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CyI just sat down and sent Rob an E-mail to tell him about some of the books that I truly liked. After re-reading the E-mail, I thought that maybe others might want to hear about a few books. Please note that I am not a voracious reader by any stretch of the imagination. But these books were quite easy to read and enjoy. Plus the CD set is awesome. Here is the E-mail I sent.
The absolute first thing you need to ask for is The Glory of Their Times CD set. The book is nice and has more articles in it than the CD. But the CD set has the actual interviews that Larry Ritter did when he was researching the book. This set is not just the book being read, it is Smokey Joe Wood, Sam Crawford, Rube Marquard, Jimmy Austin (my favorite interview), Lefty O'Doul, Hans Lobert, Chief Meyers and more players actually talking to Larry, telling their stories first-hand. If you like old baseball cards, this is the best item you can buy. I am not kidding. Amazon.com has it for $26.37 and shipping is free. You will love this set.
I am not a person who reads a lot. But I did read a few old-time baseball books lately.
"Rube Waddell: The Zany, Brilliant Life of a Strikeout" is a great book and extremely easy to read. The words flow so easily with the story of the zaniest player ever. It is pricey at $29.95, but it truly is worth it. It's a great read.
"Walter Johnson: Baseball's Big Train" is a must book for any fan of vintage baseball. The story of Walter Johnson is rich and wonderful. It is also written by a friend of mine, Henry Thomas, who, by the way, is Walter Johnson's grandson. This is a great book and priced at $18.21.
"The Unforgettable Season" is a book about the 1908 National League pennant race of the infamous Merkle boner. What makes this book so special is that the entire book is newspaper articles. The book is entirely edited daily newspaper articles that chronicle the season. This is terrific because you not only get a first-hand experience of the pennant race, but you also get a first-hand experience of the style of writing from that era. This is a cheap book, $11.96.
I have a couple others I liked. "Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend" ($11.53 in paperback), "The Black Prince of Baseball: Hal Chase and the Mythology of the Game" ($23.95)
I hope this helps. The prices I quoted are all amazon.com and if you buy over $25, the shipping is free. But you must get the Glory of Their Times CD set. It is magical!
Sincerely,
Cy