My all time favorite baseball book along with Robert Creamers Babe . After reading this book in high school I sought out Smokey Joe Wood who was living in New Haven CT not far from us in Rhode Island . I was 15 years old at the time . Wood and I exchanged letters and at one point I called him on the phone . When my father found out he asked me who this Joe Wood was in New Haven . I told him that he was a pitcher on the 1912 Red Sox . My father then perked up and said "you mean Smokey Joe Wood?" I said "yes ". He then said "your grandfather used to tell me stories about him when I was a little boy" . So my father picked up the phone and called Wood himself and asked if he received visitors to his New Haven home . Wood said "yes" . So we scheduled a visit to see him . It's something I will never forget. We got lost on the way there so my father asked a New Haven policeman how do we find Marvel Road . The police officer asked if we were looking for Joe Wood and my Dad said "yes" So the officer led us there . We met with Joe Wood for a couple of hours . It was a thrill for me and I'll never forget it
What a difference..my father was ten when he went to seventh game of the 1934 world series, between the cards and the tigers, at Briggs stadium, Detroit. He saw Dizzy Dean pitch. My dad passed in 2008, at 86. I remember him telling me years prior, how the game has changed, and he was right. Miss you dad...
It's been a long time since I've heard Briggs stadium they changed it to Tiger stadium it was a sad day when they tore down that stadium there was a lot of history there TyCobb SamCrawford and so many more
Did he ever talk about the fruit being thrown during that game? There is a old recording of it if you are interested in hearing it. The quality isn't great, but it is cool that it does exist.
Was still Navin Field in 1934 (not Briggs Stadium until 1938; Tiger Stadium in 1961). But your Dad saw Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis remove St Louis Cardinals LFer, Ducky Medwick, from the game for his own protection. The Tigers were getting pelted 11-0 in game 7, so Tiger fans decided to return the favor and pelt Medwick with rotten fruit.
I went to Cooperstown with my sons about 10 years ago. I was in the museum book store, looking for "just the right book" as a memento of our day together. I was looking for around 30 minutes. Apparently one of the clerks was watching me scour through the vast, almost overwhelming supply of books to choose from. The Glory of Their Times caught my eye. Silly me, I had never heard of it. Anyway, this young clerk approaches me as I'm leafing through the pages and whispers, "You've got the right one."She was right. I've read that marvelous book countless times over the years. What a joy for a baseball fan. And a shoutout for that clerk, who was obviously working in the right place.
Ty and Honus got along very well with each other, with the Dutchman (Wagner's parents were actually immigrants from Prussia) receiving invitations to come down to Georgia to hunt and fish. Cobb called Wagner the greatest ballplayer who ever lived, high praise indeed.
The guy to the left of Fred Snodgrass in the Giants' team picture (shown at 33:24) is none other than Jim Thorpe. He played for them for three season beginning in 1913.
This is absolutely the best baseball book ever. If hearing the voices here wasn't good enough, please pick it up and read it. The stories told by the old ball players go into much greater detail and they are excellent.
They also didn’t throw 100 all game long with endless relievers all better than the next , or minorities . Let’s not act like they wouldn’t get their shit pushed in today 🤓🤣
I’ve been watching baseball over 50 years and never liked dead ball era until I started reading some books about it a few years back and now I love it. I hate what baseball has become now.
Honus' hands were so huge that he could cover the ball entirely. Greatest SS and all-around player of his age. He also opened a sporting goods store in the Triangle in Pittsburgh after retiring and it quickly became a Pittsburgh institution. I bought my centennial jersey there the last time I was in Pittsburgh in 1987.
Honus had a number of business ventures, including a newfangled invention--the automobile. He tried the movies, too, although his film(s) are lost. None of his projects were very successful, in the long run. But there was always a place for him with "my Bucs".
I read somewhere that when he'd rifle the ball to 1st base after fielding a grounder, little pebbles and sand would follow in the balls wake, like the tail of a comet.....
Smokey Joe Wood hurt his arm in 1915 and came back as an outfielder for Cleveland from 1918 through 1922. By the way, if Walter Johnson calls you the fastest pitcher on the planet YOU ARE THE FASTEST PITCHER ON THE PLANET
@@jacksmith5692 Read Ball 4 and told 7th grade pals about Joe Schultz's fondness for Budweiser: "Gelnar was telling us about this great conversation he had with Joe on the mound. There were a couple of guys on and [the Tigers] Tom Matchick was up. 'Any particular way you want me to pitch him, Joe?,' Gelnar asked. 'Nah, bleep him,' Joe Schultz said. 'Give him some low smoke and we’ll go and pound some Budweiser.'" Hilarious. Apropos too: Matchick couldn't hit a lick.
I know I've read the book at least thrice and I've watched this video at least twice. I would not have wanted to live during those times, but I sure enjoy the stories....
This is probably the best baseball documentary ever made, with the voices of the actual players. Dates from 1966, I believe. Alexander Scourby narrates.
This has the greatest ending line I've ever seen in a docu-series. Before the narrator's closing statement to summarize it all, the reference to Babe Ruth was flawless: "Wait 'til you see him hit!" It's excellent because it segues into the next era of Major League Baseball. Baseball doesn't become the national pastime until the 1920s when Babe Ruth goes to New York, and Yankees management allowed him to swing the bat everyday instead of only batting on the days he was the starting pitcher the way the Red Sox used him. Baseball doesn't become "America's game" until Babe Ruth swings a bat on a daily basis. You can not understate the impact Babe Ruth had on not only the game of baseball, but on all American pro sports in general. For the first time in our country's history, professional athletes could become rich, inspiring celebrities with fanbases of their own as individuals instead of fandom being limited to the city and team overall. The overwhelming majority of baseball fans in the 1920-30s were not New York Yankees fans. In fact, if you were a baseball fan back then it was only because you had a nearby team of your own who drew you in to gave your city/state something to be proud of. However, nearly everyone (excluding Boston, I'm sure) were Babe Ruth fans. They weren't Yankees fans; they were Babe Ruth fans. That was totally unprecedented at the time. Seriously, the guy changed EVERYTHING. Which is why this is such a perfect ending: What comes next in baseball's timeline is the modern era, and it was ushered in on the sweet spot of Babe Ruth's bat.
I disagree. This entire video showed that baseball was the national pastime before Babe Ruth. Presidents threw out first balls. Crowds overflowed at times to the point when they sat near the base paths or behind outfield ropes. The video showed people in trees watching a ballgame. The video shows newspapers putting game results on the front page. World War I, the 1918 Spanish flu, and the Black Sox scandal contributed to a flagging of interest. I agree with you that the arrival of Ruth in NY invigorated the sport to a higher level of national interest.
When my Uncle Dave died in @1970, my Aunt Julia gave me this book from his library. I’ve read it many times over the years. I’m a baseball fan to this day. This book is a treasured possession.
This video is priceless I remember seeing it on PBS in I think the early 1970's. Wahoo Sam Crawford what a great interview. This is why I love reading about baseball's early years. I also collect a few T206 cards of these players
Great stories about Charles "Victory" Faust and Bugs Raymond. The best character in the dead ball era was George "Rube" Waddell. He was also the top strike-out pitcher in those days. Wish they made a movie about him and his antics.
So, so true. Rookies shouldn't be rushed through college getting their grades for free to have them be moneyshitters for rich suckers as fast as possible. The game is for the people made by the people. Hans Wagner is the greatest ballplayer of all time. Teach them kids their manners!
My Dads family is from Pittsburg & my Grandpa who was born in 1913 said one of his Aunts dated Honus Wagner for a time. I was a baseball freak growing up & the early 1900's were my favorite era , Thanks for uploading this I never saw it before.
God, I've grown to love the game. Sometimes it takes time to appreciate things. Born in 1957, I did play pick-up games in a small town in central PA in the 70s. We picked up sides each time. Sometimes 3 players on a side; sometimes 12. Can't say I was the best player, but I hit a homerun or two. Thanks for posting this. -- CDL.
A lot of people are indifferent to baseball these days and I understand why. Still, I got to play Little League for three years, played schoolyard and street ball, tried to make my high school team. I grew up on the St Louis Cardinals of the 60's. I was hooked. Later, I read "Five Seasons" and "The Glory of Their Times." I became drawn to the numbers and the stories behind them - became a Bill James fan. Today, I'm not keen on going to games, watching them, or listening to them. I revisit the numbers from time to time. But baseball is my game and always will be. Thanks for your comment.
Love this book! I've got the audio book with these, and other, original recordings. Also have the record that was sold in the late 60s/early 70s. Research proves some of the recollections are off on some things, but we are all guilty of making some mistakes in our memories. Overall, this is a priceless work of love that Larry Ritter put together. This book, singlehandedly, is what gave me my passion for baseball history.
I played as a kid. I LOVED baseball.... but then life began and other things came along. This is a wonderful reminder of my youth and the history of the game I have always loved. Thank you for this post. What a great game.
Underrated? Honus Wagner is the greatest shortshop in baseball history and one of the first 5 players inducted in the HoF. He's not underrated by any stretch of the imagination.
Baseball was so fascinating back then! I could listen to their stories all day. Today's baseball is boring and too big business. It's money first & ball playing 2nd. There are no interesting characters, either. Most seem to be cookie cutter types.
Hi Dani..Just the way I feel...I watch a lot of the old shows on History of Baseball..when we grew up it was great too. Mickey Mantle, Jackie Robinson, all those guys of that time. However the 1900's has such a nostalgic feel and something special I cannot describe. It's a longing feeling for things we never really knew, but fell pulled toward.... Peace from TX.
Such fun. The mushy gloves, the imposing uniforms the appealing language. Maybe there's a dusty curiosity shop with a cheap time machine. A line drive in 1906.
The gloves of the era were small and thin enough as it was. But Honus Wagner, arguably the greatest shortstop who ever lived, would cut the palm out of his, for greater control. Like barehanding the ball on every play. His career lasted from 1897 to 1917, with many exhibition games after that.
This is great. To hear these men talk, men who actually played in this era, so excellent. One thing is how positive each man speaks of the other. Describing each other as a gentleman or fine. We’re so negative and hateful and miserable today.
This is a testimonium of a Time. It's marvelous to learn things that actual Baseball lacks or vanishes. Love for the game. This documentary is very interesting for whom love the game in other country because provide us knowledge of beginnins of baseball and some of the players and characters in early twenty century.
Wow! This is a great video, and I am sure the book is even more amazing too! It reminds me of an episode from Ken Burns Baseball. I love the rare and raw video footage of these great players of the past.
Ty Cobb won a triple crown during the dead ball era. Pitchers never worried about pitch count either. That makes them smarter than anyone pitching today.
So TRUE Michael ! I'm 58 and see THE SAME, SAD SCENES all the time ! When I was a kid I LIVED on the local ballfield playing pick up games from early morning til dinner time EVERYDAY during the summer ! Now kids are just a bunch of COUCH POTATOES with their FANCY phones and computers . Fucking SAD - that's the only way to describe it !!
Kept among my Dad's family items is what I would call a personality book where you have each of your friends write down answers to the same 50 questions. My Dad's mom and dad were not yet married but his mom was who made the book. She was from New Castle PA already working as a nurse at a hospital in Youngstown Ohio and my Dad's father lived in nearby Warren Ohio. One of the questions asked was to name your favorite ballplayer. Most answered it was Honus Wagner. Ths book is from 1915. Thanks for placing this amazing video on RU-vid. Cards fan from STL
This is what makes baseball so special,its the only game where the players live forever-gotta get that My 30 Years in baseball by John McGraw,bet its a lively read eh
Why is there no mention of Cy Young. He holds MLB records for the most career wins, with 511, along with most career innings pitched, games started, and complete games. Played 1890-1911. The best pitcher of the year award is named after him.
This is absolutely priceless! Hearing these men from the 1890's and 1900's tell what it was really like is wonderful. Does anyone know if there is any footage of games from the 19th century?
Giants traded their greatest pitcher, Amos Rusie for Matthewson. Rusie only pitched in 5 games after that, but he had won 30 or more four years in a row in the 1890s.
