10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worth looking at for the photos, November 5, 2009
This review is from: Baseball Americana: Treasures from the Library of Congress (Hardcover)
"Baseball Americana" has some of the best photos of any book on baseball I've ever seen---and I've been a fan for many decades. From panoramics of late-19th to early 20th-Century teams, crowds, ballparks, and individual players, to a series of superb photos from Look Magazine in the 1950's and '60's---the book, indeed, boasts an impressive array of treasures. An assortment of early baseball cards, posters, and illustrations from magazines add an attractive dimension. Women's and Negro Leagues are given good coverage, and there is a well written and researched section on the origin of the game.
What "Baseball Americana" is not, is a comprehensive, illustrated history of the sport, in spite of what it says on the blurb. Rather it is a very subjective selection of various aspects of the game over the years. For a true illustrated history, covering a lot more of the evolution of the game, and the major players over the decades, I would recommend Geoffrey Ward's and Ken Burns' "Baseball: An Illustrated History." And of course the PBS series of which that book is a companion.
A couple of gripes. For one thing, the book is set up in such a way that one often has to skip over two or more pages of photos, in order to finish reading a paragraph or even a sentence. Why the publishers allowed this to occur is beyond me. More puzzling is the lack of in-depth knowledge of the game's history, in particular the legendary stars of the various eras. One glaring example: after writing about Babe Ruth, the authors cite "the era's other offensive star, the often overlooked Rogers Hornsby." Hornsby, overlooked? And only one other "offensive star" of the 1920's and early '30s? Not Lou Gehrig? Or George Sisler, Paul Waner, Lefty O'Doul, or Al Simmons? Similarly, when they write about the dominance of the New York teams in the 1950's, and rightly give credit to Mantle and Mays, they fail to even mention Duke Snider, who was one of the premiere players of the Post-War era.
All in all, if you're a devotee of the National Pastime, "Baseball Americana" is worth checking out of your local library. Just don't expect it to be more than what it is: a memorable assortment of choice (and some rare) photos and illustrations that may give you a broader picture of baseball's evolution, and its place in American history.
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
GREAT book - interesting and informative at the same time, November 24, 2009
This review is from: Baseball Americana: Treasures from the Library of Congress (Hardcover)
I actually bought 5 copies of this book to use as Christmas presents for my baseball-loving family (and one for myself!). It is one of the most interesting books on the history of baseball, and all the new facts and tidbits that I never knew about are really great to learn. I'm a lifelong Yankee fan, and baseball fan in general, and this book has something for everyone. The pictures are just amazing as well - especially the ones from pre-Doubleday years. Shines some light on the evolution of the sport.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Delightfully different look at baseball, September 5, 2010
This review is from: Baseball Americana: Treasures from the Library of Congress (Hardcover)
I'm puzzled as to what Mr. Sheehy expected in this book, because I find it a refreshingly different look at the national pastime, told through lithographs, magazine images, cigarette cards and the like. It is clearly not intended as a rigorous history, but a fun look at how baseball has been viewed by artists and writers through the years.
It is true that aside from short articles on Cuban and Little League baseball, there is not much here aside from the Major Leagues. While the Negro Leagues are not featured, there is a nice article on Jackie Robinson. I particularly liked the articles dealing with baseball songs (many of which I've never heard of!) and baseball in the movies.
It is also true that there is little coverage after about 1960 and none after 1970, but if you're willing to overlook that point, this will make a nice book for your coffee table.
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