Crazy '08

[Archive]

Posted By: joe

I just got this book from a friend who works at Smithsonian Magazine.
Crazy '08: How a Cast of Cranks, Rogues, Boneheads, and Magnates Created the Greatest Year in Baseball History by Cait Murphy

Sounds interesting. It's also on Amazon. Haven't read it, or even looked thru it yet.

[Archive]

Posted By: John S

I just picked it up last weekend...not bad. Most of the stories are familiar to anyone who has read other works dealing with this baseball era. The author's writing style is interesting. She mixes tenses, writing much of the book in the present. The impression the reader gets is that the author has traveled back in time and is observing the events from 1908 firsthand. An interesting approach.

[Archive]

Posted By: peter chao

John,

Usually when baseball books talk about 1908 they focus on Christy Mathewson and John McGraw and how they were cheated by Evers and the Chicago Cubs. Is the author focusing on the same story. I saw the book at Borders this morning but just read the dust jacket.

Have you enjoyed the book so far. I'll probably wait for it to come out in paperback.

Peter

[Archive]

Posted By: John S

Peter,

I have enjoyed it to this point (currently on chapter 3). The author does a good job of not focusing on anyone player/team; and as stated in the previous post attempts to make the reader feel as if he/she is witnessing the events of the 1908 season first hand.

So far thumbs up!

[Archive]

Posted By: Bob

John- What is always overlooked is the wild American league pennant race that year. Does the book give equal treatment to the AL as well?
Bob

[Archive]

Posted By: John S

Bob,

I wouldn't go as far as equal treatment. Much emphasis on the Merkle situation. Looking ahead in the book there is, however, an entire chapter titled "The Other Pennant Race".

[Archive]

Posted By: Mark L

In the A.L. that year, the Tigers played 153 games and won 90 while losing 63. The Indians played 154 games and won 90 while losing 64. Why didn't the Tigers have to play the 154th game? How did they manage to claim the league championship with a 1/2 game lead?

[Archive]

Posted By: John S

Just finished...a very interesting and well-written book. Murphy paints an excellent picture of early 20th century America while telling the story of the 1908 season.

[Archive]

Posted By: Howard W. Rosenberg

The book even goes back to the 1880s to take a few shots at the Capster, using arguments that my '06 (that's 2006) Anson bio refuted, such as that Anson kept a big league team from signing a black player in 1887. Murphy used the same after-the-fact sources that a parade of books have used, while mine used original articles from 1886 and 1887 from Newark and Jersey City. By the way, in the hullabaloo today, there is a vintage piece by yours truly in Trenton; see

http://www.nj.com/sports/times/index.ssf?/base/sports-3/1176609992170630.xml&coll=5

And ESPN is holding its own today in adding less-than-definitive (plain wrong?) info about 19th-century baseball:

At the top of the 1 p.m. hour, "The Blitz" ran a graphic for about 60 combined seconds that states, "60 years ago today Jackie Robinson became first black man to play in MLB."

My running theory with the world of ESPN is everything revolves around film reels or videotape. No videotape of the 19th century? Well, then, to ESPN, it's substandard history.

[Archive]

Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Ahhh for ESPN, 19th century does not exist, no video of it.

[Archive]

Posted By: Pcelli60

In 1981 G H Fleming published 'The Unforgettable Season' about 08'. Wonderful book! No mention at all of the A.L race..As interesting yes, but not missed..I will buy this new book tomorrow if its at my local Borders..

[Archive]

Posted By: peter chao

Christy Mathewson and Iron Joe Mcginnty other pitching combos that come to mind.

Peter

[Archive]

Posted By: Pcelli60

Howard, ESPN has been very spotty with the 'facts' with many issues concerning baseball. From Anson to Robinson, the actuals are just a mere technicality..

[Archive]

Posted By: anthony

hey john,

i'm sure that there are a couple (specifically 2) guys on this board that will say its poor grammar on the author's part and not a writing styly...i'll have to pick up that book one of these days