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Mickey Rawlings #3
Murder at Wrigley Field
Starting for the Cubs in war-frenzied 1918 Chicago, star hitter Mickey Rawlings attempts to learn who has been sabotaging the team's efforts and becomes involved in a murder investigation after his best friend is killed. By the author of Murder at Fenway Park.
296 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 1997
21 people are currently reading
271 people want to read
About the author
Troy Soos
26 books89 followersTroy Soos is a writer and teacher based in Winter Park, Florida. Soos is best known for his "Mickey Rawlings" series of historical baseball novels (seven books set from 1912 to 1923). He also authored a four-book historical mystery series set in 1890s New York featuring Marshall Webb and Rebecca Davies. Soos has written a nonfiction history of early New England baseball history, "Before the Curse," and two mystery short stories ("Pick-Off Play" and "Decision of the Umpire") now available as e-books. His newest release is "The Tomb That Ruth Built," the seventh in the Mickey Rawlings series (published March 2014).
Series:
* Mickey Rawlings
* Marshall Webb and Rebecca Davies
Series:
* Mickey Rawlings
* Marshall Webb and Rebecca Davies
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
April 25, 2016
Murder at Wrigley Field isn't as much of a baseball book but a historical mystery set in 1918 with baseball as a backdrop. Because the team in the book is my Cubs, this was a book I had to read.
Mickey Rawlings is a veteran of both Major League Baseball and solving mysteries. I have not read the previous books in this series, but during the first view chapters, one finds out that Rawlings solved cases when he played for the Giants and Red Sox. In this case, Willie Kaiser, Rawlings' roommate, is murdered on the Fourth of July at Wrigley Field. The whole case is fishy because Kaiser is German American and they had been quietly persecuted on U.S. soil during World War I. Rawlings promises Kaiser's family that he will find out who murdered Willie and why.
I thought Troy Soos painted a vivid picture of life on the Homefront during the war. From gasless Sundays and meat rationing to making alcohol illegal, Americans were expected to play their part for their country. It is against this backdrop that groups such as the Patriotic Knights of Liberty form. Their guise is that all Americans are prepared just in case, and it is obvious that they do not like German Americans. Rawlings attends a few meetings of this group during his sleuthing.
The other key component of the puzzle is the squabbles between Cubs ownership at the time. The Cubs primary owner was Charles Weeghman formerly of the Federal League. Weeghman closed down the Federal League but allowed the Cubs of the National League to play in his park. Needless to say owners from both leagues were not too happy with his business dealings, so he asks Rawlings to investigate.
The book moves quickly as a mystery should, as Rawlings investigates both Kaiser's death and Weeghman's business dealings. Rawlings himself grapples with issues such as freedom of speech and enlisting in the army vs playing baseball, issues that are still relevant today. As this is a mystery, I will not wrap up the book neatly, only that I enjoyed it, and would recommend it to a baseball, mystery, or historical fiction lover. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series even though Rawlings will not be playing for the Cubs.
Mickey Rawlings is a veteran of both Major League Baseball and solving mysteries. I have not read the previous books in this series, but during the first view chapters, one finds out that Rawlings solved cases when he played for the Giants and Red Sox. In this case, Willie Kaiser, Rawlings' roommate, is murdered on the Fourth of July at Wrigley Field. The whole case is fishy because Kaiser is German American and they had been quietly persecuted on U.S. soil during World War I. Rawlings promises Kaiser's family that he will find out who murdered Willie and why.
I thought Troy Soos painted a vivid picture of life on the Homefront during the war. From gasless Sundays and meat rationing to making alcohol illegal, Americans were expected to play their part for their country. It is against this backdrop that groups such as the Patriotic Knights of Liberty form. Their guise is that all Americans are prepared just in case, and it is obvious that they do not like German Americans. Rawlings attends a few meetings of this group during his sleuthing.
The other key component of the puzzle is the squabbles between Cubs ownership at the time. The Cubs primary owner was Charles Weeghman formerly of the Federal League. Weeghman closed down the Federal League but allowed the Cubs of the National League to play in his park. Needless to say owners from both leagues were not too happy with his business dealings, so he asks Rawlings to investigate.
The book moves quickly as a mystery should, as Rawlings investigates both Kaiser's death and Weeghman's business dealings. Rawlings himself grapples with issues such as freedom of speech and enlisting in the army vs playing baseball, issues that are still relevant today. As this is a mystery, I will not wrap up the book neatly, only that I enjoyed it, and would recommend it to a baseball, mystery, or historical fiction lover. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series even though Rawlings will not be playing for the Cubs.
April 2, 2014
How-to-write books always tell us to write what we know. Troy Soos apparently took this advice to heart when he used his extensive knowledge of baseball and early 20th century American history to put together a series of murder mysteries. This one was his third, where veteran second baseman and amateur sleuth Mickey Rawlings was playing for the Cubs. It was 1918, and rookie shortstop Willie Kaiser found himself to be a very unpopular figure what with anti-German sentiments running high. Bach, Beethoven and Mozart were banned; Dachshunds were getting shot; and on July 4th Willie met his maker. Gott im Himmel.
It was quite a while ago that I read this, but I remember the period detail being quite good. The wartime attitudes rang true, the Chicago atmospherics seemed plausibly raw, and the baseball scenes were spot on (meaning, for one thing, that the Cubs fell short once again). I liked that real players like Shoeless Joe Jackson and Fred “Not a Bonehead” Merkle featured in the story. The murder mystery was entertaining, too, with suspects that included the shortstop that Willie replaced, an anti-German vigilante group, and a minority owner who wanted to take over the team.
I have two reasons for mentioning this book. First, the launch of a new baseball season has put me in the mood (though I don’t typically start wishing myself at the games until the ivy fills in at Wrigley, at which point the Cubs may be 10 games out of first). My other reason for this review is to announce my own intention to write what I know. With as much time as I’ve spent on this site the last few years, I had the idea to involve Goodreads reviewers in a murder mystery. I don’t want to give too much away, and it’s only roughly sketched out at this point, but the basic premise is that a rather heated debate occurs in the comment section of a review, feelings are hurt, egos are bruised, attacks are ad hominem, sides are chosen and even the would-be peace makers have agendas. Then a suspicious death occurs among one of the principals.
I don’t plan on using any real names, so no worries there. However, I suspect many identities will be thinly veiled. For instance, I plan to use characters from a long list of potential candidates: Al Jernon, Ara-Linda, Aubrie, Cal Ayopee, El Emenno, Florence (Righty), Gareema, Gary McMantis, Gregorkafka, Hoolie, Ian 50 Shades, James Schweiz, Jay San Rubin, Jeffrey Keyedin, KD, Keesha ♥s Katz, Kris Rabbleman, La Sorella di Francesca, Lynne LeRoi, Margitta, Marky M, matt handsome, Melanie Ozborne, Michael Edwords, Mike Ocelot, Mirium, Richard Reproaches Repression, Rikoo, Sam DeRita, Sarah Smile, Shirlee P, Sioux, Skrib Fish, S.penkerz, Steve Scanda, Sue Z. Queue, Tanya Code Z, Terry L’eau, and Will Metzmann. I wonder who the guilty party will be.
The working title is a little clunky, but at least conveys the book’s intention -- A Perilous Review: Intellectual Low-blows Fomenting Ominous Online Lamb Slaughter. It’s a bit much, I know. Maybe someday, in certain circles like these, my little whodunit will be famous enough to go by its initials. After all, does anyone need IJ or GWTW spelled out? Ironically enough, this project will continue to mean less time to spend on GR. Then again, depending on the feedback I get, I may scrap the whole idea tomorrow. After all, as Scarlett said, tomorrow is another day – the 2nd of April, in fact.
It was quite a while ago that I read this, but I remember the period detail being quite good. The wartime attitudes rang true, the Chicago atmospherics seemed plausibly raw, and the baseball scenes were spot on (meaning, for one thing, that the Cubs fell short once again). I liked that real players like Shoeless Joe Jackson and Fred “Not a Bonehead” Merkle featured in the story. The murder mystery was entertaining, too, with suspects that included the shortstop that Willie replaced, an anti-German vigilante group, and a minority owner who wanted to take over the team.
I have two reasons for mentioning this book. First, the launch of a new baseball season has put me in the mood (though I don’t typically start wishing myself at the games until the ivy fills in at Wrigley, at which point the Cubs may be 10 games out of first). My other reason for this review is to announce my own intention to write what I know. With as much time as I’ve spent on this site the last few years, I had the idea to involve Goodreads reviewers in a murder mystery. I don’t want to give too much away, and it’s only roughly sketched out at this point, but the basic premise is that a rather heated debate occurs in the comment section of a review, feelings are hurt, egos are bruised, attacks are ad hominem, sides are chosen and even the would-be peace makers have agendas. Then a suspicious death occurs among one of the principals.
I don’t plan on using any real names, so no worries there. However, I suspect many identities will be thinly veiled. For instance, I plan to use characters from a long list of potential candidates: Al Jernon, Ara-Linda, Aubrie, Cal Ayopee, El Emenno, Florence (Righty), Gareema, Gary McMantis, Gregorkafka, Hoolie, Ian 50 Shades, James Schweiz, Jay San Rubin, Jeffrey Keyedin, KD, Keesha ♥s Katz, Kris Rabbleman, La Sorella di Francesca, Lynne LeRoi, Margitta, Marky M, matt handsome, Melanie Ozborne, Michael Edwords, Mike Ocelot, Mirium, Richard Reproaches Repression, Rikoo, Sam DeRita, Sarah Smile, Shirlee P, Sioux, Skrib Fish, S.penkerz, Steve Scanda, Sue Z. Queue, Tanya Code Z, Terry L’eau, and Will Metzmann. I wonder who the guilty party will be.
The working title is a little clunky, but at least conveys the book’s intention -- A Perilous Review: Intellectual Low-blows Fomenting Ominous Online Lamb Slaughter. It’s a bit much, I know. Maybe someday, in certain circles like these, my little whodunit will be famous enough to go by its initials. After all, does anyone need IJ or GWTW spelled out? Ironically enough, this project will continue to mean less time to spend on GR. Then again, depending on the feedback I get, I may scrap the whole idea tomorrow. After all, as Scarlett said, tomorrow is another day – the 2nd of April, in fact.
February 4, 2020
In "MURDER AT WRIGLEY FIELD" we are reacquainted with Mickey Rawlings the utility ballplayer. He's now playing full-time with the Chicago Cubs as a second baseman.
It is the summer of 1918. America, now fully engaged in the First World War, is caught up in anti-German, hyperpatriotic fervor. Anything remotely German was widely regarded as anathema. Rawlings is rooming with his teammate Willie Kaiser, who had been called up by the Cubs after the previous season to play shortstop. In that position, Kaiser soon proves to be especially adept, as well as a hot batter behind the plate. Indeed, Rawlings shares with the reader that "[a] year ago, Willie was working in a meatpacking house and playing amateur ball for the Union Stockyards. Now in his first full season with the Cubs, he had a .322 batting average and the best glove since Honus Wagner. He should have been the sports pages' biggest story. But the papers chose to avoid putting his hated name [Kaiser] in print and rarely mentioned Willie in their coverage of the games. The box scores, which couldn't omit him entirely, abbreviated him as 'WKsr.' "
Kaiser is a soft-spoken man with whom Rawlings has established a strong rapport on the playing field. But there has been considerable ferment at the stadium in recent weeks that has created disruptions in the game, causing drops in attendance. Then during an Independence Day pre-game event at Cubs Park (the Cubs were set to play against the Cincinnati Reds), while the team is assembled on one side of the field opposite the Reds players, a shot rings out, striking Kaiser in the chest, who is next to Rawlings. He dies. Intrigue both on and off the field abounds. Rawlings sets himself on a perilous path, determined to find out who murdered his teammate.
Again Troy Soos has crafted a very engaging novel that seamlessly blends the drama and intensity of a major league baseball team caught up in a hard fought pennant race with the shadowy elements of a gripping mystery story. "MURDER AT WRIGLEY FIELD" was a delight to read, capturing so much of the atmosphere of a country at war.
It is the summer of 1918. America, now fully engaged in the First World War, is caught up in anti-German, hyperpatriotic fervor. Anything remotely German was widely regarded as anathema. Rawlings is rooming with his teammate Willie Kaiser, who had been called up by the Cubs after the previous season to play shortstop. In that position, Kaiser soon proves to be especially adept, as well as a hot batter behind the plate. Indeed, Rawlings shares with the reader that "[a] year ago, Willie was working in a meatpacking house and playing amateur ball for the Union Stockyards. Now in his first full season with the Cubs, he had a .322 batting average and the best glove since Honus Wagner. He should have been the sports pages' biggest story. But the papers chose to avoid putting his hated name [Kaiser] in print and rarely mentioned Willie in their coverage of the games. The box scores, which couldn't omit him entirely, abbreviated him as 'WKsr.' "
Kaiser is a soft-spoken man with whom Rawlings has established a strong rapport on the playing field. But there has been considerable ferment at the stadium in recent weeks that has created disruptions in the game, causing drops in attendance. Then during an Independence Day pre-game event at Cubs Park (the Cubs were set to play against the Cincinnati Reds), while the team is assembled on one side of the field opposite the Reds players, a shot rings out, striking Kaiser in the chest, who is next to Rawlings. He dies. Intrigue both on and off the field abounds. Rawlings sets himself on a perilous path, determined to find out who murdered his teammate.
Again Troy Soos has crafted a very engaging novel that seamlessly blends the drama and intensity of a major league baseball team caught up in a hard fought pennant race with the shadowy elements of a gripping mystery story. "MURDER AT WRIGLEY FIELD" was a delight to read, capturing so much of the atmosphere of a country at war.
October 18, 2016
A timely read as the Cubs fight their way through the post-season in their quest to win their first World Series since 1908. It's the 1918 season, WWI is in full swing and murder and mayhem occur at the ballpark during the month of August. Mickey Rawlings, second baseman for the Cubs and amateur sleuth, works to solve the on-field murder of his best friend and Cubs shortstop Willie Kaiser and is pressed into service by Cubs owner Charles Weeghman to find the perpetrator(s) of what seems like sabotage of his business. With WWI in the backdrop, anti-German sentiment, failed baseball leagues (The Federal League), fierce jockeying for team ownership and possible cancellation of the season due to the war, this was an informative and delightful read. I loved the ending where Rawlings hatred of the Dodgers comes out given the Cubs play the Dodgers tonight in game 3 of their league series! Go Cubbies!!
Told in first person, narrator Johnny Heller was the perfect Mickey Rawlings! One nitpick is that the ballpark was called Cubs Park in the book, as the team was not yet owned by William Wrigley. But I will give Soos some slack - Murder at Cubs Park just doesn't have the same ring as Wrigley Field.
Told in first person, narrator Johnny Heller was the perfect Mickey Rawlings! One nitpick is that the ballpark was called Cubs Park in the book, as the team was not yet owned by William Wrigley. But I will give Soos some slack - Murder at Cubs Park just doesn't have the same ring as Wrigley Field.
April 5, 2019
Another good Mickey Rawlings mystery. This time he's on the Cubs with WWI raging. I really find these books enjoyable. The baseball aspect is a lot of fun and I love how Mickey is able to investigate and finally tie all the loose ends together.
March 18, 2013
I was really surprised by Soos with this one. Normally his facts and figures are meticulous, but somehow he allowed the park to be called "Cubs Park" in this book even though it didn't get that name until 1920.
I understand the incorrect naming for the title, though. A publisher isn't going to want to put "Weeghman Park" on the cover because few "normal" people would feel any emotional pull--the market would be smaller. And as everyone knows: "it's all about business."
I understand the incorrect naming for the title, though. A publisher isn't going to want to put "Weeghman Park" on the cover because few "normal" people would feel any emotional pull--the market would be smaller. And as everyone knows: "it's all about business."
February 20, 2016
Although I purchased this book for no other reason than the fact that I'm a Cubs fan and because I wanted to buy a book in a bookstore that I was visiting while on vacation, I was surprised how interesting the book was after I got past the absurdity of a ball player playing detective. Troy Soos has the knack it takes to write quick-reading, interesting mystery novels. I'm glad I chose this novel, even if it was basically an accident.
October 26, 2013
I downloaded an excerpt of the first book in the series and I could have sworn the protagonist was African-American but apparently I was wrong about that.
Anyway. I thought this was a really interesting book. If you're at all interested in baseball history I'd recommend this book. It's very well researched and the plot revolves around baseball politics of the time.
Anyway. I thought this was a really interesting book. If you're at all interested in baseball history I'd recommend this book. It's very well researched and the plot revolves around baseball politics of the time.
January 17, 2019
Enjoyed reading about Wrigley Field, old time baseball legends and Chicago locations.
June 25, 2025
Great little mystery!
May 21, 2017
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: Baseball and Murder seem made in heaven in this sports themed plot that is perfect for any sports fan.
Disclaimer: I have very little knowledge on baseball. Any mistakes in my review are my own misunderstandings of the game. Apologize in advance to those diehard fans. :)
In 2016, Chicago Cubs - the American professional baseball team based in Chicago, IL - made history by winning the world series ending a 71-year National League pennant drought and a 108-year World Series championship drought. To mark this success, what better way to post a book on Cubs than anything else, right! And wouldn't it be sweeter if it was a fiction - a murder mystery in that? Exactly my thoughts. :) And incidentally a garage sale a few months ago got me this book titled "Murder At Wrigley Field" - absolutely perfect for honoring the Cubs. And here is my review on the same.
Murder At Wrigley Field is the third book in the Mickey Rawlings Historical Baseball Mysteries by Troy Roos first published in April of 1996. The series is predominantly set during the years 1912 thru 1922 and includes real ball players as characters. The plot for this opens in 1918 when the war in Europe was taking a toll on baseball - players were leaving for military service, sandlot players too young and old-timer too aged were filing the lineups, Secretary of War Newton D. Baker was threatening to shutdown baseball and ball players were using bats as mock rifles and practicing march past afraid that Kaiser Wihelm would attack from north-side of Chicago. With such an atmosphere, Chicago Cubs pitted against St. Louis Cardinals lost 3-1 to Cardinals despite the explosive strength of Willie Kaiser and the twin killings that Kaiser-to-Rawlings-to-Merkle was at pace.
Mickey Rawlings was given Willie Kaiser as roommate when Willie joined Cubs and from then he had been protective of Willie. With his infamous last name in such a war time Willie was the butt of several people's crude jokes and jeers including his teammates - one Sammy "Wicket" Greene in particular. Fred Merkle and Mickey intervened when needed. That was not the only trouble for the Cubs. Someone were tampering with the games - bleachers breaking through, smoke bombs that gave no fire but ample smoke, putting pretzels on all the concessions stands creating chaos about serving German food and hot water tanks being sawed off the ball players homes. Charles A. Weeghman - President of Chicago Cubs - gives the task to Rawlings to investigate if someone on the inside was trying to sabotage his business. Despite his reluctance, Rawlings accepts the job as Weeghman threatens him with Work or Fight order by Secretary of War - to avoid war he takes up this investigation so he can have work as a ball player.
Who could be causing these sabotages? Is it really Wrigley? Or was it one of the other partners in the syndicate? What was with Willie Kaiser? What is it he was hiding from Rawlings? While Cubs and Cincinnati Reds were on field at the opening ceremony for the July 4th game, Willie Kaiser gets shots in the chest. Horrible as the shooting was, Rawlings was surprised to see less news coverage about it in any of the newspapers and also the news being very identical. Who was trying to curb this news? What happened to his reporter friend Karl Landfors whose reports have suddenly stopped printing? Is there a connection between all these incidents and the war? Curiosity took the better of Rawlings and he starts investigating all these specially from Willie's murder angle. Ofcourse, Edna Chapman - Willie's step-sister - had urged it upon him too. As his prodding progresses, he finds that Willie was employed at Dearborn Fuel Company - Bennett Harrington owned it. Why did Willie need to work there as well as be a ball player?
Rawlings comes upon many suspects in his investigation - Hans "Henry" Fohl (Willie's cousin from his father's side), Gus (blond guy at the church), Patriotic Knights of Liberty (a quasi-legal deputy force), Fred Mitchell (Manager of Chicago Cubs), Wally Dillard (A new Cub at the team), Agnes O'Doul (a worker at Dearborn Fuel Company), Mike the Cop (A night beat cop in Rawlings' neighborhood), Cecil "Curly" Neeman (unofficial guar at Dearborn Fuel Company), Frank Timmons (Grand Knight of the Patriotic Knights of Liberty), Charles Comiskey (founding owner of The Chicago White Sox), Shoeless Joe Jackson (Another major-leaguer who had played for the White Sox), Bill Pines (Manager for Tanners - Union Stockyards' team), Lefty Rariden (Another baseball player),
I liked the way the author used baseball terminology to describe Rawlings visit to First Trinity Lutheran Church - comparing the way the Church was set to the how a Ball Park would be set. Mixing Baseball with Murder was not the only thing that the author touches. He outlays the politics between the owners of a team, causing mishaps due to the rivalry, going to any extent, forcing the players to do or die and above all still get the pennant at all costs. The game is not just a game anymore - it truly is a war very much on the diamond as it is on the front in France.
Well written with a few ramblings here and there - mostly because I couldn’t always follow the baseball analogy. An interesting read though that perhaps any sports lover would love to read.
Spoiler Alerts:
1) Charles Weeghman was one of the founders of the short-lived major league baseball organization called the Federal League, founder of Chicago Whales and built the ballpark called Weeghman Park (1914 - 1920) which later became Cubs Park (1920 - 1926) and finally renamed as Wrigley Park in 1927. (More about Weeghman here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles...)
2) William Wrigley that Weeghman suspects of sabotaging his business in this plot is actually William Wrigley Jr. who was part of the syndicate that Weeghman had founded after Weeghman's federal league folded to buy Chicago Cubs from Charles P. Taft. And so also in the plot except he is a suspect here.
3) The author alludes to a plot from a previous book where Mickey Rawlings is shot while playing at the Fenway Park, from which Rawlings came out alive. Having not read the other books in the series and going only by the titles I am guessing this is from the first book in the series - Murder at Fenway Park - published in 1994.
4) War creates so many walls. Author says in one context that music by Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and the likes - who are legends - was banned to play only because they came from German heritage. Language being banned. So sad and pathetic and very inhumane.
5) The author mentions that Jazz was just up and coming in Chicago then. And highlights about a jazz band called King Carter's Dixieland Jazz Band with colored people who had come up from New Orleans. Today Chicago is home of Jazz.
6) Mickey Rawlings and Edna Chapman watch the 1918 American film Tarzan Of The Apes several times in the plot. Another movie to my list added. :)
7) History behind Terrapin Park / Orioles Park is inserted into the plot making it a very interesting twist.
Recommendation: Baseball and Murder seem made in heaven in this sports themed plot that is perfect for any sports fan.
Disclaimer: I have very little knowledge on baseball. Any mistakes in my review are my own misunderstandings of the game. Apologize in advance to those diehard fans. :)
In 2016, Chicago Cubs - the American professional baseball team based in Chicago, IL - made history by winning the world series ending a 71-year National League pennant drought and a 108-year World Series championship drought. To mark this success, what better way to post a book on Cubs than anything else, right! And wouldn't it be sweeter if it was a fiction - a murder mystery in that? Exactly my thoughts. :) And incidentally a garage sale a few months ago got me this book titled "Murder At Wrigley Field" - absolutely perfect for honoring the Cubs. And here is my review on the same.
Murder At Wrigley Field is the third book in the Mickey Rawlings Historical Baseball Mysteries by Troy Roos first published in April of 1996. The series is predominantly set during the years 1912 thru 1922 and includes real ball players as characters. The plot for this opens in 1918 when the war in Europe was taking a toll on baseball - players were leaving for military service, sandlot players too young and old-timer too aged were filing the lineups, Secretary of War Newton D. Baker was threatening to shutdown baseball and ball players were using bats as mock rifles and practicing march past afraid that Kaiser Wihelm would attack from north-side of Chicago. With such an atmosphere, Chicago Cubs pitted against St. Louis Cardinals lost 3-1 to Cardinals despite the explosive strength of Willie Kaiser and the twin killings that Kaiser-to-Rawlings-to-Merkle was at pace.
Mickey Rawlings was given Willie Kaiser as roommate when Willie joined Cubs and from then he had been protective of Willie. With his infamous last name in such a war time Willie was the butt of several people's crude jokes and jeers including his teammates - one Sammy "Wicket" Greene in particular. Fred Merkle and Mickey intervened when needed. That was not the only trouble for the Cubs. Someone were tampering with the games - bleachers breaking through, smoke bombs that gave no fire but ample smoke, putting pretzels on all the concessions stands creating chaos about serving German food and hot water tanks being sawed off the ball players homes. Charles A. Weeghman - President of Chicago Cubs - gives the task to Rawlings to investigate if someone on the inside was trying to sabotage his business. Despite his reluctance, Rawlings accepts the job as Weeghman threatens him with Work or Fight order by Secretary of War - to avoid war he takes up this investigation so he can have work as a ball player.
Who could be causing these sabotages? Is it really Wrigley? Or was it one of the other partners in the syndicate? What was with Willie Kaiser? What is it he was hiding from Rawlings? While Cubs and Cincinnati Reds were on field at the opening ceremony for the July 4th game, Willie Kaiser gets shots in the chest. Horrible as the shooting was, Rawlings was surprised to see less news coverage about it in any of the newspapers and also the news being very identical. Who was trying to curb this news? What happened to his reporter friend Karl Landfors whose reports have suddenly stopped printing? Is there a connection between all these incidents and the war? Curiosity took the better of Rawlings and he starts investigating all these specially from Willie's murder angle. Ofcourse, Edna Chapman - Willie's step-sister - had urged it upon him too. As his prodding progresses, he finds that Willie was employed at Dearborn Fuel Company - Bennett Harrington owned it. Why did Willie need to work there as well as be a ball player?
Rawlings comes upon many suspects in his investigation - Hans "Henry" Fohl (Willie's cousin from his father's side), Gus (blond guy at the church), Patriotic Knights of Liberty (a quasi-legal deputy force), Fred Mitchell (Manager of Chicago Cubs), Wally Dillard (A new Cub at the team), Agnes O'Doul (a worker at Dearborn Fuel Company), Mike the Cop (A night beat cop in Rawlings' neighborhood), Cecil "Curly" Neeman (unofficial guar at Dearborn Fuel Company), Frank Timmons (Grand Knight of the Patriotic Knights of Liberty), Charles Comiskey (founding owner of The Chicago White Sox), Shoeless Joe Jackson (Another major-leaguer who had played for the White Sox), Bill Pines (Manager for Tanners - Union Stockyards' team), Lefty Rariden (Another baseball player),
I liked the way the author used baseball terminology to describe Rawlings visit to First Trinity Lutheran Church - comparing the way the Church was set to the how a Ball Park would be set. Mixing Baseball with Murder was not the only thing that the author touches. He outlays the politics between the owners of a team, causing mishaps due to the rivalry, going to any extent, forcing the players to do or die and above all still get the pennant at all costs. The game is not just a game anymore - it truly is a war very much on the diamond as it is on the front in France.
Well written with a few ramblings here and there - mostly because I couldn’t always follow the baseball analogy. An interesting read though that perhaps any sports lover would love to read.
Spoiler Alerts:
1) Charles Weeghman was one of the founders of the short-lived major league baseball organization called the Federal League, founder of Chicago Whales and built the ballpark called Weeghman Park (1914 - 1920) which later became Cubs Park (1920 - 1926) and finally renamed as Wrigley Park in 1927. (More about Weeghman here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles...)
2) William Wrigley that Weeghman suspects of sabotaging his business in this plot is actually William Wrigley Jr. who was part of the syndicate that Weeghman had founded after Weeghman's federal league folded to buy Chicago Cubs from Charles P. Taft. And so also in the plot except he is a suspect here.
3) The author alludes to a plot from a previous book where Mickey Rawlings is shot while playing at the Fenway Park, from which Rawlings came out alive. Having not read the other books in the series and going only by the titles I am guessing this is from the first book in the series - Murder at Fenway Park - published in 1994.
4) War creates so many walls. Author says in one context that music by Beethoven, Bach, Mozart and the likes - who are legends - was banned to play only because they came from German heritage. Language being banned. So sad and pathetic and very inhumane.
5) The author mentions that Jazz was just up and coming in Chicago then. And highlights about a jazz band called King Carter's Dixieland Jazz Band with colored people who had come up from New Orleans. Today Chicago is home of Jazz.
6) Mickey Rawlings and Edna Chapman watch the 1918 American film Tarzan Of The Apes several times in the plot. Another movie to my list added. :)
7) History behind Terrapin Park / Orioles Park is inserted into the plot making it a very interesting twist.
April 3, 2011
This review applies to the audio version.
#3 Mickey Rawlings historical mystery. It's now 1918 and WWI is in full swing. Mickey and his fellow major league baseball players await word from the top whether they will be allowed to continue the season without fear of being drafted, or whether baseball will be deemed 'non-essential' entertainment. Because of all the other players who've enlisted, Mickey now has a starting role playing second base for the Chicago Cubs.
While marching in the 4th of July parade entering the stadium, Mickey's friend and roommate, shortstop Willie Kaiser, is shot dead, and Mickey vows to find out who killed him and why, even if Willie's sister hadn't asked him to. He's also supposed to be looking into the matter of who has been sabotaging things at the ballpark, making things difficult for his boss. Mickey wonders if Willie's death was random or if his German heritage had something to do with his demise--anti-German sentiment runs strong, so much so that things like eating pretzels and owning dachshunds are seen as 'un-patriotic.'
One must watch what they say lest someone have them arrested for treason according to the new anti-sedition laws which forbid any sort of criticism of the United States Government. Vigilante groups like the Patriotic Knights of Liberty are running rampant, and when Mickey learns that Willie worked part time in a munitions plant where several of the bosses are members of that group, he gets hired there to snoop around and soon finds himself being targeted for injury or death too.
Although this book seemed a bit slower-moving than previous ones, I still enjoyed the reading of it immensely--the reader (Johnny Heller) is perfect for the series and there was a lot of interesting historical information passed along through the course of the story, woven skillfully into the plot itself so that it didn't feel like a lecture at all. Very enjoyable and very much looking forward to the next in series--and sorry to see that the series isn't longer.
#3 Mickey Rawlings historical mystery. It's now 1918 and WWI is in full swing. Mickey and his fellow major league baseball players await word from the top whether they will be allowed to continue the season without fear of being drafted, or whether baseball will be deemed 'non-essential' entertainment. Because of all the other players who've enlisted, Mickey now has a starting role playing second base for the Chicago Cubs.
While marching in the 4th of July parade entering the stadium, Mickey's friend and roommate, shortstop Willie Kaiser, is shot dead, and Mickey vows to find out who killed him and why, even if Willie's sister hadn't asked him to. He's also supposed to be looking into the matter of who has been sabotaging things at the ballpark, making things difficult for his boss. Mickey wonders if Willie's death was random or if his German heritage had something to do with his demise--anti-German sentiment runs strong, so much so that things like eating pretzels and owning dachshunds are seen as 'un-patriotic.'
One must watch what they say lest someone have them arrested for treason according to the new anti-sedition laws which forbid any sort of criticism of the United States Government. Vigilante groups like the Patriotic Knights of Liberty are running rampant, and when Mickey learns that Willie worked part time in a munitions plant where several of the bosses are members of that group, he gets hired there to snoop around and soon finds himself being targeted for injury or death too.
Although this book seemed a bit slower-moving than previous ones, I still enjoyed the reading of it immensely--the reader (Johnny Heller) is perfect for the series and there was a lot of interesting historical information passed along through the course of the story, woven skillfully into the plot itself so that it didn't feel like a lecture at all. Very enjoyable and very much looking forward to the next in series--and sorry to see that the series isn't longer.
July 27, 2016
Seemed like the right book to read on the flight to Chicago, seeing as I was going to a Cubs game the next day. It turned out to be all the more timely, taking place during WWI at the height of anti-German hysteria. You know, lots of ignorant people reacting ignorantly to real problems and making things worse. Very familiar...
July 31, 2013
Although the premise for the plot this book is entirely fictional, the story does give an interesting insight into the year 1918 and baseball in Chicago. The storyline is interesting but it does tend to fizzle at the end.
November 22, 2013
A cute story. If you're a Cubs fan or baseball fan you will probably get a kick out of it.
May 3, 2011
I seem to be having problems with titles, these days. As an author, I know that titles are usually marketing decisions and as a consumer, I know that I bought this book specifically because Wrigley Field was in the title and old-time Cubs were on the cover. I liked the idea that I would be reading about a venue where I’ve seen Major League Baseball that would be described when it was relatively new. I even learned things about the venue that I’ve read before but never “stuck.” Why the problem with the title, then? The title of the book is an anachronism with regard to the events inside the book. Yes, the venue became Wrigley Field about eight years after this event. Yes, it is the same basic structure (of course, it now has lights—smile). Yes, as best I can tell, it’s the same configuration in terms of home plate and the outfields (especially, the centerfield scoreboard—even though the current one wasn’t built until almost 20 years after the events in the novel).
I also seem to be having personal issues, these days. In cleaning up after a basement flood, I found my old crisis journal. In an entry dated 1984, I wrote about using the late Steve Goodman’s “Bury Me in Wrigley Field” as a devotional in my church newsletter column. I noted that I literally cried and stood at the window of my office crying for a long time. All this for a man I never met. I never even knew at the time that I’d be able to attend games at Wrigley Field and sing, “Hey Chicago what do you say, the Cubs are gonna’ win today!” (Another song scribed by the late Mr. Goodman) Yet, I was affected by the sadness that he, probably like me, would never see the Cubs in the World Series. Murder at Wrigley Field, though, let me have a glimpse of the 1918 season and the World Series with the Red Sox where Babe Ruth pitched (yes, pitched) against the Cubs (and, alas, won). Ironically, I read the novel two weeks after reading the article in the Chicago Sun-Times where Eddie Cicotte (one of the pitchers on the 1919 “Black Sox”) claimed that the Sox got the idea from the Cubs who were allegedly give $10K to throw the series to the Red Sox.
So, the era was definitely on my mind and my interest piqued when I read Murder in Wrigley Field. It wouldn’t have mattered if the murder had taken place in Weeghman Park (its name under the Federal League), Cubs Park (as it was during the novel’s events), or Wrigley Field as it is known today, I would have been mesmerized. When the protagonist walks his girl down the streets of Ravenswood, it rings true to me. When the protagonist visits a saloon on Rush Street, I’ve probably been by there. Of course, things sort of break down when part of the story is set at First Trinity Lutheran Church (it was then at 25th and S. Canal, nowhere near Ravenswood and unlikely to be the neighborhood church of the story—in fact, later, the church moved even further south). But as the church had many German pastors (in fact, Arthur Both, at the time of these events) and a reputation for being a community center as well as evangelical congregation, it makes a nice setting for what happens in the book.
Now, I’ve read several of Troy Soos’ baseball mysteries. Some I’ve had to force myself through and others that simply felt uneven. This one, possibly for the aforementioned reasons, seemed like the best. As in other books of this series, the mix of historical and fictional characters whether athletes or not, was superb. I could believe Cubs owner Weeghman and I really liked the portrayal of Shoeless Joe Jackson (not playing in Chicago that year, but vital to the plot in the year prior to the scandal). Whatever you think about Jackson, it’s clear that Soos sets him up as a straight shooter. And considering his performance during the Series, it’s really hard to see him as Rothstein’s stooge. But that’s beyond the scope of the book. I enjoy the fact that even when admiring the athletes, Soos isn’t afraid of revealing them as illiterate or prejudiced. He captures the right amount of verisimilitude based on the biographical data at hand. There is a great scene where the fictional protagonist covers for Jackson after a request for an autograph. It was a very neat touch. Other historical figures such as perennial Socialist candidate, Eugene V. Debs, and reformer Jane Addams hover in the background.
The eponymous (though anachronistically titled) mystery indeed occurs on the sacred field we masochistic Cubs fans know and love. There is a surprise related to the murder itself that I briefly considered and rejected early in the book, only to discover that Soos had crafted enough literary sleight of hand to throw me off the instinctual consideration. That’s marvelous, as is the way “Mickey Rawlings” gains the information I disregarded as a bad theory very early in the book. Another reason I like this book is that it is full of gray areas. Soos portrays some of the overly aggressive aspects of the Espionage and Sedition Act enacted under President Wilson. In addition to mentioning the arrest of Debs, Soos notes the lynching of Robert Prager in Collinsville, Illinois after delivering a lecture on socialism (though not the arrest of e. e. cummings as a volunteer ambulance driver in France who merely stated that he didn’t “hate” the Germans). He touches on the black market, meatless Saturdays, and more.
The mystery turns out to be related to a conspiracy. The results of “Mickey Rawlings” efforts tend more toward poetic justice than literal justice and this leads to a personal crisis in the protagonist’s life. The “crisis” is foreshadowed at many points in the novel and it echoes the experiences of many young men during the era. How does one fight for one’s country when there is so much loss of freedom at home? As a result, Murder at Wrigley Field seems to be the most psychological of the series and resonates on multiple levels. It encourages me to seek out more of these books. Perhaps because of my bias, but perhaps because of the multiple levels, I like this better than many books I’ve read in recent days.
I also seem to be having personal issues, these days. In cleaning up after a basement flood, I found my old crisis journal. In an entry dated 1984, I wrote about using the late Steve Goodman’s “Bury Me in Wrigley Field” as a devotional in my church newsletter column. I noted that I literally cried and stood at the window of my office crying for a long time. All this for a man I never met. I never even knew at the time that I’d be able to attend games at Wrigley Field and sing, “Hey Chicago what do you say, the Cubs are gonna’ win today!” (Another song scribed by the late Mr. Goodman) Yet, I was affected by the sadness that he, probably like me, would never see the Cubs in the World Series. Murder at Wrigley Field, though, let me have a glimpse of the 1918 season and the World Series with the Red Sox where Babe Ruth pitched (yes, pitched) against the Cubs (and, alas, won). Ironically, I read the novel two weeks after reading the article in the Chicago Sun-Times where Eddie Cicotte (one of the pitchers on the 1919 “Black Sox”) claimed that the Sox got the idea from the Cubs who were allegedly give $10K to throw the series to the Red Sox.
So, the era was definitely on my mind and my interest piqued when I read Murder in Wrigley Field. It wouldn’t have mattered if the murder had taken place in Weeghman Park (its name under the Federal League), Cubs Park (as it was during the novel’s events), or Wrigley Field as it is known today, I would have been mesmerized. When the protagonist walks his girl down the streets of Ravenswood, it rings true to me. When the protagonist visits a saloon on Rush Street, I’ve probably been by there. Of course, things sort of break down when part of the story is set at First Trinity Lutheran Church (it was then at 25th and S. Canal, nowhere near Ravenswood and unlikely to be the neighborhood church of the story—in fact, later, the church moved even further south). But as the church had many German pastors (in fact, Arthur Both, at the time of these events) and a reputation for being a community center as well as evangelical congregation, it makes a nice setting for what happens in the book.
Now, I’ve read several of Troy Soos’ baseball mysteries. Some I’ve had to force myself through and others that simply felt uneven. This one, possibly for the aforementioned reasons, seemed like the best. As in other books of this series, the mix of historical and fictional characters whether athletes or not, was superb. I could believe Cubs owner Weeghman and I really liked the portrayal of Shoeless Joe Jackson (not playing in Chicago that year, but vital to the plot in the year prior to the scandal). Whatever you think about Jackson, it’s clear that Soos sets him up as a straight shooter. And considering his performance during the Series, it’s really hard to see him as Rothstein’s stooge. But that’s beyond the scope of the book. I enjoy the fact that even when admiring the athletes, Soos isn’t afraid of revealing them as illiterate or prejudiced. He captures the right amount of verisimilitude based on the biographical data at hand. There is a great scene where the fictional protagonist covers for Jackson after a request for an autograph. It was a very neat touch. Other historical figures such as perennial Socialist candidate, Eugene V. Debs, and reformer Jane Addams hover in the background.
The eponymous (though anachronistically titled) mystery indeed occurs on the sacred field we masochistic Cubs fans know and love. There is a surprise related to the murder itself that I briefly considered and rejected early in the book, only to discover that Soos had crafted enough literary sleight of hand to throw me off the instinctual consideration. That’s marvelous, as is the way “Mickey Rawlings” gains the information I disregarded as a bad theory very early in the book. Another reason I like this book is that it is full of gray areas. Soos portrays some of the overly aggressive aspects of the Espionage and Sedition Act enacted under President Wilson. In addition to mentioning the arrest of Debs, Soos notes the lynching of Robert Prager in Collinsville, Illinois after delivering a lecture on socialism (though not the arrest of e. e. cummings as a volunteer ambulance driver in France who merely stated that he didn’t “hate” the Germans). He touches on the black market, meatless Saturdays, and more.
The mystery turns out to be related to a conspiracy. The results of “Mickey Rawlings” efforts tend more toward poetic justice than literal justice and this leads to a personal crisis in the protagonist’s life. The “crisis” is foreshadowed at many points in the novel and it echoes the experiences of many young men during the era. How does one fight for one’s country when there is so much loss of freedom at home? As a result, Murder at Wrigley Field seems to be the most psychological of the series and resonates on multiple levels. It encourages me to seek out more of these books. Perhaps because of my bias, but perhaps because of the multiple levels, I like this better than many books I’ve read in recent days.
June 1, 2021
The setting is during the torrid summer of 1918 in Chicago where anti-German sentiment was at a high point due to World War I.
Professional baseball is being threatened with being tagged as non-essential meaning that the players would suddenly be out of a job. However, during the time of the story, baseball was plodding along with some of the players working a second job to support the war effort.
Mickey Rawlings is a ballplayer with the Chicago Cubs when promising player and roommate Willy Kaiser was ironically killed on the Fourth of July. Mickey promises Willy's family that he'd find out who killed their son and brother and this leads Mickey into the underbelly of anti-German sentiment and various interesting characters.
The author deftly intermixes his fiction with actual ballplayers, making this a fun read.
Definitely recommended for those who enjoy historical mysteries and baseball.
Professional baseball is being threatened with being tagged as non-essential meaning that the players would suddenly be out of a job. However, during the time of the story, baseball was plodding along with some of the players working a second job to support the war effort.
Mickey Rawlings is a ballplayer with the Chicago Cubs when promising player and roommate Willy Kaiser was ironically killed on the Fourth of July. Mickey promises Willy's family that he'd find out who killed their son and brother and this leads Mickey into the underbelly of anti-German sentiment and various interesting characters.
The author deftly intermixes his fiction with actual ballplayers, making this a fun read.
Definitely recommended for those who enjoy historical mysteries and baseball.
March 1, 2022
My favorite type of books are baseball and history so I'm glad I found this series. Not to mention, the Cubs are my favorite team which lead to higher expectations and Troy Soos did not disappoint. Soos' book was very informational about the racism in America during World War 1 and it had some thrilling baseball games. Protagonist Mickey Rawlings goes from teammate to spy which gives the book a nice twist. Also, the book was action packed with love, war, scandals, and baseball. Overall, I have the Murder at Wrigley Field at five stars because it had all of the key aspects to a good book and it was my favorite type of realistic fiction.
July 12, 2017
This book was on display at the library for the "Sweet Home Chicago" summer theme. Thought it might be worth the read, or might interest my husband into a read (no such luck).
If you are a baseball fan, this one is for you. I had a hard time following it, since I know nothing about any of the leagues. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book, kept me guessing until the end. And the story takes place during WWI, so the historical references were interesting.
If you are a baseball fan, this one is for you. I had a hard time following it, since I know nothing about any of the leagues. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book, kept me guessing until the end. And the story takes place during WWI, so the historical references were interesting.
July 5, 2020
A Chicago Cub ballplayer is killed on July 4th 1918, and the fictional Cub Mickey Rawling sets out to find who and why behind this friend's murder. A very interesting book. I'm a Chicago Cubs fan, and a fan of history, so I found this quite intriguing. I hadn't read any of the others in the series, and I may do so in the future. Recommended if you are a baseball fan, a Chicago history fan/Chicago Cubs fan.
March 18, 2018
Entertaining and surprisingly well written. I'm not familiar with this author and judging entirely from the cover (I know, I know) I didn't expect much more than a fan's attempt to show off his baseball history knowledge. But the plot works, the characters are interesting, and Mickey Rawlings knows how to tell a story.
July 1, 2024
Enjoyable novelization of World War I era baseball. As a fan of baseball history, especially Chicago Cubs, I found the story compelling. The mystery was also good but it was secondary to the overall setting and world building. Characters were interesting however I would have preferred if the author used more actual ball players from the era. Highly recommend with the above caveats.
August 31, 2021
Enjoyable Mystery with a baseball setting. Mickey Rawlings is utility Infielder and murder and mystery seems to follow him as he goes from team to team in the 1910s and 1920s. Soos works in historical ballplayers with his fictional characters seamlessly.
April 29, 2022
I’ve always wanted to read this series and after making my 1st and 2nd trip to Wrigley last year, it was time. Why did I wait so long! Absolutely fantastic. What a wonderful mix of baseball, history and a mystery. Mickey is character that comes to life in the book and seems to stay with you.
April 4, 2019
This book was accurately written. A good combination of mystery and baseball. I really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading more books by this author.
May 26, 2020
Closer to 3.5.
November 21, 2020
Love the Mickey Rawlings books. Not only a great mystery but a look into baseball in the early days.
Read
August 7, 2021read
May 17, 2022
A quick fun read.
February 29, 2024
More of a 3.5.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews