A People’s History of Baseball: A Review

April 2, 2012 by Andrew Martin · 2 Comments

Baseball is steeped in the notion of myth and the existence of a narrative declaring the game to be a bastion of good and American wholesomeness. Such contrivances interfere with the study of history, making it difficult to find works associated with baseball that are able to push through such obstacles. With the publishing of […]

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The Legend of Alabama Pitts

March 30, 2012 by Andrew Martin · Leave a Comment

The history of baseball is littered with larger than life fictional figures like Sidd Finch and Roy Hobbs. Perhaps even more than their supposed talents, their stories are what make them so memorable and a part of the fabric of America’s pastime. Every now and then a real player comes along and blurs the lines […]

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A Chat with Baseball HOF President Jeff Idelson

July 19, 2011 by Andrew Martin · Leave a Comment

Believe it or not, despite the fact that I have been an ardent fan of baseball for many years, I have never made a trip to the Hall of Fame. Located in Cooperstown, New York, The Hall of Fame is a shrine to Americaâ€™s game, holding numerous artifacts, exhibits, and other holdings that represent the […]

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The Illumination of Jose Bautista

July 18, 2011 by Andrew Martin · 7 Comments

I canâ€™t say for certain what it was, but sometime in early September, 2009, something seemed to click for Jose Bautista that hadnâ€™t before. Prior to that time Bautista was at best an average utility man who was rapidly approaching 30 years of age. Drafted in the 20th round of the 2000 draft, he also […]

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Marvelous Mack

December 2, 2010 by Sam Miller · Leave a Comment

Connie Mack, “The Tall Tactician”, Major League Baseball’s longest-tenured manager for 50 seasons with the Philadelphia A’s, employer of the $100,000 infield. If ever you wanted to discover something about Mack or the dawn of baseball, chances are you will find it in “Connie Mack and the Early Years of Baseball“ by Norman L. Macht. […]

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Ken Burns: Same As He Never Was

September 30, 2010 by Jeff Polman · 12 Comments

Life can throw you a big fat knuckle ball. Thirty-three years ago, while writing a feature article for an alternative weekly paper, I spent a fall afternoon with a small documentary film company in western Massachusetts called Florentine. The three Hampshire College graduates based in the nearby village of Florenceâ€”Buddy Squires, Roger Sherman and Ken […]

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LETTERS FROM QUEBEC Induction Day at the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame: Part One

July 17, 2010 by Bill Young · Leave a Comment

It was a month ago, on a sweltering June 19, that the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum introduced four new members to its ranks. Joining such former inductees as Gary Carter; Joe Carter; Andre Dawson; Tony Fernandez; Ferguson Jenkins; Jim McKean; Tip Oâ€™Neil; Jackie Robinson; and Larry Walker were two recently retired ball […]

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