Name: Baseball in Long Beach
Brand: Tom Meigs
SKU: 9780738558233
Price: 24.99 USD
Availability: InStock

Baseball in Long Beach

9780738558233

$24.99

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.

Baseball in Louisville

9780738542416

$24.99

Louisville and baseball share a long and strong bond that also happens to be one rollicking tale. From scandals and superstars, to Louisville Slugger® bats and beyond, Baseball in Louisville explores the ups, downs, eccentricities, and historic elements that define America's great pastime in Louisville. With names like Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Earle Combs, Pee Wee Reese, Adam Dunn, and Chris Burke in the line-up, this volume delivers a substantial and entertaining overview of baseball's past and present.

Baseball in Memphis

9780738591087

$24.99

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.

Baseball In Mobile

9780738515823

$24.99

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.

Baseball in Montgomery

9781467124836

$24.99

In 2004, Riverwalk Stadium ushered in a new era of professional baseball in Montgomery. After a more-than-20-year absence, the new ballpark became a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown Montgomery. Biscuit baseball and Riverwalk Stadium have given citizens something to be proud of. The stadium is nestled between the Alabama River and railroad tracks and incorporates the old Western Railroad building as part of the ballpark. This has made Riverwalk an example for other cities looking to keep their identity and add something new and exciting. Montgomery's rich baseball history includes hall of fame players like Fred Clarke, Joe McGinnity, Casey Stengel, and Turkey Stearnes. There is also the forgotten history of an Alabama native, Roy "Goat" Walker, a fan favorite of Montgomery baseball for two generations.

Baseball in Nashville

9780738543918

$24.99

Nashville's first professional baseball team was organized in 1885, but the city's baseball roots can be traced to 1862, as Union soldiers camped along the Cumberland River taught the Northern game to the citizens. The Seraphs, Blues, Tigers, Americans, and Volunteers made their home in Athletic Park, later renamed Sulphur Dell by Grantland Rice during his tenure as a local sportswriter. Including the Negro League Elite Giants and a two-year existence by the Nashville Xpress in the 1990s, Baseball in Nashville traces those roots from the early teams to Herschel Greer Stadium and the Nashville Sounds' Pacific Coast League Championship in 2005.

Baseball in New Haven

9780738511788

$24.99

Baseball in New Haven uncovers the rich history of the national pastime in the greater New Haven area with images that highlight the sport on many levels. Numerous professional, semiprofessional, and college teams have played here, starting with Yale teams of the Civil War era and early attempts to form an "Elm City nine."

In the early 1900s, George Weiss, later the general manager of the New York Yankees, helped establish New Haven as a baseball town by drawing stars such as Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb for exhibition games. The semiprofessional West Haven Sailors kept that tradition alive in the 1930s and 1940s. That same era was a heyday for Yale, as Yale Field saw legends such as Lou Gehrig and Ted Williams take on the Elis. Ruth returned in 1948 to present a copy of his biography to the Bulldog captain, future president George H.W. Bush. Baseball in New Haven details the return of professional baseball in 1972 with the Eastern League's West Haven Yankees and finishes with the New Haven Ravens, an Eastern League expansion team in 1994.

Baseball in New Orleans

9780738516141

$24.99

In July of 1859, seventy-five young New Orleanians came together to form the seven teams that comprised the Louisiana Base Ball Club. They played their games in the fields of the de la Chaise estate on the outskirts of New Orleans near present-day Louisiana Avenue. As America's population grew through immigration, so did the popularity of what the largest newspaper in New Orleans, the Daily Picayune, called in November of 1860 "the National Game." Baseball quickly replaced cricket as the city's most popular participant sport.

In 1887, local businessmen and promoters secured a minor league franchise for the city of New Orleans in the newly formed Southern League, beginning the city's 73-year love affair with the New Orleans Pelicans. From Shoeless Joe Jackson, to Hall of Famers Dazzy Vance, Joe Sewell, Bob Lemon, and Earl Weaver, to today's stars such as Jeff Cirillo and Lance Berkman, the road to the majors brought many notable players through New Orleans. From these early beginnings to the present-day New Orleans Zephyrs of the AAA Pacific Coast League, local fans have continued the tradition of baseball in New Orleans.

Baseball in Newark

9780738513263

$24.99

On July 16, 1999, professional baseball resurfaced in Newark, New Jersey. The return of minor-league ball to the city was the cause for celebration and nostalgia for those fans who remembered the Bears and the Eagles of the 1930s and 1940s. This book takes a look back at the game and the talented men who made baseball live in Newark, including local heroes Yogi Berra, Monte Irvin, Charlie Keller, Larry Doby, Marius Russo, and Ray Dandridge.

Baseball in Newark is a fascinating look at the city's local baseball tradition from the mid-nineteenth century through today. While the Bears of yesteryear merit considerable attention, the return of the team under the leadership of former Yankee Rick Cerone offers an added ingredient to the story. As part of the city's recent renaissance, the return of the Bears played a critical role in reviving the city's downtown district and attracting people to Newark for an evening's entertainment. Baseball in Newark features a variety of photographs culled from the Newark Public Library, the New Jersey Historical Society, and the collection of the Newark Bears.

Baseball in Norfolk, Virginia

9780738515007

$24.99

Pictured is the legendary Myers Field c. 1950, where Norfolk ballplayers, visiting major league stars, and Piedmont League opponents once dueled upon its dirt and grass. The story of baseball in Norfolk, Virginia is as fascinating and enduring as the game itself. Christy Mathewson, Phil Rizzuto, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, and a myriad of other charismatic players from the game spent time developing their raw and untested skills on the diamonds of Norfolk. Military stars of the powerful World War II Navy teams and legends of the Negro Leagues performed to the delight and fascination of local fans. Over the years, the mighty New York Yankees with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio showcased their mythical talents during scheduled exhibitions, as did dozens of other big league teams and their stars.

The images depicted within this pictorial feature only a fragment of the vast chronology of the game of baseball as it was played in Norfolk over the years. They allow the reader to revisit the past, examine the present, and ponder the future of baseball in the city of Norfolk. All photographs were painstakingly selected by the authors for their dynamic visual appeal and historical impact to accurately reflect the story of baseball in Norfolk.

Baseball in Northwest Iowa

9781467125147

$24.99

While new railroad tracks cut through Northwestern Iowa in the mid-19th century, hardy pioneers cultivated the fertile soil, and the burgeoning sport of baseball took root and flourished. An integral element of the developing culture, it promoted community pride. Eight Northwestern Iowa towns supported professional teams by 1912, the first being Sioux City in 1888. Over time, that city's clubs produced hall-of-fame shortstop Dave Bancroft and initiated the still-existing American League. Homegrown talent from an abundance of professional, semiprofessional, and amateur clubs throughout the area's 19 counties yielded 38 major-league players before 1960 and more since.

Baseball in Oklahoma City

9780738531892

$24.99

Oklahoma City is completing its first century of minor league baseball. Since 1904, organized professional teams called the Mets, Indians, Senators, Boosters, 89ers, and now the RedHawks have thrilled fans of all ages. Several fan-favorites who have graced the diamond for Oklahoma City have gone on to stardom in "The Big Show," including major league all-stars Lonnie Smith and Juan Gonzales. Legendary names like Rogers Hornsby and Bill Veeck have also played a part in Oklahoma City's baseball history. As the second century of baseball in Oklahoma City begins, the Oklahoma RedHawks continue the tradition of playing superb baseball in the "The Little Show," with perhaps another future major league all-star or two honing his skills before a capacity crowd at the Brick.

Baseball in Omaha

9780738532769

$24.99

Professional baseball history in Omaha began in 1869 when the Cincinnati Red Stockings came to town, besting local teams 65-1 and 56-3, and touching off a barnstorming tradition that would bring Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and others over the years to League Park, Brown Park, and Municipal Stadium (later rededicated as Rosenblatt Stadium). Omaha became part of the Western League in 1895. William "Pa" Rourke's League Park at 20th and Vinton became Omaha's first municipal ballpark in 1911 and the center of professional Omaha baseball until its destruction by fire in 1936. The 1940s and early 1950s saw the Omaha Cardinals play as part of the Western League and American Association, with the Dodgers appearing briefly in the early 60s. Since 1969, Omaha has been home for the Kansas City Royals AAA team. Since 1950, Omaha has hosted the NCAA College World Series. But Omaha baseball is also about the sandlots and games played at Riverview Park, Benson Park, Fontenelle Park, Brown Park, Athletic Park, and Burdette Park; about the Packing houses, breweries, restaurants, car dealerships, and insurance companies that have sponsored teams; and about neighborhood teams battling for bragging rights and the high school players who were immortalized in Robert Phipps' columns in the Omaha World Herald.

Baseball in Portsmouth, Virginia

9780738516004

$24.99

From 1895 until 1969, the city of Portsmouth, Virginia, fielded a professional minor league team. Fans flocked to see the Truckers, Cubs, Merrimacs, and Tides as they battled opponents on the dirt and grass of local diamonds. Many locals are surprised to discover that such renowned ballplayers as Pie Traynor, Hack Wilson, Eddie Stanky, and Harry "The Cat" Breechen got their start in Portsmouth. In 1933, Negro League legend Buck Leonard first played for the Portsmouth Revels and later returned to briefly star with the 1953 Merrimacs, his only opportunity to play integrated ball during his storied career. A number of former big-name players guided the team from the bench including Tony Lazzeri, Jimmie Foxx, and Pepper Martin to name a few.

The images in this pictorial volume showcase only a fragment of the vast chronology of baseball as it was played in Portsmouth over the years. Yet their visual appeal and historical representation of the game allow the reader to experience and recall what it was once like to have the National Pastime as an integral part of the city.

Baseball in Reading

9780738511955

$24.99

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 Richmond

9780738553955

$24.99

From Daddy Boschen's first professional baseball "shoe shop team" to our current Richmond Braves, from the ballyards of the old fairgrounds of Monroe Park to the Diamond on the Boulevard, baseball in Richmond has flourished. Whether known as the Bluebirds, Bloody Shirts, Lawmakers, Crows, Johnnie Rebs, Colts, Vees, or Braves, each team brought fans through the turnstiles to cheer them to victory, and those fans always left the park with lasting baseball memories. Richmond's ball-gardens and cranks played host to the likes of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, and Ted Williams, as well as homegrown stars, including Billy Nash, Ray Dandridge, Eddie Mooers, Tom West, and Granny Hamner.

Baseball in Rochester

9780738511696

$24.99

Few cities can boast of a longer or richer baseball tradition than Rochester, New York. The game's roots in the Flower City can be traced to the early nineteenth century, when a primitive form of baseball was being played on Mumford's Meadow near the Genesee River. Since that time, some of the greatest names in baseball history, including Stan Musial and Cal Ripken Jr., have honed their skills in Rochester. Their exploits, along with those of numerous others, are documented with rare photographs in Baseball in Rochester. Through the years, nineteen people with local ties have been inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The Red Wings have won ten Governors' Cups-more than any other International League team-and Rochester has been designated Baseball City, U.S.A., by Baseball America magazine. Baseball in Rochester chronicles not only the superstars but also the quirky characters and moments that make the minor leagues so appealing.

Baseball in Rockford

9780738523453

$24.99

Rockford, IL, and the surrounding area, the Rock River Valley, is rich in baseball history. The town first attracted national baseball attention in 1867 when its Forest City team defeated the touring Washington Nationals, who were previously undefeated. Rockford's young pitcher, Albert G. Spalding, quickly became recognized as a legend, as he dominated all aspects of the game.

Rockford's baseball history continued with minor league teams, industrial league teams, and other teams both semi-pro and amateur. The city again gained national attention with the four-time champion Rockford Peaches of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (1943-1954). The excitement of professional ball in the Forest City continues today with the Rockford River Hawks of the Frontier League. Baseball in Rockford tells the players' stories from 1865 to the present, illustrated with vintage photographs throughout.

Baseball in San Diego

9780738532615

$24.99

The first color action photo of Ted Williams (as shown on the front cover) was taken at Lane Field in San Diego on October 5, 1941 by an amateur photographer. Nobody knew of its existence until an old wooden cigar box was found in a basement in 1999. This book is a treasure chest of such old San Diego baseball pictures and memories. From the Padres to Petco focuses on San Diego's love affair with the Padres from the Pacific Coast League years at Lane Field (1936-57), Westgate Park (1958-67), San Diego Stadium (1968) and through 35 more exciting and often exasperating National League summers in Mission Valley (1969-2003). Through it all, Padre fans have been faithful and forgiving. With a new ballpark, San Diego looks to build a winning tradition.

Baseball in San Diego

9780738534121

$24.99

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.

Baseball in Savannah

9780738591261

$24.99

Dating back to the American Civil War, the history of baseball in Savannah is as rich as any other of the sport's iconic cities. Hosting a variety of amateur teams in the late 19th century, professional baseball arrived in Savannah in 1904. From "Shoeless" Joe Jackson to Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle to Dale Murphy, a long list of nationally known hall-of-famers and all-stars have played on Savannah's ball fields. Images of Baseball: Baseball in Savannah chronicles the sport's amateur beginnings through the Savannah Sand Gnats.

Baseball in South Bend

9780738533261

$24.99

The national pastime began to take root in South Bend in the 1860s when teams like the Hoosiers, Excelsiors, and Rough-and-Readys took the field to the delight of local fans. By 1878, the legendary South Bend Greenstocking had arrived on the scene, winning the mythical Indiana State Baseball Championship and establishing the nickname of choice for South Bend baseball for years to come. The following decades saw the rising popularity of not only minor league baseball but also barnstorming teams, indoor baseball, factory leagues, and men's and women's amateur leagues. This rich baseball heritage is carried on today by the South Bend SilverHawks of the Class-A Midwest League.

Baseball in Springfield

9780738533599

$24.99

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 St. Louis

9780738533018

$24.99

St. Louis was a hotbed of baseball activity in the early 20th century. Two of baseball's great wars played out here-the rise of the American League and the rise and fall of the Federal League. No pennants flew over the city from 1900 to 1925, yet St. Louis teams were involved in a number of torrid pennant races. Here is the heyday of the St. Louis Browns and the emergence of the Cardinals, as well as a vibrant scene for semi-pro and black teams. The city had two of the greatest hitters in baseball history-George Sisler and Rogers Hornsby-and one of the game's most influential executives-Branch Rickey. Twenty-one members of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown played baseball in St. Louis during these years. The author draws on more than 20 photo collections, with in-depth looks at an important yet overlooked era and the people who made it come alive.

Baseball in Tacoma-Pierce County

9780738581941

$24.99

The Tacoma-Pierce County area has enjoyed a rich tradition of baseball from the sandlot beginnings in 1874, to the first professional game at the "Eleventh Street Ball Grounds" in 1890, to the "100 Day Wonder" known as Cheney Stadium, which was opened in the spring of 1960. While Tacoma has laid claim to six Pacific Coast League championships since the 1904-1905 season, it was the players who competed in the City, Valley, Sunset, Community, Timber, Commercial, Industrial, and Shipbuilders leagues that formed the backbone of the sport. Among notables that have dotted local rosters or competed in the major leagues are Ron Cey, "Indian" Bob Johnson, Mike Blowers, Jon Lester, Steve Whitaker, and Doug Sisk, as well as Baseball Hall of Famers Walter Johnson, Joe McGinnity, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, and Willie McCovey.

Baseball in Toledo

9780738523279

$24.99

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 Trenton

9780738513102

$24.99

Professional baseball in Trenton, New Jersey, stumbled through the twentieth century with sporadic success. The state capital seemed lost amid the professional sports world in New York and Philadelphia. Years later, minor-league baseball returned to the city and to a fan base exceeding most in Double-A baseball.

Baseball in Trenton follows the spurts of success that saw the Senators, Dodgers, Phillies, and Giants place farm teams in the city, producing Hall of Famer Willie Mays and base stealer George Case. In 1993, a group of New Jersey entrepreneurs decided to bring minor-league baseball back to Trenton. The ambitious result was the Trenton Thunder, who became the most successful and consistent minor-league baseball team in the country. Baseball in Trenton is the first history of this incredible rise to glory.

Baseball in Tulsa

9780738523323

$24.99

The rich tradition and history of professional baseball are brought to life in Baseball in Tulsa. Wayne McCombs traces Tulsa's baseball past from the cow pastures of Indian Territory into the 21st century. The book documents the struggle many players endure in the coveted quest to become a major league baseball player. Showcasing a collection of over 170 rare photographs, this new volume vividly documents the sport that makes Tulsa one of the best minor league cities in America. See all the greats from the original Tulsa Oilers through today's Tulsa Drillers, including hall-of-famers Satchel Paige, Frank Robinson, Steve Carlton, Dizzy Dean, and Warren Spahn-each of these legends either played or coached in Tulsa.

Baseball in Ventura County

9780738547398

$24.99

Baseball on the West Coast dates back to 1847, when the New York Volunteer Regiment stationed in Santa Barbara batted around a cowhide-covered ball with a stick made from a mesquite branch. By 1873, "Venturans" were playing baseball at Seaside Park. The first local player to reach the major leagues was Charley Hall, who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in 1906, followed by Fred Snodgrass, who brought along his New York Giants and the Chicago White Sox to Ventura County in 1913. The county has produced a major-league Most Valuable Player in Terry Pendleton, who won the honor in 1991 as the leader of the Atlanta Braves, and a No. 1 overall draft pick in Delmon Young, who was selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2003. The county has also served as the home for minor-league teams affiliated with the Yankees, Braves, and Blue Jays.

Baseball in Wichita

9780738533162

$24.99

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 Legends of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery

9780738534787

$24.99

Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 and soon became one of America's foremost tourist attractions. It is the resting place for many notables, including Tiffany, Steinway, and Currier and Ives, but the cemetery also has a hidden baseball history. Green-Wood is home to almost two hundred baseball pioneers: members of the Knickerbocker, Atlantic, and Excelsior Clubs of the nineteenth century; Brooklyn's beloved Charles Ebbets; stadium owners; ball makers; and "the Father of Baseball," Henry Chadwick.

The first baseball monument appeared at Green-Wood in 1862 to honor the game's first martyr and star, James Creighton Jr., initiating baseball's tradition of honoring its own with stone or bronze memorials. Green-Wood Cemetery has since served as a model for other tributes, including those found at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Yankee Stadium's Monument Park. Baseball Legends of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery, through painstaking research, brings these baseball legends back to life with a compelling array of rare images that tell the story of the game's birth in Brooklyn, New York City, and Hoboken.

Baseball Legends of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery

Baseball on Cape Cod

9780738535081

$24.99

From the first organized game in 1865 on the fields owned by sea captain Edward Nichols along School Street in Sandwich, the game of baseball has prospered among the dunes and beaches of Cape Cod. Today, it is home to the country's premier collegiate summer league. Located in one of the most beautiful spots on the East Coast, Cape Cod has always attracted visitors in the summer, and along with sunshine and salty air, baseball has been there for more than one hundred years. The Cape Cod Baseball League is now a steppingstone to the major leagues, with some former players enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Baseball on Cape Cod chronicles through pictures the rich heritage and tradition of the game from its earliest organized beginnings to today's high-profile players. Every summer, fans from across the country flock to the Cape for some of the finest amateur baseball in the nation.

Boston's Royal Rooters

9780738538211

$24.99

In the fall of 1897, over 250 baseball fans from Roxbury, Massachusetts, traveled to Baltimore with saloon keeper Nuf-Ced McGreevy and Pres. John F. Kennedy's future grandfather Honey-Fitz Fitzgerald to cheer their Beaneaters to the pennant. They became known famously as the Royal Rooters. Singing their fight song, "Tessie," they cheered on five world champion teams in the early 1900s. When Babe Ruth was sold to the Yankees after 1919, "Tessie" all but disappeared from Fenway. A new generation of Fenway Faithful suffered through decades of heartbreak until "Tessie" returned in 2004 to deliver another world title. In the course of a century, the original group of rooters has grown into a legion of fans known as Red Sox Nation. Boston's Royal Rooters chronicles the rich tradition of Boston's pioneering fans like Nuf-Ced, Honey-Fitz, and Lib Dooley, "the Queen of Fenway Park," and examines through rare images their influence on modern-day fans.

Bridgeport Baseball

9780738512013

$24.99

Bridgeport, Connecticut, owns a rich and diverse baseball history. People from varied backgrounds stepped up to the plate in Bridgeport's early years-sons of Irish immigrants, laborers and merchants, Asian and Latino players, and some of the first African Americans to play professional ball. Local baseball truly blossomed with "Orator" Jim O'Rourke, who returned from the big leagues and organized the Connecticut State Baseball League in 1895. Numerous Bridgeport teams evolved, including the Victors, Mechanics, Bolts, Americans, and Bears. Bridgeport Baseball traces the game from the post-Civil War era to today. Baseball beneath the roaring smokestacks of industrial Bridgeport included visits by barnstorming Major League and Negro League teams, future Hall of Famers, and a train wreck that almost killed the St. Louis Cardinals. The smokestacks are silent now, yet the legacy of Bridgeport baseball continues to evolve with the city's first professional club in nearly half a century-the Bridgeport Bluefish. The team, owners, staff, fans, and stadium have all contributed to restoring the living history that is Bridgeport Baseball.

Brooklyn Dodgers in Cuba

9780738574271

$24.99

The Brooklyn Dodgers held spring training in Havana in 1947 so Jackie Robinson could practice safely. Yet that was hardly the beginning: the Bums played in Cuba over 60 seasons, from 1900 to 1959. Ballplayers drank hard with Hemingway. Some found themselves in Cuban jails. Pitcher Van Lingle Mungo, barricaded in the Hotel Nacional with two women, fended off an angry husband (and his machete). Leo Durocher got into a brawl with an umpire, after Lippy's translator correctly cursed him in Spanish. Vin Scully watched machine gun-toting barbudas enter the room. An outfielder leaped into the stands, with a loaded gun, to chase a fan. Several players encountered Castro, who once walked onto the field in his fatigues, patted his pistol, and said to Lefty Locklin, "Tonight, we win."