1939: Baseball's Tipping Point [Hardcover]

Talmage Boston (Author), John Grisham (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

Baseball has never had a more important year than 1939, when events and people came together to reshape the game like never before. The author explains why that special year proved to be absolutely pivotal for our national pastime and its greatest heroes, as baseball's golden age met its modern era. Every chapter stands alone as a separate vignette, yet all intertwine to convey baseball's magic. Expert commentary, eyewitness reports, and candid facts uncovered through years of research illustrate how the role models of 1939 have stood the test of time as authentic heroes. Gehrig, DiMaggio, Williams, Feller, and Paige stand tall as men of remarkable achievement on the field, while events off the field-the grand opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the debut of baseball on television, and the formation of Little League Baseball-solidify 1939's landmark stature in history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Thought-provoking and entertaining, a rare mix. History should always be this good."  —Dallas Morning News

"An intriguing account of one of the most fascinating years in baseball history. I learned something new on every page."  —Tim Kurkjian, ESPN baseball commentator

"Some of my favorite things about baseball got started in 1939—Little League, the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, and televised baseball games. Talmage brings these stories back to life."  —Nolan Ryan, Hall of Fame pitcher

"There are too few seasons like 1939, and too few writers like Talmage."  —Rob Neyer, ESPN.com

"For those of you who didn't get to see the baseball stars of 1939 play the game, reading Talmage's book is almost as good."  —Buck O'Neil, chairman, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

"1939 was the most important year in baseball history, and Talmage Boston captures it all. This book is a delight."  —Richard J. Tofel, author, A Legend in the Making: The New York Yankees

About the Author

Talmage Boston has been writing about baseball for twelve years and has published more than sixty-five articles, columns, and reviews in the Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Elysian Fields Quarterly, and the Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives-Sports Figures.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Bright Sky Press (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193172153X
• ISBN-13: 978-1931721530
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #938,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Baseball Book!, January 16, 2008

By 

Gary L. Livacari, D.D.S. (Park Ridge, Illinois) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1939: Baseball's Tipping Point (Hardcover)

I've been a baseball fan for over 50 years and I have a library full of baseball books. I've even done some free-lance baseball writng of my own. So I don't give out praise lightly. This is a wonderful book and I would have to rank it on my list of Top 10 All-Time Favorites. It is more than just a baseball book...it covers a slice of Americana that all students of American history should find of interest.

The author has done a compelling job developing his premise that 1939 was a extremely important year in the history of baseball and in the history of the United States. The book is actually a collection of twelve essays covering pivotal events and dominant personalities from the baseball world of 1939. Other reviewers have covered these topics, which include notables such as Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Lou Gerhig, Leo Durocher, and the great broadcaster Red Barber. I found each essay to be well written and highly informative. Mr Boston has certainly done his research on the selected subjects and he writes in an engaging, highly enjoyable style that kept me turning the pages.

Even though most of the material was familiar territory to an old basball fan like me, I found that I learned something from each essay. Leo Durocher is my favorite character in baseball, and I've studied him intently. And yet I found the chapter devoted to him to be delightful and contained a lot of information that I was not familiar with. Likewise, the chapter on the Reds' great manager Bill McKechnie - one of the lesser known personalities that the author covers - was actually my favorite; and Mr.Boston has convinced me that Bill McKechnie is one of the most underrated managers in the history of the game. Other essays, such as the ones on the Negro Leagues, the founding of Cooperstown, and the advent of televison in baseball were also well done.

If you are a baseball fan as I am - or just a fan of American history - do yourself a favor and read "1939: Baseball's Tipping Point." Trust me...you won't regret it.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Baseball Narrative, September 28, 2008

By 

K.A.Goldberg (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 1939: Baseball's Tipping Point (Hardcover)

This informative and engaging book covers the state of baseball in a key year. In 1939 Lou Gherig retired due to a tragic illness, Bob Feller emerged to win 24 games, Ted Williams arrived in Boston, and the Hall of Fame and Little League World Series began. That was the year the last holdouts (Dodgers, Giants, Yankees) began radio broadcasts, night baseball increased, and television was even used experimentally. Readers learn about broadcaster Red Barber of Brooklyn, the thriving Negro Leagues, and increasing editorials for ending baseball's color barrier. There is also a look at umpire Bill Klem, and Cincinnati's "Deacon" Bill McKechnie, who'se intellect and patience were (and remain) a rarity among managers. Author Talmage Boston provides us with an 12 documented and easy-reading chapters. The result is an informative, enjoyable read for old-timers, and anybody else interested in the game.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baseball History From the Heart and Brow, September 12, 2005

By 

Ira Einsohn (Dallas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 1939: Baseball's Tipping Point (Hardcover)

Baseball fan or not, you will love Talmage Boston's 1939: Baseball's Tipping Point. The chapters on Lou Gehrig and the Negro Leagues will move you, and the chapter about the Baseball Hall of Fame will surprise you. It's a fascinating read, written from the heart, but with a lot of sweat from the brow. Baseball players were my heroes when I was a kid, but Boston's book is better than most games I've been to lately. Hope he publishes another one soon.