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Baseball Americana: Treasures from the Library of Congress
The Smithsonian's sports history collection, National Museum of American History, Behring Center includes signed baseballs, baseball equipment and memorabilia. Our baseball inspired gift collection depicts the equipment, style and materials of the collections’ artifacts and America’s nostalgia for them.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
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55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 26, 2017
There was not enough about the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was a major movement in history, and had numerous tremendous female athletes.
July 30, 2017
“Baseball Americana” was a very enjoyable illustrated book about some of the history of baseball, covering the years from 1870 – 1970. Throughout the pages, the reader will find stories about the history of the game during, and supplemented by hundreds of illustrations, pictures, and artwork depicting what early fans of the game saw. Included in the book are:
- Diary pages and diagrams from the late 18th century and early 19th century showing that a form of the game was played long before Abner Doubleday “created” the game. Also included are pictures of wood carvings, baseball cards, and early pictures of teams.
- Descriptions of how fans became more enamored with the game and how players started to be paid for their services. Supplementing the stories are cartoons depicting the game and some of the players, pictures of teams and players, and even some diagrams showing the types of caps that players wore.
- The pages describe how baseball cards started out for adults in an attempt by tobacco companies to encourage people to purchase their brand of cigarettes. Some of the rarest cards are shown within the pages.
- The beginning of 20th century baseball shows how baseball has begun to permeate American Society. Not only were fans flocking to games, but people played games at picnics, (regardless whether they were dressed appropriately), college baseball started to take off, and Negro Leagues started to form. As a matter of fact, barnstorming teams went all throughout the country, some of them women teams. Included on these teams were male ballplayers dressed in drag. It seems that people were “aware” of this charade, but were not affected by this knowledge.
- Then came the Black Sox scandal and Babe Ruth, and the game was never the same. Players started hitting for power, small ball started to fade, and the game started to enter its glory years. Ballplayers were endorsing products to the public, and with radio and television spreading the game, even people who did not have access to go to the game could hear and see it anyway.
This was a very interesting book that has a wealth of photos, illustrations, and writings about the history of baseball. I would recommend it to any baseball fan, as the knowledge within the pages is fascinating. Newer fans might like it a little more, but it is well worth perusing its pages.
- Diary pages and diagrams from the late 18th century and early 19th century showing that a form of the game was played long before Abner Doubleday “created” the game. Also included are pictures of wood carvings, baseball cards, and early pictures of teams.
- Descriptions of how fans became more enamored with the game and how players started to be paid for their services. Supplementing the stories are cartoons depicting the game and some of the players, pictures of teams and players, and even some diagrams showing the types of caps that players wore.
- The pages describe how baseball cards started out for adults in an attempt by tobacco companies to encourage people to purchase their brand of cigarettes. Some of the rarest cards are shown within the pages.
- The beginning of 20th century baseball shows how baseball has begun to permeate American Society. Not only were fans flocking to games, but people played games at picnics, (regardless whether they were dressed appropriately), college baseball started to take off, and Negro Leagues started to form. As a matter of fact, barnstorming teams went all throughout the country, some of them women teams. Included on these teams were male ballplayers dressed in drag. It seems that people were “aware” of this charade, but were not affected by this knowledge.
- Then came the Black Sox scandal and Babe Ruth, and the game was never the same. Players started hitting for power, small ball started to fade, and the game started to enter its glory years. Ballplayers were endorsing products to the public, and with radio and television spreading the game, even people who did not have access to go to the game could hear and see it anyway.
This was a very interesting book that has a wealth of photos, illustrations, and writings about the history of baseball. I would recommend it to any baseball fan, as the knowledge within the pages is fascinating. Newer fans might like it a little more, but it is well worth perusing its pages.
February 5, 2021
I have probably read more books about baseball than any other subject. Because I have read so many, I have not asked Santa for a book on baseball in quite a few years. I’m sure this one was a Christmas gift and I was probably less than thrilled when I got it. However, this book is different from all the rest. The material for the book comes from the Library of Congress and the text and pictures are unique, at least in my reading experience.
This book covers the history of baseball beyond 1839, the year that legend credits for the founding of the game. Indeed, there are pictures from publications that show that baseball was being played in the 18th Century.
And what a history baseball has had.
Two days hence, as of this writing, Super Bowl LV will be played and football will celebrate its place at the pinnacle of sports. In my opinion it is second to baseball and part of the reason why is because professional football seems to care about its history in the Super Bowl era, beginning with the 1966 season. Baseball recognizes all of its history, including the notion, inconceivable in pro football, that some of its greatest players and teams played more than a hundred years ago.
A wonderful book for all baseball fans.
Five stars
This book covers the history of baseball beyond 1839, the year that legend credits for the founding of the game. Indeed, there are pictures from publications that show that baseball was being played in the 18th Century.
And what a history baseball has had.
Two days hence, as of this writing, Super Bowl LV will be played and football will celebrate its place at the pinnacle of sports. In my opinion it is second to baseball and part of the reason why is because professional football seems to care about its history in the Super Bowl era, beginning with the 1966 season. Baseball recognizes all of its history, including the notion, inconceivable in pro football, that some of its greatest players and teams played more than a hundred years ago.
A wonderful book for all baseball fans.
Five stars
March 1, 2017
Simply put, one's exact enjoyment of this book will be determined by what stage of "baseball fandom" they currently are at.
For new fans eager to learn about the game, this book provides a very brief (yet also very basic) general history about the game from roughly the 1800s through the 1960s.
For more seasoned fans, however, it will be primarily the pictures that will keep the pages turning. From the Library of Congress collection, this book compiles together an impression collection of photos, some of which (even as a rabid baseball fan) I had never laid eyes upon.
Thus, while this isn't a "must-own" book (unless you are a photo junkie), it does provide a little "something for everyone".
For new fans eager to learn about the game, this book provides a very brief (yet also very basic) general history about the game from roughly the 1800s through the 1960s.
For more seasoned fans, however, it will be primarily the pictures that will keep the pages turning. From the Library of Congress collection, this book compiles together an impression collection of photos, some of which (even as a rabid baseball fan) I had never laid eyes upon.
Thus, while this isn't a "must-own" book (unless you are a photo junkie), it does provide a little "something for everyone".
Want to read
December 16, 2009I learned more about baseball's history in the 5 minutes they spent discussing this book on the air than I probably have since Little League.
Interesting nugz included:
A photograph of Babe Ruth laying unconscious on the field after knocking himself out diving into a fence to catch a ball, a photograph of major leaugers posing nude like Greek heroes dated in the early 1900's, women's leagues and women in the majors througout the first few decades of the 20th century (far before the teams depicted in A League of Their Own), written refernces to the game dating all the way back to the 1700's and more.
Yowsah!
Interesting nugz included:
A photograph of Babe Ruth laying unconscious on the field after knocking himself out diving into a fence to catch a ball, a photograph of major leaugers posing nude like Greek heroes dated in the early 1900's, women's leagues and women in the majors througout the first few decades of the 20th century (far before the teams depicted in A League of Their Own), written refernces to the game dating all the way back to the 1700's and more.
Yowsah!
January 30, 2010
My husband gave me this great book for Christmas & I'm going to have fun slowly reading it all. I never thought that the Library of Congress would have the largest collection of baseball memorabilia. Finally finished this from cover to cover. This is a wonderful volume of baseball trivia & information.
December 25, 2014
Read 193 pages in one day. Good stuff. Don't know why, but never thought of the Library of Congress as being a treasure trove of baseball stuff, but it is.
Want to read
January 2, 2010Great coffee table book with photos, ads, posters, etc from the sport I love so much
Currently reading
August 5, 2011great photos and fascinating information about black baseball. best player on the ill-fated 1898 USS Maine was a black pitcher named William Lambert; who later died in the explosion
September 5, 2012
Good collection of old time baseball photos and history.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews