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No Minor Accomplishment: The Revival of New Jersey Professional Baseball
America's pastime has roots in New Jersey dating back to 1846 when the first baseball game using modern rules was played on Elysian Fields in Hoboken. The sport thrived throughout the state until the 1950s when fans began to turn away from local competition, preferring to watch games broadcast on television, to take a trip to see a major league team in New York, or to frequent newly air-conditioned movie theaters or bowling alleys. By the early 1990s, however, a growing disenchantment with the high ticket prices and corporate atmosphere of Major League Baseball led to the revival of a purer form of the sport in the Garden State.
In No Minor Accomplishment, sports historian and New Jersey native Bob Golon tells the story of the state's baseball scene since the Trenton Thunder arrived in 1994. Drawing on interviews with team owners and employees, industry executives and fans, Golon goes behind the scenes to show how maintaining a minor league ball club can be a risky business venture. Stadiums cost millions to build, and a team full of talented players does not immediately guarantee success. Instead, each of the eight minor league and independent professional teams in the state must tailor themselves to the communities in which they are situated. Shrewd marketing is necessary to attract fans, but Golon also explains how, unlike Major League Baseball, the business aspect of the minor and independent leagues is not something the average spectator notices. For the fans, baseball in New Jersey is wholesome, exciting family entertainment.
In No Minor Accomplishment, sports historian and New Jersey native Bob Golon tells the story of the state's baseball scene since the Trenton Thunder arrived in 1994. Drawing on interviews with team owners and employees, industry executives and fans, Golon goes behind the scenes to show how maintaining a minor league ball club can be a risky business venture. Stadiums cost millions to build, and a team full of talented players does not immediately guarantee success. Instead, each of the eight minor league and independent professional teams in the state must tailor themselves to the communities in which they are situated. Shrewd marketing is necessary to attract fans, but Golon also explains how, unlike Major League Baseball, the business aspect of the minor and independent leagues is not something the average spectator notices. For the fans, baseball in New Jersey is wholesome, exciting family entertainment.
232 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 14, 2008
Being an avid fan of minor and independent league baseball, I was thrilled to receive the book "No Minor Accomplishment: The Revival of New Jersey Professional Baseball" by Bob Golon, as a gift. I recently polished it off while en route to catch some spring training baseball in Phoenix, Arizona.
The book begins as a history lesson on baseball in New Jersey, starting with the early roots in the late 1800's, to the teams that called Newark, Trenton and Jersey City home in the early 1900's until the late 40's. Much of this early information, while interesting, did not go as in depth as I would have liked. The author jumped around quite a bit, and didn't go in to great detail on any one era. Perhaps this section would have been better suited for another book on the subject of baseball's New Jersey roots.
After 1950, baseball disappeared from New Jersey, and the book delves into this as well. But the main theme of "No Minor Accomplishment" is the return of baseball's minor and independent leagues to the Garden State. This topic resonated with me because as a child growing up in New Jersey, I always wished there was a minor league team to call my own. The author, it seems, had the same sentiments.
This book gives fans a "behind the scenes" look at the steps taken to revive baseball in New Jersey in the early 90's - and the successes and failures of teams such as the Trenton Thunder (now AA affiliate of the Yankees), New Jersey Cardinals (now the Sussex Skyhawks), Atlantic City Surf, Somerset Patriots, Camden Riversharks, New Jersey Jackals and Lakewood Blue Claws (A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies).
While these in-depth looks into the inner workings of baseball were interesting to me, I doubt they would be interesting to the average fan (especially fans who don't live in NJ). That said, I also believe anyone who's interested in working in minor league baseball in any capacity, as owner, general manager or even hot dog vendor, would thoroughly enjoy this book.
The only criticism I have is that the stories of the different franchises overlap quite a bit, and Golon ends up telling the same story numerous times, which is unnecessary if you're reading the entire book (as I was). Perhaps the author felt the need to cater to readers who only read a chapter or two.
All in all, "No Minor Accomplishment" is a love letter to New Jersey baseball, and the men and women who worked tirelessly to keep baseball alive in the Garden State. For die-hard baseball fans who live in New Jersey, this is a must read. For everyone else, not so much.
The book begins as a history lesson on baseball in New Jersey, starting with the early roots in the late 1800's, to the teams that called Newark, Trenton and Jersey City home in the early 1900's until the late 40's. Much of this early information, while interesting, did not go as in depth as I would have liked. The author jumped around quite a bit, and didn't go in to great detail on any one era. Perhaps this section would have been better suited for another book on the subject of baseball's New Jersey roots.
After 1950, baseball disappeared from New Jersey, and the book delves into this as well. But the main theme of "No Minor Accomplishment" is the return of baseball's minor and independent leagues to the Garden State. This topic resonated with me because as a child growing up in New Jersey, I always wished there was a minor league team to call my own. The author, it seems, had the same sentiments.
This book gives fans a "behind the scenes" look at the steps taken to revive baseball in New Jersey in the early 90's - and the successes and failures of teams such as the Trenton Thunder (now AA affiliate of the Yankees), New Jersey Cardinals (now the Sussex Skyhawks), Atlantic City Surf, Somerset Patriots, Camden Riversharks, New Jersey Jackals and Lakewood Blue Claws (A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies).
While these in-depth looks into the inner workings of baseball were interesting to me, I doubt they would be interesting to the average fan (especially fans who don't live in NJ). That said, I also believe anyone who's interested in working in minor league baseball in any capacity, as owner, general manager or even hot dog vendor, would thoroughly enjoy this book.
The only criticism I have is that the stories of the different franchises overlap quite a bit, and Golon ends up telling the same story numerous times, which is unnecessary if you're reading the entire book (as I was). Perhaps the author felt the need to cater to readers who only read a chapter or two.
All in all, "No Minor Accomplishment" is a love letter to New Jersey baseball, and the men and women who worked tirelessly to keep baseball alive in the Garden State. For die-hard baseball fans who live in New Jersey, this is a must read. For everyone else, not so much.
June 23, 2010
Minor League Baseball,New Jersey
December 13, 2014
A good read with a well rounded look a independent and minor league as history, business and sport.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews