Baseball: An Illustrated History

During the past 30 years, Voigt has established himself as perhaps the most prolific authority on the evolution of baseball. In addition to his seminal three volume history, Voigt has penned nearly a score of other books and articles for scholarly journals.When published originally in 1987, this book was the best single-volume history of the National Pastime. Baseball: An Illustrated History is a wonderful, if slightly dated, history of the Summer Game. Voigt, a sociology professor at Albright College, traces the sport from the stick-and-ball games played by Englishmen and American colonists, to the multi-billion dollar commercial enterprise of modern major league baseball. More than 400 black-and-white photographs, many seldom-seen, help illuminate Voigt's text. Some of the singular pictures include a turn-of-the-century photograph from the files of the U.S. Surgeon General's Office displaying a ball player's disfigured hands, and one of lighting engineers placing "measuring targets" in the Polo Grounds to prepare for the installation of 836 lights and night baseball. In sum, the book is balanced and concise, yet still comprehensive in its treatment of the significance of the game in American society. The major disappointment with the book is that there is nothing new. This paperback volume was published 7 years after the original edition, and it suffers for not being made current. At the conclusion of the book Voigt identifies player drug-abuse as the most visible issue facing the game; today, few fans would agree with that assessment. Consider all that has transpired since Mookie Wilson's nubber went through Bill Buckner's wickets: the dismissal of Commissioner Fay Vincent, the rebirth of minor league baseball, Pete Rose, the construction of classic-revival ballparks, the 1994-1995 player's strike, Cal Ripkin, and three divisions with expanded playoffs. At best, the lack of new material is frustrating. At worst, not updating the book impinges the credibility of its conclusions. In the book's first sentence Voigt proclaims "America's passion for baseball has endured [for 140 years], and there are no signs of diminishing ardor." In the wake of the game's recent troubles, ominous doubt's about major league baseball's future persist. Make no mistake, however; this remains a wonderful book. Baseball: An Illustrated History remains an invaluable starting place for baseball history novices, and is equally satisfying for experienced scholars.