The Bronx Zoo by LYLE, Sparky, and GOLENBOCK, Peter - 1979

New York: Crown Publishers, 1979. Hardcover. Small 4to. Black cloth with silver spine lettering, pictorial dust jacket. vii, 248pp. Fine/near fine. Tight, nice later (7th) printing of this popular (to cite front jacket panel) "astonishing look at the World Championship New York Yankees and their coast-to-coast rivals," a tell-all exposé of the 1977-78 New York Yankees by this left-handed relief pitcher (born 1944) who spent 16 years in the major leagues. This unique copy, though, bears five autograph additions -- from the author, from two teammates, from two opposing team members who get roasted -- all on fine, matching, special heavy stock 5" X 3" cards. Front flyleaf bears (top to bottom): SPARKY LYLE in blue marker, who dates it 28 March 1989 at upper right; teammate KEN HOLTZMAN (born 1945) in blue ballpoint, fellow pitcher; and teammate DICK TIDROW (born 1947) in black ballpoint, another fellow pitcher, who dates it 29 November 1980 at upper right. Front flyleaf verso bears (top to bottom): WILLIAM F. "BILL" LEE (born 1946) in blue ballpoint, Boston Red Sox pitcher, who dates it 10 May 1974 at upper right; and JIM PALMER (1945) in blue ballpoint, Baltimore Orioles pitcher and Baseball Hall of Famer, who dates it 29 July 1971 at upper right. A routine copy turned an exceptional copy. Laid in are all five original transmittal envelopes.