[SteveMitchell]

Just a quick note of thanks for all who posted on this subject. I really enjoyed reading the arguments on all sides.

The small change in raw speed (100 meters time) over many years really caught my eye. As a high school freshman my school had a rolled cinders track that wasn't much good even for the early sprint events and was soup by the end of the meet. Spikes were quite heavy (lead weights would not be a completely unfair description) even as late as the 1960's - especially compared with the featherlights of the past few decades.

All in all, I'm quite convinced that the deadball era's players were men of significant accomplishment within the rules and limitations of their day, and certainly worthy of being called Major Leaguers. Today's game still has appeal for me - though I don't look forward to opening day as I once did - due to the over-exposure, detailed analysis and cheating (especially steroids).

For me, the dedication of Lawrence S. Ritter's classic The Glory of Their Times applies:

"This book is dedicated to the men who live within its pages. . . 'All these were honored in their generation, And were the glory of their times. Ecclesiasticus 44:7'"