The Golden Game: The Story of California Baseball

Because baseball is truly and uniquely the American pastime, you could quite possibly get a book's worth of material out of its history in all 50 states--and more than a few territories. Even Alaska used to host a Summer League, where they could play in sunlight most of the night. But Kevin Nelson mines the especially rich past of baseball in California from its earliest days as a state--in the 1850s--until its five professional franchises were all in place in 1969. Along the way he dips into the game's forays into radio, tv, and film; the last days of Ty Cobb; Jackie Robinson's emergence at UCLA; and on and on. Mr. Nelson's style is very conversational and he wends from topic to topic. If you're looking for someone to dot every "i" and cross every "t" or to give a rigid day-by-day history, he's not your man. But if you think you'd enjoy listening to a tale spinner meander around the Golden State and tell the stories that catch his fancy--accompanied by a remarkable collection of photos--this is a book you'll enjoy immensely.

The state of California has a rich baseball history and it never has been showcased any better than this book. Keven Nelson, the author looks at this history, from the Gold Rush days and the arrival of Alexander Cartwright (who may or may not have left his "baseball influence here during his brief stay in San Francisco) to a short mention of the current era, with numerous stops in between. While other books about the history of baseball in California touch upon various teams and leagues, Nelson takes a different approach, the stories of individual players like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, and Jackie Robinson, or of others like Harry Hooper and Left O'Doul, the stories of semipro teams, or Japanese and all-black teams. While there are some historical points (like the ill fated planned move of the St Louis Browns to LA after the 1941 season), the book is really the story of the individual California players, their hopes, dreams and aspirations. And also of the men who coached and encouraged these players. Another truly amazing fact to me also were the number of past and present major leaguers who either were born in California or spent a great deal of time here. This is a fascinating book, one which any "California baseball history student" will adore. Kevin Nelson has done an excellent job of chronicling the "Golden State's" involvement with baseball over the past 150 years.

This book is a wonderful blend of history and baseball. Intimate, funny, and often touching stories of how the two intersect: links between the Gold Rush and the first baseball games played, early barnstorming teams and the building of the transcontinental railroad, the simultaneous advent of the Big Leagues coming in when commercial air flight developed. Enjoyable, fascinating read. A perfect gift for a baseball or history or California fan.