Spartan Seasons: How Baseball Survived the Second World War

by Richard Goldstein

A thorough chronicle of the years when major-league baseball made do by fielding draft rejects, selling war bonds, collecting scrap metal, and boosting morales, enhanced by anecdotes, interviews, and photographs

Genres: Baseball

290 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Johnny O'Hara · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my recollection, you really have to know baseball history and the characters of the time before reading this book. Not for someone that doesn't know anything about baseball. Like lowkey they might hate baseball after this because they don't know what's going on. You also have to be a history nerd/appreciator to really like it.

[Spiros · Rating 2 out of 5]

I suspect a very good book could be written about Organized Baseball during the War Years; this book isn't it. Largely a collection of interesting anecdotes, this book just seems to go on and on, with no discernible momentum. I feel as though I've been reading this book for as long World War II took to fight, and not in a good way.

[Tom]

Interesting if you're into baseball history, with good photos. But it's a little tiresome to read, because of the mass of names and anecdotes without clear linkage.