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1901: The War of the Baseball Magnates: How the battle for baseball supremacy shaped the future of America's pastime.
Play Ball!
Step right up, sports enthusiasts and history buffs! Immerse yourself in a riveting historical narrative with "1901: The War of the Baseball Magnates" by Timothy J. Zarley. This meticulous look at baseball’s history explores the power struggles and rivalries that reshaped Major League Baseball.
In the early 1900s, attendance plummeted and interest waned as syndicate ball and internal disputes plagued the National League. Zarley's American epic unveils the thrilling resurgence sparked by the birth of a true baseball rivalry between the National and American Leagues.
Witness the American League's remarkable ascent under the astute leadership of Ban Johnson, overcoming obstacles to rival the once-dominant National League.
Explore the impact of the Players' Protective Association, the scourge of rowdyism, and controversial rule changes that forever altered baseball's course. From brawls over heated umpire calls to groundbreaking reforms, every twist and turn in this captivating historical narrative sheds light on the challenges and triumphs that shaped modern baseball.
So, grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and journey through the heart and soul of America's timeless pastime. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a curious reader of baseball books, "1901: The War of the Baseball Magnates" promises an exhilarating ride through American sports history.
Secure your copy today and step up to bat for the ultimate baseball adventure!
Step right up, sports enthusiasts and history buffs! Immerse yourself in a riveting historical narrative with "1901: The War of the Baseball Magnates" by Timothy J. Zarley. This meticulous look at baseball’s history explores the power struggles and rivalries that reshaped Major League Baseball.
In the early 1900s, attendance plummeted and interest waned as syndicate ball and internal disputes plagued the National League. Zarley's American epic unveils the thrilling resurgence sparked by the birth of a true baseball rivalry between the National and American Leagues.
Witness the American League's remarkable ascent under the astute leadership of Ban Johnson, overcoming obstacles to rival the once-dominant National League.
Explore the impact of the Players' Protective Association, the scourge of rowdyism, and controversial rule changes that forever altered baseball's course. From brawls over heated umpire calls to groundbreaking reforms, every twist and turn in this captivating historical narrative sheds light on the challenges and triumphs that shaped modern baseball.
So, grab your peanuts and Cracker Jacks, and journey through the heart and soul of America's timeless pastime. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a curious reader of baseball books, "1901: The War of the Baseball Magnates" promises an exhilarating ride through American sports history.
Secure your copy today and step up to bat for the ultimate baseball adventure!
348 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 7, 2024
43 people are currently reading
54 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 22, 2024
As any baseball fan knows, the American League started play in 1901 - 25 years after the establishment of the National League. This book by Timothy Zarley tells the story of how the “Junior Circuit” got its star and the first season won by the Chicago White Sox.
The White Sox owner, Charles Comiskey, played a prominent role in establishing the league along with its first President Ban Johnson. Their roles are explained in great detail in the early chapters in the book. This is in addition to the many deals that were made and broken between magnates, the magnates and the players and also with cities. At times this was a dizzying read with so many people involved and the intense detail with which Zarley wrote his part. It was interesting and well researched but I had a hard time getting through this.
Once I did, however, I was glad I powered through because once the games started I enjoyed reading how the games played out for the American League (and even some for the National League as well) was better reading. Even more than the games, the writing about the treatment of umpires that season was very interesting. They had a very difficult time, to say the least, and Johnson did his best to stop this behavior. His goal was clean baseball and while often it was, this is one aspect where it was clear that this was a problem. All of this is illustrated and explained in detail by Zarley. If you’re a reader who likes this level of detail in your books, this is the one for you.
The White Sox owner, Charles Comiskey, played a prominent role in establishing the league along with its first President Ban Johnson. Their roles are explained in great detail in the early chapters in the book. This is in addition to the many deals that were made and broken between magnates, the magnates and the players and also with cities. At times this was a dizzying read with so many people involved and the intense detail with which Zarley wrote his part. It was interesting and well researched but I had a hard time getting through this.
Once I did, however, I was glad I powered through because once the games started I enjoyed reading how the games played out for the American League (and even some for the National League as well) was better reading. Even more than the games, the writing about the treatment of umpires that season was very interesting. They had a very difficult time, to say the least, and Johnson did his best to stop this behavior. His goal was clean baseball and while often it was, this is one aspect where it was clear that this was a problem. All of this is illustrated and explained in detail by Zarley. If you’re a reader who likes this level of detail in your books, this is the one for you.
July 8, 2024
Eh...it was a little bit dry, especially in the early chapters. Got better when the season started and was recapped as it went along.
July 2, 2024
A new release from a new author of dead ball era baseball? yes, please. Zarley has some great behind the scenes stuff here on what happened in the winter of 1901, including the abortive formation of a 3rd league that I had never heard before.
Ban Johnson is definitely the hero of the story, and despite the author being stating he is a Pirates fan, the book is pretty pro-American League.
There was definitely a focus on the plight of the umpires (and they lack of skill) which I've seen elsewhere and seems to be pretty accurate.
While the first third of the book was really good with alot of info I haven't seen before, the rest during the season were stories that have been pretty well told. I think a bit more about the actual season might have been in order, though truly the strength of the book was the behind the scenes stories... an AL team in Pittsburg? The NL convincing McGraw to bring the Orioles to over and make it a 12 team league again? Intriguing possibilities for sure.
I DO think that, while the book does state its the story of 1901.. that story really doesn't finish until 1903 when the leagues stabilize.. but perhaps that will be the authors next book.
While I think all in all there were parts of the book that were a slog, overall the author had alot of good info and I suspect if he writes another book it will be even better.
Ban Johnson is definitely the hero of the story, and despite the author being stating he is a Pirates fan, the book is pretty pro-American League.
There was definitely a focus on the plight of the umpires (and they lack of skill) which I've seen elsewhere and seems to be pretty accurate.
While the first third of the book was really good with alot of info I haven't seen before, the rest during the season were stories that have been pretty well told. I think a bit more about the actual season might have been in order, though truly the strength of the book was the behind the scenes stories... an AL team in Pittsburg? The NL convincing McGraw to bring the Orioles to over and make it a 12 team league again? Intriguing possibilities for sure.
I DO think that, while the book does state its the story of 1901.. that story really doesn't finish until 1903 when the leagues stabilize.. but perhaps that will be the authors next book.
While I think all in all there were parts of the book that were a slog, overall the author had alot of good info and I suspect if he writes another book it will be even better.
February 20, 2025
Despite the book dragging in some spots, I enjoyed it for the most part. I also learned a lot about the great game of baseball.
September 1, 2025
Weak. Not seriously researched - depends entirely on a single newspaper source of the era.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews