History of sport Books
University of Nebraska Press Two Sides of Glory
Book SynopsisTwo Sides of Glory is an in-depth, first-person account of intriguing players that made up this once-in-a-generation Boston team. It's also a look at how the extremes of tantalizing victory and heart-wrenching failure influenced their lives.Trade Review"For nearly two decades, the failure of the '86 team to record that final out was a wound that wouldn't heal. Then, in 2004, the Sox finally won a title. Stanley, Buckner and company could now be remembered as heroes, not heels. In Two Sides of Glory: The 1986 Boston Red Sox in Their Own Words . . . the baseball writer Erik Sherman burnishes their legend."—John Swansburg, New York Times"Erik Sherman's book is one any Boston Red Sox fan will appreciate, reminding them of a team rich in both talent and personality. And casual baseball fans will be reminded that the glory that's celebrated when the champagne bottles pop and the trophy is handed out in the clubhouse after the final out of the World Series comes with another side, one that this book brings home in a thoughtful, poignant style."—Willie Steele, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture"Whether or not a reader is a Red Sox fan, a Mets fan, or a neutral observer for that epic showdown, this book is one that every reader who has any interest in the sport should read."—Lance Smith , Guy Who Reviews Sports Books"What shines through in Two Sides of Glory is the 1986 Red Sox players' love for each other and the game they played. . . . Sherman presents the flip side of the 1986 World Series in an engaging, passionate and fascinating narrative. He shows that even though the Red Sox lost in agonizing fashion, they still kept their pride. And in the final analysis, that is what counted most."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie"Readers do not have to be Red Sox fans to appreciate the unique paths individuals must travel to find inner peace when the highest aspirations of youth are not attained. The admirable candor and flashes of humor exhibited make it difficult to dislike any of these men. As they attest, their families, the friendship of teammates, and spiritual faith are infinitely more valuable than any championship trophy."—J. Kemper Campbell, Lincoln Journal Star"Can a key baseball writer set aside the New York Metropolitans banner and compose a comprehensive and moving book on the Hub’s '86 AL franchise? With great ease and candor, Sherman proves himself to be such a scribe."—John Vorperian, SABR Newsletter“I thought I knew everything there was to know about the 1986 Red Sox. I lived with them all season, on the buses and in the hotels. I wrote a book on them. But all these years later Erik Sherman has taken a deeper dive, and the result is enlightening. Two Sides of Glory is the final word on Boston’s most star-crossed team.”—Dan Shaughnessy, author of One Strike Away and The Curse of the Bambino“In many ways 1986 defined Red Sox history from 1918 to 2004. After Game Six, I took the elevator down, and when the door opened, there was Mike Torrez, who shouted, ‘I’m off the hook!’ It was the year Roger Clemens exploded, Bruce Hurst was a ballast, Bill Buckner limped bravely, and David Henderson took the region. I have always believed they would have won had Tom Seaver not gotten hurt. But he did, and Erik Sherman has captured the voices from an unforgettable season.”—Peter Gammons, J. G. Taylor Spink Award recipient and author of Beyond the Sixth Game“In baseball as in life, there’s a compelling poignancy to the near miss. Does it haunt you? Does the hurt fade away? How does it shape the rest of your life? In Two Sides of Glory Erik Sherman lets the 1986 Boston Red Sox give us those answers, visiting the stars of that unforgettable season—Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, and more—for a fascinating series of intimate portraits of the men who came within one strike of World Series glory.”—Tyler Kepner, baseball writer for the New York Times and author of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches“Erik Sherman’s interviews with the players are invariably intimate and always interesting, making Two Sides of Glory an absorbing read even for a baseball fan like me who has no sympathy for the Red Sox as an institution.”—David Maraniss, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of ClementeTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword by Joe Castiglione Preface 1. Safe at Home 2. High Heat 3. Captain of His Own Ship 4. Chicken, Beer, and Batting Titles 5. Still Smokin’! 6. The New Englander 7. For Love of the Game 8. The University of Seaver 9. What Truly Matters 10. The Passion of Dwight 11. Bubble 12. Lyon-ized 13. Almost Legend 14. Grace under Fire 15. Two for the Ages Epilogue Acknowledgments
£22.79
University of Nebraska Press Mashi
Book SynopsisThe biography of Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player in the Major Leagues and a pioneering figure for future players from Asia.Trade Review“Fitts, coupled with Murakami’s voice and experiences, tells the proud tale of a young man who was whisked into the spotlight and became a shining example of the equality that could be reached between the Japanese and Americans on the baseball diamond. Reading Mashi brings us all a few steps closer to what it was like to be there on this landmark journey.”—San Francisco Examiner "This is a an excellent baseball story, a story of cultural adaptation and conflict, and above all the story of one man’s opportunity and the obstacles he overcame to make the most of that opportunity."—Duncan Jamieson, Journal of Sport Literature"Mashi is a nice look at a man and career that deserved to be more than footnotes in baseball history."—Bob D'Angelo, Tampa Tribune“Mashi Murakami’s impact can still be felt in baseball stadiums on both sides of the Pacific. He is a pioneer in every sense of the word—a true ambassador for the game of baseball.”—Allan H. “Bud” Selig, the ninth commissioner of baseball“Rob Fitts has fabulously transported us back to Mashi’s family roots, childhood passion for the grand game, and his trajectory to become the first Major Leaguer from Japan. It is a discovery and rediscovery of culture, baseball dynamics/politics, and the man who transcended the sport as a gigantic touchstone ‘pioneer’ for future players from Asia.”—Kerry Yo Nakagawa, author of Through a Diamond: 100 Years of Japanese American Baseball“Sometimes historical analysis can’t compete with a good personal story, as Robert K. Fitts—a baseball expert and former archaeologist—proves with his newest book, Mashi.”—Japan Times "Robert Fitts has written a book that needed writing."—Joel S. Franks, Journal of Sport History“Robert K. Fitts, an award-winning sportswriter with a good grasp of Japan’s baseball culture, clearly explicates the factors at play in this exotic baseball narrative—one that has become increasingly relevant as MLB extends its recruitment strategies internationally.”—Robert Birnbaum, Daily Beast "Mashi will take you along on his eventful ride from Yamanashi Prefecture to San Francisco."—Rashaad Jorden, JETwit.com"Robert Fitts has undertaken a great task with this book."—Gregg's Baseball BookcaseTable of Contents AcknowledgmentsChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18AfterwordAppendixNote on Sources Notes Bibliography Index
£14.24
University of Nebraska Press The Pitcher and the Dictator
Book SynopsisThe incredible untold story of legendary pitcher Satchel Paige, who played high-stakes baseball for Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo. Trade Review“While baseball is at the heart of the book, The Pitcher and the Dictator—the pitcher being the legendary Satchel Paige—the story is about much more, including gunboat diplomacy, the blood-drenched history of the Dominican Republic and, not least, the prevalence of racism and repression in mid-twentieth century America.”—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times“This short, action-packed narrative illuminates one of those footnotes that dot the history of the game but are seldom explored in depth. Here the footnote explodes with unexpected vitality.”—Paul Dickson, Wall Street Journal"This is a baseball book but it is so much more. It deals with history, politics, and power. . . . I encourage baseball fans and history aficionados to get this book for a good read."—Tom Knuppel, KNUP Sports"Smith offers a breezy account of an unusual episode in baseball history that was just one of many colorful moments in Paige’s lengthy career."—Missouri Historical Review"The Pitcher and the Dictator is an entertaining read, and Smith goes to great pains to describe the mood, the weather, the fans' enthusiasm and the sinister specter of Trujillo looking over the all-stars' shoulders. The detail is exquisite."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie blog"If a reader wishes to learn more about this season in the Dominican Republic for three of the greatest stars of the Negro Leagues as well as the first Cuban player inducted into the American Baseball Hall of Fame, this is a good book to start that journey."—Guy Who Reviews Sports Books“I was nineteen years old when I played with Satchel Paige in 1968. He knew my name but called me Daffy—and I was happy to let him. By then Satchel had lived one of the most extraordinary lives of our times, and Ace Smith captures his spirit with his compelling true story of the one adventure that could have ended it all, a deal to pitch in the Dominican Republic, under military watch, when losing was not an option. The Pitcher and the Dictator paints a rich portrait of one of the greatest barnstorming baseball teams.”—Dusty Baker, legendary Major League Baseball player and manager“The Pitcher and the Dictator is a gripping account of Satchel Paige’s travels to an island run by a dictator—during which he faces the harsh obstacles of racism, power, and politics in the 1930s.”—Lance Williams, award-winning journalist and coauthor of Game of ShadowsTable of ContentsPreface: Recovery of a Lost History 1. Trujillo City 2. Time to Get a Job 3. Show Me the Money 4. Chapita 5. The Americans 6. A Long, Lanky Black Boy by the Name of Satchell 7. Trujillo Es El Jefe 8. Opening Day Away 9. Royal Prerogative 10. Total Catastrophe 11. The Stars Arrive 12. Después de la Victoria 13. Nuevos Rumbos 14. Black Babe Ruth 15. Fiesta de la Chapita 16. The Maestro’s Coda 17. The Heartbreaking End of Josh Gibson 18. The Fall of Trujillo 19. The Persevering Paige 20. “El Gamo” 21. Y Otras Epilogue: Tenth Inning Appendix: Notes on Paige’s Magical Pitching Notes Bibliography Index
£15.19
University of Nebraska Press When Baseball Went White
Book SynopsisIn the decade after the Civil War, baseball became segregated because its leaders wanted to grow its presence and appeal to Southerners and to professionalize the sport. As a result, Black players were excluded until 1947.Trade Review"A boon to scholars of both the early development of baseball and race relations after the Civil War."—Library Journal"When Baseball Went White is an intriguing, insightful, and provocative book that opens exciting possibilities for future researchers."—David Welky, Journal of Sport History"Lively and engaging."—Dain Tepoel, Sport in American History“Ryan Swanson's carefully researched and wonderfully nuanced study of baseball’s declining race relations during Reconstruction sheds considerable light on this oft-neglected topic. A must-read.”—Peter Morris, author of A Game of Inches and Level Playing Fields“Deeply researched and well written, Ryan A. Swanson’s When Baseball Went White carefully examines ‘the mechanics of segregation’ that racially cleansed organized baseball during Reconstruction and in the process helped the game become our ‘national pastime,’ at the expense of civil rights and racial justice. Swanson reveals, in fine detail, how a sport that would become a truly meaningful cultural practice and institution nevertheless became something less than it might have been.”—Daniel A. Nathan, president of the North American Society for Sport History and author of Saying It’s So: A Cultural History of the Black Sox ScandalTable of ContentsList of IllustrationsIntroductionProminent Players and ClubsPart 1. The War’s Over, 1865–671. Washington DC: A Game to Be Governed2. Richmond: Make It a Southern Game3. Philadelphia: Baseball’s BoomtownPart 2. Sorting Out New Divisions, 1867–694. Philadelphia: Setting Precedent5. Washington DC: Nationalizing Separation6. Richmond: Calibrating a ResponsePart 3. New Realities Entrenched, the 1870s7. Philadelphia: Permanent Solutions8. Richmond: The Final Tally9. Washington DC: Professional SeparationEpilogueAcknowledgmentsNotesBibliographyIndex
£15.19
University of Nebraska Press Playing with Tigers
Book SynopsisGeorge Gmelch recounts his pro baseball days with the Detroit Tigers Minor League team in the 1960s, when both he and the country were undergoing profound changes.Trade Review"You don't need to have any particular team affiliation to enjoy this book. It really is a good book about a life journey that has a baseball flair to it."—Gregg Kersey, Gregg's Baseball Bookcase"Playing with Tigers provides a wonderful, easy-to-follow anthropological view of an above-average minor league baseball player coming of age in a rapidly changing social environment."—Timothy Dodson, Journal of Sport History"Gmelch's Playing With Tigers balances humility with grace, heartbreak with humor, and victory with defeat in a way that readers not only understand, but appreciate."—R. Zachary Sanzone, Spitball"George Gmelch is to be congratulated for the courage it took to write this memorable chronicle of life and baseball in the 1960s."—Ron Briley, NINE“A completely engaging, insightful tour of a lost era of the 1960s in baseball and America. . . . A ballplayer-turned-anthropologist, Gmelch skillfully applies his ethnographic skills to his own experience. You don’t have to be a baseball fan to want to read this fascinating, very personal, and often surprising story. Enthusiastically recommended.”—Robert Elias, author of The Empire Strikes Out “George Gmelch is an astute guide to the magic and mystery of the Minor Leagues in the 1960s, and Playing with Tigers belongs alongside baseball memoirs by Brosnan, Bouton, Jordan, and Hayhurst. Anyone who cares about the people who play the game should read this insightful and intelligent book.”—Trey Strecker, editor of NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture“A compelling glimpse into a vanished social world, the trials and tribulations of an aspiring Minor League Tiger, as well as the glimmerings of an insightful, productive social scientist who still loves and has a feel for the game.”—Daniel A. Nathan, president of the North American Society for Sport History and author of Saying It’s So: A Cultural History of the Black Sox Scandal “A remarkable baseball story from an extraordinary anthropologist and writer.”—Dan Gordon, author of Haunted Baseball“A poignant memoir about coming of age in and through baseball in the turbulent 1960s. Racial, gender, political, and identity conflicts—they’re all here, recounted by a gifted author.”—Jean Ardell, author of Breaking into Baseball: Women and the National Pastime“George Gmelch has written a true and compelling story of Minor League Baseball in the ’60s. . . . It’s an engaging and accurate portrait of the lives and work of Minor League hopefuls chasing the dream of making it to the Majors.”—Jim Leyland, former Major League manager of the Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, and Pittsburgh PiratesTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Ambition for the Game 2. Breaking In: Duluth-Superior Dukes 3. Wearing Kaline’s Pants: Jamestown Tigers 4. A Little Wildness: Jamestown Tigers 5. Spring Training: Tiger Town 6. Putting Up Numbers: Daytona Beach Islanders 7. Moving Up: Daytona to Rocky Mount 8. Double Passage: The Carolinas 9. Southern Exposure: The Rocky Mount Leafs 10. When the Cheering Stops: The Rocky Mount Leafs 11. Exiled: The Québec Provincial League 12. Lights Out: Drummondville Les Royaux Epilogue Appendix: What They Did after Baseball Notes
£14.24
University of Nebraska Press The Colonel and Hug
Book SynopsisThe story of New York Yankees owner Jacob Ruppert and manager Miller Huggins, who from 1918 to 1929 partnered to build the Yankees into the nation’s dominant sports franchise. Trade Review"A top-notch sports biography."—Kirkus starred review"The Colonel and Hug explores that remarkably fruitful relationship in a meticulous account brimming with quotes from the period."—Edward Achorn, Weekly Standard"The Colonel and Hug explains admirably how the Yankees became the Yankees. Steinberg and Spatz draw heavily on their research to provide a readable, lively narrative."—Bob D'Angelo, Tampa Tribune"A strong dual biography."—Brett L. Abrams, Sport in American History"This book provides a valuable service in helping its readers better understand the genesis of the greatest dynasty in American sports history."—David Shiner, Inside Game“Miller Huggins and Jacob Ruppert are two of baseball’s all-time great characters, and they finally get the treatment they deserve in this highly entertaining, meticulously researched book. You don’t have to be a Yankees fan to enjoy this wonderful story from baseball’s golden age.”—Jonathan Eig, New York Times best-selling author of Luckiest Man: The Life and Death of Lou Gehrig“The foundation of the legendary New York Yankees that we know today was arguably built on the shoulders of three men: Ruth, Ruppert, and Huggins. While Babe Ruth’s exploits have been well documented over the years, we now finally have the definitive story of Yankees owner Colonel Jacob Ruppert and his diminutive giant of a manager, Miller Huggins. . . . A ‘must-read’ for any fan of the history of this great game.”—Vince Gennaro, president of the Society for Baseball Research and professor of sports business management at Columbia University“Everyone thinks that it was Babe Ruth who turned the suffering Yankees of New York into the Crusaders of Baseball. The Babe helped, surely, but it was two invisible characters—the team’s owner, Jacob Ruppert, and the manager, Miller Huggins—who played major roles in the Yankees' everlasting turnaround. Our blessings to Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz for finally bringing Ruppert and Huggins to new generations of fans.”—Al Silverman, former editor of Sport Magazine and editor and publisher at Viking/PenguinTable of ContentsList of PhotographsForeword by Marty AppelPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPrologue: A Collaboration Is BornPart 1. The Early Years1. Everything He Touched Won First Prize2. The Colonel Makes a Name for Himself3. Nothing at All but Ambition and Pluck and Brains4. No Smarter Man in BaseballPart 2. Ruppert Buys the Yankees5. How about the Yankees?6. The Rocky Road to Ownership7. The New Owners Get to Work8. Fritz Maisel Follies9. Anti-German Hysteria and Two Disappointing SeasonsPart 3. Huggins Arrives10. An Impatient City with an Unforgiving Press11. The Nation in Upheaval12. A Season of Transition13. A Battle Leads to a War14. A Home Is No Longer a HomePart 4. Ruth and Barrow Arrive15. Buying the Babe16. The Risks of Ruth17. Ruth Roars into the Twenties18. Squabbling Owners and Scandal Lead to Landis Coronation19. Huggins StaysPart 5. The Yankees Rise to the Top20. One of the Fiercest Pennant Battles Ever21. The Struggles and Troubles of Huggins22. Huggins Is My Manager23. This Is the Happiest Day of My LifePart 6. The Yankees and the Babe Stumble24. It’s Tougher to Manage a Pennant Winner25. New Homes for Single Men and Their Team26. Huggins Waited One Year Too LongPart 7. The Yankees Rise Again27. Florida’s Boom to Bust and the Yankees’ Bust to Boom28. Huggins Silences His Critics, for Good29. Winning Pennants Is the Business of the Yankees30. Knowing How to Buy and Knowing How to BuildPart 8. Huggins Exits31. The Law of Averages Catches Up with the Yankees32. No Man Ever Struggled Harder33. Succeeding an ImmortalPart 9. The Thirties34. McCarthy Is My Manager35. Repeal, Real Estate, and the Third Reich36. The DiMaggio Years37. It Took Time for Success to Become a Tradition38. The Mystery LadyEpilogue: A Legacy of ChampionsNotesBibliographyIndex
£19.79
University of Nebraska Press Sports Journalism
Book SynopsisSports Journalism tells the full story of American sports journalism and the notable changes in technology that have dramatically changed how Americans consume it. Trade Review"If you ever wondered how sports journalism has changed over the years, this is the book for you. The authors look at the growing trends in sports journalism today, and ponder what the future holds. Sports Journalism is interesting and educational at the same time!"—Josh Brogadir, Gerweck Audio“Sports Journalism, from two of journalism history’s all-stars, Pat Washburn and Chris Lamb, is a thoroughly accessible study and what will likely become an indispensable book in expanding our understanding of sports journalism and, by extension, sports in America.”—Brian Carroll, professor and chair of the Department of Communication at Berry College“Provides a clear-eyed look at the development of sports journalism as a profession and an industry while also giving us a glimpse at how it will evolve in the next decade.”—Marie Hardin, dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Pennsylvania State University“The history of the press’s role in the coverage of sports is the story masterfully told by Washburn’s and Lamb’s Sports Journalism. At the heart of the narrative . . . is the growing tension between journalism and entertainment values. How the sporting press responded to this challenge to its underlying legitimacy not only reveals the story of American sports journalism but also illuminates the larger challenges that journalism as a whole will certainly face in the future.”—David Abrahamson, professor of journalism at the Medill School at Northwestern University“This is the most dynamic and complete history of sports journalism that I have ever read. From the current to the one-time well-known to important sports journalism people who have been ignored or marginalized in other histories, all get their due in this thorough work. Highly recommended for both popular and academic markets. I learned a lot and was reminded that the history of sports journalism, from the beginning in the United States in 1733 (!) to today, is a history of changing social mores, political economics, athletic accomplishment, and always evolving media technology.”—Robert Bellamy, professor of media at Duquesne UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Introduction Chapter One: The Beginning of American Sportswriting Chapter Two: Sports Journalism Blossoms Chapter Three: Newspapers and Radio Begin to Coexist Chapter Four: Sportswriters and Black Athletes Chapter Five: Sports Illustrated and ABC Television Chapter Six: ESPN and Women Sportswriters and Broadcasters Chapter Seven: The State of Sports Journalism Notes Bibliography Index
£45.00
University of Nebraska Press Sports Journalism
Book SynopsisSports Journalism tells the full story of American sports journalism and the notable changes in technology that have dramatically changed how Americans consume it.Trade Review"If you ever wondered how sports journalism has changed over the years, this is the book for you. The authors look at the growing trends in sports journalism today, and ponder what the future holds. Sports Journalism is interesting and educational at the same time!"—Josh Brogadir, Gerweck Audio“Sports Journalism, from two of journalism history’s all-stars, Pat Washburn and Chris Lamb, is a thoroughly accessible study and what will likely become an indispensable book in expanding our understanding of sports journalism and, by extension, sports in America.”—Brian Carroll, professor and chair of the Department of Communication at Berry College“Provides a clear-eyed look at the development of sports journalism as a profession and an industry while also giving us a glimpse at how it will evolve in the next decade.”—Marie Hardin, dean of the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, Pennsylvania State University“The history of the press’s role in the coverage of sports is the story masterfully told by Washburn’s and Lamb’s Sports Journalism. At the heart of the narrative . . . is the growing tension between journalism and entertainment values. How the sporting press responded to this challenge to its underlying legitimacy not only reveals the story of American sports journalism but also illuminates the larger challenges that journalism as a whole will certainly face in the future.”—David Abrahamson, professor of journalism at the Medill School at Northwestern University“This is the most dynamic and complete history of sports journalism that I have ever read. From the current to the one-time well-known to important sports journalism people who have been ignored or marginalized in other histories, all get their due in this thorough work. Highly recommended for both popular and academic markets. I learned a lot and was reminded that the history of sports journalism, from the beginning in the United States in 1733 (!) to today, is a history of changing social mores, political economics, athletic accomplishment, and always evolving media technology.”—Robert Bellamy, professor of media at Duquesne UniversityTable of ContentsPreface Introduction Chapter One: The Beginning of American Sportswriting Chapter Two: Sports Journalism Blossoms Chapter Three: Newspapers and Radio Begin to Coexist Chapter Four: Sportswriters and Black Athletes Chapter Five: Sports Illustrated and ABC Television Chapter Six: ESPN and Women Sportswriters and Broadcasters Chapter Seven: The State of Sports Journalism Notes Bibliography Index
£21.59
University of Nebraska Press Road to Nowhere
Book SynopsisRoad to Nowhere is the story of how the Mets and the Yankees played through several mediocre seasons from 1990 to 1996 but built teams that would help drive their ascendancy the rest of the decade.Trade Review“The battle for New York has always been a rich part of the city’s baseball tapestry, and there was a time it seemed the Mets would own its soul forever. In Chris Donnelly’s meticulously reported and wonderfully written book Road to Nowhere we learn just how the Yankees regained their swagger—and, just as important, their sway over the best baseball town of all.”—Mike Vaccaro, New York Post columnist and author of 1941: The Greatest Year in Sports“What a gift Chris Donnelly has given to baseball fans in New York and all those who live and die with the Mets and Yankees. Road to Nowhere is an insider’s look, chock-full of entertaining anecdotes and revealing details based on extensive research, of the period in the early and mid-nineties when the Big Apple became a Yankees town once again. Colorful, legendary characters abound in a delicious tale of baseball in Queens and the Bronx.”—Andrew Maraniss, author of Singled Out: The True Story of Glenn Burke“Chris Donnelly is an utmost authority on New York baseball during the 1990s. In Road to Nowhere, he has written the definitive book tying in the end of a mostly glorious 1980s decade. . . . It is a beautifully written book with plenty of fresh content from those who played on these two New York teams. A must-read for any baseball fan interested in that period.”—Erik Sherman, author of Two Sides of Glory: The 1986 Boston Red Sox in Their Own WordsTable of Contents Acknowledgments 1. Compound Interest 2. Out of Place 3. Borders on the Bizarre 4. Put Out of His Misery 5. Long Hair, Short Tempers 6. Now Trade the Rest of Them 7. Most Players Detest the Place 8. The Best Team I Ever Played On 9. The Once Unfathomable Notion 10. Full Circle Notes Bibliography Index
£25.19
University of Nebraska Press Comeback Pitchers
Book Synopsis2022 SABR Baseball Research Award Finalist for the 2022 SABR Seymour Medal The careers of pitchers Jack Quinn and Howard Ehmke began in the Deadball Era and peaked in the 1920s. They were teammates for many years, with both the cellar-dwelling Boston Red Sox and later with the world champion Philadelphia Athletics, managed by Connie Mack. As far back as 1912, when he was just twenty-nine, Quinn was told he was too old to play and on the downward side of his career. Because of his determination, work ethic, outlook on life, and physical conditioning, however, he continued to excel. In his midthirties, then his late thirties, and even into his forties, he overcame the naysayers. At age forty-six he became the oldest pitcher to start a World Series game. When Quinn finally retired in 1933 at fifty, the “Methuselah of the Mound” owned numerous longevity records, some of which he holds to this day. Ehmke, meanwhile, battled arm trouble aTrade Review"As one would expect from authors as experienced and decorated as Spatz and Steinberg, Comeback Pitchers is a well-researched, well-documented, well-illustrated, and well-written account of the up-and-down baseball lives of two accomplished moundsmen, Howard Ehmke and Jack Quinn, whose careers spanned the last years of the Dead Ball Era and the first decade of the Lively Ball Era. Though largely forgotten today, Spatz and Steinberg seek to restore the reputations of Quinn and Ehmke by offering ample evidence of the character and talent which helped each earn the admiration of not only their baseball peers but also contemporary fans and press."—Frank G. Houdek, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture"A fascinating look at two pitchers who made their mark, particularly during the free-swinging 1920s. Spatz and Steinberg lift both pitchers out of the haze and obscurity and show them for what they were—very good pitchers in an era that focused on hitters."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie“I might read a book about Jack Quinn himself; I might read a book about Howard Ehmke alone. But a book about both men who beat million-to-one odds and set longstanding records? Written by our leading chroniclers of 1920s-era baseball? Sport, there’s just no might about it.”—Rob Neyer, baseball author and analyst“Steinberg and Spatz—meticulous researchers who spin a riveting yarn while getting their facts right—have pitched a perfect double-header with this dual biography of two of baseball’s least known but most fascinating characters. We will never again see the likes of John Picus Quinn and Howard Ehmke in the game.”—Norman L. Macht, author of the three-volume biography of Connie Mack“I had the good fortune of playing Major League Baseball and having my name attached to Jack Quinn. I became aware of Jack’s story in the latter part of my career when I broke his record of the oldest to start and win a Major League game. The more I learned about him, the more connected I felt. We were both continuously told what we couldn’t do. Jack’s impressive fortitude paved the way for me and others. Read this book about a great man and great pitcher.”—Jamie Moyer, oldest pitcher to win a Major League game, breaking Jack Quinn’s recordTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword by Pat Williams Preface Acknowledgments Prologue 1. Jack Quinn, Man of Mystery 2. From Town Ball to the Big Leagues 3. “I’ve Never Seen a Greater Pitcher Anywhere!” 4. Quinn Gets Sent Down and Brought Back Up 5. Howard Ehmke Hailed as Another Walter Johnson 6. Ehmke’s Tumultuous Season Comes to an End 7. A Wasted Year for Howard Ehmke 8. Another Pitcher Joins the Outlaws 9. Breaking Records in Syracuse 10. “A Fellow to Be Reckoned With” 11. Ehmke and the Tigers Take a Step Backward 12. Quinn Goes to the Pacific Coast League 13. “The Dynamite That Finally Shattered Their Friendship” 14. Navy Service and a Return to Detroit 15. “The Greatest Comeback in Baseball” 16. “Not Content to Accept Fate’s Decree” 17. Yankees Win a Championship but Quinn’s Future in Doubt 18. “A Fellow of Gentle Soul” 19. Playing for Ty Cobb 20. Ehmke Endures a Season of Criticism 21. From the Pennant in New York to the Cellar in Boston 22. Veteran Aces on the League’s Worst Team 23. Ehmke and Cobb Get Physical, and the Red Sox Get New Owners 24. “The Toughest Break a Pitcher Ever Had” 25. A New Beginning for Boston 26. Back to Reality for the Red Sox 27. A Team Going Nowhere 28. From the Cellar in Boston to a Pennant Race in Philadelphia 29. Another Baseball Obituary for Quinn and a Near Tragedy for Ehmke 30. Quinn Gets Off to a Strong Start, Ehmke to a Poor One 31. Ehmke and Quinn Reunited 32. Ehmke Again a Teammate of Cobb 33. Favorites Fall Short, Far Short 34. Chasing the “Greatest Team Ever” 35. A Torrid Pennant Race 36. A Fast Start for the A’s 37. A Pennant for the A’s at Last 38. “The Pitcher Who Was Left Behind May Soon Be the Hero” 39. Ehmke Sets World Series Record in “Surprise” Start 40. “I Am Sorry to Have to Let Ehmke Go” 41. Defending Champions 42. A New League, a New Role 43. An Extraordinary Career Comes to an End 44. A Full and Happy Retirement 45. A Sad and Bitter End Notes Bibliography Index
£27.90
University of Nebraska Press From Rails to Trails
Book SynopsisFrom Rails to Trails is the fascinating tale of the political rebirth of bicycle advocacy and of how miles of abandoned corridors were converted to multiuse trails.Trade Review"Harnik rightfully deserves credit for being one of the pioneers who led a movement that positively affected the lives of millions of Americans. His book will be a reference for trail designers and builders for generations to come."—Dirt"In the new, informative book From Rails to Trails, Harnik tells the fascinating tale of the rails-to-trails movement and considers what the continued creation of rails-trails means for the future of Americans' health, nonmotorized transportation networks, and communities across the country."—Brooklyn Digest"Anyone who reads the book will have to come away with some appreciation for how the trails they ride got there."—Charles Pekow, cyclingutah.com"Harnik's sweep through this lane of American transportation, industry, and politics will engage the most sedentary. Buffs will geek out on the dozens of charts, maps, and tables."—Michael Leccese, historynet.com"In From Rails to Trails: The Making of America's Active Transportation Network . . . Harnik, now 72, recounts the rich history of bicycling, the rise and fall of railroads, and the grassroots activism that led to the creation of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy."—Jeanette Der Bedroslan, John Hopkins Magazine"From Rails to Trails is a compelling and thorough introduction to applying 20th-century political skills to the double lines of steel rail created by 19th-century physical brawn."—James D. Porterfield, Railroad History"I've read thousands of trail books and publications over my forty-year career of developing and enjoying trails. The majority of these publications fall into four categories: trail guides, trail memoir/adventure narratives, trail construction, maintenance how-tos, and trail studies. During the last few years, we've seen an added category—books exploring the history of what many call the 'nature of trails' or the 'trails movement.' They expand our trail knowledge to this fifth category—delving into the history of where trails and organizations began, how they began, and where they, as well as us, are heading. Peter Harnik, a longtime environmental activist and avid bicyclist joins this last category with his new book that covers the political, cultural, transportation, design, and land-use issues that have shaped the rail-trail movement."—Jim Schmid, americantrails.org"I read with relish Peter Harnik's telling of the rail-trail history, From Rails to Trails: The Making of America's Active Transportation Network. . . . The inspirational book is a bit of a memoir, too, as Peter tells of his own path as one of the founders of the movement to save the rail corridors for public recreational use. Thank you for all that energy, Peter!"—Bill Thorness, billthorness.substack.com"To accommodate trains, the corridors were engineered to be relatively flat, and their hard-packed roadbeds still offer surfaces suitable for most bicycles. The potential for many more rail trails remains, including the completion of the remaining 48% of an east-west, coast-to-coast trail network. The compelling story of how this came about is told by Peter Harnik."—Tom Horton, Bay Journal"Spotlighting key trails and key individuals from the history of rails to trails, Harnik's book should appeal not only to bicyclists but also those of us more broadly interested in environmental history, parks and recreation history, transportation and commerce history, and activism."—Scott EinbergerTable of ContentsList of Illustrations List of Tables Acknowledgments Introduction 1. The Queen of Trails 2. Why Were There So Many Rail Corridors? 3. Meanwhile, the Bicycle 4. Dark Days and a Seismic Shift 5. Is This Idea for Real? 6. Congress Steps In 7. It’s Perfect! Who Could Be Against It? 8. The Movement Gels 9. Fighting for Rights in Court 10. Building the Political Base 11. Breaking into the Money Vault 12. City Trail, Country Trail 13. Bridges and Tunnels 14. Sharing the Corridor 15. Full Throttle Ahead 16. Filling the Gaps 17. Of Rail-Trails and Real Estate 18. If You Want to Count, You Have to Count Notes Selected Bibliography Index
£15.19
University of Nebraska Press Collision of Wills
Book SynopsisIn their seven years together, quarterback Johnny Unitas and coach Don Shula, kings of the fabled Baltimore Colts of the 1960s, created one of the most successful franchises in sports. Unitas and Shula had a higher winning percentage than Lombardi's Packers, but together they never won the championship. Baltimore lost the big game to the Browns in 1964 and to Joe Namath and the Jets in Super Bowl IIIboth in stunning upsets. The Colts' near misses in the Shula era were among the most confounding losses any sports franchise ever suffered. Rarely had a team in any league performed so well, over such an extended period, only to come up empty. The two men had a complex relationship stretching back to their time as young teammates competing for their professional lives. Their personal conflict mirrored their tumultuous times. As they elevated the brutal game of football, the world around them clashed about Vietnam, civil rights, and sex. Collision of Wills looks at the complicated relationshTrade Review"Gilden's detailed book captures the excitement of the Unitas-led Colts drives and provides a glimpse into one of pro football's greatest player-coach relationships."—Publishers Weekly"Jack Gilden's new book reminds us that the game, even in its golden era, has always had controversy. But it was usually well-hidden. Gilden uncovers much that we never suspected, in a book about two of the most legendary figures the game has ever known. . . . This one's not for the hero worshippers who wish only to think of their favorite teams as happy bands of brothers. It's about one of the greatest teams in football history—the late, lamented Colts before they were snatched from Baltimore—and the sheer contempt their quarterback and coach had for each other."—Michael Olesker, Baltimore Post-Examiner"The author does a fine job of re-creating the Colts' fierce rivalry with Vince Lombardi's Packers and presents well-rounded portraits of Shula, Unitas, and other principals such as owner Carroll Rosenbloom and players Tom Matte and Raymond Berry."—John Maxymuk, Library Journal"Both Unitas and Shula are members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, each carving out a glorious career. For seven years they both excelled in spite of each other, winning more games than even Vince Lombardi’s fabled Packers. Gilden brings that conflict into sharp focus with a compelling narrative and the perspective of people who admired both men."—Bob D'Angelo, Sport in American History"This is a very interesting and informative book on the Colts and the two legends who played an important role in making the Colts one of the best teams during the 1960's. Their role in changing the landscape of professional football cannot be overlooked and this book informs the reader of their importance."—Guy Who Reviews Sports Books"I enjoyed reading this book as the author was able to balance the conflicts we saw with Shula and Unitas in the context of the period of societal turmoil they played in. He was also able to interview many individuals from that time period that helped give greater strength to the story that was told. If you are a fan of the Colts and or 1960's football this book would be an excellent addition to your library."—Gridiron Greats Book Review"A revealing look behind the scenes of one of the game's most idolized players, and one of its most triumphant coaches—and how the two men won with remarkable consistency despite their sheer contempt for each other."—Michael Olesker, Baltimore Jewish Living“The Baltimore Colts of the 1960s are one of pro football’s great underreported stories. The fact that Vince Lombardi’s Green Bay Packers took their headlines and championships doesn’t make them any less fascinating. With passion for the subject, extensive reporting, and sharp analysis, Jack Gilden brings to life Johnny Unitas, Don Shula, their team, their era, and their city. I thought I knew everything about Baltimore sports after covering them for more than three decades, but Collision of Wills taught me a lot.”—John Eisenberg, former Baltimore Sun sports columnist and author of The Streak: Lou Gehrig, Cal Ripken Jr., and Baseball’s Most Historic RecordTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Prologue 1. A Legend Departs and an Ambitious Young Man Arrives 2. Rise and Fall of the Colts 3. Complicated Men 4. Shula Encounters Unexpected Problems 5. The Colts’ Greatest Season Yet 6. Black, White, and the Browns 7. Story Lines 8. The 1964 Championship Game 9. The Conflict 10. Love Is Also a Collision Sport 11. Unprecedented Success 12. Changing Times 13. War 14. 1968 15. Super Bowl III 16. Denouement Afterword Acknowledgments Bibliography Index
£16.14
University of Nebraska Press SABR 50 at 50
Book SynopsisSABR 50 at 50 celebrates and highlights the Society for American Baseball Research’s wide-ranging contributions to the game of baseball. Trade Review"This compilation, a distillation of all that is important to the society's members . . . showcases the SABRite at his or her baseball-loving, stat-obsessed best."—Paul Dickson, Wall Street Journal"This book is more than just statistics and formulas. It is a living, breathing history of baseball, with writers passionate about not only preserving the history of the game, but also getting it right."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie"A well conceived collection of 'the fifty most important contributions' to baseball research."—David Pegram, NINETable of ContentsForeword by John Thorn Acknowledgments Editors’ Note 1. Ernie Lanigan—Patron Saint of sabr Frederick G. Lieb 2. Relative Batting Averages David Shoebotham 3. The Best Games Pitched in Relief L. Robert Davids 4. The First Negro in Twentieth-Century O.B. William J. Weiss 5. Average Batting Skill through Major-League History Richard D. Cramer 6. Runs and Wins Pete Palmer 7. Ladies and Gentlemen, Presenting Marty McHale Lawrence S. Ritter 8. In Pursuit of Bull Durham Bill Haber 9. Out at Home Jerry Malloy 10. The Federal League and the Courts Gary D. Hailey 11. J. Lee Richmond’s Remarkable 1879 Season John R. Husman 12. Roy Tucker, Not Roy Hobbs: The Baseball Novels of John R. Tunis Philip Bergen 13. Zane Grey’s Redheaded Outfield Joseph M. Overfield 14. Honus Wagner’s Rookie Year, 1895 A. D. Suehsdorf 15. Four Teams Out: The National League Reduction of 1900 Bob Bailey 16. Jackie Robinson’s Signing: The Real Story Jules Tygiel and John Thorn 17. Locating Philadelphia’s Historic Ballfields Jerrold Casway 18. Smokey and the Bandit: The Greatest Pitching Duel in Blackball History Larry Lester 19. The Evolution of the Baseball Diamond: Perfection Came Slowly Tom Shieber 20. The Book Karl Lindholm 21. Cricket and Mr. Spalding Tom Melville 22. Lifting the Iron Curtain of Cuban Baseball Peter C. Bjarkman 23. The Colorado Silver Bullets: Can Promotion Based on the “Battle of the Sexes” Be Successful? Gai Ingham Berlage 24. Cy Seymour: Only Babe Ruth Was More Versatile Bill Kirwin 25. Free Agency in 1923: A Shocker for Baseball Steve Steinberg 26. Hack Wilson’s 191st rbi: A Persistent Itch Finally Scratched Clifford S. Kachline 27. John McGraw Comes to New York: The 1902 Giants Clifford Blau 28. Underestimating the Fog Bill James 29. Which Great Teams Were Just Lucky? Phil Birnbaum 30. Why Is the Shortstop “6”? Keith Olbermann 31. Do Batters Learn During a Game? David W. Smith 32. New Light on an Old Scandal Gene Carney 33. Roberto Clemente’s Entry into Organized Baseball Stew Thornley 34. The Effects of Integration, 1947–86 Mark Armour 35. Pots & Pans and Bats & Balls John Thorn 36. History vs. Harry Frazee: Re-Revising the History Daniel R. Levitt, Mark L. Armour, Matthew Levitt 37. The Quest for Dick McBride Peter Morris 38. Zooming In on a Great Old Photo Mark Fimoff 39. The Georgia Peach: Stumped by the Storyteller William R. Cobb 40. Babe Ruth, Eiji Sawamura, and War Robert K. Fitts 41. Lou Gehrig’s rbi Record: 1923–39 Herm Krabbenhoft 42. Clutch Hitting in the Major Leagues: A Psychological Perspective Leonard S. Newman 43. Do Hitters Boost Their Performance during Their Contract Years? Evidence from the 2006–11 Collective Bargaining Agreement’s Years Says “Yes” Heather M. O’Neill 44. The Double Victory Campaign and the Campaign to Integrate Baseball Duke Goldman 45. The Black Sox Scandal William F. Lamb 46. Bill McKechnie Warren Corbett 47. The Roster Depreciation Allowance: How Major League Baseball Teams Turn Profits into Losses Stephen R. Keeney 48. Professional Woman Umpires Leslie Heaphy 49. The Struggle to Define “Valuable”: Tradition vs. Sabermetrics in the 2012 al mvp Race Peter B. Gregg 50. From Usenet Joke to Baseball Flashpoint: The Growth of “Three True Outcomes” D. B. Firstman
£35.10
University of Nebraska Press Red Barber
Book SynopsisA Booklist Top 10 Sports and Recreation Book This biography of sports announcer Red Barber (1908–92) puts his life and broadcasting career in the context of twentieth-century American life and explores his own personal journey.Trade Review"The 'Old Red Head' made his fame . . . with the Dodgers at Ebbets Field, where he spiced his calls with folksy Barberisms like 'rhubarb' for arguments and fights on the field, 'the catbird seat' for dominance, and 'the bases are F.O.B.'—'full of Brooklyns.' Now his story is enshrined. . . . It's quite a tale. . . . Red Barber was that voice—with, as the authors write, ‘the unique perspective and gifts of the storyteller’—that burnished baseball in one of its golden ages."—Wall Street Journal"Red Barber is a first-rate biography of an extremely important figure in baseball history."—Spitball Magazine"A compelling portrait of a sportscaster endowed with a rare breadth of social and psychological understanding."—Booklist, starred review"A thoroughly researched work with rich detail."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie"Hiltner and Walker are to be commended for their look into the life of a man who is largely forgotten but whose skills and character influenced sports announcers and fans for decades."—Alan L. Griggs, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture"Anyone who wants to know what broadcasting was like before the advent of spin rates and exit velocity, reading Red Barber would be a good place to start."—Chip Ainsworth, Daily Hampshire Gazette“Red Barber is one of the greatest and most influential baseball broadcasters ever to occupy the ‘catbird seat,’ as the ‘Ol’ Redhead’ called it. From Jackie Robinson’s debut to Bobby Thomson’s Shot Heard ’Round the World. From Brooklyn’s beloved ‘Bums’ to the Mantle/Maris Yankees, to mentoring a young Vin Scully, Barber’s life and career are an important part of baseball history and the history of the craft he mastered. This complete and carefully researched biography is both merited and most welcome.”—Bob Costas, twenty-nine-time Emmy Award–winning broadcaster and 2018 Ford C. Frick Award honoree“Red Barber was the lilting voice of the Reds, the Dodgers, the Yankees, and National Public Radio. But more than that, he was the conscience of baseball, a man who believed in the power of broadcast for the good of the game and its listeners. Red was perched in the catbird seat while big-league baseball grew in ways he could barely have imagined; he grew with it, as an announcer and as an American. With Red Barber: The Life and Legacy of a Broadcasting Legend, the authors have given this complicated, important figure the biography he deserves.”—John Thorn, official historian, Major League Baseball“At last a full biography of a legendary sports broadcasting pioneer. Red Barber balanced responsible reporting with charming entertainment. Judith Hiltner and James Walker explain how the Old Redhead retained his personal integrity in a field where baseball, broadcasting, and sponsors want total control.”—Bob Edwards, author of Fridays with Red: A Radio Friendship“Red Barber’s voice was my lullaby. He sang me to sleep from the catbird seat, his honeyed literacy suffusing my dreams and forming the bedrock of my writing life in baseball. When I stupidly sent him my raunchy, fictional love letter to the game, hoping he would embrace it, it showed just how little I knew about this complex and courtly gentleman, the seminal voice of baseball broadcasting. Now, thanks to Judith Hiltner and James Walker, Walter Lanier ‘Red’ Barber has belatedly received the serious and definitive biography he deserves.”—Jane Leavy author of The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He CreatedTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Three Scenes Prologue: Walter Lanier “Red” Barber Part 1. Foundations in the Old South: “I Was Carefully Taught” 1. Cultured Roots 2. Celery Capital of the World 3. Bumming Corner 4. “Certain Aspects of Bovine Obstetrics” Part 2. Cincinnati: Big Break 5. Pay Cut 6. Rising Expectations Part 3. Brooklyn: The Barber of Flatbush 7. Making of a Legend 8. “Blood” on the Radio 9. On the Home Front 10. “Oh, Doctor!” 11. Losing Control, Gaining a Purpose Part 4. Yankee Years: Never at Home 12. Stadium Work 13. Breakfast in Manhattan Part 5. Return to Florida: A Writerly Broadcaster 14. A Developing Writer, A Darker Vision 15. Hall of Fame Broadcaster Part 6. Red’s Renaissance: “Red Barber Moved People” 16. National Public Radio 17. A Closed Family 18. Legacies Epilogue: Walter Lanier “Red” Barber, Revisited Notes Bibliography Index
£26.09
University of Nebraska Press Jazz Age Giant
Book SynopsisA biography of Charles A. Stoneham’s years owning and running the New York Giants in the 1920s.Trade Review"Jazz Age Giant is well-researched, complemented by plenty of notes. Garratt writes simply and smoothly, explaining complicated subjects in a clear manner. The life of Charles Stoneham may never be crystal clear, but Garratt helps bring it into focus."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie"This biography of long-forgotten New York Giants owner Charley Stoneham is a superb example of the craftsmanship that goes into creating a reliable portrait of a person in the baseball industry."—Charlie Bevis, Bevis Baseball Research“A wonderful, interesting, and informative book, even if you are not a baseball fan. By placing Charles Stoneham within [the context of] New York’s Jazz Age, Robert Garratt offers a unique perspective on the history of Giants baseball ownership.”—Bob Lurie, San Francisco Giants owner, 1976–1993“Like the fictional Jay Gatsby, Charles Stoneham was a poor boy who became wealthy through marginally legal business practices and often associations with shady characters. As president of John McGraw’s perennially powerful and prosperous New York Giants, Stoneham was a major figure in Major League Baseball until his death in 1936. He is part of a colorful era in baseball and the city of New York, and Garratt does him justice in a well-done biography.”—Charles C. Alexander, author of John McGraw and Rogers Hornsby: A Biography“A well-researched, informative biography. . . . Much of [Charles Stoneham’s] private life was a mystery, and Robert Garratt reveals the reasons why, which I suspect will come as a surprise to even the most knowledgeable of baseball fans. You won’t find a more entertaining look at baseball as it played out beyond the field during the 1920s and the early years of the Depression.”—Lyle Spatz, coauthor of 1921: The Yankees, the Giants and the Battle for Baseball Supremacy in New York“Robert F. Garratt’s expertly researched and lively biography of Stoneham, successful businessman and owner of the New York Giants baseball team in the 1920s and 1930s, makes for highly entertaining and informative reading. Garratt’s intriguing positioning of Stoneham’s fascinating life story . . . in juxtaposition with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby suggests that it can be read as emblematic of the Jazz Age in which he flourished and adds texture to this account of this famously private figure whose story has hitherto remained unexamined.”—Jackson R. Bryer, president of the F. Scott Fitzgerald SocietyTable of Contents List of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Endgames 2. Go East, Young Man 3. The House of Lords 4. A Fresh Scent of Scandal 5. See You in Court 6. The Battle for New York 7. Götterdämmerung 8. Crash Time 9. The Last Hurrah 10. The Last Drop Epilogue Appendix Notes Bibliography Index
£22.79
University of Nebraska Press Clubbie
Book SynopsisClubbie is a hilarious and illuminating memoir about a starry-eyed baseball fan who accidentally became part of the Minor League system that exploited his heroes. Trade Review"[A] well-written, realistic, and necessary addition to current baseball literature."—Library Journal"Larson succeeds in bringing the reader right into the IronBirds' clubhouse."—Cycle"Does what happens in the clubhouse stay in the clubhouse? No; Larson lets us into the Aberdeen Ironbirds’ inner sanctum. Prepare to spend two full seasons with the Baltimore Orioles' minor-league affiliate owned by Cal Ripken. It is not Disneyland. Teammates brawl, players quit in mid-game, and one-upmanship rules. Clubbie Larson, also a stand-up comedian, offers a truly hilarious view of Double-A ball."—John Vorperian, SABR Newsletter"Clubbie is bittersweet, but it throws a lot of strikes as far as capturing the malaise of minor league ball."—Jon Hart, Stadium Journey“Greg Larson’s Clubbie signals the arrival of an important new voice to American letters. . . . Clubbie is more than a coming-of-age story told via America’s pastime: it is an elegiac requiem for all who fall short of the one million forms of the American Dream.”—Joe Jackson, author of Black Elk: The Life of an American Visionary“It’s easy to romanticize baseball. But from the inside, in the trenches of the Minor Leagues, the game is not so pure. With an excellent eye for detail, Greg Larson captures every tobacco stain and dirty sock in this memoir of life as a clubhouse attendant. It’s a well-written, heartfelt chronicle of growing up in a game that doesn’t want to.”—Brad Balukjian, author of the Los Angeles Times best seller The Wax Pack“Imagine Holden Caulfield washing jock straps in the clubhouse of a Minor League baseball team. Then imagine Jim Bouton revealing the secrets of dreamers who struggle to make it to the Big Show. Enter Greg Larson with a voice and secrets all his own. This stunning debut memoir is about baseball and love, about the double edge of dreams. Larson is a natural.”—Michael Pearson, author of the New York Times Notable Imagined Places: Journeys into Literary AmericaTable of ContentsPart 1 1. A Shooting Star 2. The Bottom Rung 3. Lottery Ticket Odds 4. Shadowboxing 5. On a Train Bound for Nowhere 6. The Baseball Gallows 7. The Boatload Mentality 8. Alexander the Great 9. The Dog Star 10. Nightshade Part 2 11. Aphelion 12. A New Era Takes Flight 13. Started from the Bottom 14. Number 75 15. Selling Garbage 16. Lights Out 17. Children in the Outfield 18. Summertime Sadness 19. The Team of Destiny 20. IronNuts! Acknowledgments
£20.89
University of Nebraska Press The Immortal Bobby
Book SynopsisThe biography of Bobby Jones, the only golfer to win the Grand Slam and a key figure in America's Golden Age of Sports.Trade Review"Another engrossing golf read is The Immortal Bobby . . . a welcome paperback release of Ron Rapoport's 2005 biography of Bobby Jones, the only man to win four major golf championships in one year, 1930. The book deserves a wide audience for its lively depiction of both golf and society early in the last century and for several surprising revelations about the most beloved sportsman of his day."—John Paul Newport, Wall Street Journal“Fabulous.”—Leonard Shapiro, Washington Post“An important book about an important sports figure that, typically for Rapoport, goes beyond the confines of sports and fits firmly in the context of our culture.”—Ira Berkow, sports columnist and author of Red: A Biography of Red Smith“Here is Bobby Jones as you’ve never seen him, almost fearful in the fires of competition, and Ron Rapoport shows us how that man became a legend.”—Dave Kindred“The story of Bobby Jones’s singular life is one of the most fascinating in sports history. Ron Rapoport’s thoughtful, graceful style is well suited to telling that story.”—Bob Costas“Just when you think there is nothing new to be said or written on the subject of Bob Jones, Ron Rapoport comes along and proves that theory completely untrue. The Immortal Bobby is wonderfully reported and superbly written.”—John Feinstein“Beyond the grainy newsreels and the confetti falling on Broadway and Peachtree Street, there was an essential Bobby Jones, and Ron Rapoport reveals him splendidly in a portrait as graceful as the man. There’s more here than Grand Slam 1930—the jangling nerves and self-doubt, the towering modesty in response to fame, the complexity of an Atlanta patrician, a life richly lived.”—Gary M. Pomerantz, author of Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn“If you want to learn a thing or three about Jones and the defining times in which he lived, you should read this book.”—Brian Hewitt, thegolfchannel.com“The real strength of Rapoport’s profile of Jones is the uncompromising look at how complex the man/athlete was. Like many greats in any field, both Jones’s strengths and weaknesses were extreme.”—Mike Imrem, the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, IL)“An exhaustively researched and anecdote-rich tome on Bobby Jones.”—Peter Kerasotis, Florida TodayTable of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Little Bob and Mr. Jones 1. East Lake Days 2. The Jewel of the South 3. The Keeper of the Flame 4. "Emotions Which Could Not Be Endured" 5. "By No Means Fit for the Honourable Company" 6. The Long Lane Turns 7. "My Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, Are We Downhearted?" 8. "It Was Perfect and That Is All There Is to Say about It" 9. "Like a Hero Back from the War" 10. "He Belongs to Us All" 11. "You Can Never Know How I Envied You" 12. "Don't Kill the Star in the Prologue" Part II: The Grand Slam 13. Impregnable Quadrilaterals, Then and Now 14. "Your Boy Is Just Too Good" 15. The British Amateur: "They Ought to Burn Him at the Stake" 16. The British Open: Great Men of Hoylake 17. The U.S. Open: "The Lord Must Have Had His Arms Around Me" 18. Homecoming 19. The U.S. Amateur: "Into the Land of My Dreams" 20. Quitting the Memorable Scene Part III: The Best That Life Can Offer ... and the Worst 21. Hollywood, Augusta, and Beyond 22. "White as the Ku Klux Klan" 23. "I've Been Having Some Numbness in My Limbs" 24. "Will Ye No' Come Back Again?" Sources and Acknowledgments Bibliography Index
£17.99
University of Nebraska Press Oscar Charleston
Book SynopsisThe biography of Oscar Charleston, a Negro Leagues legend and one of baseball's greatest and most unjustifiably overlooked players.Trade Review“A valuable and superb book.”—Joe Posnanski, The Athletic"In this thorough account, Beer has created a definitive work on Charleston's life and accomplishments. The result is a fascinating story and an important piece of sports history."—Gus Palas, Library Journal, starred review"In telling Oscar Charleston’s story, Jeremy Beer has done a remarkable job in finding sufficient evidence in the historical record—box scores, newspaper accounts, interviews, oral histories—to support his thesis that Charleston deserves to be recognized as one of the game’s greatest players. Thanks to Beer’s fine biography, Oscar Charleston will not be forgotten."—Thomas Wolf, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture"If Beer set out to write the authoritative biography of Oscar Charleston, he accomplished his goal seamlessly. The book is much more than a biography, it is an exhaustively researched tome about not only Oscar Charleston, but about the rise and fall of Negro Leagues baseball in the twentieth century."—Paul Langendorfer, Inside Game“Beer’s evenhanded narrative makes a convincing case for Charleston as the greatest baseball player who never played in the majors. This is a solid hit for baseball historians and fans alike.”—Publishers Weekly“[Jeremy Beer] has managed to construct a portrait of Charleston that clearly establishes him as a great baseball figure and a pioneer whose career paved the way for many who followed him. . . . An invaluable contribution to baseball history.”—Wes Lukowsky, Booklist "Oscar Charleston fills a void in baseball history, providing context and nuance to a great player who was enigmatic in life—and in death."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie blog"Interwoven with modern statistics calculated from the available box scores and other sources of information, one cannot help to wonder how Charleston would have fared in the major leagues had he been allowed to play. . . . Beer paints a picture of a man who should be considered one of the greatest players ever to pick up a bat and glove. Readers who want to get an informed introduction to Oscar Charleston should pick up this book."—Lance Smith, Guy Who Reviews Sports Books"I miss nothing like I miss baseball, and author Jeremy Beer has delivered a treasure to fill the hours between vintage games on the MLB Network."—Frank Murtaugh, Memphis Flyer"One of Beer’s most extraordinary accomplishments is giving a chronological narrative through the labyrinthine career of Charleston, from military ball in the Philippines, through a score of Negro League teams, winter ball dates in Palm Beach and in Cuba, and various barnstorming ventures, and then on into the managerial ranks and the grooming of younger stars—including Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson—up through to his final gig, managing an Indianapolis Clowns team that had just lost their young shortstop, Henry Aaron, to the big leagues. Beer manages to keep the narrative cogent, with Charleston’s achievements, captured through newspaper accounts and eyewitnesses, stirring the imagination at every turn."—Michael Stevens, Front Porch RepublicTable of ContentsPreface Introduction: Craftsman Chapter 1. Batboy, 1896–1912 Chapter 2. Hothead, 1912–1915 Chapter 3. Riser, 1916–1918 Chapter 4. Star, 1919–1922 Chapter 5. Manager, 1922–1926 Chapter 6. Leader, 1926–1931 Chapter 7. Champion, 1932–1938 Chapter 8. Scout, 1939–1947 Chapter 9. Legend, 1948– Epilogue Acknowledgments Appendix: Statistical Record Notes Bibliography Index
£16.14
University of Nebraska Press The Pride of Minnesota
Book SynopsisThom Henninger provides a nostalgic look at the era’s elite Minnesota Twins teams and the turbulent times in which they competed in four dramatic American League pennant races between 1965 and 1970. Trade Review"In The Pride of Minnesota, Thom Henninger brings fans back to a by-gone era that has many connections to present day. For fans, like me, that are too young to remember, this book paints a picture of what this important era meant to the Twins and to the country as a whole. Others who lived through the era will enjoy reminiscing about the pennant races and players that helped them to fall in love with baseball."—Cody Christie, Twins Daily"This is a book that any Twins fan or baseball fan from the Upper Midwest will want to add to their collection. Full of both cultural references and excellent baseball from that era, it is a fine recollection of when the Minnesota Twins were one of the better teams in the American League."—Lance Smith, Guy Who Reviews Sports Books“The Pride of Minnesota is a wonderful read, describing the early success of the Twins and the many important events that happened in the country during the era.”—Jim Kaat, longtime Twins pitcher and current assistant to the Twins president“Thom Henninger covers the shifts and upheavals of a period that was a magical time for Minnesota baseball fans. The 1960s brought the excitement of Major League Baseball to the state and set off the most successful decade the Twins ever had. . . . A hit for baseball fans and beyond.”—Stew Thornley, Minnesota baseball historianTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: A Contender Emerges in Troubling Times 1. A New Day 2. The Fast Start 3. Taking Flight on a Bumpy Ride 4. An All-Star Summer 5. A Pennant Race in a Rocking New World 6. The Stretch Run 7. Beating the Best 8. Too Much Koufax, Not Enough Contact 9. Plymouth Avenue on Fire 10. Change in the Air 11. The Summer of Love Heats Up 12. Getting Better 13. Down to the Wire 14. A Difficult Year to Forget 15. Billy Ball Brings the Twins Back to Life 16. Killer, Carew, Two Twenty-Game Winners, and the Men on the Moon 17. Peace, Love, and a Division Title 18. In a Game of Inches, Twins Swept Away 19. Four Dead in Ohio 20. Dutch Treat Pays Dividends 21. Baseballs and Bombs 22. Twins Claim Second AL West Crown Epilogue: What Happened to the Twins? Bibliography Index
£23.39
University of Nebraska Press Winning in Both Leagues
Book SynopsisBest known as the general manager of the New York Mets during their remaking and rise to glory in the 1980s, J. Frank Cashen fills the pages of Winning in Both Leagues with lively stories from his baseball tenure during the last half of the twentieth century.Trade Review“The most versatile man I know; sports, music, writing, the law, he could do it all.”—Tim McCarver“When it came to baseball, Cashen had the magic touch.”—Nelson Doubleday Jr., former president of Doubleday and former owner of the New York Mets“Frank Cashen, through shrewd trades and organizational development, put together two of the most complete pitching staffs in baseball history. Through the use of both the numbers and his great appreciation of the eyes and ears of the game (the scouts), Mr. Cashen assembled iconic franchises. Orioles and Mets fans applaud.”—Ron Darling, New York Mets pitcher in the 1980s“Frank Cashen liked being a sportswriter, liked being a lawyer, liked running a brewery, but loved being a baseball general manager. He took his intellect, people skills, great judgment, and passion and became one of the best baseball GMs ever.”—Jim Palmer, broadcaster and Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame pitcher“Cashen is a hero to the little people in baseball. He believed in scouting and the Minor Leagues and persuaded the big league owners to provide a retirement plan for the forgotten people of baseball.”—Harry Minor, long-time New York Mets scout"[Winning in Both Leagues] delivers a refreshingly compact and unpretentious change of pace."—Henry D. Fetter, Wall Street Journal"Whether you've heard the stories before or whether some of the information is totally new, Cashen's is a good read."—Pete Kerzel, Mid Atlantic Sports Network Table of ContentsForeword by Billy Beane Preface Acknowledgments 1. Beating Boston 2. Call from the Boss 3. Baltimore Beginnings 4. Shocking Developments 5. Parting Gift 6. Four Straight 7. After the Sweep 8. Earl of Baltimore 9. Low Point to High Flyers 10. Negotiating Contracts 11. My First Passion 12. From Studs to Suds 13. Commish’s Call 14. Baseball Trails 15. Casting My Fate 16. Changing the Mets' Image 17. Yellow Pad Parlance 18. Trade Secrets 19. Competing in the Apple 20. Building a Winner 21. Breaking .500 22. Dominating Season 23. Infamous Plane Trip 24. Series Showdown 25. Futures Trading 26. Broadcasting Brilliance 27. New Friends, New Places 28. Traveling Tales 29. Mets Changes 30. New Choices 31. Extra Innings
£15.19
University of Nebraska Press Lefty and Tim
Book SynopsisLefty and Tim explores the close-knit relationship between pitcher Steve Carlton and catcher Tim McCarver, forged in 1965, when they were batterymates with the St. Louis Cardinals, and culminating in 1980, when the Phillies won their first World Series title. Trade Review“Steve Carlton needed Tim McCarver to reach for the stars. In all my years covering baseball, I’ve never seen a pitcher-catcher relationship quite like theirs. McCarver did more than merely help Carlton rediscover his slider and recapture his greatness. He found a place inside Carlton’s circle of trust that reshaped both of their careers. Kashatus does a beautiful job of delving into what made their bond so special, on and off the field.”—Jayson Stark, baseball writer for the Athletic and the Philadelphia Inquirer, 1979–2000, and 2019 J. G. Taylor Spink Award winner“Bill Kashatus takes an inside look at a historic baseball brotherhood, revealing in riveting detail how Tim McCarver helped push a pitcher he claimed had an ‘irascible contempt for being human’ to superhuman heights no pitcher may ever reach again.”—Tyler Kepner, author of K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches“It was amazing to play behind Carlton and McCarver. Steve was a fast worker and Tim knew the hitters so well that the Phillies could count on winning every time they started a game. Lefty and Tim tells the story of that winning combination.”—Mike Schmidt, Phillies Hall of Fame third baseman, 1972–89“Steve Carlton was a special project for me when he came to the Phillies in 1972. He could be strong-willed and stubborn, and we had many battles. But he also became the best pitcher I ever coached. Lefty and Tim reveals how Carlton became a Hall of Famer. It is one of the best books I’ve ever read.”—Ray Rippelmeyer, Phillies pitching coach, 1970–78Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword by Larry Christenson Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Always a Catcher 2. Odd Couple 3. Learning Curve 4. Moneyball 5. Reunited 6. Drinking Coffee with a Fork 7. Sphinx of the Schuylkill 8. McCarver’s Pitch 9. Lefty 10. Closer Than Sixty Feet, Six Inches 11. Mastery and Mystery 12. Cooperstown Bound Appendix A: Baseball’s Best Battery Appendix B: Steve Carlton’s Career Pitching Statistics Appendix C: Tim McCarver’s Career Batting Statistics Notes Bibliography Index
£25.19
University of Nebraska Press Charlie Murphy
Book SynopsisA biography of Charles Webb Murphy, the ebullient and mercurial owner of the Chicago Cubs from 1905 through 1914.Trade Review"Besides writing a very readable book, Cannon has done the kind of research that a good biography requires."—James E. Overmyer, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture"Everything a great biography should be: impeccably researched, fair, eminently readable, and ultimately as satisfyingly instructive as having personally known the subject oneself."—Spitball Magazine"Charlie Murphy is an excellent addition to the existing body of work in book-length baseball biography. Cannon masterfully moves beyond his subject's on-field baseball achievements, often the singular focus of a baseball biography, by providing a well-balanced mix of Murphy's off-field contribution to the baseball industry, his cultural influence, and an exploration of his character."—Charlie Bevis, Journal of Sport History"This is a remarkable book full of baseball information for all fans to enjoy. The book is easy to read and should be on the bookshelf of every baseball fan, baseball historian and especially those with Chicago Cubs fandom."—Tom Knuppel, Knup Sports"As for the complete story of Murphy, from his beginnings to his ownership of the Cubs and the fractured relationships at the time of his ouster, Cannon does a very good job of bringing him to life to the reader and illustrating an accurate picture of the business side of the game at that time."—Lance Smith, Guy Who Reviews Sports Books“Over the first couple of decades of the twentieth century, Cubs owner and general manager Charles Murphy was as significant as any executive in baseball and one of its most interesting characters. Jason Cannon perceptively unwraps the man who oversaw Cubs championship seasons and was a principal actor in some of the era’s most notable controversies and boardroom battles.”—Daniel R. Levitt, coauthor of In Pursuit of Pennants: Baseball Operations from Deadball to “Moneyball”“Impeccably researched and masterfully written, Charlie Murphy tells the story of one of baseball’s most well-known, forgotten owners. Only after you’ve read it do you realize how much you didn’t know of Murphy and his impact on the game.”—Willie Steele, editor of NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture“Part exuberant showman and part irreverent iconoclast, Charles W. Murphy eventually aroused the ire of players, fans, and even the baseball establishment with his controversial decisions, which eventually led to his undoing. Jason Cannon deftly uses hundreds of articles, documents, interviews, and other original sources to look past Murphy’s reputation as an egotistical blowhard and reassess both his personal life and professional career. In so doing, the author reveals a detailed narrative of the Progressive Era and a compelling, richly nuanced portrait of one of baseball’s most colorful characters.”—Jack Bales, author of Before They Were the CubsTable of ContentsContents Introduction: “He Was a Showman” 1. Wilmington 2. On to Cincinnati 3. “A Real Wonder-Story” 4. “He Is One of Us” 5. Champions 6. Supremacy Again 7. The War of 1908–9 8. A Pair of Presidents 9. The Final Pennant 10. “Murphy Alone Is My Enemy” 11. “All Is Fair in Love and War” 12. “The Malicious Mistake of Mr. Murphy” 13. Show Business 14. Narratives Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£26.09
University of Nebraska Press Conspiracy of Silence
Book SynopsisThe story behind the mainstream press's efforts to preserve baseball's color line and the efforts of Black and communist newspapers to end it.Trade Review“Everyone—casual fans, journalists, and even the most knowledgeable baseball expert—will find something of interest in this significant contribution to our understanding of civil rights and baseball.”—John Paul Hill, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Cultures "Lamb . . . brings all his scholarly tools to the project. . . . The author has documented a story of immense cultural importance."—Kirkus Starred Review"[Conspiracy of Silence] is a valuable resource for students of baseball history and for readers concerned with the history of race relations and the media in this country."—Robert Bruce Slater, Library Journal"Conspiracy of Silence represents a significant contribution to the study of baseball, race, and the press."—Trey Strecker, Journal of Sport History"Conspiracy of Silence offers overwhelming evidence of the effectiveness of the black press in advancing integration in this country."—Dorothy Seymour Mills, New York Journal"Lamb's thorough journalistic exposé chronicles the drama and history behind the game, while tracing how the desegregation of baseball parallels the story of the civil rights movement in the United States."—Kathleen Gerard, Shelf Awareness"Lamb's research shows the struggle that took place in the media had a lot to do with the tug-o-war of ideals and practicality of all the issues involved in the decision. It's as good a book on the subject as we've ever come across."—Tom Hoffarth, Farther Off The Wall "Though it covers some familiar ground, this solidly researched study introduces new faces to the picture to broaden the context. The clear, bold writing makes the book a joy to read."—L. A. Heaphy, Choice"This is important, overdue work."—Gene Sapakoff, Post and Courier"Everyone—casual fans, journalists, and even the most knowledgeable baseball expert—will find something of interest in this significant contribution to our understanding of civil rights and baseball."—John Paul Hill, NINETable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsPart 1 1. White Sportswriters and Minstrel ShowsPart 2 2. The Color Line Is Drawn 3. Invisible Men 4. “Agitators” and “Social-Minded Drum Beaters” (written with Kelly Rusinack) Part 3 5. “L’affaire Jake Powell” 6. Major League Managers and Ballplayers Call for End of Color Line Part 4 7. The Double V Campaign 8. “The Great White Father” Speaks 9. Black Editors Make Their Case for Desegregation 10. “Get Those Niggers Off the Field” Part 5 11. Robinson Becomes the Chosen OnePart 6 12. “I Never Want to Take Another Trip Like This One”Notes Bibliography Index
£25.19
University of Nebraska Press The Chalmers Race
Book SynopsisThe Chalmers Race is the story of Ty Cobb and Napoleon Lajoie and the controversial 1910 batting race.Trade Review"This book goes beyond baseball, also giving readers an understanding of America itself after the turn of the century. An excellent choice."—Library Journal starred review“It took more than a century, but we’ve finally got the book we deserve about baseball’s most infamous batting race. Thanks to Rick Huhn, it was worth the wait.”—Rob Neyer, host of the weekly podcast, SABRcast “With graceful writing and exhaustive research, Huhn gives life to one of baseball’s great untold stories.”—Jon Wertheim, executive editor for Sports Illustrated "A well-researched, entertaining read."—Bob D'Angelo, Tampa Tribune"Rick Huhn offers a complete presentation of the details of this episode in baseball history."—Amy Essington, Journal of Sport History"The very best history includes a compelling story replete with seminal characters, provides thorough research (including extensive footnotes and bibliography) and combines a masterful understanding of the era with a vivid style. When a century-old subject continues to inspire debate and controversy, there's no doubt that the reading public anxiously awaits the definitive treatment from just the right author. Rick Huhn is that author, and The Chalmers Race is that subject."—Spitball“This is the kind of baseball history we need more of—a book grounded in a great story, shaped by intelligent assessments of the evidence, committed to accuracy and truth-telling, and presented in vigorous prose.”—Reed Browning, author of Cy Young: A Baseball LifeTable of ContentsForeword Preface Prologue Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£21.59
University of Nebraska Press Bring In the RightHander
Book SynopsisThe tale of Jerry Reuss's twenty-two year career as a pitcher in the Major Leagues.Trade Review"Reuss is a gifted storyteller, and he ably communicates his love for the game in an easy, conversational style that makes for pleasurable reading. His book will appeal to any reader interested in 1970s and 1980s baseball, as well as many other fans."—Library Journal"As he did throughout a career that touched an amazing four decades (1969-1990), Reuss delivers plenty of strikes on the page."—John L. Smith, Las Vegas Review-Journal“In Bring In the Right-Hander! Jerry Reuss delivers a revealing and remarkable performance.”—Fred Claire, former Los Angeles Dodger executive vice president and general manager and author of Fred Claire: My 30 Years in Dodger Blue"If you've ever wondered about what goes on behind the scenes in major league baseball, particularly in the clubhouse, this is a must-read book."—Ron Cervenka, thinkbluela.com"Bring In the Right-Hander is a revealing look at Reuss's career, from his start with the Cardinals all the way through his final days as a Pirate."—Cardinal Conclave"If you are a fan of Reuss or any of the teams he played for, take the time to read this book."—Gregg's Baseball Bookcase“Jerry Reuss had one of the great deliveries in baseball. And he has pitched a strike again with an insightful look at a career that transcended the ‘Golden Era’ of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. I couldn’t put it down!”—Steve Garvey, 1974 National League Most Valuable Player and ten-time All-Star Table of ContentsPrologueAcknowledgments1. The Early Years2. Turning Pro3. Life in the Minor Leagues4. Twenty-Four Hours from Tulsa5. Meet Me in St. Louis6. Houston, I'm Comin' to See Ya7. Makin' My Way to the Steel City8. California, Here I Come!9. Life after the World Series . . . Big Laughs, Great Times, and Transitions10. Hits, Misses, and Whistle-StopsEpilogueNotes
£16.14
University of Nebraska Press New Kids in the World Cup
Book SynopsisIn modern American soccer's origin story, a young, underdog team and their wise coach journey to fearsome arenas in Central America and deafening stadiums in Italy in 1990, bringing the United States to its first World Cup in forty years.Trade Review"[New Kids in the World Cup] covers an in incredibly important topic in U.S. soccer history, one that has been crying out for a book-length study for a long time."—Benjamin J. Dettmar, Journal of Popular Culture"Elder has written a book that any American reader who enjoys today's version of soccer in the United States should read."—Lance Smith, Guy Who Reviews Sports Books“Men’s soccer in America has taken a long and winding road to get to the glitz and glamour we now see with MLS, USL, and the national team. This book is an important reminder to appreciate those who helped build the sport when nobody else cared about soccer. Every page filled me with gratitude for those who came before me.”—Landon Donovan, former U.S. Men’s National Team captain and co-all-time-leading scorer“A book that transports the reader back to a time when the best male footballers this nation produced toiled way below the radar. Huge love for Adam Elder, who has poured his energy into reconstructing a story that begins with shirtless dancing on a California beach with O.J. Simpson and spirals away from there. Reading this is a reminder of how far we have come, so fast, from a men’s footballing perspective.”—Roger Bennett, cohost of the TV show Men in BlazersTable of ContentsPreface Prologue: Express Yourself 1. Don’t Worry, Be Happy 2. Every Rose Has Its Thorn 3. Straight Up 4. My Prerogative 5. Patience 6. As Nasty as They Wanna Be 7. Bust a Move 8. Stone Cold Rhymin’ 9. Pump Up the Jam 10. Enjoy the Silence 11. U Can’t Touch This 12. Free Fallin’ 13. Hold On 14. Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) Afterword: Wind of Change Acknowledgments
£25.19
University of Nebraska Press Bouton
Book SynopsisNamed a Best Baseball Book of 2020 by Sports Collectors Digest Bouton examines the remarkable life of a player and an author who forever changed the way we view not only sports books but professional sports as a whole.Trade Review“Once you start reading, you will not be able to stop. A compelling look at one of the most influential and controversial figures in baseball history. A new generation needs to know the story of Jim Bouton: a man who never wearied of gleefully and hilariously skewering the establishment but who also had the old-school drive to will his dreams into reality. Above all, a lifetime love of baseball shines through in every chapter—a true reflection of Bouton himself.”—Brian Kenny, host for MLB Network and author of Ahead of the Curve: Inside the Baseball Revolution"Baseball fans will laugh alongside and, ultimately, feel touched by this look at an iconoclastic, often quixotic man who, despite the charges that his landmark book had hurt the game, loved baseball to the very end."—Library Journal, starred review"An astute writer on the game, [Nathanson] is as at his best on the Bouton-Shecter collaboration—late nights at the Lion’s Head Bar in Greenwich Village; Shecter making sense of Bouton’s scrawls on stationery, envelopes and toilet paper; the pair noodling over the manuscript stripped down to their underwear in Shecter’s airless Chelsea apartment. . . . Nathanson is good, too, with Bouton wisecracks."—Maxwell Carter, Wall Street Journal"When Mitchell Nathanson, a professor of sports law at Villanova, approached Bouton about writing his biography, the pitcher gave his blessing, on one condition: that Nathanson write about him with the honesty he’d tried to bring to the game of baseball. . . . Nathanson moves crisply through the deep back story, though he knows a good detail when he sees one."—John Swansburg, New York Times Book Review"Nathanson goes beyond tracing Bouton’s life, focusing instead on explicating the roots of Ball Four. In so doing, the book becomes an inside-publishing exposé, showing how the publication and selling of Ball Four changed our expectations of what a sports book could be. . . . In addition, the book provides fascinating details about Bouton's post–Ball Four life, including his fling at acting and his turn as an entrepreneur, developing the successful bubble-gum product Big League Chew. A welcome look at one of baseball's signature mavericks."—Mark Levine, Booklist"Nathanson's chronicle of baseball's renowned counter-culture renegade as author of Ball Four in 1970 is a masterful exploration of Jim Bouton's impact not only to major-league baseball but also within the larger societal spheres of the overall sports industry and American culture in general."—Charlie Bevis, Bevis Baseball Research"Bouton: The Life of a Baseball Original is one of the best baseball biographies in recent memory. Nathanson is a fantastic storyteller, capable of juxtaposing Bouton's recollections with those of his contemporaries and situating these stories within their historical context. While researching the book, he spent a significant amount of time with Bouton in the final years of his life (Bouton died in 2019), which contributes to the depth with which he renders his subject."—Clayton Trutor, Reason"Bouton is a book that deserves space next to Ball Four on the bookshelf. Nathanson has done a thorough job of presenting the life of a complex man who changed the game of baseball, not by what he did on the field, but what he observed on the field, in the clubhouse and on the road."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie"A well-researched and fascinating read that tells how the free thinking Bouton always marched to the beat of his own drummer."—John Werner, Waco Tribune-Herald"Nathanson's source list is deep and insightful and his writing is crisp. And his access to Bouton's Ball Four notes provides answers to some lingering questions."—Dennis Star, Peoria Journal StarTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Prologue: Publication Day Part One: The Bulldog 1. Warm-up Bouton 2. Take a Hike, Son 3. Joliet 4. You Should Write a Book 5. A Long Way from Amarillo 6. Fucking Shecter 7. All ’Bout Bouton 8. A Threat, Not a Fine 9. The Bulldog and the Chipmunks 10. Rebel without a Fastball 11. The Youth of America Is for Kids 12. The End of the Line Part Two: The Author 13. Beginnings 14. From Tell-Some to Tell-All 15. Take Your Pants Off, Bouton 16. Fuck You, Shakespeare 17. Protectors of the Holy Flame 18. Against the Unwritten Rules of Baseball 19. Not Enough Sex 20. The Leni Riefenstahl of the National Football League 21. Taking It Personally 22. Bad Stuff ’bout the Mets Part Three: The Iconoclast 23. Not Selling Refrigerators 24. The Most Famous Vasectomy in New York 25. Are We Rolling? 26. One Smart-Ass and Four Lawyers 27. You’re a Long Time Dead 28. The Battered Bastard of Baseball 29. Gilligan’s Island in Baseball Suits 30. Too Old, Too Everything 31. Magic 32. Dreaming in Baseball 33. Mask of the Bulldog 34. Hey, New York—Bouton’s Back! 35. Lightning in a Pouch 36. The Solo Artist 37. Laurie 38. Existential Bad Faith 39. A Mile in Bowie’s Shoes 40. Cashing Out 41. The Butter-Yellow Box Epilogue: The Cool of the Evening Notes Bibliography Index
£17.99
University of Nebraska Press The Umpire Is Out
Book SynopsisDale Scott’s career as a professional baseball umpire spanned nearly forty years, including thirty-three in the Major Leagues, from 1985 to 2017. He worked exactly a thousand games behind the plate, calling balls and strikes at the pinnacle of his profession, working in every Major League Baseball stadium, and interacting with dozens of other top-flight umpires, colorful managers, and hundreds of players, from future Hall of Famers to one-game wonders. Scott has enough stories about his career on the field to fill a dozen books, and there are plenty of those stories here. He’s not interested in settling scores, but throughout the book he’s honest about managers and players, some of whom weren’t always perfect gentlemen. But what makes Scott’s book truly different is his unique perspective as the only umpire in the history of professional baseball to come out as gay during his career. Granted, that was after decades of remaining in the closet, aTrade Review"A rollicking new memoir. . . . Scott is cheery yet candid about the indignities of umpiring."—John Swansburg, New York Times"The Umpire Is Out offers so many inside stories on great names in baseball history. Scott is honest in how he explains each encounter. He's a man you can't help but to root for in his coming years as a private (baseball) citizen. Scott truly is one of the better ambassadors of the game."—Don Laible, Bradenton Times"[The Umpire Is Out] is highly recommended as a biographical memoir of umpiring and the game itself over the past forty years, and also as a non-salacious, candid portrait of gay life in American sports over the same era. It is generous, humorous, enjoyable, and is a great source for learning about both subjects—"The Wedge," as it were, of Scott's professional and personal life."—Tim Wiles, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture“Dale Scott was both consistent and approachable, perhaps the two most important qualities for an umpire. Dale’s personal story is inspirational, but his book also features vivid game stories from a truly great run at the top of his profession.”—David Cone“Dale’s personal story differs dramatically from those of his umpiring colleagues. And yet, what also shines through is what he and so many of us have in common: an abiding love of baseball and an appreciation for what the game has meant to our lives. This is a textured story, both entertaining and meaningful. And told with uncommon grace.”—Bob Costas“As the late, great Ernie Harwell once said to me about Dale, ‘A great umpire is like a great driver in traffic: you never notice they’re there.’ That was Dale Scott. He had a great, consistent strike zone, and I don’t recall him ever missing a call on the bases. But as good an umpire as Dale was, he’s also one of my all-time favorite people.”—Harold Reynolds“Dale Scott umpired for more than thirty years in the big leagues. He’s seen it all, and most of the best parts seem to have wound up in these pages. But heck, I’d buy the book just for the chapter on the José Bautista Bat Flip Game!”—Dan Shulman“For more than ten years, Dale Scott made me laugh every day. As a mentor, he taught me how to not only survive but excel in the Major Leagues, and I am forever grateful for his friendship and leadership. This memoir delivers the humor, excitement, and knowledge that only a true insider can provide. Make the right call and read this book!”—Dan IassognaTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword by Billy Bean 1. Nutcutters, Polebenders, and Shithouses 2. Eugene 3. Playing the Game 4. “You Were Terrible!” 5. “He’s That Blind SOB” 6. Only in the Dominican 7. Getting the Call 8. When Sparky Quit Chewing 9. “Mike, Your Mom Is Blasting Me” 10. Sophomore Slump 11. For the Last Time 12. “I Can Put Two and Two Together” 13. TK 14. Hardly the First 15. “What Do You Mean, Colorful?” 16. Nolan and George 17. Hello Again, Boss 18. Jeffrey Who? 19. A Long Way from Bradenton 20. “What Flavor Was the Kool-Aid?” 21. W. 22. Like a Human Blood Clot 23. “Hell Has Frozen Over” 24. “Hey, Lou, You Missed a Spot” 25. “I Am the Walrus” 26. Postseason from Hell 27. Get the Hell Out of the Way 28. From Frank’s Friendly to Jimmy Fallon 29. Flip 30. “I Can’t Believe This Is Happening Again” 31. No Complaints, No Regrets Acknowledgments Appendix Index
£25.19
University of Nebraska Press One Season in Rocket City
Book SynopsisNamed a Best Baseball Book of 2023 by Sports Collectors Digest It’s 1984. Minor League Baseball mogul Larry Schmittou needs a new home for his Southern League Nashville Sounds franchise. Walt Jocketty, an Oakland A’s executive, searches for a new town for his Double-A club. Fate brings them together in Huntsville, Alabama, a city in need of an outlet to unite its residents. Thus the Huntsville Stars are born. One Season in Rocket City brings to life the baseball renaissance that shook up Huntsville, a city many doubted would support professional baseball. Named after Huntsville’s celebrated space industry, the Stars electrified the town with baseball fever to become one of the biggest attractions in Minor League Baseball that first season. Composed of Oakland’s top prospects, who later fueled the A’s championship run in the late 1980s, the Stars were the hottest ticket in town. Visiting teams called Huntsville the &ldqTrade Review"If you thought that below the Mason-Dixon line, the only sport Southerners would line up to see was football, think again."—SABR Southern New England Newsletter"A most decidedly worthwhile read for anyone interested in how the 1990s A's became the team they were—and in how the minor leagues figure into the general landscape of American baseball."—Deb Seymour, ballnine.com“An engaging and colorful moment, unique in Minor League Baseball history. Dale Tafoya recounts how larger-than-life characters and future big-league stars from the A’s system descended on Huntsville, bringing that city a dream season in the club’s inaugural year. This is a story that will inspire any baseball fan.”—Billy Beane, senior advisor to the managing partner for the Oakland Athletics“I love Minor League Baseball: it is filled with fun, magic, and untold stories. Dale Tafoya provides a fascinating look at a famous Minor League team, the Huntsville Stars, an Oakland A’s affiliate that won the Southern League championship in its inaugural season. It is clever, cool, and captivating; I learned something on every page. All A’s for Dale.’’—Tim Kurkjian, writer and analyst for ESPN“A wonderful look back on a very special team that tells the story of the players, life in the Minor Leagues, and an amazing era of baseball that is slowly fading away. Those Stars were a tough team filled with future Major Leaguers. I know firsthand, as my Charlotte team played them in a most memorable Southern League championship game. Dale Tafoya expertly captures the essence of that place and time, and if you love baseball, this book is a must-read.”—John Hart, former MLB executive and MLB Network analystTable of ContentsForeword by Sandy Alderson Prologue: Musical Chairs 1. Music City’s Field of Dreams 2. The Phenom 3. Albany Takeover 4. Rocket City 5. New Kids on the Block 6. Huntsville Stars 7. The Huntsville Kid 8. Falling Stars 9. Huntsville Lumber 10. Southern Comfort 11. Boys of Summer 12. Champions Epilogue: Season for the Ages In Memory Acknowledgments Notes on Research and Sources Bibliography Index
£22.79
University of Nebraska Press Daybreak at Chavez Ravine
Book SynopsisDaybreak at Chavez Ravine retells Fernando Valenzuela's arrival and permanent influence on Dodgers historywhile bringing redemption to the organization's controversial beginnings in Los Angeles.Trade Review"Daybreak At Chavez Ravine is a baseball education well worth signing up for."—Don Laible, wibx950.com"Daybreak at Chavez Ravine enhances the general sociological knowledge about the expansion of the Mexican-American audience for Los Angeles Dodgers baseball."—Charlie Bevis, Bevis Baseball Research blog“Finally, Fernando Valenzuela has the nuanced and textured biography he richly deserves, as Erik Sherman expertly traces the history of the region, the team, and the man billed as the ‘Mexican Sandy Koufax,’ who delivered on that promise and inspired a generation.”—Tyler Kepner, national baseball writer for the New York Times and author of The Grandest Stage: A History of the World Series“A beautiful and long-necessary ode to one of the most important and influential pitchers in Major League history. Sherman’s affection for the subject, combined with his trademark dogged reporting, makes Daybreak at Chavez Ravine a pure Fernandomania delight.”—Jeff Pearlman, New York Times best-selling author of The Last Folk Hero: The Life and Myth of Bo Jackson“Of all the tremors and earthquakes in Southern California in the last hundred years, the seismic shift in culture and dynamics in Chavez Ravine was caused by the explosion in popularity of one man—Fernando!”—Steve Garvey, longtime Dodgers first baseman and ten-time All-Star“Fernandomania! Graybeards will recall the fervor of 1981, when a chubby rookie with a screwball from Sonora rolled his eyes skyward and threw blanks. All these years later, Fernando Valenzuela remains mysterious by design, but Erik Sherman has unlocked his story, and it is a great one.”—John Thorn, official historian for Major League Baseball“Fernando Valenzuela changed baseball, the Dodgers, and the city of Los Angeles—all for the better. His incredible story, smartly told here by Erik Sherman, captures the imagination and reminds us of baseball’s unique ability to alter American culture. One of the game’s great heroes comes to life in this wonderful tale.”—Jonathan Eig, New York Times best-selling author of Luckiest Man and Opening Day“We may never know whether that seemingly unflappable rookie pitcher from Mexico was ever nervous in 1981 as he forever changed the Dodgers and the baseball world. But author Erik Sherman is the perfect guide, chronicling the everlasting excitement and emotion as he takes fans on a retro tour and appreciation of Fernandomania and beyond.”—Mark Langill, Dodgers team historian“What Fernando meant for all cultures was that nothing’s impossible. To this day, I see people’s jaws drop when they come face-to-face or even get a glimpse of him.”—Rick Monday, former Dodger All-Star center fielder and longtime team radio broadcasterTable of ContentsPreface 1. A Reluctant Hero 2. David versus Goliath 3. LA Goes Dodger Blue 4. The Mexican Experience North of the Border 5. Uncut Diamond 6. Prelude to Greatness 7. The Fable That Came to Life 8. A Star Is Born 9. The Kiss That Sparked a Movement 10. Fernandomania! 11. An International Frenzy 12. Manias 13. Mr. Valenzuela Goes to Washington 14. Struck Out 15. A Star-Spangled Return 16. The Lasorda Effect 17. Houston Has a Problem 18. Blue Monday 19. Speaking "Catcherese" 20. Comeback Kids 21. The Legend Grows 22. Missing the Party 23. Leaving LA in Style 24. The Long Road Back to Glory 25. Legacy Acknowledgments
£23.39
University of Nebraska Press Wheels on Ice
Book SynopsisJessica Cherry and Frank Soos have assembled a wide range of Alaska cycling voices, from the Gold Rush prospecting cyclists of the early 1900s to the ultra-endurance cyclists and bike packers of today.Trade Review"However often you ride bikes, you'll find something beautiful in this 320-page collection. You'll probably also find something inspiring. I certainly did, and when I finished reading, I pulled on my boots and went for a long ride."—John Messick, bikepacking.com“Ever since bicycles were invented, intrepid Alaskans have set out through wilderness, over mountains, along frozen rivers, over thousands of miles of trails. This spirited and lively collection gives us history, starting in 1900, with Ed Jesson’s thousand-mile trip Dawson to Nome. We witness the development of mountain bikes and fatbikes, of pogies and GPS systems. We watch a Tuesday evening cycling club get bogged down, literally, so their ride lasts until the wee hours. From everyday bike commutes to weeks-long wilderness rides, Alaskans continue to push the pedals and their own limits. This book will delight hardcore riders, weekend riders, and readers who’ll enjoy vicariously these wild adventures on wheels.”—Peggy Shumaker, author of Just Breathe Normally“Thrilling! This entertaining and thoughtful anthology captures the joys and adventures of bicycling in Alaska. From urban rides in Anchorage to perilous winter journeys above the Arctic circle, and from the earliest bicycles brought to Alaska during the 1890s Gold Rush to contemporary rides on fatbikes taken to help cope with our current pandemic, herein is a wide-ranging selection of essays filled with surprises at every turn. Readers will experience not only long pedals through the landscapes and wildlife of this most beautiful state but also the personal introspection that only a good ride can inspire. At turns humorous, inspiring, and thought-provoking, and all so beautifully written. It’ll make you want to ride, even at forty below.”—Daryl Farmer, author of Bicycling beyond the DivideTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Jessica Cherry Introduction Frank Soos Part 1. Bicycling in Alaska, 1898–1908 Introduction Terrence Cole From Dawson to Nome on a Bicycle Edward R. Jesson A Broken Chain and a Busted Pedal: Max Hirschberg’s 1900 Bicycle Ride to Nome Max Hirschberg Cycling the Arctic: Levie’s Bicycle Ride from Point Barrow to Nome H. B. Levie Part 2. New Wheels, 1980s–2000 Introduction Jessica Cherry and Frank Soos Iditabike, 1987 Charlie Kelly Iditasport Extreme: 350 Miles Rocky Reifenstuhl Iditasport, 1991 Gail Koepf Hellbikes on Ice Roman Dial Biking the Haul Road Dan Buettner Pribilofs by Bike, 1994 Bill Sherwonit Rough-Terrain Unicycling, 1997 Michael Finkel Part 3. Wheels Now, 2001–2021 Introduction Jessica Cherry The Wind Grooms Our Trails Daniel Smith Skagway to Nome Jeff Oatley The Government Sign Corinna Cook Last Ride of the Season David A. James A Winter Bike Commute Martha Amore The Bike Thief Don Rearden The Killer Hill Andromeda Romano-Lax Cryo-Cave! An Ode to Indoor Training in Alaska Eric Flanders The Iditarod Trail and Me Clinton Hodges III That One Magnetek Time I Jumped Over Five Cars M. C. MoHagani Magnetek When There’s No One Left to Fight Rachael Kvapil The Books I Carried Alys Culhane Going Long, Going Solo Corrine Leistikow Physical Education Jessica Cherry There Is No Tomorrow Bjørn Olson A Positively Memorable Mountain Bike Ride(ish) Eric Troyer Back in Alaska to Share the Story of the Roads Lael Wilcox Nulato Hills: Biking Musk Ox Trails in Western Alaska Luc Mehl Growing Old with My Bicycle Kathleen McCoy The Magic Bus on Stampede Trail Tom Moran Tell ’Em about It: An Alaska Cyclist at Large Earl Peterson Acknowledgments Source Acknowledgments Contributors
£17.99
University of Nebraska Press Womens American Football
Book SynopsisWomen's American Football is a history of women playing American football in the United States, focused on the growth of the game since the passage of Title IX in 1972.Trade Review“An amazing compilation of facts, anecdotes, and forecasts for the future of women’s football. Russ Crawford not only captures the flavor of the trailblazers of this sport but illustrates the sport itself and its possible future. If you play this sport, or have someone in your life who does, this is a must-read.”—Rick Rasmussen, two-time Independent Women’s Football League national champion head coach of the Utah Falconz“Russ Crawford’s research about women football players and coaches is a fun and interesting journey through time. Their stories encompass so much of the passion and drive women have shown as they continue to play a sport they love. Crawford brings to life the reality of those early pioneers, and the continued efforts of today’s torchbearers to grow the game. . . . Crawford’s book will inspire others to believe in and live their own football dreams.”—Louise Bean, two-time Independent Women’s Football League national champion quarterback for the Utah Falconz and Women’s Football Hall of Fame inductee“A journey begins with a passion. Football is no different. But for many reasons women through history have been excluded from that passion. . . . I, and many women’s football athletes, thank Russ Crawford for depicting the amazing history of women’s tackle football.”—Oscar F. Lopez, founder of Gridiron Beauties“Russ Crawford’s book is going to help the world understand that girls can play football, and so can women! It’s not just a man’s sport! He also provides information for parents whose daughters might love to participate in girls’ tackle football in the future.”—Crys Sacco, co-founder of the Utah Girls Football League and head coach of the UGFL’s Kearns Cougars“With vivid details of the adversity these women have gone through to play the game they love, Women’s American Football is a must-read as much for newcomers to the game as it is for longtime fans. In fact, I am willing to bet that the people who will one day make women’s tackle football a true professional sport in which women can earn a living will cite Crawford’s book as a key inspiration of theirs.”—Michael “Burmy” Burmeister, superfan of women’s football and curator of the Hometown Women’s Football Facebook groupTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Free to Play 1. Women’s Professional Football Begins 2. Women’s Football Roars Back 3. The Independent Women’s Football League 4. The Women’s Football Alliance 5. The X League 6. The Women’s National Football Conference 7. Girls Take the Field 8. American Women Tackle the World Postscript: 1 July 2020—Born to Play Appendix: List of Interviewees Notes Index
£25.19
University of Nebraska Press Lefty ODoul
Book SynopsisThe untold story of Lefty O'Doul, one of baseball's greatest hitters, most colorful characters, and the unofficial father of professional baseball in Japan.Trade Review"Dennis Snelling's compelling biography, Lefty O'Doul . . . tells of the pitcher who, after a sore arm, became one of baseball's greatest hitters and hitting coaches before helping to establish the game in Japan."—Daniel M. Gold, New York Times"Engrossing, scrupulously-researched."—Paul Hagen, MLB.com"One of the best baseball books of the year."—Allen Barra, San Francisco Chronicle"An excellent portrait of a thoughtful and generous man with a scientific approach to hitting and an unbridled passion for the game; an athlete, a pioneer, a diplomat, a teacher—and one of baseball’s forgotten greats."—Andrew Elias, Ft. Myers Magazine"Dennis Snelling makes the reader fall in love with the larger than life character that was Lefty O’Doul."—Melissa Minners, g-pop.net"An admirable attempt to elevate O'Doul's place among baseball's pantheon of greats."—Benjamin Hill, MiLB.com“Perhaps the most important twentieth-century figure not enshrined in Cooperstown, Lefty O’Doul influenced the game on both sides of the Pacific. . . . Dennis Snelling brings Lefty to life in this well-written and fascinating biography. Lefty O’Doul should be on the must-read list of all serious baseball fans. A true Sayonara home run!”—Robert K. Fitts, author of Banzai Babe Ruth, winner of the Seymour Medal “The life of Lefty O’Doul was filled with joy, enthusiasm, and accomplishment, and no one has told his story better than Dennis Snelling. This wonderful book fully describes the many facets of Lefty’s personality.”—Dick Beverage, secretary-treasurer for the Association of Professional Ballplayers of America and president of the Pacific Coast League Historical SocietyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments 1. Butchertown 2. He Can Be Just as Great a Ballplayer as He Cares 3. This Fellow Frank O’Doul Is a Sure Frank Merriwell 4. He Always Could Play Ball, Now He Gets It Earnestly 5. I Feel as Though I Am Going to Have a Great Year 6. The Fellow Has Plenty on the Personality Ball 7. Banzai O’Doul 8. Baseball’s Greatest Hitting Instructor 9. Manager for Life 10. It Is Epidemic 11. In Fact, We Are Major League! 12. There Are No Trick Plays, No Short Cuts 13. I’d Rather Be a Bad Winner 14. The San Francisco Giants 15. A Big, Big, Big, Big Thing 16. He Was Here at a Good Time Epilogue: Lefty's Story Continues Notes Bibliography Index
£17.99
University of Nebraska Press The Called Shot
Book SynopsisNamed Best Baseball Book of 2020 by Sports Collectors Digest 2021 SABR Seymour Medal Finalist In the summer of 1932, at the beginning of the turbulent decade that would remake America, baseball fans were treated to one of the most thrilling seasons in the history of the sport. As the nation drifted deeper into the Great Depression and reeled from social unrest, baseball was a diversion for a troubled country—and yet the world of baseball was marked by the same edginess that pervaded the national scene. On-the-field fights were as common as double plays. Amid the National League pennant race, Cubs’ shortstop Billy Jurges was shot by showgirl Violet Popovich in a Chicago hotel room. When the regular season ended, the Cubs and Yankees clashed in what would be Babe Ruth’s last appearance in the fall classic. After the Cubs lost the first two games in New York, the series resumed in Chicago at Wrigley Field, with Democratic presidentialTrade Review“[Wolf] delivers a solid and exciting look at the 1932 baseball season. . . . Baseball fans will delight in this thrillingly told history.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review"Wolf's work is informative, entertaining, and accessible to readers who are not necessarily baseball fans. The book demonstrates those aspects of the game most appealing to its fans (statistics, characters, and its stories), but does so in a way that anyone interested in the social, political, and sporting climate of the first half of the North American 20th century would enjoy."—Rachel Franklin, Aethlon"This book has it all. It is well-written, well-researched, and full of surprises."—Mark McGee, NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture"Nearly 80 years after the event took place, a home run in the fifth inning of game three of the 1932 World Series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs is still being discussed and debated. Yankee outfielder Babe Ruth came to the plate and while being heckled by players from the Cubs dugout, he supposedly pointed to center field and proceeded to homer in the area to which he pointed. The verification of that event, while still being debated today, is only one of a number of topics about the 1932 baseball season on display in this excellent book by Thomas Wolf."—Lance Smith, Guy Who Reviews Sports Books"Many fans know about Babe Ruth's legendary "called shot"—when, during the 1932 World Series, he pointed to the bleachers at Wrigley Field and hit a home run in the same direction. But Wolf takes the familiar sports legend (which is true, mostly) and weaves around it an engaging and insightful recounting of all that led up to that moment, and the colorful figures who played important roles in how the game—and America—played out in that dramatic year."—Chris Foran, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"Wolf presents a fascinating study, well-researched and the story of the entire season erupting at that point equally remarkable."—Andy Esposito, NY Sports Day"The Called Shot is a satisfying read and provides depth and context to a memorable baseball season. As the reader will discover, the 1932 season was more than just Babe Ruth’s most iconic moment."—Bob D'Angelo, Sports Bookie"A worthy read."—Jerry Milani, Sports Media Report"[The Called Shot] is a fun read and gives great insight on what life was like in Chicago in the early 1930s, both what it was like being a Cubs fan, and life in general."—Al Yellon, Bleed Cubbie Blue"A fun, well-researched, compellingly told and substantively rich work. I don't know if Tom Wolf pointed to the bleachers or not before he sat down to write this book, but he definitely hit a home run."—Lincoln Mitchell, Start Spreading the News BlogTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroductionCast of CharactersPrologue: A Broken Umbrella in a Rainstorm1. Rogers Hornsby2. William Wrigley3. Spring Training4. Opening Day5. The Math Wizard6. The Rivals7. Rookie Pitchers8. Brawls9. Hornsby and Cuyler10. Brooklyn11. Road Trips12. Chicago Conventions13. Independence Day14. Double X15. Wicked Chicago16. Harry Hortman and Charlie Ireland17. Sbarbaro’s Courtroom18. Legs of Glass19. The End of the Hornsby Era20. The Boys of Summer21. Judge Landis Intervenes22. Stretch Run23. Yankees Coast24. The World Series Begins25. The Crowd Gathers26. The Called Shot27. The World Series Ends28. Postgame29. Fans Return Home30. Ruth’s Legacy with the CubsEpilogue: The Babe Calls His Last ShotExtra InningsAuthor’s Note on SourcesNotesBibliographyIndex
£19.79
University of Nebraska Press Tales from the Deadball Era
Book SynopsisMark Halfon looks at life in the Major Leagues in the early 1900s, when the game was defined by low scoring and an emphasis on pitching and defense, and when players like Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb, and Walter Johnson. For almost two decades, this era produced some of the best players who ever played the game.Trade Review"Halfon transports his readers back to that time, giving them an inside look at the minds of the baseball legends of that day. Tales From The Deadball Era is highly recommended for baseball history buffs."—The Writer's Journey"For anyone interested in baseball's past, Halfon's Tales from the Deadball Era provides an introduction not only to the sport itself but to American culture as well."—Matthew Teutsch, ARETE"If you're looking for a fun summer read I highly recommend Halfon's Tales From the Deadball Era."—Mike Lynch, Seamheads"Most fans will enjoy reading this book and spending the time traveling back to these decades long ago."—Gregg Kersey, Gregg's Baseball Bookcase“Tales from the Deadball Era etches early twentieth-century baseball far different from today’s. Fixed games, patrons on the diamond, and players belting hecklers were all in a day’s work. So, too, were cash and flowers given regulars, ‘joke’ and charity games, and a batter willingly getting hit—anything for a run. In this delightful book about Ty Cobb’s and John McGraw’s era, Mark Halfon recalls an age when baseball has seldom been more alive.”—Curt Smith, author of Pull Up a Chair: The Vin Scully Story“It strikes baseball enthusiasts today that a homer or strikeout approach to tallying runs prevails. Not during the Deadball Era. Mark Halfon shows us—with a historian’s eye and unfailing love of the game—how [the scarcity of baseballs in pre-1920] was the mother of invention.”—Ken Shouler, author of The Real 100 Best Players of All Time and Why“Mark Halfon captures a raucous era in baseball history, when the sport was characterized by cheating, gambling, and violence—on the part of both players and their fans—and he recounts intriguing tales of baseball’s mythical figures.”—Ronna S. Feit, PhD, State University of New YorkTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction Part 1: Deadball Era Highlights1. Big League Cheating2. Baseball at the Turn of the Century3. A Pitchers’ Paradise4. Inside Baseball5. Rowdyism Part 2: Deadball Era Standouts6. Little Napoleon7. The Georgia Peach8. The Big Train9. A Game for the Ages Part 3: Beyond the Deadball Era10. Baseball at the Crossroads11. The Black Sox Scandals12. The Black Sox Myth Postscript Photo galleryNotesBibliographyIndex
£15.29
University of Nebraska Press Leo Durocher
Book SynopsisLeo Durocher offers fascinating and fresh insights into the racial integration of baseball, Durocher’s unprecedented suspension from the game, the two clubhouse revolts staged against him in Brooklyn and Chicago, and his vibrant life off the field.Trade Review“An unflinching portrait of a brilliant bastard. Mr. Dickson gives the devil his due and leaves no doubt why so many people could respect Durocher’s baseball genius and still hate his guts.”—Wall Street Journal“[Paul Dickson] does a great job of capturing the two sides of Durocher, the brilliant manager and the man who hung out with Frank Sinatra and liked to gamble. It’s an excellent book and the chapters focusing on Durocher’s handling of Jackie Robinson and his overall tenure with the Dodgers are must-read for Dodgers fans.”—Los Angeles Times“The book is worth reading twice just to see what you may have missed the first time. . . . Enjoy it and be grateful we have Paul [Dickson] among us.”—Tom Hoffarth, Los Angeles Daily News“An entertaining book about a truly unique character.”—Chicago Tribune“The biography by a veteran sportswriter makes a case for the cocky and combative star shortstop and legendary manager as both charming and insufferable, which sounds about right for the guy who both championed Jackie Robinson’s arrival in Brooklyn and insulted him as fat and slow.”—Bill Littlefield, Boston Globe“[A] well researched, smoothly written biography of a complex man.”—Kirkus Reviews“Paul Dickson, baseball historian and biographer[,] packs Durocher’s story with enough great stories and colorful anecdotes to fill ten normal books.”—Dallas Morning News“[A] well researched, page-turning book.”—Bob D’Angelo, Books and Blogs“Dickson takes one mighty biographical swing at Leo Durocher, a colorful baseball player and manager. Durocher was a loudmouthed brawler, ladies’ man, fine coach, and coiner of the expression: ‘nice guys finish last.’”—Dayton Daily News“The racial integration of the game, which Durocher long advocated, is the book’s crucial secondary story, and it is deftly handled.”—BooklistTable of Contents1. Pregame 2. Enfant Terrible 3. Damned Yankee 4. The Red Menace 5. Gashouse Tough 6. The Artful Dodger 7. Mutiny in Flatbush 8. Game Changer 9. Exiled 10. Over the River 11. Miracle Man 12. Hollywood Dodger 13. The Contentious Cub 14. Endgame 15. The Rocky Road to Cooperstown Acknowledgments Bibliography Notes Index
£17.99
University of Nebraska Press Baseball The Turbulent Midcentury Years
Book SynopsisA history of baseball as a sport and business during the middle of the twentieth century, examining the game on and off the field and tracing its development within the broader contours of American history.Trade Review“Steven Gietschier knows that history is not merely a record of what happened long ago but also what it may portend for today’s game, fans, and nation. The Seymours’ scholarly history of baseball ended in 1930; this ambitious, sprawling volume tells us what has happened since and why—it is a splendid successor. If you take a serious interest in baseball, Baseball: The Turbulent Midcentury Years must find a place on your shelf.”—John Thorn, official historian of Major League Baseball“Baseball seemingly lurched from one crisis to the next during the middle decades of the twentieth century, as a host of new and newly urgent challenges threatened to overshadow the on-field product. In Baseball: The Turbulent Midcentury Years, Steven Gietschier gives due consideration to both baseball’s triumphs and its blind spots, providing much-needed clarity about a troubled and misunderstood era. Highly recommended!”—Peter Morris, author of A Game of Inches: The Stories behind the Innovations That Shaped Baseball“Business, baseball, and politics make for a fascinating discussion about America during the mid-twentieth century. Good narrative stories are paired with analysis to offer a new look at turbulent time in American history. Baseball: The Turbulent Midcentury Years is a must-read for fans of baseball and American history.”—Leslie Heaphy, associate professor of history at Kent State University at Stark“Extremely well researched and ingeniously organized. Steven Gietschier has produced a work that I predict will stand the test of time. There is something of value to fans, baseball and cultural historians, and lovers of a good yarn on almost every page.”—Lee Lowenfish, author of the award-winning biography Branch Rickey: Baseball’s Ferocious Gentleman“‘Dunnie’s baby’—know his real name? What manager lived with ‘an entire retinue of shady characters’? Why did DiMaggio take a pay cut from $40,000 to $50 a month? Here are all the answers. What a stupendous book! All the tumult and shouting of organized baseball’s 150 years of messy, thrilling, hair-raising, and altogether unpredictably beautiful evolution.”—Dave Kindred, author of Leave Out the Tragic Parts: A Grandfather’s Search for a Boy Lost to AddictionTable of ContentsIntroduction Prologue: “A Grim Harvest” 1. “The Ball Player Is a Fortunate Man” 2. “So You’re the Goddamned Prohibitionist” 3. “A Tyro in the Intricacies of Organized Baseball” 4. “The Yankees Need Building Up” 5. “Keen Competition throughout the Closing Month” 6. “They Could Never Say He Wasn't a ‘Real Jew’” 7. “It Would Be Best for the Country to Keep Baseball Going” 8. “A Great Display of Tingling Patriotism” 9. “The Smiling Young Man with the $1,000,000 Check Book” 10. “Bright Colored Paper and Red Ribbons” 11. “Il A Gagné Ses Épaulettes” 12. “A Sound If Not Spectacular Choice” 13. “I Have Long Desired to See California” 14. “Henry, Don’t Go Out There” Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£31.50
Cornell University Press We Showed Baltimore
Book SynopsisIn We Showed Baltimore, Christian Swezey tells the dramatic story of how a brash coach from Long Island and a group of players unlike any in the sport helped unseat lacrosse''s establishment. From 1976 to 1978, the Cornell men''s lacrosse team went on a tear. Winning two national championships and posting an overall record of 421, the Big Red, coached by Richie Moran, were the class of the NCAA game. Swezey tells the story of the rise of this dominant lacrosse program and reveals how Cornell''s success coincided with and sometimes fueled radical changes in what was once a minor prep school game centered in the Baltimore suburbs. Led on the field by the likes of Mike French and Eamon McEneaney, in the mid-1970s Cornell was an offensive powerhouse. Moran coached the players to be in fast, constant movement. That technique, paired with the advent of synthetic stick heads and the introduction of artificial turf fields, made the CorneTrade Review[We Showed Baltimore] is by any measure a must-read for all Cornell — make that all college — lacrosse fans. * Ithaca Times *Table of ContentsPrologue: 1978, 2001, 1970 1. June 13, 1970 2. The Climb Begins 3. Barbarians at the Gate 4. The First NCAA Tournament 5. Falling Short 6. The Establishment Strikes Back 7. Assembling the Pieces 8. The French Connection 9. Start of a Streak 10. From Brown Stadium 11. Flamin' Eamon 12. That-a-way in Piscataway Epilogue: End of an Era
£23.39
Stanford University Press The Whole World Was Watching: Sport in the Cold
Book SynopsisIn the Cold War era, the confrontation between capitalism and communism played out not only in military, diplomatic, and political contexts, but also in the realm of culture—and perhaps nowhere more so than the cultural phenomenon of sports, where the symbolic capital of athletic endeavor held up a mirror to the global contest for the sympathies of citizens worldwide. The Whole World Was Watching examines Cold War rivalries through the lens of sporting activities and competitions across Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the U.S. The essays in this volume consider sport as a vital sphere for understanding the complex geopolitics and cultural politics of the time, not just in terms of commerce and celebrity, but also with respect to shifting notions of race, class, and gender. Including contributions from an international lineup of historians, this volume suggests that the analysis of sport provides a valuable lens for understanding both how individuals experienced the Cold War in their daily lives, and how sports culture in turn influenced politics and diplomatic relations.Trade Review"This insightful collection of essays shows how the Cold War was fought out on ice, on the football and baseball fields, in boxing rings, and in Olympic stadiums. A fantastic contribution to both the history of sport and the history of the Cold War."—Sergey Radchenko, Cardiff University"This superb collection of essays should lay to rest any doubts about sport's place as a uniquely significant and powerful force in the cultural Cold War. The editors' scope is ambitious, and contributors bring nuance to the complex issues of global politics at play in every sprint, shot, and stroke."—Rita Liberti, Cal State East Bay"The Cold War wends its way through almost every aspect of post-WWII sports history but is so rarely considered as a whole. It is a great pleasure, then, to see the many disparate strands of the sporting front of the conflict brought together in this book with such acuity."—David Goldblatt, author of The Games: A Global History of the Olympics"Providing a more comprehensive analysis than the standard considerations of the US-USSR rivalry or the Olympics, this book fills the gap for a "go-to" text on the role of sports in the Cold War....highly recommended for anyone interested in the history, sport history, or culture of the Cold War."—A. Curtis, CHOICE"The Whole World Was Watching is a multifaceted analysis of sport as an instrument of soft power. It is not only about the impact states make in international contests. It is also about how actions of sportswomen and sportsmen made sense in the ideological dimension of the Cold War."—Kristian Gerner, idrottsforum.org"This compilation is well worth the time of Cold War scholars and anyone with a passing interest in international sports. Each essay is concise, yet well-sourced and informative. Taken as a whole, the authors present a clear case as to why and how sports factored into the cultural Cold War; in other words, why the whole world was watching."—Erin Redihan, The New England Journal of HistoryTable of ContentsIntroduction: Explaining Cold War Sport —Robert Edelman and Christopher Young 1. The State-Private Network: Overt and Covert US Intervention in Early Cold War Sport —Toby C. Rider 2. "No Quarrel with Them Vietcong": Muhammad Ali's Cold War —Elliott J. Gorn 3. Breaking the Ice: Alexei Kosygin and the Secret Background of the 1972 Hockey Summit Series —James Hershberg 4. Action in the Era of Stagnation: Leonid Brezhnev and the Soviet Olympic Dream —Mikhail Prozumenshikov 5. Soccer Artistry and the Secret Police: Georgian Football in the Multiethnic Soviet Empire —Erik R. Scott 6. Russian Fever Pitch: Global Fandom, Youth Culture, and the Public Sphere in the Late Soviet Union —Manfred Zeller 7. Eulogy to Theft: Berliner FC Dynamo, East German Football, and the End of Communism —Alan McDougall 8. Sports, Politics, and "Wild Doping" in the East German Sporting "Miracle" —Mike Dennis 9. "The Most Beautiful Face of Socialism": Katarina Witt and the Sexual Politics of Sport in the Cold War —Annette F. Timm 10. Learning from the Soviet Big Brother: The Early Years of Sport in the People's Republic of China —Amanda Shuman 11. "The Communist Bandits Have Been Repudiated": Cold War–Era Sport in Taiwan —Andrew D. Morris 12. New Regional Order: Sport, Cold War Culture, and the Making of Southeast Asia —Simon Creak 13. Negotiating Colonial Repression: African Footballers in Salazar's Portugal —Todd Cleveland 14. Deflected Confrontations: Cold War Baseball in the Caribbean —Rob Ruck 15. Ambivalent Solidarities: Cultural Diplomacy, Women, and South-South Cooperation at the 1950s Pan American Games —Brenda Elsey
£53.60
St Augustine's Press Baseball and Memory – Winning, Losing, and the
Book SynopsisIn this historical/philosophical reflection, Lee Congdon writes of the ways in which baseball spurs memory. This is particularly important at a time when many Americans suffer from a form of amnesia that renders them defenseless in the face of concerted efforts to seize possession of the past. “Who controls the past controls the future,” George Orwell wrote in Nineteen Eighty-Four, “who controls the present controls the past.” Baseball can, and does, stand in the way of those whose ambition it is to gain and maintain power by pretending that memory cannot be trusted; what was once thought to be “the past” was merely a fiction that served the interests of a ruling class. This, Congdon argues, is asself-serving as it is untrue. Memory can play tricks on us, but, supported as it often is by confirming evidence, it alone can tell us who we are – and more. When we remember important moments and players from the game’s past, we soon discover that they are inextricably intertwined with particular eras in our common history: Babe Ruth and the Jazz Age, Joe DiMaggio and the country at war, Willie Mays and the 1950s. In often revelatory ways, those eras come alive again, and as a result we gain greater self-understanding, as individuals and as a people. Although he draws upon the entire history of baseball, Congdon focuses primarily on the decade of the 1950s because he believes it to have been the game’s golden age – and a far better time in the nation’s history than Americans have been taught to think. Baseball’s continual invitation to communal remembrance can, he concludes, help us to avoid the fate reserved for those who forget. Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionWinningLosingThe FiftiesMemory SkepticsBibliographyAcknowledgmentsIndex
£19.00
Kent State University Press Classic Pens: The 50 Greatest Games in Pittsburgh
Book SynopsisIn the first edition of Classic Pens readers were reminded of the franchise’s most memorable contests, from its beginnings in the 1960s through the 2010s. is new edition brings the team’s standout games up to date, including their triumphant 2016 Stanley Cup victory. During the Penguins’ early years, it wasn’t uncommon to buy a $5 ticket for a seat at the top of the Civic Arena (the “Igloo”) and at the end of the first period move to a seat in the first row behind the glass. Except for a few winning moments scattered through their first three decades, the idea of a full-season sold-out arena was too farfetched, never mind the thought of a Stanley Cup. The only constant was that the Penguins were always in financial trouble and often threatening to move out of the Steel City. The 1983–84 campaign proved to be the season that turned everything around. e Penguins’ prize was Mario Lemieux, an 18-year-old center from Montreal, Quebec, who would lift the Pens out of the canyon of last-place finishes to the lofty heights of backto-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. Lemieux went on to become one of the greatest players the game had ever seen. He and teammates such as Jaromir Jagr, Tom Barrasso, Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Kevin Stevens, Larry Murphy, and Paul Coffey soon made the Civic Arena the place to be. In 1999 Mario Lemieux, now in his 30s, headed a group that purchased the club. e new ownership began a renaissance in which players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Kris Letang, and Jordan Staal again made the Pens a powerhouse on the ice, led them to a third Stanley Cup championship in 2009, and secured one of the best new buildings in the NHL: the Consol Energy Center. In 2016 the Penguins qualified for the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season, winning their fourth Stanley Cup by defeating the San Jose Sharks in a 4–2 series. In Classic Pens, author David Finoli’s tour of the best moments in the Penguins’ long history will evoke special memories from longtime fans and delight those who currently follow the team.
£17.56
Kent State University Press Redemption in ’64: The Champion Cleveland Browns
Book SynopsisThe Cleveland Browns set the standard by which all professional football teams were measured in the 1940s and ’50s, but when they won the National Football League championship in 1964 it came as a surprise. Sports Illustrated called it “one of the biggest of all football upsets.” Redemption in ’64 tells the story of these 1964 NFL champion Browns, focusing on four individuals who were redeemed by the team’s 27–0 win over the Baltimore Colts: owner Art Modell, head coach Blanton Collier, superstar running back Jim Brown, and quarterback Frank Ryan.Following the 1962 season, Modell fired Paul Brown, the team’s first and (then) only head coach and the man for whom the team was named. Modell was an outsider, a New York ad man, and the move elicited much criticism. The team’s turnaround in 1963—it improved from seven wins to 10 under Collier—and the 1964 championship proved Modell right.Collier, a longtime assistant of Paul Brown, helped build the Browns into professional football’s premier franchise. The Kentucky native left the club in 1954 for his dream job, head coach of the University of Kentucky Wildcats, but he was fired following the 1961 season. He returned to Cleveland and was Modell’s surprise choice to replace Brown. Collier led Cleveland to the NFL title in just his second year as head coach.Jim Brown had established himself as the greatest running back in NFL history, but Cleveland hadn’t won a championship in his seven years with the team. Frustrated with playing in Paul Brown’s system, he criticized the coach publicly. Many believed the rebellious running back was to blame for Paul Brown’s dismissal.Frank Ryan was a second-string quarterback for the first six years of his NFL career. He was a backup even while playing at Rice Institute where he was pursuing a doctorate in mathematics. In 1963 and ’64, however, he blossomed into a first-stringer and a championship quarterback—one of only two in Cleveland Browns history, along with Otto Graham.Redemption in ’64 entertains readers with the growing excitement of the Browns’ turnaround seasons. It concludes with play-by-play action of Cleveland’s thrilling victory over Johnny Unitas’s Baltimore Colts in the 1964 NFL championship contest, still one of the greatest professional football upsets of all time.
£18.36
Kent State University Press Baseball Goes West: The Dodgers, the Giants, and
Book SynopsisFollowing the 1957 season, two of baseball’s most famous teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants, left the city they had called home since the 19th century and headed west. The Dodgers went to Los Angeles and the Giants to San Francisco. Those events have entered baseball lore, and indeed the larger culture, as acts of betrayal committed by greedy owners Walter O’Malley of the Dodgers and Horace Stoneham of the Giants. The departure of these two teams, but especially the Dodgers, has not been forgotten by those communities. Even six decades later, it is not hard to find older Brooklynites who are still angry about losing the Dodgers. This is one side of the story. Baseball Goes West seeks to tell another side. Lincoln A. Mitchell argues that the moves to California, second only to Jackie Robinson’s debut in 1947, forged Major League Baseball (MLB) as we know it today. By moving two famous teams with national reputations and many well-known players, MLB benefited tremendously, increasing its national profile and broadening its fan base. This was particularly important following a decade that, despite often being described as baseball’s golden age, was plagued with moribund franchises, low wages for many players, and a difficult dismantling of the apartheid system that had been part of big league baseball since its inception.In the years immediately following the moves, the two most iconic players of the 1960s, Sandy Koufax and Willie Mays, had their best years, bringing even greater status and fame to their respective ball clubs. The Giants played an instrumental role in the first phase of baseball’s globalization by leading the effort to bring players from Latin America to the big leagues, while the Dodgers set attendance records and pioneered new ways to market the game. Sports historians, baseball fans, and historians of American culture on a broader scale will appreciate Mitchell’s reframing of baseball’s move west and his insights into the impacts felt throughout baseball and beyond.Trade Review"Mitchell weaves his evidence into a broader chronological narrative of professional baseball history through the lens of the Dodger-Giants rivalry and examines how both franchises, their new communities, and the league changed after the move. The use of the Dodgers-Giants rivalry as an organizing vehicle was particularly effective because of their long history as National League competitors, the contrasting fortunes of the franchises overtime, how both teams became overshadowed by the New York Yankees prior to the move, and how their rivalry continued on the West Coast.... Ultimately, Baseball Goes West is a well-organized, accessible presentation of the motivations and factors involved in the relocation of the Dodgers and Giants to California and a survey of the franchises' histories since the move. It would be most appropriate for baseball fans and provides scholars with numerous topics for further research and development." — Sport in American History"They say that baseball is a sport of statistics. If you're interested in baseball . . . in the Giants . . . or even the Dodgers, this book is for you. Lincoln Mitchell is a master of baseball lore—its history, its statistics, its gossip, and its substantial data. Incorporating this extensive knowledge with extensive research (including numerous interviews), this book is a must read for all lovers of basseball and for those interested in cultural shifts in the West during the 1950s." — San Francisco Museum and Historical Society Newsletter
£32.21
Michigan State University Press Kenya's Running Women: A History
Book SynopsisSince Pauline Konga’s breakthrough performance at the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, the world has become accustomed to seeing Kenyan women medal at major championships, sweep marathons, and set world records. Yet little is known about the pioneer generation of women who paved the way for Kenya’s reputation as an international powerhouse in women’s track and field. In Kenya’s Running Women: A History, historian and former professional runner Michelle M. Sikes details the triumphs and many challenges these women faced, from the advent of Kenya’s athletics program in the colonial era through the professionalization of running in the 1980s and 1990s. Sikes reveals how over time running became a vehicle for Kenyan women to expand the boundaries of acceptable female behavior. Kenya’s Running Women demonstrates the necessity of including women in histories of African sport, and of incorporating sport into studies of African gender and nation-building.
£142.18
University of Tennessee Press Spirit and Sport: Religion and the Fragile
Book SynopsisIn Spirit and Sport: Religion and the Fragile Athletic Body in Popular Culture, Sean O’Neil studies the intersectionality of religion and disability as it exists within contemporary sports. To do so, he calls to the forefront various contemporary stories about trauma and disability—some fictional, others biographical—and examines how we tell and interpret these stories within the frameworks of athletic activity, competition, failure, and success. O’Neil studies a wide range of perspectives, from John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany and the big-screen’s Signs to the experiences of real-life athletes like Tim Tebow, Muhammad Ali, and Bethany Hamilton. Woven throughout his examination of each is a consideration of religious belief and practice, especially within Christianity, as it relates to athletic ability—the lighthearted stories of victory and overcoming, the inspiring triumph over fragility and limitation so often couched in religious terms.O’Neil’s study draws upon his experiences as a hospital chaplain and his own battle with skin cancer. By blending personal experience with sociological observation, O’Neil argues that the intersection of religion, sports, and disability in popular culture is a revealing site of cultural struggle over competing myths, identities, and values related to the body—both the physical bodies we inhabit as well as the broader social bodies to which we subscribe.Spirit and Sport is a study with broad appeal: from O’Neil’s autoethnographic storytelling to the wide range of narrative media he examines, religious scholars, sports historians, and general audiences alike are sure to find it a thought-provoking and engaging read.
£40.50
University of South Carolina Press A Gamecock Odyssey: University of South Carolina
Book SynopsisMeet the coaches, athletes, and other larger-than-life characters that laid the foundation for today's Gamecock NationIn A Gamecock Odyssey: University of South Carolina Sports in the Independent Era, author Alan Piercy chronicles the significant events and describes the larger-than-life characters of the years following the university's departure from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The University of South Carolina experienced some of the highest highs and lowest lows in its athletics history. With colorful storytelling and Gamecock pride, Piercy gives curious college sports fans and diehard Gamecocks a behind-the-scenes tour of these raucous decades. Tales of interpersonal clashes between football head coach Paul Dietzel and men's basketball head coach Frank McGuire, the Icarian rise and fall of women's basketball coach Pam Parsons, George Rogers and his magical Heisman Trophy-winning season, the birth of USC's beloved mascot, Cocky, and other USC sports stories converge, stirring feelings of amusement, nostalgia, and pride. A Gamecock Odyssey captures the spirit of the time and shows the reader how those years influenced today's Gamecock athletics culture.
£30.00
University of Arkansas Press Olimpismo: The Olympic Movement in the Making of
Book SynopsisThe Olympic Games are a phenomenon of unparalleled global proportions. This book examines the rich and complex involvement of Latin America and the Caribbean peoples with the Olympic Movement, serving as an effective medium to explore the making of this region. The nine essays here investigate the influence, struggles, and contributions of Latin American and Caribbean societies to the Olympic Movement. By delving into nationalist political movements, post-revolutionary diplomacy, decolonization struggles, gender and disability discourses, and more, they define how the nations of this region have shaped and been shaped by the Olympic Movement.Trade ReviewThis original and important collection of essays offers an additional lens to the analysis of Latin America and the Caribbean and sheds new light on the intersection of sports, politics, nation building, and identity formation."- Raanan Rein, Professor of Latin American and Spanish History, Tel Aviv UniversityTable of ContentsSport Policy, the YMCA, and the Early History of Olympism in Uruguay - Shunsuke Matsuo Enthusiastic Yet Awkward Dance Partners: Olympism and Cuban Nationalism - Thomas F. Carter Olympic Diplomacy and National Redemption in Post-revolutionary Mexico - Keith Brewster and Claire Brewster The Nationalist Movement and the Struggle for Freedom in Puerto Rico’s Olympic Sport - Antonio Sotomayor Adhemar Fereira da Silva: Representations of the Brazilian Olympic Hero - Fabio De Faria Peres and Victor Andrade de Melo Solving “the Problem of Argentine Sport”: The Post-Peronist Olympic Movement in Argentina - Cesar R. Torres Un compromiso de tod@s: Women, Olympism, and the Dominican Third Way - April Yoder Dis-assembling the Logocentric Subject at the Paralympic Games: The Case of Colombian Powerlifter Fabio Torres - Chloe Rutter-Jensen In Search of the Olympic Games’ Future Significances: Contributions from Buenos Aires, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro - Lamartine Pereira Dacosta Conclusion - Christopher Gaffney
£26.36
University of Arkansas Press The Crown Games of Ancient Greece: Archaeology,
Book SynopsisThe Crown Games were the apex of competition in ancient Greece. Along with prestigious athletic contests in honor of Zeus at Olympia, they comprised the Pythian Games for Apollo at Delphi, the Isthmian Games for Poseidon, and the Neman Games, sacred to Zeus. For over nine hundred years, the Greeks celebrated these athletic and religious festivals, a rare point of cultural unity amid the fierce regional independence of the numerous Greek city-states and kingdoms.The Crown Games of Ancient Greece examines these festivals in the context of the ancient Greek world, a vast and sprawling cultural region that stretched from modern Spain to the Black Sea and North Africa. Illuminating the unique history and features of the celebrations, David Lunt delves into the development of the contest sites as sanctuaries and the Panhellenic competitions that gave them their distinctive character. While literary sources have long been the mainstay for understanding the evolution of the Crown Games and ancient Greek athletics, archaeological excavations have significantly augmented contemporary understandings of the events. Drawing on this research, Lunt brings deeper context to these gatherings, which were not only athletics competitions but also occasions for musical contests, dramatic performances, religious ceremonies, and diplomatic summits—as well as raucous partying. Taken as a circuit, the Crown Games offer a more nuanced view of ancient Greek culture than do the well-known Olympian Games on their own. With this comprehensive examination of the Crown Games, Lunt provides a new perspective on how the ancient Greeks competed and collaborated both as individuals and as city-states.
£21.56
