Baseball is part of the nation’s fabric. Most kids have a memory of the game either from playing Little League, attending a major league contest or meeting a favorite player. In Cooperstown that feeling is magnified since we are the official home of baseball. We get to see firsthand what has made the sport the national pastime.
One thing that makes baseball special is the nostalgic aspect to it. It is difficult today to appreciate how close a fan felt to the game in the old days. With the multi-million-dollar contracts and billion-dollar franchises of present-day baseball it’s harder than ever to connect with the players.
Major leaguers once lived in middle-class neighborhoods and worked in the off-season. Today you would be lucky to spot them leaving their gated communities or pay for their autographs at card shows.
One reason spring training has become so popular is that it’s the last remaining bastion where you might feel “close” to the players.
Along with the multimillion- dollar contracts come higher ticket prices. Where a family of four could easily attend a game for $20 40 years ago, it would be closer to $200 today and that’s before being overcharged for hot dogs, soda, and beer. Baseball is still baseball, but the innocence has disappeared.
That’s one reason nostalgia is such an important part of the game. There is nothing like looking back to simpler times. One of the great things about baseball is that the heart of the game hasn’t changed. Because the equipment and dimensions of the field are still basically the same as they were 100 years ago, it’s easy to relate to the past.
It’s a way for fans to hold on to their love of the game when attending major league contests has become less affordable.
Into this breach is a new book seen mainly from the fan’s perspective called “Baseball Fantography.” It is edited by Andy Strasberg and contains photos from ordinary fans plus short stories on many of the unique aspects of the game.
As you will discover, Andy is one of the truest fans you will ever come across. He wrote a piece for Sports Illustrated almost 25 years ago about his relationship with Roger Maris that still ranks as one of the best magazine articles that I have ever read.
In the interest of full disclosure I have to mention that I had the pleasure of penning one of the short stories in the book. I was one of a number of people with a local connection that was asked to contribute including Jeff Katz, Tim Wiles, Jeff Arnett, and Dale Petrosky (I hope I didn’t leave anyone out!).
But we’re not the ones who made this book such a pleasure to absorb (I can’t say “read” because there’s much more to it than that).
It’s really the fans and the photos they’ve shared. Andy intertwines all the stories with photos of the baseball experience and adds fascinating bits of trivia that most baseball fans are unaware of.
If you ever wondered why left-handed pitchers are called south-paws, which Oakland A’s ball girl became famous baking cookies, or why 5,000 fans left at the start of a game in Boston in 1943, the answers are all here.
In addition, anyone with a fascination for ballparks (both ancient and retro) will love this book.
The photos and descriptions of major league venues remind you of what a rich and unique history baseball has endured.
I hesitated to review this book because I clearly have a bias. But I didn’t have to be a part of it to be moved by what it represents. Baseball has lost a lot of its charm because money and commercialism have overwhelmed it.
Andy’s book reminds us that the essence of the game is still something to celebrate. That alone makes the book worthwhile.
Columns
Book Notes: Baseball book features local contributors
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Passing along advice of seeing the humor
The best advice given to me many years ago when I started teaching had nothing to do with my discipline, English. Rather, a former mentor insisted on the necessity of having a sense of humor
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The week that was ...
For a number of years now, we have not been in Cooperstown for the spring season. And we must admit that we had quite forgotten what it is like. But since we decided that travel was not on the docket for this year, we have become reacquainted with the Cooperstown spring. And we must say we rather enjoyed it with the possible exception of occasional uncalled for snow and seemingly frigid temperatures.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
Last week, my mother made the 25-hour plane trip out to Thailand to visit her son, me, after nine months of having only choppy Skype sessions and scattered emails to give her an idea of what I look and act like since having left home last August.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: World traveler calls Euro-Tour experience of a lifetime
While I've had a great time throughout my entire exchange, I can say hands down that the month of April brought me the best memories of my exchange if not some of the best of my entire life. What kind of wonder would bring me to say this? Simple. Euro-Tour.
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Maryland port attacked
Havre de Grace, May 3. "This morning, a little after the break of day, a British armed force, under cover of armed vessels which anchored in front of this town ... landed below a small breast work which had been roughly thrown up, and in which were one 9 and two 4 pounders, manned by 50 militia.
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Memoir reflects on 'roller-coaster life and career'
Apparently, the third time wasn't the charm. The way Reynolds described him, the third husband was worse than the first two combined and that's saying a lot. Eddie Fisher literally walked away from Reynolds and their two infant children to chase a sex goddess. At least he got his just desserts when Elizabeth Taylor tossed him aside for Richard Burton.
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Imagine what might have been ...
A while back we got a telephone call from a reader of this column wanting to know why we had not written a column in support of Otsego Manor continuing to be owned and operated by Otsego County. And even though we have followed the debate over this issue in the newspaper, we readily admitted we did not feel we knew enough about the situation to take a stand.
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Herpes virus brings harness racing to a halt
I've been going to harness horse race tracks my entire life. My family has been in the business for years.
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Time, if not traffic, moves on ...
It is with sadness we note the passing of two people who we have known since moving to Cooperstown in 1982.
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Canadian capital captured
Dear Sir, I have just returned from Fort Niagara, where I saw a Captain of the United States' navy. He is just from little York, the capital of Upper Canada, and gives the following account, which is confirmed in official dispatches from Gen. Dearborn to Gen. Lewis ...
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Local Voices From Around The Globe: Exchange is like a life in a year
All exchange students realize the credibility of this statement. Like all lives no exchange is the same, all are incredible unique exchanges. The metaphor of life, from baby to old age, extends to every part of the exchange.
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Movie depicting legendary Jackie Robinson does not disappoint
Going to the movies is not something I do often. I can count the number of times I have gone on my fingers, unless you include trips to the drive-in. And even so, it took me years before I made it to one of those -- going for the first time two summers ago.
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'Dubious' about weather, Hawkeyes 'suitable' nickname
Unfortunately, it seems to us that this spring has, thus far, been anything but spring like. In fact, we are still more than happy to stay bundled up in our polar fleece.
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'Who's on Worst?' reveals the ugly in baseball
The Baseball Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players, managers and owners from our national pastime. Any of us who have watched Major League baseball have inevitably seen some of these immortals practicing their craft. But we have also likely witnessed a sample of their opposite brethren, players who shouldn't have been in the Major Leagues. Has there ever been a definitive source that "celebrates" the non-accomplishments of the worst that Major League baseball has to offer?
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Swallow talk and bluebird vigilance
I assume the swallows have returned to Capistrano. They have returned to Hawthorn Hill as well.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Life in Hungry has taken a turn for the better
I can truthfully say spring has finally arrived in Hungary. It's almost time to wear shorts and sandals, for summer will be just around the corner. This brings me great happiness and great sadness, my adventure is coming to a close. Really what a time it was, I don't think I can compare it to anything else.
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The importance of speaking up ...
Over the years we have come to understand that, in writing a weekly column, it is not possible to always please everyone. And such was the case with our column that ran at the end of March in which we wrote about our experience as in inpatient following a total hip replacement.
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Public schools created
The Common School Act of 1812 marked the start of New York's public school system. Much of the credit for this was due to the radical Otsego County politician Jedediah Peck (1747-1821). To quote the NY Education Department:
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Book takes readers on path for equal rights
One of the most troubling aspects of our history is race relations. It takes a long time to achieve true equality in a society when the heritage of one ethnic group is slavery and Jim Crow laws. Even today African Americans are more likely to be stereotyped as athletes than doctors, lawyers or entrepreneurs. The path to a "color-blind" nation is still a work in progress.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Experiencing India at every new turn
Come, sit down. Hold this and, wait ... ah, there you go. Obeying these commands, I found myself seated on the pavement, wearing a turban and attempting to make sounds out of a recorder-like instrument for the black cobras in the baskets not two feet away from me.
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Passing along advice of seeing the humor
