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Roadside Baseball: The Locations of America's Baseball Landmarks

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I cannot remember enjoying a baseball book this much. It focuses on hundreds of historic baseball landmarks, and the breadth of places is fascinating. There are all of the classic former ballpark sites like the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field, complete with a description and photos of what is there now. Dozens of baseball museums I never knew existed, historically placed markers identifying famous homeruns by Babe Ruth, the home of Connie Mack, sacred baseball burial grounds and much more. I cannot believe how much I learned from this book (and I have studied the game for a long time). Some fine detective work here--like where Lou Gehrig really played his last game, the birthsite of Jackie Robinson, and where Babe Ruth pitched a notable yet obscure game against Walter Johnson in California. Lots of historic Negro League sites, too--for we baseball fans who love the road and who love history, this is our ultimate guide and I've never seen anything like it.

Nothing is more quintessentially symbolic of America than baseball and road trips, and Chris Epting has brought the two together in this delightfully quirky road guide to all things baseball throughout the land. The book is divided first into sections (East, South, Midwest, West, & Outside the Lines),and further divided into states, listed alphebetically, within each section to make it convienent to use as you travel. And even the most knowledgable and die-hard baseball fan is likely to discover events and places within its covers to surprise and delight them.

While 'Roadside Baseball' can direct you to well known present and former shrines of baseball (Wrigley Field; the Ebbets Field apartments with its cornerstone marker commemorating the Dodger's old home field on that site), it is the many lesser known and often quirky places it discovers that really gives it its charm. Epting has discovered roadside markers, plaques, statues, memorials, and museums all over the country dedicated to baseball players, stadiums, and history. Some are charmingly kitchy, like the bed and breakfast in New Hampshire once owned by Babe Ruth's daughter, in which room #2 where the Babe often stayed has been maintained with all of its original furnishings. Others tie baseball history to the history of America, like the marker in Postville, Illinois marking the location of a field where Abe Lincoln played townball, an early form of baseball. And some mark arcane baseball history, like DeVault Memorial Stadium in Bristol, Virginia, where minor leagure Ron Necciai (a pitcher once deemed by Branch Rickey to be of the same quality as Dizzy Dean) once threw a 27 strikeout game, before disappearing into obscurity.

It was seeing many of the references that I know from my own experience that proved to me how comprehensive this book truly is. As a Pittsburgher, I was pleased to see not only the outfield wall and preserved homeplate of Forbes Field listed, but the roadside plaque in nearby Homestead that commemorates the great Negro League team the Homestead Grays. I also found here the tiny church yard in rural Ohio where Cy Young lies buried directly behind the grave of my great grandfather, who was his neighbor; a surprise find I had made years earlier while working on my genealogy. Very little seems to have escaped Mr. Epting when he compiled this wonderful little book.

If you love baseball, road trips, and Americana at its best, you can't afford to miss this outstanding guide to all three.

Theo Logos

For many, baseball is almost akin to a religion in America. Many undertake the pilgrimage to all the Major League ballparks, but Epting has created the ultimate cultural tour of history that goes far beyond these parks. Sure, anyone can go to see where Babe Ruth hit his final home run, but would we know where to go to see where he hit his first (or as Epting makes the distinction, where he hit his first professional home run, and where he hit his first professional home run in a regular season game)? No event escapes Epting for potential inclusion in this journey into our heritage. Each site is identified with an address, often a photo and an explanation of why it is important to note. But also, Epting's book can serve as a warning to us. So many of the important sites from the early years of baseball have been lost; they have become the victims of "progress." He takes the time to try and show us where historic fields are, but too often they are fully tossed aside, with an apartment building, or a parking lot now occupying the spaces where the pioneers played and set our early records. For each ballpark that has been lovingly restored or kept in good condition, there are two that have become lost to the wrecking ball. This is one of the ways that Epting's book should open up our eyes to prevent further loss of our sports history in the name of progress. Someone like Epting helps make sure that we never forget, even if others have. Put this in your glove box, and find a bit of our national pastime history across the country.

I found this book very enjoyable. It is 288 pages of baseball monuments from all over the United States. Each historic baseball artifact and locale is given a brief and concise description. It was interesting to see which region was famous for who or for what. The book covers alot of ground and has introduced me to many new topics within baseball, and led me in search of other books covering the various players and places that i have read about here. I really enjoyed it.

I used to do something similar to this for my travels. Typically, I'd go visit the grave of a Hall of Famer or see where an old stadium used to be.

How cool to see I'm not the only crazy out there. And how much more Chris Epting has been able to put together than I ever could (and how much work he's saved me!). Here are some faves:

- The sandlot where Mickey Mantle was discovered (in Baxter Springs, OK)

- An historical marker for a ballfield where Abe Lincoln once played town ball

- The pond where Babe Ruth pushed his piano onto the ice

- All that's left of the Polo Grounds (a hidden stairway)

- The original Little League field

- Where Ron Necciai's 27-strikeout game happened

A couple of nits:

- Joe Jackson is from Greenville SC, not NC

- Lefty O'Doul was a hitter, not a pitcher

There were also a fair amount of typos. No biggee, though, for such a great book.

Chris Epting's passion for baseball and it's history pours out of the pages in this book, Roadeside Baseball. Not only does he take the reader to the historic places in the U.S. and Canada, but he also documents them well. We learn about the locations of past and current ballparks along with their history of memorable moments. The players remembered on markers, include short bio's. Birthplaces and final resting places of players are recorded. He tours the baseball museums and points of baseball interest, such as the Washington Monument, where Gabby Street once caught a ball that was dropped off the top of the monument. We see and feel that baseball is still the National Pastime, and always will be. I have a copy in my car, and one at my home. Baseball fans should not leave home without their copy. They will be surprised to see landmarks closer to their home than they thought. Thanks to the passion and incredible job of Chris Epting.

First of all, any baseball fan will not only LIKE this book, they'll LOVE this book. Second of all, this book really is the perfect gift. Thirdly, this book is a terrific gift for someone who's not really REALLY into baseball, but DOES like the sport AND loves to read (I'm not a baseball fan, but I really do have to communicate that this book's great, it really is).

Ya' know, I need to buy another copy of this & send it to a...wait, TWO buddies. See, that's how good this book is.

Adam!

This book tells about most of Baseball's Landmarks throughout America. Great stories and pictures of the landmaks too. When I retire, my goal is to take this book on the road and see most of these places with my own two eyes. This book will come in very handy for that mission.

I bought this book several mos. ago and it has lived up to its reputation as one of the best baseball books around. Great book to take "on the road" and fills a real niche for the baseball historian/enthusiast. I've actually taken this one on the road and it does the job and does it quite well. Kudos to the author on this one.

You think that you know all there is about baseball? Well, Chris Epting is an encyclopedia on the subject! From the very beginning of baseball following players, ballparks and resting places the knowledge is a labor of love for the author. I can't imagine the life long research that had to be involved, relationships made over this incredible book.

There are very few people that have this kind of information and have published factual accounts. Chris Epting, in my opinion is the source of sources. You won't want to put the book down, because there are journeys that provide you with town by town accounts on how baseball originated and survives today.

Chris has hit this book out of the park!