The beauty of baseball is that you never know. The game you’re watching may have somebody turning an unassisted triple play, a pitcher flirting with his second consecutive no-hitter, three guys on third base—you just never know. In Mudville Madness, Jonathan Weeks takes us on a whirlwind journey from the nineteenth century through the 2013 season—through the wild, weird, wonderful ... Read moreworld of baseball. Fasten your seat belt and enjoy the ride!
Jan Finkel, SABR Biography Project For those looking for more in respect to baseball, Mudville Madness artfully goes beyond balls and strikes and delivers the goods covering those remarkable moments that are the very fiber of the game's history. Whether it’s a doubleheader being played at a flooded Exposition Park on July 4, 1902, or a snowball fight among fans at the Polo Grounds on opening day in 1907, author Jonathan Weeks does a masterful job bringing these unique events to life.
Ronald T. Waldo, author of The 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates: Triumph and Treachery Weeks (Baseball’s Most Notorious Personalities) takes readers on a well-researched journey through the uncommon events, statistical anomalies, and urban legends that have sprouted up around the sport since the late 19th century. As his extensive list of references indicates, the author has scoured decades worth of box scores and baseball literature to compile stories of riots on the field, tragedies in the stands, and the quirkiest characters ever to grace the diamond. The book is organized chronologically, starting with anecdotes about the unsavory individuals who filled out the roster of the first professional league and progressing through tales about the game fans know and love today. Along the way, readers will discover little-known episodes involving baseball’s most famous players and also become acquainted with lesser-known figures who stand out for their funny, heartbreaking, or downright odd personalities. Weeks has an engaging, accessible style and a firm grasp of baseball vocabulary, which lends an authenticity to the text. VERDICT Appropriate for all ages; some anecdotes involve violence but they are neither graphic nor obscene. For baseball fans who enjoy learning about the sport’s history, this is a must.
Library Journal, Starred Review
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