Description: In the early 1870s, baseball was chaos, mired in mismanagement and corruption. William Hulbert, the owner of Chicagos National Association team, believed that a league run efficiently with honest competition wouldsurvive and flourish. Hulbert, relying on his pragmatic philosophy of molasses now, vinegar later and working with his prize recruit Albert Spalding, founded the National League in 1876.
That inaugural season of the National League is chronicled in this heavily documented work. The league fell far short of Hulberts dreams in its first season, but he stuck to his belief that integrity would win out in the end. He not only prohibited Sunday baseball and the sale and consumption of alcohol within the leagues ballparks, but ousted two teamsNew York and Philadelphiafrom the league because they failed to meet their obligation to finish out the season. Despite the setbacks, scandals, and considerable opposition, all of which are thoroughly coveredhere, the National League survived its first year.
Brief description: Neil W. Macdonald has been a sports reporter, sports editor and is presently a strength training coach at a local senior center. A member of SABR, he lives in Blaine, Washington.
Review Quotes: "deeply researched history"-Sports Collectors Digest; "accessible...entertaining and instructive information...interesting...sound"-Nineteenth Century Notes.