Some great summer reading for prewar collectors

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Posted By: Bob

Some new books out there which I have had a chance to read and which I'd like to share with others:
One of the most informative and well written books I've read in quite a while is called "Where They Ain't" by Burt Solomon, a story of the original Baltimore Orioles and the trials and tribulations of the team, city, and particular focus on Willie Keeler.

I also just finished Red Legs and Black Sox by Dr. Susan Dellinger, a writer who also happens to be the granddaughter of HOFer Edd Roush of the Reds. The book is primarily about Edd and his life but the book takes a fresh and new approach at the 1919 World Series from the perspective of the Cincinnati players and midwest gamblers. Most interesting is the uncovering of the files of a detective hired by Ban Johnson prior to the WS to investigate gambling and prospective fixing of games. The book gives information which tends to show that two Reds' pitchers, Sallee and Reuther, conspired with gamblers to throw two of the games in the Series. Interesting and sure to be controversial. Not as well written as Solomon's book, but very interesting and a good read.




Getting ready to read 1924 The Greatest Season. Looking forward to it...

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

Wow, tbob all three are subjects of great interest to me. Thanks for the heads up!

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Posted By: RayB

Thanks for the heads up on those.
RayB

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Posted By: Dustan Hedlin

Thanks for the recommendations. If anyone else knows of other good pre war books, post them too.

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Posted By: John S

Any feedback on Tris Speaker's new biography?

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Posted By: Ray Piskadlo

I read "Red Legs and Black Sox"... highly recommend it.

I also read "Baseball's Greatest Season, 1924"... also highly recommend it.

Other books that have come out recently that are worthy of mentioning:

"Spalding's World Tour" by Lamster
"The Big Bam" by Montville
"Burying the Black Sox" by Carney

I probably spend more time reading books about Dead Ball Era Baseball than I do collecting cards from the Era. These are all worthy reads!

In the next few months, there will also be biographies published about:
Johnny Kling
Mordecai Brown

Enjoy,
Ray

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Posted By: Chad

But, The Emerald Age of Baseball, a bio of Ed Delahanty has been interesting so far. I've also been reading the excellent Unforgivable Blackness about Jack Johnson. Hey, he did play a little first base for his pal Rube Foster!

--Chad

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Posted By: Ted Zanidakis

For those who like to read about true life stories of players in the T206 set, then
I highly recommend "The Year They Called Off The World Series", by Benton Stark.

It is a well-written book on the 1904 BB season covering both Major Leagues and
great insight into the the characters involved which culminated in the NY Giants
refusing to play the Boston team in the World Series.

This was really the 1st "hex" on Boston (way before the Babe Ruth era). And, what
a neat coincidence that 100 years later the Red Sox come back from a huge deficit
to win the Championship. Not, unlike the story of the 1904 season.

This book is out of print, but Borders had no problem getting it for me. Also, try Amazon.
The Publisher is Avery and it is Copyrighted 1991.

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Posted By: Bob

Just finished the book The Greatest Season 1924. I thought it was a good read and since my card collecting generally leaves off at the year 1919 with the Black Sox, I was interested to read about players who had just begun to make a splash in the majors in the mid 20's as well as being surprised to hear about the exploits of 2 T207 players, George Mogridge and J. Fournier, who I assumed had careers that paralleled those of many of the other 207 players who merely had a cup of coffee. Both were very good players and integral to their teams. But of course 1924 was the year The Big Train finally got his championship and the one and only title for the Senators (at least until the transplanted team won in 1987 as the Twins).

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Posted By: David McDonald

Just finished Autumn Glory: Baseball's First World Series by Louis Masur and regard it to be a top-shelf book, a great baseball history read. It's a game-by-game, play-by-play account of the Boston-Pittsburg match-up, interspersed with enough anecdotal material about the likes of Wagner and Young and NufCed McGreevy to please any wingnut. Masur does an excellent job of recreating the feel of the era. Published in 2003, available at Amazon. Any of youse that reads the book, visit the Royal Rooters website. http://www.royalrooters.com/ Click on "Download Tessie Real Audio Format." You will hear an original 1903 recording of "that damn Tessie song," scratches and all.

(pic from web)

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Posted By: Jeff

The book features a large Nineteenth century era chapter as well as numerous pages from the dead ball era, and is a great read for Washington fans as well as anyone who enjoys baseball history.