George B. Kirsch

Baseball was on the fast track to becoming the national pastime before the Civil War broke out. Despite a slowdown during the war's early going, the sport regained traction, finding popularity on the battlefront, where soldiers played ball between skirmishes, while becoming a mainstay of entertainment for those at home. This book chronicles baseball's evolution, the players and the Civil War's impact on the sport.

A quick & must read which gives an understanding of the ealy years of the game - explains differences between townball & NY ball. Helps explain the reasons that the NY style gained popularity & was played throughout the regions of the USA. small refernce to Johnson's Island.

Being a partially successful attempt to explain why baseball became the United States' bat-and-ball game instead of cricket. The book is academic; any reader for whom the subject has an intrinsic interest will find the story fascinating, but others will not. A short explanation of cricket (if such a thing is possible) would have helped the reader's understanding of the topics to follow.

One of the many classics on sports history in the 1980s.