Baseball Memories 1900-1909

"This is research for researchers. Marc Okkonen has compiled information here that could lead to a dozen other books -- a faithful re-creation of the era of Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner and Ring Lardner. Turning to the Boston section I found gorgeous color drawings -- aerial views -- of Huntington Avenue Grounds (American) and South End Grounds (National). These parks were the closest neighbors in the big leagues, situated across the railroad tracks from each other. What better way to illustrate the cut-throat competition between the two leagues (who scheduled games on the same day)? The National League's park, Hopelessly wedged between the railroad tracks and Columbus Avenue foretells the Braves' difficulty in competing with the upstart Red Sox. Nuf Ced McGreevy's saloon, Third Base, is also shown on an accompanying map. There are photos taken at each ballpark, too. The quality of some of the pictures isn't great, because they are xeroxed from old newspapers. You have to realize that these photos don't exist anywhere else."
Baseball Memories 1900-1909 - Marc Okkonen

"With baseball memorabilia becoming a big business, there should be an appreciative audience for this informative volume. Okkonen (Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century) has collected a prodigious number of photos of early-20th-century managers, coaches, players, baseball writers, ballparks and fans--the book includes almost 2000 illustrations. There are overviews of the National and American leagues and a year-by-year chronology of the major events in the game. Most entertaining are sidelights on the early days: when hats and suits were de rigueur for male fans, one sportswriter was photographed wearing a top hat; before the NL club in Chicago settled on 'Cubs' as a nickname, it was variously known as 'Remnants' and 'Orphans'."
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