Reviews for Around Auburn, New York (Images of America Series)

The average rating for Around Auburn, New York (Images of America Series) based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2017-03-28 00:00:00 Cherri Sandler The World Series Returns To Washington, D.C., tonight, October 25, 2019 for the first time since 1933. Washington D.C. Baseball Before The Nationals When Washington, D.C. acquired the Washington Nationals prior to the 2005 season, the nation's capital had been without major league baseball for 33 years. Written in 2002 while the city remained without baseball, "Baseball in Washington, D.C." captures the city's relationship with baseball over the prior century. The book is written by sports writers Frank Ceresi and Mark Rucker with the assistance of researcher Carol McMains. It is a photographic history in the "Images of America" series and, as the authors point out, is not intended as a definitive history of Washington D.C. baseball. The book is enjoyable and nostalgic as it takes the reader through a guided tour of baseball in Washington D.C. It begins with a chapter describing Washington's early baseball teams from 1850 -- 1900, focusing on -- no surprise here -- a team called the Washington Nationals. The discussion features photographs of forgotten players, stadiums, and baseball memorabilia with a good running commentary. The Nationals were not asked to join the National League upon its formation in 1900. In fact, the League bought the team only to disband it. When the American League was formed the following year, Washington D.C. began its long relationship with the Washington Senators. The original Washington Senators team receives most of the attention in this book, especially in the team's best years before 1930. The Senators won their only World Series in 1924, while winning American League Pennants in 1925 and 1933. The book focuses on many of the players of the early years, while concentrating on "The Big Train", Walter Johnson, who won 416 games in his career, spent entirely with the Senators, for clubs that often were mediocre. The book also show many photographs of other players, well known and obscure from the early years of the team. Subsequent chapters describe the falling fortunes of the Senators during the 1930's and 1940's. The book also gives substantial attention to the Homestead Grays of the Negro League. The authors state that the Grays "may well have been the greatest professional ball club ever assembled" and their account of the team focuses on catcher Josh Gibson, who may well have been "the greatest power hitter of all time." The book offers photographs of many players of the Senators and the Grays and documents their changing fortunes through the 1940s. By the 1950's the Negro League was no more and the Senators went into a long decline. They left Washington, D.C. in 1961. The book offers a good portrayal of the teams last decade, focusing on stars such as slugger Harmon Killebrew, Mickey Vernon and pitcher Camillo Pascual. From 1961 -- 1971, Washington had a second Senators team before it also left the city for Texas. Baseball wise, these were lean years, although Ted Williams briefly managed the team near the end. The team still had some high marks, including Frank Howard, and the durable pitcher, Dick Bosnan. A final chapter in the book shows political involvement in baseball over the years while also suggesting the strong presence of the game at the school and amateur levels. The resumption of baseball with the Nationals is beyond the scope of this book, but it gives a good, enjoyable earlier history. The book will be of interest to readers with an interest in Washington D.C. local history and in the history of its professional baseball teams. Robin Friedman

Review # 2 was written on 2013-12-23 00:00:00 James Fesler A pictorial history of baseball in Washington DC. Interesting for most baseball fans even if you don't root for the Washington team.