Baseball in Newark (NJ) (Images of Baseball) (Paperback)

by Robert Cvornyek (Author) "The baseball fans of Newark have always understood the game, its history, and the city's important role in shaping the national pastime..." (more)
Key Phrases: black baseball, league play, Courtesy of the Newark Public Library, New York, Courtesy of Lawrence Hogan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
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. ÝÝBaseball in Newark is a fascinating look at the cityís 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 cityís recent renaissance, the return of the Bears played a critical role in reviving the cityís downtown district and attracting people to Newark for an eveningís 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. ÝÝ

About the Author
Author Robert L. Cvornyek is an associate professor of history and labor studies at Rhode Island College in Providence. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and has focused his reasearch on race, memory, and professional baseball in Newark.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing (September 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738513261
• ISBN-13: 978-0738513263
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,751,787 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous History of Newark Baseball in Pictures, December 18, 2003

By A Customer

This just-published book is lavishly illustrated with historical and more recent black and white photographs of the white and black men who have played baseball in Newark, including some from the 2003 season of the independent Atlantic League's Newark Bears. Cvornyek summarizes the history of baseball in the Brick City, from before the Civil War through January 12, 1950, when the Yankees sold the Bears franchise to the Chicago Cubs, who moved the team to Massachusetts; and then from 1999, when former Yankee catcher and Newark native Rick Cerone brought baseball back to Newark.

Cvornyek raided the archives of, among others, the Newark Public Library and the New Jersey Historical Society, for a remarkable series of pictures illustrating the players of Newark's teams throughout the years. The two most famous of these teams are the Newark Bears and the Eagles, the former a triple-A farm team of the New York Yankees, the latter a world-class member of the Negro League. Although the text is minimal, the photographs are accompanied by extensive captions. Baseball fans of all persuasions will recognize many of the great players who passed through Newark on their way to the major leagues. Among the most beloved of these is Yogi Berra, who played with the Bears in 1946. More recent "graduates�Eof the Newark Bears include Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson.

Of special note are the group and individual photos of the 1937 Bears, considered by some the greatest minor-league team in history, and the 1946 Negro World Series Champion Eagles.

Despite some sloppy editing (spelling Rickey Henderson's name wrong, for heaven's sake!), the book is a treasure for Newark baseball fans, and, in fact, for all lovers of baseball. The author, Robert Cvornyek, is an associate professor of history and labor studies at Rhode Island College, and a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. The book boasts an introduction by Rick Cerone.

Physically, the book is beautiful: nicely laid out, with clear, readable type and a quality paper cover. The photographs have been reproduced with care.