Mexican American Baseball in the Inland Empire
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Mexican American Baseball in the Inland Empire celebrates the thriving culture of former teams from Pomona, Ontario, Cucamonga, Chino, Claremont, San Bernardino, Colton, Riverside, Corona, Beaumont, and the Coachella Valley. From the early 20th century through the 1950s, baseball diamonds in the Inland Empire provided unique opportunities for nurturing athletic and educational skills, ethnic identity, and political self-determination for Mexican Americans during an era of segregation. Legendary men's and women's teams-such as the Corona Athletics, San Bernardino's Mitla Café, the Colton Mercuries, and Las Debs de Corona-served as an important means for Mexican American communities to examine civil and educational rights and offer valuable insight on social, cultural, and gender roles. These evocative photographs recall the often-neglected history of Mexican American barrio baseball clubs of the Inland Empire.
Mexican American Baseball in the Central Coast
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Mexican American Baseball in the Central Coast pays tribute to the teams and players who brought joy and honor to their fans and communities in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. Baseball was played before enthusiastic crowds in Piru, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Ojai, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Santa Maria, Guadalupe, Lompoc, and other communities. Players and their families helped create the economic infrastructure and prosperity that are evident today in the Central Coast. For women, softball was a social counterbalance to the strict cultural roles defined by society. Many former players dedicated their lives to the unrelenting struggle for social justice, while others devoted themselves to youth sports. This book remedies the glaring omission of baseball images and stories of Mexican American neighborhoods in the Central Coast of California.
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The Bronx's Yankee Stadium was designed to be the grandest, most impressive and intimidating sports arena ever. Over the years, the stadium's mystique and grandeur have been exponentially enhanced by championship boxing matches, professional and college football, Negro League games, papal visits, and the New York Yankees baseball club's iconic reputation as the gold standard of professional team sports. Yankee Stadium has also been a witness to the 20th-century development of the Bronx from a small suburb to a large urban borough, thus forging a special and complex relationship with its hometown.
Yankees in the Hall of Fame
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The New York Yankees are the most successful franchise in the history of sports. When they were founded as the New York Highlanders, no one could have imagined how high they would land, capturing 40 American League pennants and a staggering 27 World Series championships. Many of baseball's all-time greats have shined in Yankee pinstripes on their way to the Baseball Hall of Fame. The dynasty's birth featured Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig in the "House that Ruth Built." Legendary greats followed: Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Casey Stengel, and Reggie Jackson. In the new millennium, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera picked up the torch, carrying it from the Bronx to Cooperstown.
Dodgers in the Hall of Fame
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Among the most successful franchises in the long and glorious history of baseball, the Dodgers have captured 25 pennants and have been crowned world champions seven times; only five teams in history have claimed more World Series titles. The Dodgers are baseball's most transformative franchise. In 1947, Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball and America. They built Dodgertown in 1948; became the first major-league team to own a plane; and spurred the move west in 1958, where Sandy Koufax redefined pitching dominance. Herein lies the story of the men who have worn Dodger blue on their way to becoming baseball immortals, forever enshrined in Cooperstown's Baseball Hall of Fame.
Mexican American Baseball in Ventura County
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Mexican American Baseball in Ventura County pays tribute to the legendary teams and players from Ventura, Oxnard, Camarillo, Simi Valley, Moorpark, Santa Paula, and other surrounding neighborhoods. From the early 20th century through the 1950s, baseball in Ventura County safeguarded opportunities for nurturing athletic and educational skills, asserting ethnic identity, promoting political self-confidence, developing economic autonomy, and redefining gender roles for women. Outside the ball field, these players and their families helped create the multibillion-dollar agricultural wealth that relied heavily on their backbreaking labor. These extraordinary photographs and remarkable stories shed unparalleled light on the long and rich history of baseball and softball in this celebrated region of California.
Chicago Sluggers
The First 75 Years
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The Chicago White Stockings--later renamed the Cubs--won the inaugural National League Pennant in 1876 with a barrage of offensive numbers. Ross Barnes led the league at a .421 clip, and three other Chicago batters finished among the league's top five hitters. Even pitcher Al Spalding hit an impressive .312. Thus began the "northsiders" tradition of producing some of the major leagues' greatest sluggers--including "Cap" Anson, "Gabby" Hartnett, and "Hack" Wilson. The Chicago White Sox--still named the White Sox--won the inaugural American League Pennant in 1901, led by Fielder Jones' .311 average for a team built more around pitching than hitting--a team that won its first World Series title in 1906 with the nickname "The Hitless Wonders." But the "southsiders" also put up some lofty offensive numbers with the likes of Shoeless Joe Jackson and Eddie Collins.
Baseball in Toledo
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Professional baseball teams in Toledo, Ohio, were first known as the Mud Hens-for the local marsh birds-more than a century ago. About a dozen other team names have been used over the course of 106 seasons dating back to the first in 1883. The city has been represented in minor leagues of various levels, the Negro leagues, and the major leagues as well. For most of the last 100 years, Toledo teams have played at the highest minor league classification. Many associated with Toledo baseball have gone on to successful major league careers as players, managers, and umpires. Fifteen have been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and others hold numerous major league records. Baseball in Toledo traces the long and rich Toledo baseball history through pictures drawn from several major collections, along with detailed captions. Included is a summary of every Toledo season, and an all-time Toledo roster that lists all the players ever to wear a Toledo uniform.
Baseball in Memphis
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Auto Zone Park, arguably the best minor-league baseball park built in the past 25 years, is nestled in a corner of downtown Memphis. Located across the street from the historic Peabody Hotel and two blocks from Beale Street, Auto Zone opened in 2000 to rave reviews. It is the phoenix that rose from the ashes of Russwood Park. Baseball enthusiasts remember Russwood and the players who roamed the field, like Dazzy Vance, one-arm Pete Gray, Big Klu, and Moonlight Graham. Images of Baseball: Baseball in Memphis highlights the history of the Chicks and the Redbirds and pays homage to the original amateur Chickasaws, the Red Sox, and the Blues.
Eastern Shore League
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Between 1922 and 1949, the citizens of Delmarva enjoyed watching baseball the way it was meant to be played. Loyal Eastern Shore baseball enthusiasts were blessed to witness three eras of professional class "D" baseball, supporting their favorite teams, including the Parksley Spuds, Salisbury Indians, and Dover Orioles. The local faithful cheered on homegrown legends such as Frank "Home Run" Baker and Jimmie Foxx, both destined for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
Chicago Cubs
Tinker to Evers to Chance
Part of the Images of Baseball series
It has been a long time. Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance--that "trio of bear cubs" immortalized in poem and enshrined as a unit in Cooperstown--formed the core of a ball club that brought Chicago baseball fans back-to-back World Series championships 100 years ago. And fans are still waiting for victory number three. Chicago Cubs: Tinker to Evers to Chance brings the reader back to the not so halcyon days of spitball pitchers, inside the park home runs, and an era when raucous fans lined the foul lines, often a little too close for comfort for the visiting ballplayers. Beginning in 1898 with the acquisition of a green Frank Chance and following the team's exploits through the 1916 season, the last for Joe Tinker in a Cubs uniform, this is the story of Wrigleyville's favorite tenants, before there was a Wrigleyville.
Baseball in Albuquerque
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Albuquerque, New Mexico, is more than a refueling place for motorists on I-40. Professional baseball has been played here for more than 70 years, and fans have had the opportunity to see future Dodgers stars like Don Sutton, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Orel Hershiser, Eric Karros, and Mike Piazza hone their skills. Hall of Fame members Tom Lasorda and Duke Snider managed here; Darryl Strawberry, Eddie Murray, and Manny Ramirez have spent short stints "rehabbing" here; and big-league preseason games played in Albuquerque give fans a chance to see non-Dodgers favorites. Albuquerque is also where the Los Angeles Dodgers' triple-A farm team, the Albuquerque Isotopes, played before 600,000 fans in 2009, when the Dodgers "returned" after a nine-year absence. Isotopes Park, a baseball jewel, features great entertainment, a gorgeous view of the majestic Sandia Mountains, and a chance for baseball fans to see major league stars of tomorrow.
Mexican American Baseball in the Alamo Region
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Mexican American Baseball in the Alamo Region celebrates the game as it was played in the Tejano and Tejana communities throughout Texas. This regional focus explores the importance of the game at a time when Spanish-speaking people were demanding cultural acceptance and their political and civil rights in cities like San Antonio, Corpus Christi, New Braunfels, San Diego, Kingsville, and Pleasanton. All had thriving Mexican American communities that found comfort in the game and pride in their abilities on the field. On these pages are historical images and wonderful stories that are now immortalized, taking their rightful place in the annuals of the game. ¡Viva Tejas, Viva Béisbol, y Viva los Peloteros!
Reading's Big League Exhibition Games
Part of the Images of Baseball series
While Reading may be known today for the Fightin' Phils, it has also been the site of 72 games played by 17 major-league franchises and barnstorming teams since 1874. Among the teams that have played in these exhibition games are the Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Giants, and St. Louis Cardinals, along with appearances by baseball greats Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Mike Schmidt, Ernie Banks, and Rogers Hornsby. Reading fans have looked on as both the 1906 Phillies and A's tried to catch a bunny on the field mid-game, cheered for Christy Mathewson's shutouts, sang "Happy Birthday" to Pete Rose, and watched "Shoeless" Joe Jackson hit a home run.
1975 Red Sox
American League Champions
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The 1975 American League Champion Boston Red Sox squared off with the Cincinnati Reds in what is widely recognized as one of the best World Series ever played. The Major League Baseball Network has named its sixth game "the greatest game ever played." The Red Sox were led by two rookies, 21-year-old Jim Rice and 22-year-old Fred Lynn, who formed a rookie duo the likes of which baseball had never seen. They combined with a budding superstar in Carlton Fisk and his aging counterpart Carl Yastrzemski to lead the Red Sox attack, while a wily Luis Tiant anchored the pitching staff. After a first-round sweep of the three-time World Champion Oakland A's, they advanced to a Fall Classic that echoes through the ages, and in the words of Carlton Fisk, the Red Sox won "three games to four.
Mexican American Baseball in the San Fernando Valley
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Mexican American Baseball in the San Fernando Valley explores the teams and players that dotted the valley landscape throughout the 20th century. In a time and place where Mexican Americans were closed off from many city recreation centers, neighborhoods formed their own teams. Baseball and softball reinforced community and regional ties, strengthened family bonds, instilled discipline and dedication that translated into future professional careers, provided women opportunities outside their traditional roles in the home, and fostered lifelong friendships. These photographs serve as a lens to both local sports history and Mexican American history.
Detroit Aces
The First 75 Years
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Ever since the city was granted its first major league team, the Wolverines in 1881, Detroit baseball fans have packed the parks to loyally cheer for their favorite hurlers on the mound. In 1887, Charlie Getzein, nicknamed "Pretzels," led the Detroit ball club to its first National League pennant with 29 wins. The rubber-armed "Wild" Bill Donovan led the Detroit Tigers to the city's first American League pennant in 1907, notching up an astounding .862 winning percentage despite a legendary lack of control. More great pitchers were to follow in the coming decades, and, written from the perspective of an old-time fan, Detroit Aces: The First 75 Years is a fun read for any Motor City baseball enthusiast.
Baseball in Denver
by Matthew Kasper Repplinger II
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Images of Baseball: Baseball in Denver shares the city's prominent role in America's great game. The lore of baseball's first pioneers plays out in a real-life soap opera for this Western city. From the early Hall-of-Fame players to the storied baseball-talent barons of Denver's primitive days, baseball has always been on the forefront of the Denver sports horizon. From Tinker to Satchel Paige to "The Babe" himself, the Mile High City has been a barnstormer's oasis in a town that was nothing short of the Wild West. The Denver Post Tournament and the rich history of the Denver Bears are highlighted, as well as the many fields and landmarks throughout the city. With the inception of the Colorado Rockies, Denver once again set the stage for big-league baseball, which many of Denver's local baseball legends have been no stranger to.
South Side Hitmen
The Story of the 1977 Chicago White Sox
Part of the Images of Baseball series
By self-admission, the 1977 Chicago White Sox couldn't catch, run, or throw; and only on occasion could they pitch. Some felt unwanted and unloved by past teams. Two were told by skeptics that they didn't even belong on the field. Yet it was these qualities that made them one of the most entertaining teams in franchise history. They didn't bunt to move runners along, steal bases to distract the opposing defense, or turn the double play. They just hit and hit until demoralized opponents cried uncle. They didn't win the World Series or even a division title. They couldn't be called champions, but they lived up to another title. They were the South Side Hitmen. Team owner Bill Veeck transformed a hapless 1976 ball club into contenders and big-time draws at the ticket box. New acquisitions Oscar Gamble, Richie Zisk, and Eric Soderholm led the team to a franchise record 192 home runs, while legendary broadcaster Harry Caray led Comskey Park fans through the seventh-inning stretch. The White Sox won 90 games that season (including 22 in an amazing month of July) and finished first in the hearts of baseball fans across the city's South Side.
The Philadelphia Phillies
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The Philadelphia Phillies, one of the oldest teams in Major League Baseball, have maintained a strong, loyal fan base for over 125 years. Despite historic setbacks, the franchise has proven resilient and evolved into a perennial contender with consistently large attendance figures. In fact, the Phillies claim 37 Hall of Famers, two World Series championships, seven National League pennants, and nine division titles. The Philadelphia Phillies chronicles the greatness of Grover Cleveland Alexander, the remarkable career of Richie Ashburn, the perfection of Jim Bunning, and the teams of success and luster as well as those shining stars of the less successful eras.
The American Association Milwaukee Brewers
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Many people know of Milwaukee's famous beer brewers, such as Schlitz, Pabst, and Miller, but these pages contain the story of the original baseball Brewers. The Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association spent 51 seasons (1902-1952) on the city's near north side. To have had the opportunity to stretch out in the sun-soaked stands of Borchert Field during that era was to witness minor league baseball at its best. The Brewers were the second-winningest franchise in the league's history, and names like Tom "Sugar Boy" Dougherty and Nick "Tomato Face" Cullop were once household words throughout the city. This book stands as a tribute to the colorful history of this team and to all the former players, coaches, and managers who ever wore the woolens for Milwaukee.
As Good As It Got
The 1944 St. Louis Browns
Part of the Images of Baseball series
World War II threatened to ruin Major League Baseball. By 1945, over 500 major leaguers and 3,000 minor league prospects had been enlisted for the war effort, leaving a dearth of talent for the Big Leagues. The St. Louis Browns, like other AL and NL clubs, would be forced to fill holes in their roster with scrubs-4-F players (those dismissed from the military due to physical ailments), retired major leaguers, and youngsters not yet ready to leave the minors. But there were still some top level players to be had, and 1944 Browns manager Luke Sewell assembled the franchise's most successful team ever, taking the St. Louis ball club to its first and only Fall Classic.
Baseball in Tampa Bay
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Professional baseball teams in Toledo, Ohio, were first known as the Mud Hens-for the local marsh birds-more than a century ago. About a dozen other team names have been used over the course of 106 seasons dating back to the first in 1883. The city has been represented in minor leagues of various levels, the Negro leagues, and the major leagues as well. For most of the last 100 years, Toledo teams have played at the highest minor league classification. Many associated with Toledo baseball have gone on to successful major league careers as players, managers, and umpires. Fifteen have been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and others hold numerous major league records. Baseball in Toledo traces the long and rich Toledo baseball history through pictures drawn from several major collections, along with detailed captions. Included is a summary of every Toledo season, and an all-time Toledo roster that lists all the players ever to wear a Toledo uniform.
Baseball in Erie
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Erie has had a love affair with professional baseball since the 1880s, though it has been an on-again off-again relationship. Whatever they were called--the Olympics, Blackbirds, Sailors, or Sea Wolves--the Flagship City's teams have thrilled fans and won championships. However, many of those local nines faded away, leaving behind memories and empty ballparks. Baseball in Erie is a tribute to the men who brought baseball to this region of Pennsylvania: ambidextrous pitcher Tony Mullane; infielder Louis Bierbauer, the "original" Pittsburgh Pirate; Sam "the Jet" Jethroe; "Turkey" Mike Donlin; Todd Zeile, the record-setting nomadic major-leaguer; and Jose Guillen, the first Sea Wolves hero. Through photographs and memorabilia, Baseball in Erie reaches out to fans of the national pastime, especially those who were jammed into the rafters of Ainsworth Field and now bask in the beauty of Jerry Uht Park.
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The Chicago Cubs of the mid-1920s through 1940 were one of the most talented and exciting ball clubs the city ever produced. The Northsiders enjoyed 14 consecutive winning seasons and claimed the National League pennant four times (1929, 1932, 1935, and 1938), but fell to a dominant American League club in each World Series appearance. Four legendary baseball names led these Cub teams during this amazing stretch. Three eventually landed in Cooperstown (McCarthy, Hornsby, Hartnett), and many believe the fourth (Grimm) should have joined them. This was also the era when Cubs Park was transformed into Wrigley Field, under the guidance of Bill Veeck Jr., with its trademark bricks and ivy, hand-operated scoreboard, and outfield bleachers.
19th Century Baseball in Chicago
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The Chicago area today hosts two of the most historic major league franchises and half a dozen minor or independent league teams. Baseball's roots run deep in the Windy City. Indeed, it was Chicago businessman William "I'd rather be a lamp-post in Chicago than a millionaire in any other city" Hulbert, who, according to baseball lore, staged the coup that in 1876 would put the National League on the map. The Chicago White Stockings (now ironically called the Cubs) were one of eight charter members, winning the inaugural NL Championship with such legendary names as A. G. Spalding, "Cap" Anson, and Roscoe Barnes. But The National Pastime arrived in Chicago well before the 1876 season, as is proven in this fascinating new book, 19th Century Baseball in Chicago, illustrated with over 150 vintage images. Any local fan of the modern game-whether the action takes place at the "Friendly Confines," 35th & Shields, or the cozy setting of a minor league ballpark out in Kane or suburban Cook County-will enjoy the wealth of information offered in 19th Century Baseball in Chicago.
Baseball at the University of Michigan
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Baseball at the University of Michigan has had a long and rich tradition. Base ball, to use the contemporary vernacular, began as a club sport during the 1860s. By the dawn of the 20th century, the sport had evolved into the most popular spring leisure event in which students participated. Crowds of greater than 500 were not unusual, at a time when enrollment at the university was approximately 2500 students. Each class and college fielded a team. Prominent names in UM baseball history include the legendary Walker brothers, the first African Americans to play major league baseball, and Branch Rickey, who developed the powerful Dodger teams of the 1940s and integrated baseball with the signing of Jackie Robinson. George Sisler, among the greatest in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, began his career as a Michigan pitcher. And of course there was Ray Fisher, who coached Michigan for 38 years. The end of the century was marked by scandal, but it also brought major league stars such as Hal Morris, Jim Abbot and Barry Larkin, as well as David Parrish and Jake Fox, potential stars of the future. In the shadow of UM football and basketball, baseball is sometimes considered the "other" sport. But in terms of excitement and accessibility to the students, it is still "Number One."
Baseball in Wichita
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The art of baseball is evident at Wichita State University's Eck Stadium. The bronze sculpture, "Put Me in Coach," overlooks the stadium entry. Behind it a 70-foot mural, the longest of its kind at any university ballpark, depicts WSU's storied baseball history. The art of baseball has also been evident on Wichita's playing fields for well over a century. During and after the Civil War, baseball quickly spread across the nation. When Wichita was incorporated in 1870, the town and the game were ready for each other, and Wichita had its first professional nine the following decade. Baseball in Wichita tells the story of local baseball at all levels-amateur, collegiate and pro-in words and images dating from the 19th century to the present day.
Baseball in San Diego
From the Plaza to the Padres
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Baseball in San Diego: From the Plaza to the Padres, takes the reader on a seven-decade journey from Horton Plaza, the site of San Diego's first base ball game in 1871, to lower Broadway and the future home of Lane Field. Before the Pacific Coast League, San Diego had three Class D teams. One was the Bears, whose frustrated owner Dick Cooley complained, "I don't believe they'll make baseball pay here in a thousand years." With America's finest year-round climate, barnstorming and black baseball were popular attractions. Rube Foster's Chicago American Giants practically lived in San Diego in the winter of 1913. All the while, there were constant struggles between the forces of amateur and professional baseball for players, diamonds, and sports coverage.
New Mexico's Pueblo Baseball League
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Baseball began in the New Mexico pueblos before 1900. The game was learned by watching soldiers and settlers and by playing in the Indian schools throughout the country. The first competition was with Albuquerque teams, mining teams, other pueblo teams, and the state penitentiary. Today, the game has evolved into a family and tribal tradition. The games are played on barren fields with enthusiastic spectator support. The players' objective is to win that game, with little thought of individual achievement; they are playing for family and tribe.
Baseball in Altoona
From the Mountain City to the Curve
Part of the Images of Baseball series
For 46 days in the spring of 1884, Altoona had the honor of having a major-league baseball team, the Mountain City. For the next 115 years, despite the fact that baseball flourished here in the form of the game that the men of the Pennsylvania Railroad played, professional baseball floundered as six teams came and six teams left. Finally, in 1999, Altoona proved it could support a professional team when the Curve came to town. Since then, an impressive 10 percent of the town's population has shown up at every game, showing the love the community has for the national pastime.
Kane County Cougars
Part of the Images of Baseball series
In 1991, it seemed odd (if not unwise) when a minor league franchise moved into a major league market-- one with two big league teams, no less. But the story of the Kane County Cougars of the single-A Midwest League has been one of tremendous successes on the field, at the gates, and above all in the hearts of baseball fans in Chicago's western suburbs. The team continues to draw more than half a million fans to Geneva's cozy Elfstrom Stadium year after year, without ever being affiliated with the Cubs or Sox in the nearby city. They have fielded some top prospects, including 2003 World Series MVP Josh Beckett and his teammate Dontrelle Willis. They have battled in the post-season several times in their brief history, and they thrilled fans by winning the 1991 Midwest League Championship. Cougar fans will enjoy this pictorial tour through the club's first 15 seasons, which provides a local view of the history of the national pastime.
Mexican American Baseball in Los Angeles
by Francisco E. Balderrama
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Images of Baseball: Mexican American Baseball in Los Angeles celebrates the flourishing culture of the great pastime in East Los Angeles and other communities where a strong sense of Mexican identity and pride was fostered in a sporting atmosphere of both fierce athleticism and social celebration. From 1900, with the establishment of the Mexican immigrant community, to the rise of Fernandomania in the 1980s, baseball diamonds in greater Los Angeles were both proving grounds for youth as they entered their educations and careers, and the foundation for the talented Forty-Sixty Club, comprised of players of at least 40, and often over 60, years of age. These evocative photographs look back on the great Mexican American teams and players of the 20th century, including the famous Chorizeros--the proclaimed "Yankees of East L.A."
Red Sox Legends
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Through a combination of player interviews and historical narrative, Red Sox Legends is a tribute to the great players of the past. This book, a partnership between the Boston Public Library and the Boston Red Sox, is part of an effort to bring Red Sox history to life. Large format prints of most of the images included here are hung inside Fenway Park. The images shown are a sampling of the over 750,000 photographs in the library's collection and the tens of thousands of images in the Red Sox archives.
The College World Series
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Since 1950, Omaha's Rosenblatt Stadium (formerly Municipal Stadium) has hosted the nation's top college baseball programs in the College World Series. Baseball fans from every corner of the country have taken the annual "Road to Omaha" and packed the seats to see championship baseball at its best. In 1954 thousands saw Jim Ehrler of Texas toss the tourney's first no-hitter en route to the Longhorns winning back-to-back CWS championships. Fans at the 1970 tournament saw Southern Cal defeat Florida State in the midst of their unmatched five-year championship run. In 1996 Rosenblatt's faithful took in the dramatic bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out, two-run homer by Louisiana State's Warren Morris, giving his team a 9-8 upset victory over powerhouse Miami.
Baseball in Asheville
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Baseball has served as the pastime of preference in Asheville, North Carolina, for more than a century. Nearly anywhere a flat lot can be found in the rolling hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, baseball has been played by locals and visitors alike, with many of the city's greatest thrills created by the hometown Tourists, who have been mainstays in the professional ranks for most of the past 80 years. Oates Park, where author Thomas Wolfe toiled as a batboy prior to attending the University of North Carolina, served as the home of the Mountaineers, Tourists, and the semi-pro Asheville Royal Giants during the first three decades of the 20th century until McCormick Field was built in the mid-1920s. The ballpark, just south of downtown Asheville, welcomed the likes of Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth during exhibition contests, while future Hall of Famers Eddie Murray and Willie Stargell and current standouts Todd Helton and Juan Pierre honed their skills in the mountains on their way to the game's top level.
Baseball in Greenville and Spartanburg
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Baseball, an important institution in every American town, takes centerfield in the histories of Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina. These two cities have hosted some of the most well-known players of all time, from Tommy Lasorda and Chipper Jones to "Shoeless Joe" Jackson, the man who will forever link Greenville and Spartanburg with America's game. Baseball in Greenville and Spartanburg chronicles the diamond game as it has been played in the Carolina Upstate. More than a century of games from the Minor League, Textile League, and Big League clubs, along with high school and collegiate teams, are showcased. An older Joe Jackson still plays ball, a patriotic Joe Anders impresses crowds in the 1940s, and the Greenville Spinners, Greenville Braves, and the Spartanburg Phillies bring the crowds to their feet. The greats teach the game to tomorrow's stars, while tomorrow's stars perfect their talent, all with the Blue Ridge Foothills rising in the distance.
Baseball in Reading
Part of the Images of Baseball series
On a crisp April evening or a sizzling August afternoon, before a handful of friends or a throng of thousands, on a playground sandlot or in one of America's storied minor-league stadiums-whenever and wherever baseball is played in Reading, Pennsylvania, it is played with passion. Baseball in Reading captures for the first time the images of the teams, players, and ballparks that have made the city one of minor-league baseball's true legends. Claiming the title Baseballtown in 2002, Reading has a baseball legacy that dates back to the late 1800s. Only three other minor-league teams have remained in the same location for a longer period of time. Players such as Charlie Wagner, Roger Maris, and Rico Petrocelli have contributed to the rich history that unfolds in Baseball in Reading.
Baseball in Indianapolis
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Victory Field, built in 1996 as home to the Indianapolis Indians, is considered by many today as the best minor league ballpark in the nation. But baseball has deeper roots in the Circle City, as fans of the Tribe will discover in the pages of Baseball in Indianapolis, which tells the story of the American pastime in the state capitol from the post-Civil War era up to the present day. Legends like Rube Marquard, Oscar Charleston and Roger Maris are all a part of Indianapolis' baseball heritage. So too are present-day stars like Randy Johnson, Larry Walker and Aaron Boone. Even Hank Aaron had a stint with the barnstorming Indianapolis Clowns in 1952, en route to his record-breaking career.
Baseball in Mobile
Part of the Images of Baseball series
A city wrapped by the Gulf of Mexico's beaches, Mobile has a history as rich as the azalea-saturated soil on which it rests. Recipient of the All-American City distinction, Mobile is home to the original Mardi Gras celebration, the Junior Miss Scholarship Program, the Battleship U.S.S. Alabama, and Hammerin' Hank Aaron. The city's passion for baseball has endured through its tumultuous past, marked by yellow fever, World War II prominence, and the Civil Rights Movement. Spanning from the late 1800s to the present day, Baseball in Mobile recounts the introduction of baseball to the Port City, chronicles the vast talent of Mobile natives who have influenced the sport, and introduces the players and teams of modern Mobile, many of whom are sure to become tomorrow's legends. Historic photographs of the changing baseball landscape are captured in Baseball in Mobile, showcasing the fact that while the fields, uniforms, and teams have changed, the game remains ingrained in Mobile, as constant as the bay that surrounds it.
Mexican American Baseball in the Pomona Valley
Part of the Images of Baseball series
This volume pays homage to the wonderful teams and players from Azusa, La Verne, Claremont, Pomona, Chino, Cucamonga, Ontario, and Upland. A common thread of all these diverse communities was the establishment of baseball teams and, later, softball teams. Baseball played a critical role in advancing civil and political rights, labor reform, gender equality, educational integration, and cultural legitimacy. These remarkable photographs revive the often-overlooked history of Mexican American baseball in the Greater Pomona Valley.
Chicago Cubs
Baseball on Catalina Island
Part of the Images of Baseball series
It's not quite like today's spring training: one might find a rookie ballplayer (nicknamed Hack) uprooting trees with his bare hands or a future president of the United States getting into a barroom brawl with some grizzled sportswriters. The team was the Chicago Cubs, and the place was Santa Catalina Island-through the Roaring Twenties, Great Depression, and World War II. William Wrigley owned both island and ballclub; from 1921 to 1951, they came together. There were movie stars, like Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe. There were grand steamships, big bands, hopes and dreams, and World Series rings. It's Chicago Cubs: Baseball on Catalina Island, and it's a trip like no other.
The Cincinnati Reds
1900-1950
Part of the Images of Baseball series
In the first half of the twentieth century, the Cincinnati Reds--though only rarely dominant on the field--exerted considerable influence over the world of organized baseball. The creation of the World Series, baseball's first "de facto" commissioner, nighttime baseball beneath the lights, radio broadcasts, and modern groundskeeping--all innovations in major league baseball that can be attributed to the Cincinnati Reds. The 1919 Reds played in one of the most infamous sporting events ever, winning the World Series over the scandal-ridden Chicago "Black Sox." They returned to the Fall Classic in 1939 and 1940 without controversy, winning the championship in '40. This is the era of The Palace of the Fans and Crosley Field, of a 15-year-old pitcher turned Cincinnati legend, and of Hall of Famers Ed Roush, Eppa Rixey, and Ernie Lombardi.
Chicago White Sox
1959 and Beyond
Part of the Images of Baseball series
The Chicago White Sox are a charter member of the American League. Through a little over a century of baseball, they have accumulated a history of triumphs, scandals, and heartbreaking setbacks. The photographs in this book come from the collections of Leo Labau, Mark Fletcher, and Gerry Bilek, three lifelong White Sox fans. The images show dramatic, emotional, and light moments that could only happen in a baseball game played on the south side of Chicago. In these pages you will find showmen Bill Veeck and Harry Carey, the 1959 World Series, sluggers like Allen, Melton, Zisk, Gamble, and Kittle, and great pitchers like Peters, Horlen, and Wood. There are no world championships in this story, just the great moments of a team that has given its fans great memories.
The Pittsburgh Pirates' 1960 Season
Part of the Images of Baseball series
In the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates, no team has been more memorable than that of 1960. In the decade before, the team produced only two winning records: a second-place finish in 1958 and in 1959. In 1960, they put it all together to win the pennant. Their reward was a trip to the World Series against the favored New York Yankees. In the Yankees' three winning games, they outscored Pittsburgh 38-3, but the Pirates were able to win three to send it to Game 7. In one of the most exciting contests in the history of the sport, the Pirates came up in the bottom of the ninth with the score tied. At exactly 3:36 p.m., Bill Mazeroski hit a home run over the left field wall to give the Pirates a memorable championship. This book tells the story of that magnificent team and its glorious victory, which will be etched into the minds of Pittsburgh baseball fans forever.
New York Aces
The First 75 Years
Part of the Images of Baseball series
It was in the New York City area in the mid-nineteenth century that various pitching styles were invented, developments that changed baseball history. In 1883, the Giants became a powerhouse, hiring the finest pitchers in the country. In the twentieth century, the talent pool kept changing, but the quality did not. Christy Mathewson, "Iron Man" McGinnity, and Rube Marquard all won more than two hundred games in the majors, and each played a part in many pennant victories for John McGraw's Giants. In 1921, the Yankees won their first championship, and their domination of the American League that followed was unprecedented. Pitching was both effective and exciting for New York fans, whether in Yankee Stadium or the Polo Grounds. New York Aces: The First 75 Years covers the history of pitching in the Big Apple, with equal attention to the American League and National League franchises.
Baseball in Springfield
Part of the Images of Baseball series
It has been more than half a century since Springfield last hosted minor league baseball. That draught will end at downtown's newly constructed Hammons Field in the spring of 2005, when the Springfield Cardinals of the AA Texas League bring professional baseball back to the Queen City of the Ozarks. The new team will have quite a legacy to fulfill, as the Springfield Cardinals of the Western Association won several pennants those many years ago, and brought to town such legendary baseball names as Branch Rickey, Joe Garagiola, and Stan Musial. Before the Cardinals came teams like the Midgets, Reds, and Merchants, and a rich tradition of professional and semi-pro baseball dating back to the mid-1880s. Drawing from a wide range of primary sources and complimented by over 100 vintage images, Baseball in Springfield is must-have for those ready to discover the historic connection this city has to the national pastime.
Baseball in Long Beach
Part of the Images of Baseball series
Organized baseball in Long Beach dates to 1910, when the Long Beach Clothiers of the Southern California Trolley League played opponents wherever a streetcar could take them. Exhibition games later featured Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, and other Major League barnstormers. Homegrown talent includes Baseball Hall of Famers Bob Lemon and Tony Gwynn. Pioneering entrepreneur Bill Feistner built the first accommodating baseball park in 1922 at Redondo Avenue and Stearns Street in the shadow of oil-rich Signal Hill. When ballplayers weren't on the Shell Park diamond, they worked the derricks.