Deadball Trailblazers: Single-Season Records of the Modern Era

Baseball's Deadball Era (1900 to 1919) produced a wealth of talented players and a number of impressive records, some which still stand today.Author Ronald Waldo features the single-season feats of 12 players. While players such as Nap Lajoie, Ty Cobb, Rube Marquard, Tris Speaker, Jack Chesbro and Rube Waddell may be familiar to many baseball fans, Waldo also includes feats by lesser-known players such as Vic Willis, John Gochnaur and Jack Nabors.Other players featured include Frank Schulte, Dutch Leonard and Owen "Chief" Wilson.Waldo highlights the great and the not-so-great. On the great side, Cobb swiped 96 bases for Detroit in 1912; Marquard won 19 consecutive games for the New York Giants in 1912; and Chesbro won 41 games for the New York Highlanders (Yankees) in 1905.On the not-so-great side, Willis lost 29 games for the Boston Beaneaters in 1905; Gochnaur committed 98 errors for Cleveland in 1903; and Nabors lost 19 consecutive games for the Philadelphia A's in 1916.Waldo provides historical context to the feats, personal stories of the players and plenty of interesting nuggets of information. He keeps the reader engaged throughout the book.This book will certainly appeal to Deadball Era enthusiasts, but all baseball fans should find it interesting.

Excellently written!!! A must have for all baseball fans!!! And history fans!!!

Another fantastic book from Ronald T Waldo if you are a fan of authentic old school baseball writing. Mr Waldo delves deep on the characters of the earliest eras of baseball, it makes for an entertaining read, and just like Dickie Dunn, he “really captures the spirit of the thing”.

Yet another great read that takes us way back in the baseball time machine. Just loved how this book covered an era in Baseball that often gets neglected. Highly recommend this one!

Deadball Trailblazers: Single Season Records of the Modern Era, by Ron WaldoReviewed by Gary LivacariIf you’re a fan of the Dead Ball Era as I am, you’ll find Ron Waldo’s new book, Deadball Trailblazers: Single Season Records of the Modern Era, to be a real gem. But here’s a secret: It’s a book that will have great appeal to baseball fans of all ages and all eras.Ron has thoroughly researched the early decades of twentieth-century baseball—which we know today as the Deadball Era—and showcases twelve of the period’s most notable personalities and their accompanying records. Many of these records still stand today, like Jack Chesbro’s 41 wins, Rube Marquard’s 19 straight victories, and Owen “Chief” Wilson’s 36 triples. Ron achieves this with short but detailed chapters that form an interesting vignette of each featured player. Even greater appeal is that he dovetails this with the many contemporary personalities and events from the player’s life and career. As such, the book serves as a unique, historical tour through life in America during these early decades, with baseball serving as the guiding force.Many of the players Ron features will be familiar to knowledgeable baseball fans: Rube Waddell, Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker, and Ty Cobb. More good news is that Ron gives much-needed exposure to some of the era’s lesser-known stars, like Vic Willis, Frank “Wildfire” Schulte, and “Chief” Wilson. I found these chapters to be some of the most enjoyable in the book.Those of you who have read any of Ron’s previous books or articles know he’s a talented storyteller possessing a skilled pen. Here’s an example of his distinctive, engaging writing style, taken from the introduction to the chapter on Rude Waddell:“Exciting and unique characters dominated the conversation as baseball became more popular, transforming from its early version to the brand of diamond action that entertained fans throughout the Deadball Era. The combination of exquisite, beautiful athletic poetry, courtesy of talented players, along with a rough and tumble attitude, allowed some of these distinctive personalities to rise in stature and become deeply loved by adoring rooters beyond the city those individuals called home. One players stood above all others, merging eccentric and oddball traits with a high level of raw diamond talent, allowing him to become one of the period’s most fascinating and remarkable performers. Inimitable southpaw pitcher George Edward “Rube” Waddell was that player.”No matter how much you think you know about the players from the Dead Ball Era, I guarantee you’ll learn more. We all know that Rube Waddle was eccentric, but did you know that in the minor leagues he would often “leave the field, stroll over to the bleachers, and have a fan cut one-half inch off his undershirt sleeve”? Or that Rube was once a batboy and later became an actor and a butcher? Or that Jack Chesbro once pitched for an insane asylum? Are you familiar with the origins of the spitball? How about the formation of the American League and the initial struggles and conflicts between the two leagues? This is just a small sampling of the details Deadball Trailblazers has to offer. You can pick and choose through the chapters that catch your interest, or you can do as I did, and read the book in its entirety.As a baseball historian and avid fan of the Deadball Era, I thought I knew a lot about this interesting period in baseball’s history. Ron Waldo’s new book, possibly his best, Deadball Trailblazers, has shown me how much I didn’t know. It’s a book I heartily recommend to all baseball fans.

This Waldo dude can write. good amount of stats mixed in with interesting things about the players you may not have known.Mr .Waldo has a style of writing that sort of inserts you back in time to the period the story takes place. I feel this is the best way to enjoy a book. Do yourself a favor and give this book a looksee. You will enjoy it.