Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball Clubs: Two Volumes]

Annotation. From exploits on the field, to machinations in the front office, to data on the cities where they play, the Encyclopedia of Major League Baseball Clubs presents the team history of each of the 30 MLB teams. Intelligent, in-depth essays provide social and economic histories of each club that go beyond the recounting of team glories or failures year by year. Team origins, annual campaigns, and players and managers all figure into the story, but so do owners, financiers, politicians, neighborhoods and fans. Teams are also looked at as business enterprises, with special attention given to labor issues like the reserve clause and free agency, as well as stadium construction and financing. Social and political issues are covered as well, including racism and integration, ethnic makeup of fans and players, gambling, liquor sales, and Sunday play. National events, like World War I, World War II, the Great Depression and the Cold War, and their impact on the national pastime, are also brought into the picture where they are relevant. Media coverage and broadcasting rights are discussed, as is the great influence the flood of media money has had on the sport. As America's sport, baseball reflects not just our ideas and beliefs about competition, it also reflects our national and regional identities. Readers will be able to find useful information about: important players, managers, owners; community relations/charity work; business and labor issues (television income, free agency); race relations; baseball/sports economics (including stadium construction, team relocations; and teams in local and national culture (Fenway Park, Wrigley Field as local icons, Yankees as a national team). Every essay is signed, and concludes with suggested readings and a bibliography. The work is illustrated, has a comprehensive bibliography, and is thoroughly indexed

from Exploits On The Field, To Machinations In The Front Office, To Data On The Cities Where They Play, The encyclopedia Of Major League Baseball Clubs Presents The Team History Of Each Of The Mlb Teams. Intelligent, In-depth Essays Provide Social And Economic Histories Of Each Club That Go Beyond The Recounting Of Team Glories Or Failures Year By Year. Team Origins, Annual Campaigns, And Players And Managers All Figure Into The Story, But So Do Owners, Financiers, Politicians, Neighborhoods And Fans. Teams Are Also Looked At As Business Enterprises, With Special Attention Given To Labor Issues Like The Reserve Clause And Free Agency, As Well As Stadium Construction And Financing. Social And Political Issues Are Covered As Well, Including Racism And Integration, Ethnic Makeup Of Fans And Players, Gambling, Liquor Sales, And Sunday Play. National Events, Like World War I, World War Ii, The Great Depression And The Cold War, And Their Impact On The National Pastime, Are Also Brought Into The Picture Where They Are Relevant. Media Coverage And Broadcasting Rights Are Discussed, As Is The Great Influence The Flood Of Media Money Has Had On The Sport.

As America's Sport, Baseball Reflects Not Just Our Ideas And Beliefs About Competition, It Also Reflects Our National And Regional Identities. Readers Will Be Able To Find Useful Information About:
-important Players, Managers, Owners
-community Relations/charity Work
-business And Labor Issues (television Income, Free Agency)
-race Relations
-baseball/sports Economics (including Stadium Construction, Team Relocations)
-teams In Local And National Culture (fenway Park, Wrigley Field As Local Icons, Yankees As A National Team)

Every Essay Is Signed, And Concludes With Suggested Readings And A Bibliography. The Work Is Illustrated, Has A Comprehensive Bibliography, And Is Thoroughly Indexed.

Volume I: The National League
Volume Ii: The American League

library Journal

devotees Of The National Pastime Will Be Consulting These Volumes For Their Fine Narrative Histories Of The Extant Teams. Riess (history, Northeastern Illinois Univ., Chicago; Touching Base: Professional Baseball And American Culture In The Progressive Era) Commissioned Essays Mostly From Academics Rather Than Sports Writers Or Journalists, Which Gives The Book A History Text Feel. Still, Readers Should Be Warned That Teams No Longer Represented By Name In Major League Baseball (e.g., The Washington Senators) Get Short Shrift, While Former Teams That Kept Their Name In A Move From One City To Another, Such As The Dodgers, Get Historical Coverage. These Circumstances Somewhat Limit The Value Of The Set. Nonetheless, Each Team Essay Is Followed By Basic Statistical Information, And Several Appendixes Provide Further Surveys, E.g., Charts That Compare Revenue Of Teams Over A Series Of Key Years. However, This Is Certainly Not A Reference Book Where Statistics Dominate, As Is The Case With The Espn Baseball Encyclopedia. The Layout Here Is Rather Plain, With Only A Few Black-and-white Photos Scattered Throughout. In Addition To More Photos, Sidebars Would Have Helped, Both For Eye Appeal And Access To Information. An Older Volume, Professional Sports Teams Histories: Baseball, Edited By Michael L. Lablanc, Is More Attractively Laid Out. Bottom Line Many Single-volume, Individual Team Histories Have Been Published In The Last Decade. This Reference Work Offers A Good Summary For Current Fans, And The Bibliographies Are Up-to-date. Recommended For Libraries Seeking To Bolster Their Baseball And Sports Collections. Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., Il Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

V. 1. The National League -- V. 2. The American League. Edited By Steven A. Riess. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.