"The Birth of Basesball As An American Ritual"

The year was 1903 when the first World Series was played between the Boston Americans of the newly formed American League and the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League. As historian Louis P. Mazur, author of Autumn Glory- Baseball's First World Series,states, "the story of the first World Series is the story of the birth of baseball as a modern game, as an American ritual."

In 1901 the American League claimed major-league status and what ensued for the next two years was a constant raiding by the American League of players from the National League. In 1903 a truce agreement was signed between the two leagues that ultimately led to the playing of the first World Series. It was decided that the team who won the best of nine games would be declared baseball's champion of the world.

Within an historical context, Masur provides his readers with an inning- by-inning account of all of the games of the series, score cards of each game, statistics, a composite record, newspaper commentaries, anecdotes, backroom shenanigans among various baseball executives, and generally a dramatic insight as to why until to-day baseball, as the author states, "best embodies in the realm of sport the American ideal of life. Baseball allows individuals to shine, but individual performance alone will not result in success. Teamwork matters. By fusing the individual and the group, the solitary and the communal, baseball illustrates what it means to be an American."

As an added bonus, readers are introduced to some of the greatest players of by gone days such as, Cy Young, Jimmy Collins, Hobe Ferris, Honus Wagner, Jimmy Sebring, Bill Dinneen and so many others, who now form part of Baseball's Hall of Fame. To put faces to names, sprinkled throughout the book are black and white photos of the two teams as well as some of baseball's principals.

Although the story is about a series that had taken place one hundred years ago, there is a "dèja vu" feeling when you read about the owners' greed, unruly players, and fans' unrest. As the French say "plus ca change, plus c'est la même chose"- the more things change the more it is the same thing. However, baseball has still prevailed and will probably continue to be played until doomsday.

Reviewed by Norman Goldman
Courtesy Bookpleasures
Posted July 7, 2003