Book Your Baseball Season!
Spring Baseball Roundup
By Margaret Heilbrun and Gilles Renaud -- Library Journal, 02/01/2010
Achorn, Edward. Fifty-Nine in '84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had. Harper: HarperCollins. Mar. 2010. c.384p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-06-182586-6. $25.99.
A team winning streak of 20 games is always notable, but what if one pitcher accounted for 18 of the wins? What if he pitched 73 complete games in one season, on his way to 59 wins? We would hail this pitcher as the greatest ever, and Achorn (deputy editorial pages editor, Providence Journal) makes a convincing case that Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn should be so honored for his 1884 season with the National League's Providence Grays. This is not just a recitation of bare-handed baseball and old-time brawling, but a story that, with its larger-than-life protagonist, numerous exploits, and a love interest, reads like a novel. Hugely appealing for baseball die-hards.
Gay, Timothy M. Satch, Dizzy, and Rapid Robert: The Wild Saga of Interracial Baseball Before Jackie Robinson. S. & S. Mar. 2010. c.384p. photogs. ISBN 978-1-4165-4798-3. $26.
Jackie Robinson integrated the major leagues in 1947, but off-season "barnstorming" games by pro players were integrated before World War II. The larger-than-life Satchel Paige and Dizzy Dean played, one black, one white, both possessed of unequaled skill, panache, and an innate sense of marketing. Imagine a country fighting economic upheaval and starved for heroes and entertainment. Add the precocious Bob Feller, whose fastball was measured at better than 104 miles per hour, and you have a new classic baseball book. Gay (Tris Speaker) shows these men bringing integrated competition to baseball fans far from big league stadiums, from Cuba to the Pacific coast. With events that defy the imagination. Highly recommended.
Kurlansky, Mark. The Eastern Stars: How Baseball Changed the Dominican Town of San Pedro de Macoris. Riverhead: Penguin Group (USA). Apr. 2010. c.288p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-59448-750-7. $25.95.
The accomplished Kurlansky (Salt: A World History) can pose and answer challenging questions in an idiosyncratic and appealing fashion, and this makes his work distinctively fascinating. Why does one small Dominican town produce world-class baseball players in such amazing numbers? And why its abundance of shortstops? What accounts for the ascension of the Dominican Republic generally as a training ground for diamond stars? Aside from a super baseball read, you get here an erudite social and cultural history of the Caribbean. An essential future best seller for all touched by baseball.
Spatz, Lyle & Steve Steinberg. 1921: The Yankees, the Giants, and the Battle for Baseball Supremacy in New York. Univ. of Nebraska. Apr. 2010. c.576p. ISBN 978-0-8032-2060-7. $31.95.
Why are the Yankees the defending World Series Champions? The answers are found in part in this well-written, fully documented, and sometimes gripping account of a previous pivotal year, coming on the heels of the 1919 Black Sox scandal. The Yankees had sound management and an eye for plucking talent from other teams. They also had the "vision thing," as made plain by their resolve to build what was then a mammoth stadium. With vivid descriptions of Giants manager John McGraw, both teams, the city, and the broader era, this delightful reading by two experts on early 20th-century baseball is highly recommended.
Wendel, Tim. High Heat: The Secret History of the Fastball and the Improbable Search for the Fastest Pitcher of All Time. Da Capo. Mar. 2010. c.288p. photogs. ISBN 978-0-306-81848-6. $25.
Wendel (Far From Home: Latino Baseball Players in America) moves across baseball history to show that choosing the fastest pitcher, and defending such a choice, is subjective: there are no agreed-upon criteria, since speed alone is not useful if you can't hit the plate. In our era of moneyball and sabermetrics, it's refreshing to read a book so vividly written that we can easily envision the old-time players and scouts spit tobacco juice to punctuate their opinions while disdaining mere radar readings. Wendel teaches us as much about the evolution of the values of our society as he does the development of the national pastime: will all information gathering rely only upon machinery, or will we trust our eyes, instincts, and judgment? Highly recommended.
Ackmann, Martha. Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone, the First Woman To Play Professional Baseball in the Negro Leagues. Lawrence Hill: Chicago Review. Jun. 2010. c.288p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-1-55652-796-8. $24.95.
After top players from the Negro Leagues were able to follow Jackie Robinson into the majors, Negro League owners looked for new ways to draw attendance. In 1953, Marcenia Lyle "Toni" Stone was hired by the Indianapolis Clowns to replace Hank Aaron at second base. Author Ackmann (gender studies, Mount Holyoke Coll.) didn't get to meet Stone, who died in 1996, but she draws out Stone's story through the periodical record and her own interviews with surviving colleagues. The story of a woman given a chance to pursue her dream of being a pro ball player, yet aware that she was being used as a gate attraction, shunned by many teammates and so often alone, reminds us of how far we've come but also of how far we still have to go. A fine addition for all baseball shelves.
Armour, Mark. Joe Cronin: A Life in Baseball. Univ. of Nebraska. Apr. 2010. c.448p. illus. ISBN 978-0-8032-2530-5. $31.95.
This is a rich account of one of the 20th century's great player-managers, his rise from modest beginnings all the way to Cooperstown, and presidency of the American League. Armour (coauthor, Paths to Glory: How Great Baseball Teams Got That Way) deserves the greatest praise in light of not only Cronin's importance but also of the critical elements that form the book's second half: the role of race in sport and America, the rise of unionism, and the class interests of those claiming to have the welfare of fans in mind as they decided upon franchise location, playoff timing, etc. Though Armour is fair in his criticisms of Cronin, he also rightly points out the great contributions of a man whose love for the game brought him to the attention of popes and presidents. Recommended.
Bryant, Howard. The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron. Pantheon. May 2010. 608p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-375-42485-4. $29.95.
Not just another book on Hank's prodigious ability to elevate baseballs over the fences, this explores Aaron's talent in elevating himself, his family, and his community. Bryant (senior writer, ESPN.com; Juicing the Game: Drugs, Power, and the Fight for the Soul of Major League Baseball) reveals a multifaceted man, a great American, and an accomplished athlete, in that order. Indeed, the postcareer exploits of Aaron will inspire all readers. Bryant evokes the apparently distant world marked by cruel segregation, racism, and poverty of the soul, as well as reliving some of the greatest moments of baseball. A most welcome book, most highly recommended.
Clavin, Tom & Danny Peary. Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero. Touchstone: S. & S. Mar. 2010. c.384p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-4165-8928-0. $26.
Maris remains an enigmatic figure notwithstanding the attention he received in large part for his 1961 home run season. Prolific writers Clavin and Peary reveal a complex and private individual, making plain not only his underappreciated talent in all aspects of the game but his humanity and love for family and friends. There is no greater praise than being a "gamer," and Maris was that and much more. This book's ultimate contribution may be its indictment of irresponsible reporters and image makers who failed to accord a hero his due. Without question an entertaining book for ball fans, but general readers of biography may also enjoy understanding the life of one who achieved greatness despite adversity.
Forr, James & David Proctor. Pie Traynor: A Baseball Biography. McFarland. Mar. 2010. c.255p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7864-4385-7. pap. $29.95.
When it comes to the greatest fielding third basemen, many baseball stat fans still speak up for Pie Traynor of the 1920s and 1930s Pirates, a consummate team player with a lifetime .320 batting average to boot. His years as the most eminent hall of famer without a full biography are now over. McFarland, which counts numerous excellent baseball titles among its lists, again offers a signal contribution to our understanding of a great golden age player. Moreover, the meticulous account here by enthusiasts Forr and Proctor of Traynor's life after he ceased to manage the Bucs is no less interesting, notably his success as an announcer. Although the book is jointly written, its style is engaging, with a narrative that flows without a hitch. Splendid.
Top of the Order: 25 Writers Pick Their Favorite Baseball Players of All-Time. Da Capo. Apr. 2010. c.288p. ed. by Sean Manning. ISBN 978-0-306-81855-4. pap. $15.95.
Leading off this impressive lineup of fiction and nonfiction writers, journalists, musicians, etc., is W.P. Kinsella with a vivid foreword reminding baseball fans why they love the sport. Then the all-star contributors (e.g., Roger Kahn, Buzz Bissinger, Laura Lippman) present their favorite ball player. These are not the best players, hence we get to read of Steve Dembowski, who parlayed an ability to be hit by pitched balls into a remarkable fan base; of Garry Maddox for his many off-field accomplishments, notably his mentoring of young players. But wondrous talent is not ignored, notably the fabled Lou Gehrig. On many occasions, the writer's explanation for his or her choice tells us much about the writer's own youth and subsequent career choices—thus the ultimate charm of this collection is how it tells us something about ourselves as well as our heroes.
Wiggins, Robert Peyton. Chief Bender: A Baseball Biography. McFarland. Feb. 2010. 272p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7864-4229-4. pap. $29.95.
From famine to feast! Three books (e.g., Tom Swift's Chief Bender's Burden) have been recently published on pitcher Albert Bender, an American Indian who gained fame for his pitching exploits before World War I, among other sports accomplishments, and notoriety as a member of the First Nations. This impressive book not only reveals new information, but it also does so with a pleasing style and a focus on Bender's notable achievements on the mound and in other competitive contexts. The discussion is well researched, and the postcareer chapters are interesting, with new original research. This will be of interest mainly to those not in possession of competing titles on Bender.
[see LJ's January issue for a review of James S. Hirsch's Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend]
Glanville, Doug. The Game from Where I Stand: A Ballplayer's Inside View. Times Bks: Holt. May 2010. 304p. index. ISBN 978-0-8050-9159-5. $25.
Wanted by baseball fans: an informative and literate book written by a former player in which scandal is absent. Our wish is fulfilled with this memoir by an Ivy-educated engineer who spent nine seasons (1996–2004) in the "bigs" and who is now the "Heading Home" online columnist for the New York Times. Glanville's account of his youth and especially of being nurtured within a loving family in a community dedicated to inclusiveness will be inspiring beyond the baseball shelves. This entertaining, insightful, and humorous (read about his visits to Montréal) book is also provocative on the subject of performance-enhancing substances. Deserving to be a best seller, it will be appreciated by all kinds of mentors and mentees, as well as fans of the game.
Leitch, Will. Are We Winning?: Fathers and Sons in the New Golden Age of Baseball. Hyperion. May 2010. c.288p. photogs. ISBN 978-1-4013-2370-7. $24.99.
New York magazine sports columnist Leitch's reference to "fathers and sons" in the "new Golden Age" sounds more like a holdover from baseball's original golden age over 50 years ago, notwithstanding that Leitch is in his thirties. He is referring both to his own father and to his intention to father a son for future emotional connection through baseball. Interweaving his coming-of-age memories with stories of attending a 2008 Cubs-Cardinals game with his father and a pal, he writes of how a shared love of the Cardinals—and baseball generally—became "the one language" through which these Midwestern males could share deep feelings. This memoir has all the salty language of today and is imbued with Leitch's enthusiasm for baseball's personalities and its mysterious complexity. Sure to be loved by many of today's baseball fans and memoir readers, all the more so if they love the Cardinals.
Mills, Dorothy Seymour. Chasing Baseball: Our Obsession with Its History, Numbers, People and Places. McFarland. Apr. 2010. c.478p. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7864-4289-8. pap. $39.95.
Mills is a veteran baseball author, but much was in uncredited assistance to her husband, the late pioneering baseball scholar Harold Seymour. Now she presents her own first-person examination of the assumptions that surround baseball—e.g., its American origins and its necessary masculinity. Elegantly and calmly, she sets us straight, crediting other SABR researchers along the way. In Part 1, "A Manly Pursuit," she casts a clear light on such trends as fantasy baseball, growing even as the watching of baseball itself has declined, with sandlot, street, and amateur baseball almost extinct. She reminds us that baseball, as our national pastime, has represented our country at its most disturbing, supporting not only segregation in the past but "faith nights" now, which impose evangelical Christianity on passively consenting fans. In Part 2, "A Womanly Pursuit," Mills notes the women who have in fact played baseball, albeit excluded from the MLB and subject to ridicule, and the responsibility of collegiate sports and the Little League in shunting women into softball. A fascinating read that will be especially inspiring for women who love the game.
Span, Emma. 90% of the Game Is Half Mental: And Other Tales from the Edge of Baseball Fandom. Villard: Random. Mar. 2010. 192p. ISBN 978-0-345-50175-2. pap. $15.
A warm and funny memoir (casual swearing included) by freelance writer Span, consisting of separate essay-chapters relating to her own experience of baseball, from her father's nurture over scorecards, through her time (2006–07) as sportswriter for the Voice, to observations of what the game brings out in all of us around this country and beyond—players, writers, and fans included. This will be especially enjoyed by Span's twenty-something peers who follow the Mets or Yankees. She has a refreshingly unassuming and appealing voice.
Stewart, Wayne. You're the Umpire: 139 Scenarios To Test Your Baseball Knowledge. Skyhorse, dist. by Norton. Mar. 2010. c.160p. photogs. ISBN 978-1-60239-793-4. pap. $8.95.
We may not be fond of baseball umps, but wouldn't it be fun to be in their shoes for a game? Prolific baseball writer Stewart divides his scenarios into three separately introduced sections: "Routine Calls," "Basic Situations," and "Obscure Rules and Situations," each presenting mostly real-case game situations upon which the reader is asked to rule. Explanatory answers, also rich with absorbing anecdotes from the past and present, follow each section. This is for all avid fans, new and old, wishing to learn the intriguing rules of baseball—or to prove that they already know them! With color photographs.
Turbow, Jason with Michael Duca. The Baseball Codes: Beanballs, Sign Stealing, and Bench-Clearing Brawls; The Unwritten Rules of America's Pastime. Pantheon. 2009. c.304p. index. ISBN 978-0-375-42469-4. $25.
Baseball's official rules can confuse. What about the unwritten codes of play? They're a harsher set of principles, lacking the charm or eccentric appeal of the official ones. We know some of these, e.g., never rub the spot where you've been hit by a pitch. Turbow and Duca explain the evolution of these codes, with violations often unforgotten and unforgiven by the opposing team. Remember when Rickey Henderson stole second late in a game when his team was ahead 12-5, and he wasn't being held to the bag? A cheap steal for his stats. Code violation. While there are traces of folklore and fair play here, much of this code culture simply comes across as disheartening aggression. But if you like to study these realities of the game, this will appeal.
Blaisdell, Lowell L. Carl Hubbell: A Biography of the Screwball King. McFarland. Jun. 2010. 288p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7864-4465-6. pap. $29.95.
Donnelly, Chris. Baseball's Greatest Series: Yankees, Mariners, and the 1995 Matchup That Changed History. Rutgers Univ. Feb. 2010. c.336p. photogs. index. ISBN 978-0-8135-4662-9. $24.95.
Fink, Bob. Playing in Shadows: Texas and Negro League Baseball. Texas Tech. (Sport in the American West). Feb. 2010. c.224p. photogs. maps. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-89672-701-4. $29.95.
Madden, Bill. Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball. Harper: HarperCollins. May 2010. 320p. ISBN 978-0-06-169031-0. $26.99.
WEB ADDENDUM: BASEBALL HISTORY
Cameron, Mike. Public Bonehead, Private Hero: The Real Legacy of Baseball’s Fred Merkle. Sporting Chance Press. Mar. 2010. c.184p. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-9819-3421-1. $20. pap.
Chicago sportswriter Cameron presents a flavorful and entirely enjoyable history, not only of the unfortunate Fred Merkle, but of the deadball era, which was livelier than any ever known. Cameron accessibly sets the context for the late season Cubs-Giants game in 1908 when baseball’s official Rule 59, long honored in the breach, was suddenly adhered to by the umps, probably at the instigation of Cubs’ second baseman Johnny Evers, who had already pulled this stunt to get another runner out in an earlier game. That runner was Pittsburgh’s Warren Gill. But it’s poor Merkle whom history remembers, because his failure to touch second base when his Giants got a walk-off homer meant he’d been technically forced out there (Rule 59), rendering the game an official tie under pressure for the pennant. Cameron gives us a touching birth-death portrait of the admirable Merkle. The Cubs haven’t won a series since that year, the “Merkle Curse.” Highly recommended for baseball fans young and old.—Margaret Heilbrun (MH), Library Journal
Final Innings: A Documentary History of Baseball, 1972-2008. Bison: Univ. of Nebraska Pr. Jun. 2010. c.392p. ed. by Dean A. Sullivan. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-8032-5965-2. $29.95. pap.
In the fourth and final volume of Sullivan’s documentary history of baseball, following Early Innings, Middle Innings, and Late Innings, he has compiled an excellent selection of often-compelling documents that do indeed represent all of the major events both on and off the field in the major leagues since 1972. Sullivan’s commentaries throughout are incisive and illuminating, and the selections he suggests for further reading are inspired. Very strongly recommended for casual and hard-core baseball fans and for the sports collections of both public and academic libraries.—Rob Langenderfer (RL), Brown Mackie Coll. Lib., Ft. Mitchell, KY
Jamieson, Dave. Mint Condition: How Baseball Cards Became an American Obsession. Atlantic Monthly. Apr. 2010. c.320p. illus. ISBN 978-0-8021-1939-1. $25.
In this compelling book, journalist Jamieson tracks the history of baseball cards from their late 19th-century beginnings to the present, covering the controversies (e.g, card forgeries), the rivalries (e.g., between companies issuing cards, and between rival collectors), and baseball cards as investments. He does not focus on player autograph shows. Jamieson intelligently explores the sometimes contradictory impulses that drive collectors, while noting that today’s children are less interested in baseball cards than in other kinds of trade cards and video games. Jamieson describes his own research trips and interviews. This very satisfying account of the development of baseball cards and our attitudes toward them is highly recommended even for those casually interested in sports or collectibles. (Illustrations and index not seen)—RL
Jenkinson, Bill. Baseball’s Ultimate Power: Ranking the All-Time Greatest Distance Home Run Hitters. Lyons: Globe Pequot. Mar. 2010. c.336p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-1-59921-544-0. $17.95. pap.
Jenkinson (The Year Babe Ruth Hit 104 Home Runs) has always been interested in the tape measure homerun, and the output of the big sluggers. He has spent decades assessing the records of the longest hitters and presents this as the first book on the topic. He offers his narratively and statistically supported rankings backwards, from number 40, Fred McGriff, to the top slugger of all time (he had hoped it would be his old favorite, Richie (Dick) Allen. Jenkinson alternates his rankings chapters with chapters covering historical themes and comparable players. For each ranked player, there’s a boxed list of his ten longest home runs and the date, teams, placement, and length involved. Appendixes summarize the top 100 tape measure sluggers, the longest drives, stadium photos (with indications of where the relevant tape measure homeruns landed), a chronology (by month/day, not year) of the long home runs, power rankings by position, and a miscellany of other stats. Yet this fun book never disappears in a mire of metrics. Red meat for baseball fans.—MH
Szalontai, James D. Small Ball in the Big Leagues: A History of Stealing, Bunting, Walking and Otherwise Scratching for Wins. McFarland. 2010. photogs. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7864-3793-1. $45. pap.
Here’s the opposite of Jenkinson’s book, above. SABR member Szalontai (Close Shave: The Life and Times of Baseball’s Sal Maglie) provides a comprehensive history of strategic baseball, focusing on the stolen base and sacrifice bunt, the kind of baseball that was far more at the heart of the game in the earlier years. Baseball fans who prefer the big stories of heroics, may find this dull owing to the relentless dependence of the author upon statistics, with his insightful comments getting too easily lost in the data. Recommended, with reservations, for hard-core baseball fans who like the statistical approach.—RL
WEB ADDENDUM: BRIEFLY NOTED
Barra, Allen. Rickwood Field: A Century in America’s Oldest Ballpark. Norton. Jul. 2010. 304p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-393-06933-4. $27.95.
Boxerman, Burton A. & Benita W. Boxerman. Jews and Baseball, Volume 2: The Post-Greenberg Years, 1949-2008. McFarland. Mar. 2010. 352p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7864-3357-5. $45.
Craft, Jerry with Kathleen Sullivan. Our White Boy Texas Tech. (Sport in the American West) Feb. 2010. 288p. photogs. bibliog.. index. ISBN 978-0-89672-674-1. $29.95.
Holway, John B. Black Giants. Feb. 2010. Scorpio: dist. by Xlibris. C.244p. ISBN 978-1-4257-9074-5. $21.99. pap.
BRIEFLY NOTED: TEAM FOCUS
Brackin, Dennis & Patrick Reusse. Minnesota Twins: The Complete Illustrated History. MVP: Quayside. Mar. 2010. 192p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-7603-3684-7. $30.
Fost, Dan. Giants Past & Present. MVP: Quayside. Mar. 2010. 144p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7603-3806-3. $25.
Gutman, Bill. Yankees by the Numbers: A Complete Team History of the Bronx Bombers by Uniform Number. Skyhorse: dist. by Norton. Mar. 2010. 352p. illus. ISBN 978-1-60239-763-7. $17.95. pap.
Masters, Todd. The 1972 Detroit Tigers: Billy Martin and the Half-Game Champs. McFarland. May 2010. 430p. illus. bibliog. index. ISBN 978-0-7864-4820-3. $29.95. pap.
Nowlin, Bill & Matthew Silverman. Red Sox by the Numbers: A Complete Team History of the Boston Red Sox by Uniform Number. Skyhorse: dist. by Norton. Apr. 2010. 352p. illus. ISBN 978-1-60239-995-2. $14.95. pap.
The Red Sox and Philosophy: Green Monster Meditations. Open Court. Apr. 2010. 355p. ed. by Michael Macomber. illus. index.. ISBN 978-0-8126-9677-6. $19.95. pap.
Westcott, Rich. Philadelphia Phillies Past & Present. MVP: Quayside. Mar. 2010. 144p. illus. index. ISBN 978-0-7603-3784-4. $25.
| Author Information |
| Margaret Heilbrun is Social Sciences Editor, LJ Book Review. Gilles Renaud is a judge on the Ontario Court of Justice, Canada, and a regular reviewer for LJ. |
