The Pastime in Turbulence: Interviews With Baseball Players of the 1940s [Paperback]

Brent P. Kelley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2001

The 1940s were years of change in the world of baseball. Minor league free agents were introduced to the game in 1940 by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis; Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941 and player after player left to join the war effort with players both below and well above draft age completing the rosters; 1946 marked the first time that two National League teams, the St. Louis Cardinals and Brooklyn Dodgers, were tied for first place, forcing a best two-out-of three series; 1947 brought racial integration, with Jackie Robinson taking the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers; and the American League saw its own tie for first place in 1948 between the Cleveland Indians and Boston Red Sox, which was played out in a one-game playoff. This work focuses on 27 players of the 1940s, guys-like Gene Thompson, Elmer Valo, Damon Phillips, Joe Cleary, and Cliff Chambers-who witnessed these changes and firsts personally. The players interviewed for this work had different experiences in the major leagues-some experienced long careers and benefited from the changes while others did not-and they come from diverse backgrounds as well.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Rather than celebrate stars of the time, Kelley (Negro Leagues Revisited, McFarland, 2000) relates the stories of John Berardino, Adrian Zabela, and 25 other baseball journeymen of the 1940s. Most of them had careers shortened by World War II, and several have since died. Notable interview subjects include a TV star, a minor league president, and an Irish-born pitcher with a mammoth earned run average. Veterinarian Kelley gives a sympathetic account of lesser players who pay generous tribute to the stars they knew. All clearly loved the game and often find fault with today's changes. This will appeal to nostalgic readers and larger public libraries serving them. Morey Berger, St. Joseph's Hosp. Lib., Tucson, AZ
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Brent Kelley, a retired equine veterinarian from Paris, Kentucky, is the author of numerous McFarland baseball books, including In the Shadow of the Babe (1995, $26.50), The Early All-Stars (1997, $26.50), They Too Wore Pinstripes (1998, $28.50), Voices from the Negro Leagues (1998, $45) and The Negro Leagues Revisited (2000, $45).

Product Details

• Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786409754
• ISBN-13: 978-0786409754
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,170,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Drawn from a tremendous, aggregate collection of interviews, October 14, 2001

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Pastime in Turbulence: Interviews With Baseball Players of the 1940s (Paperback)

Brent Kelley's The Pastime In Turbulence: Interviews With Baseball Players Of The 1940s is a fascinating and informative collection of opinions, anecdotes, thoughts and advice from great baseball players of the 1940s, all in their own words and drawn from a tremendous, aggregate collection of interviews. Black and white photographs and tables of baseball statistics are provided for most of the players, and an index in the back allows for quick reference. Stongly recommended for baseball buffs and historians, The Pastime In Turbulence is an entertaining and memorable look into the minds, attitudes and experiences of great American baseball stars from the decade of the '40s.