International League: A Baseball History, 1884-1991 [Paperback]

Bill O'Neal (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Eakin Pr; First Edition edition (April 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890158568
• ISBN-13: 978-0890158562
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,720,955 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Look Back at the "oldest Minor League", July 15, 2000

By 

Todd Hawley (San Francisco CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: International League: A Baseball History, 1884-1991 (Paperback)

With this book, O'Neal takes a look-back at the International League, which is baseball's oldest currently active minor league. First known as the "Eastern League," (and several other names over its first 30 years) this league at one time or other has had teams not only in the US, but also Canada (Toronto and Montreal), Cuba (Havana), and even briefly Puerto Rico (San Juan).

He starts off at the pre-1900 beginnings of the league, then takes us through the "Great War" and how it afected the league. He describes the beginnings of a Baltimore player (known then as "Dunnie's Babe") signed by Jack Dunn, the Baltimore manager and owner who later became known simply as Babe Ruth. O'Neal also describes the 1920's dynasty ] that Dunn put together with his team, the Baltimore Orioles. These teams may possibly have been the greatest minor league dynasty in history.

He also goes on the describe another dynasty, the Newark Bears of the late 1930's to early 1940's, the effects of World War 2 and television on the league, as well as the effects of the Castro Revolution on the Havana Sugar Kings of the late 1950's. He also discusses how the league fell on hard times in the 1960's, but bounced back with a fervor in the 1980s.

Numerous sidebars throughout the book mention anecdotes and famous stories. One of my favorites was indeed the one about Fidel Castro, who would attend games in a special seat while surrounded by numerous soliders. There are also illustrations and pictures of numerous IL stadiums, and diagrams of the players and stats for several pennant winning teams in the league's history.

A very entertaining look at baseball's oldest minor league. O'Neal has done his usual marvelous job in documenting the history of the International League.

Also recommended are O'Neal's book on the Pacific Coast League, and Grand Old Minor League by Dick Dobbins.