During the 19th century, baseball was a game with few rules, many rowdy players and just one umpire. Dirty tricks were simply part of a winning strategy—spiking, body-blocking, cutting bases short or hiding an extra ball to be used when needed were all OK. Deliberately failing to catch a fly in order to have the game called due to darkness was also acceptable. And drinking before a game was perhaps expected. Providing brief bios of dozens of players, managers, umpires and owners, this book chronicles some of the flamboyant, unruly and occasionally criminal behavior of baseball’s early years.

Eddie Mitchell has been a baseball fan for 63 years. Upon retirement he took up his passion by being an assistant high school coach for 12 years, helping to win four state championships. He lives in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Eddie Mitchell
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 233
Bibliographic Info: 36 photos, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2018
pISBN: 978-1-4766-6487-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-2962-9
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments  vi
Preface  1
1—Unmanageable Managers  5
2—Uncontrollable Owners  18
3—Wild Pitchers  28
4—Irregular Infielders  54
5—Disorderly Outfielders  119
6—Unruly Umpires  147
7—Other Rowdies  209
Appendix: Rowdy Ballplayer Awards  215
Bibliography  217
Index  221