More than a star pitcher and accomplished coach, Mel Stottlemyre has a history that serves as a behind-the-scenes tour of four decades of baseball. From Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford to Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry to Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera, Stottlemyre connected generations of stars during a remarkable career. The fact that he had a complicated, sometimes bitter relationship with George Steinbrenner for thirty years adds a layer of melodrama to the story of one of the classiest men ever to wear pinstripes—for both the Yankees and the Mets.

In his long-awaited autobiography, Stottlemyre tells his story in colorful detail, from his days as a rookie sensation on the last of the great Mantle teams to those as trusted pitching coach during the Joe Torre administration. Along the way he takes readers inside the clubhouse of championship ball clubs, describing the defiance of the '86 Mets, from manager Davey Johnson on down, that defined them as champions but then destroyed them prematurely. Stottlemyre also recalls the true grit and selflessness that helped make Torre's Yankees a dynasty from 1996 to 2000. Finally, there are the ups and downs with Steinbrenner, from standing up to the Boss during some hilarious staff meetings to getting caught in the line of fire of Steinbrenner's constant second-guessing.

Three times a twenty-game winner before a shoulder injury abruptly ended what could have been a Hall of Fame career, Stottlemyre had the misfortune of pitching during one of the longest championship droughts in Yankees history, but then won five championship rings as pitching coach with the Mets and the Yankees. All told, in coaching the likes of Gooden, David Cone, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera, Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, and many others, Stottlemyre has perhaps worked with more great pitchers than anyone in baseball history. And he has stories to tell about each of them.

Off the field, Stottlemyre lost a young son t...