Negro League Baseball (Hardcover)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Long before blacks gained entrance into major league baseball, some of the greatest athletes ever to play the game were performing remarkable feats in the Negro Leagues. Fans today look back on the legendary Negro Leagues with reverence and awe, yet there has been woefully little visual documentation of the leagues' history. This treasure trove of images by Ernest Withers, the unofficial team photographer for the Memphis Red Sox, captures the peak of Negro League action through the years of groundbreaking integration, as well as the community in which black baseball was played.

Satchel Paige, Jackie Robinson, and Hank Aaron are among the superstars portrayed in 150 photographs, reproduced in stunning duotone plates, introduced by baseball legend Willie Mays, and accompanied by an informative text by Daniel Wolff. From pictures of Indianapolis clown King Tut, the baseball equivalent of a Harlem Globetrotter, and pitcher Charley Pride, who went on to become a country/western singing star, to shots of visiting celebrities and ballplayers relaxing at local clubs, these astonishing photographs evoke a long-gone era and form an essential visual archive of a near-mythological aspect of baseball history. AUTHOR BIO: Ernest C. Withers has photographed the African-American community for more than 50 years, documenting the struggle for civil rights, the black social world, and the Negro Leagues. He lives and works in Memphis. Daniel Wolff has published poetry, short stories, and critical writing on photography, as well as a biography of Sam Cooke, You Send Me. He lives in Nyack, New York. Willie Mays, the baseball Hall of Famer, began his career in 1948 with the Negro Leagues and went on to play in 24 All-Star games and participate in four World Series.

About the Author

Ernest C. Withers has photographed the African-American community for more than 50 years, documenting the struggle for civil rights, the black social world, and the Negro Leagues. He lives and works in Memphis. Daniel Wolff has published poetry, short stories, and critical writing on photography, as well as a biography of Sam Cooke, You Send Me. He lives in Nyack, New York. Willie Mays, the baseball Hall of Famer, began his career in 1948 with the Negro Leagues and went on to play in 24 All-Star games and participate in four World Series.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (February 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810955857
• ISBN-13: 978-0810955851
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 10 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #689,297 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lucky one, December 22, 2004

By	Nathaniel Whalen "baseball fan" (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I was one of the lucky ones that got to view this book before it went to print. I'm a professional sports writer and was impressed with not only the text that goes with this book, but some of the pictures that are within its covers. Baseball is my passion and there are certainly plenty of great images in baseball history ("The Catch", Maz's home run, Fisk's HR, etc.), but this provides a different light to both professional baseball and the Negro Leagues. Withers provides a perspective and view on the lifestyle, mannerisms and actions of the Negro Leagues that I've never seen before. I highly reccomend this book to anyone who's interested in baseball history.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Touching Thoughts from Mays and Great Photos, February 24, 2005

By	Richard L. Swig "Rick" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The foreward in this book is particularly touching, as it comes straight from the source, Willie Mays, a Negro League and MLB legend. It is a perfect complement to the wonderful photos of this great era from Mr. Withers.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Negro League Baseball, January 11, 2007

By	James Davies (Melbourne Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Facinating insight into this era of Baseball . The marvellous photographs effectively communicate many aspects of the time . Accompanying essay very informative and has wet my appetite to learn more about the history of the Negro League.