More than Merkle: A History of the Best and Most Exciting Baseball Season in Human History

by David W. Anderson, Keith Olbermann (Foreword)

“I have done a report of some kind on the Fred Merkle story, whether in print, on radio, or on TV, on or about its anniversary, September 23, virtually every year since I was in college. The saga has always seemed to me to be a microcosm not just of baseball, nor of celebrity, but of life. The rules sometimes change while you’re playing the game. Those you trust to tell you the changes often don’t bother to. That for which history still mocks you, would have gone unnoticed if you had done it a year or a month or a day before. That’s who Fred Merkle is. I have often proposed September 23 as a national day of amnesty, in Fred Merkle's memory.”—Keith Olbermann, from his foreword.

Genres: Baseball, Sports

285 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Billhotto · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gives thorough background of MLB in 1908 and the events which led to the famous "Merkle Boner" game on September 23 and the Cubs- Giants playoff game. Tremendous pennant races in both leagues resulted in record attendance. Baseball established itself as the premier team sport in America. In the next decade steel and concrete ballparks replaced wooden ones. Baseball would deal with rowdyism, but not with gambling. This inaction would nearly destroy the game.
1908 was a year dominated by pitching comparable to 1968. In 1910 cork replaced rubber as the ball's core resulting in a livelier ball. However, hitting did not pick up until Babe Ruth came along 10 years later. The "dead ball"
era featured low scoring games in which teams worked every angle to win. It seems that most of the players, fans and reporters preferred that game. The Cubs perfected the style, becoming the century's first great team. Their victory in 1908 was due to a combination of talent, smarts and guts. It was also the last Cub championship for 108 years.
In 1908 MLB was entirely white although all teams were in the Northeast division or Midwest. Only 32 players were from the South. Shows the prevelence of racism in throughout the country.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history of a very exciting baseball season -- made all the more exciting/interesting since it was the last season in which the Cubs won the World Series.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The history of the 1908 season when both pennants were decided on the last day. Brings the classic style of baseball to life.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in 2005