Presents the inspiring stories of baseball players who overcame obstacles in the course of their careers due to race, religion, ethnicity, or gender, including Jackie Robinson, Hank Greenburg, Fernando Valenzuela, and Ila Borders
TY COBB. CHRISTY MATHEWSON. SHOELESS JOE JACKSON. BABE RUTH. LOU GEHRIG. JACKIE ROBINSON. JOE DIMAGGIO. MICKEY MANTLE. WILLIE MAYS. DUKE SNIDER. TED WILLIAMS. CURT FLOOD. ROBERTO CLEMENTE. HANK AARON. Their names echo through the halls of time and the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Their feats are legendary. They never quit, and they never backed down. They inspired generations of Americans to push themselves to do their very best. They were, and remain, the heroes of baseball. Hitting monster home runs, pitching perfect games, making impossible catches, and stealing home during the World Series -- these are the kinds of feats that turn baseball players into baseball superstars. But it takes more than great feats to become a hero of the game. Every generation needs its own heroes, and in each generation that need is answered differently. Heroes reflect the times and societies in which they live and work. The impact made by baseball's heroes affects the way our society perceives itself, as well as the goals we set for ourselves and for our nation. Award-winning sportswriter Robert Lipsyte presents his vision for who the heroes of the game are, and what they did to achieve their legendary status.
Focusing on such athletes as Art Pennington, Bruno Haas, and Bill Lange, Salin presents the stories of more than a dozen former players, many in his own words. 15 photos.
Recounts the true childhood stories and lessons of some of baseball's greatest players, including Gary Carter, Ralph Kiner, Ferguson Jenkins, and Tony Gwynn.
In Inventing Baseball Heroes, Amber Roessner examines "herocrafting" in sports journalism through an incisive analysis of the work surrounding two of baseball's most enduring personalities -- Detroit Tigers outfielder Ty Cobb and New York Giants pitcher Christy Mathewson. While other scholars have demonstrated that the mythmakers of the Golden Age of Sports Writing (1920--1930) manufactured heroes out of baseball players for the mainstream media, Roessner probes further, with a penetrating look at how sportswriters compromised emerging professional standards of journalism as they crafted heroic tales that sought to teach American boys how to be successful players in the game of life. Cobb and Mathewson, respectively stereotyped as the game's sinner and saint, helped shape their public images in the mainstream press through their relationship with four of the most prominent sports journalists of the time: Grantland Rice, F. C. Lane, Ring Lardner, and John N. Wheeler. Roessner traces the interactions between the athletes and the reporters, delving into newsgathering strategies as well as rapport-building techniques, and ultimately revealing an inherent tension in objective sports reporting in the era. Inventing Baseball Heroes will be of interest to scholars of American history, sports history, cultural studies, and communication. Its interdisciplinary approach provides a broad understanding of the role sports journalists played in the production of American heroes.
A brief biography of the man who was the first African American baseball player on a major league team, as well as the first African American elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
A graphic novel-style history of baseball, providing an illustrated look at the major games, players, and rule changes that shaped the sport. This graphic novel steps up to the plate and covers all the bases in illustrating the origin of America's national pastime, presenting a complete look at the beginnings (both real and legendary), developments, triumphs, and tragedies of baseball. It also breaks down the cultural impact and significance of the sport both in America and overseas (including Japan, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic), from the early days of America to the flying W outside Wrigley Field in 2016. Featuring members of Baseball's Hall of Fame and modern day stand-outs—including Cy Young, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Hank Aaron, the 1930s New York Yankees, the 2004 Boston Red Sox, the 2016 Chicago Cubs, and more—The Comic Book Story of Baseball spotlights the players, teams, games, and moments that built the sport's legacy and ensured its popularity.
Finally in paperback, Baseball Letters is a personal scrapbook of the voices behind the scenes of major-league baseball, featuring nearly 100 handwritten letters from players, photographs, and memorabilia. 125 duotones.
This is a followup volume to the acclaimed Voices from the Negro Leagues, (McFarland, 1998; softcover 2005) which features interviews with 52 former Negro League players from the 1920s to 1960s. Interviewed in this new volume are Bobby Robinson, Double Duty Radcliffe, Red Lindsay, Pullman Porter, Earl Wilson, Sr., Percy Reed, Joe Burt Scott, Willie Simms, Bo Campbell, Big Train Dudley, Mex Johnson, Buck O'Neil, Herbert Barnhill, Bernard Fernandez, Dick Powell, Jimmy Barnes, Charlie Biot, Monk Favors, Alton King, Buster Haywood, Casey Jones, Hickey Redd, Tommy Sampson, John Gibbons, Schoolboy Gulley, Schoolboy Kimbrough, Briefcase Simpson, Doc Dennis, Ralph Johnson, Lefty LaMarque, Junior Miller, Tex Williams, Baby Face Peatros, Big Jim McCurine, Eddie Williams, Zipper Zapp, Billy Fender, Dave Pope, Bill Powell, Marvin Price, Bob Scott, Dirk Gibbons, Hoss Ritchey, Lefty Bo Maddix, Hank Presswood, Mickey Stubblefield, Josh Gibson, Jr., Bobo Henderson, Fancy Dan Porter, Jumpin Johnny Wilson, Quack Brown, Granny Gladstone, Hoppy Hopkins, Carl Long, Jim Robinson, Juan Armenteros, Peanut Johnson, Eddie Reed, Ricky Maroto, Peachhead Mitchell, Ted Rasberry, Pedro Sierra, Jim Cobbin, Dick Scruggs, Sonny Webb and Tommy Taylor. Rare personal photographs and complete-as-possible statistics supplement the interviews.
Game Worn: Baseball Treasures from the Game's Greatest Heroes and Moments is a richly illustrated exploration and first-of-its-kind compendium study of the world's most coveted and precious baseball uniforms worn by Major League ballplayers during the twentieth century. This coffee-table book features many of the most historically significant uniforms, jackets, hats, as well as other treasured baseball collectibles that tell us as much about the history and soul of America as they do about the game and the players. Some of the extraordinary highlights featured in this book include: Babe Ruth's road jersey from his first season with the New York Yankees (1920), the sole surviving uniform from the infamous 1919 World Series, Joe DiMaggio's rookie uniform from 1936, the Boston Red Sox road uniform Ted Williams wore during his epic 1941 season, Jackie Robinson's Brooklyn Dodgers home jersey from the 1952 season, Bill Mazeroski's Pittsburgh Pirates home uniform worn to hit the game-winning home run in game 7 of the 1960 World Series, and a visual feast of rare uniform styles. Each of the 71 entries includes sumptuous photography of the uniform and associated memorabilia, as well as a poignant and lively narrative highlighting its significance. The book also features a first-of-its-kind illustrated compendium with elaborate definitions of relevant terms that every baseball fan and collector needs to know, ranging from the All Star Game Uniform to the Zig-Zag Stitch. This book is an absolute must-have for anyone who has ever loved the game of baseball.