Roadside Baseball: Uncovering Hidden Treasures From Our National Pastime [Paperback]

For many, baseball is almost akin to a religion in America. Many undertake the pilgrimage to all the Major League ballparks, but Epting has created the ultimate cultural tour of history that goes far beyond these parks. Sure, anyone can go to see where Babe Ruth hit his final home run, but would we know where to go to see where he hit his first (or as Epting makes the distinction, where he hit his first professional home run, and where he hit his first professional home run in a regular season game)? No event escapes Epting for potential inclusion in this journey into our heritage. Each site is identified with an address, often a photo and an explanation of why it is important to note. But also, Epting's book can serve as a warning to us. So many of the important sites from the early years of baseball have been lost; they have become the victims of "progress." He takes the time to try and show us where historic fields are, but too often they are fully tossed aside, with an apartment building, or a parking lot now occupying the spaces where the pioneers played and set our early records. For each ballpark that has been lovingly restored or kept in good condition, there are two that have become lost to the wrecking ball. This is one of the ways that Epting's book should open up our eyes to prevent further loss of our sports history in the name of progress. Someone like Epting helps make sure that we never forget, even if others have. Put this in your glove box, and find a bit of our national pastime history across the country.

I found this book very enjoyable. It is 288 pages of baseball monuments from all over the United States. Each historic baseball artifact and locale is given a brief and concise description. It was interesting to see which region was famous for who or for what. The book covers alot of ground and has introduced me to many new topics within baseball, and led me in search of other books covering the various players and places that i have read about here. I really enjoyed it.

I cannot remember enjoying a baseball book this much. It focuses on hundreds of historic baseball landmarks, and the breadth of places is fascinating. There are all of the classic former ballpark sites like the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field, complete with a description and photos of what is there now. Dozens of baseball museums I never knew existed, historically placed markers identifying famous homeruns by Babe Ruth, the home of Connie Mack, sacred baseball burial grounds and much more. I cannot believe how much I learned from this book (and I have studied the game for a long time). Some fine detective work here--like where Lou Gehrig really played his last game, the birthsite of Jackie Robinson, and where Babe Ruth pitched a notable yet obscure game against Walter Johnson in California. Lots of historic Negro League sites, too--for we baseball fans who love the road and who love history, this is our ultimate guide and I've never seen anything like it.