes practice law in the off-season. Moe Berg helped introduce major league baseball to the Japanese in the 1930's. He also played a major role in espionage, both against the Japanese and the Nazi's. His encounter with Heisenberg in Zurich, trying to determine whether Germany was on the verge of producing an atomic bomb, is an amazing story. Athlete, scholar, and spy--yes, Berg was all three--a gifted and courageous man who is finally getting more widespread recognition.