Diamonds in the Coalfields

Between 1876 and 1960, nearly 100 northeastern Pennsylvanians played, managed, coached or umpired in the major leagues. Many were the sons of immigrant coal miners and living and working conditions in America were quite different from what they had been used to. Baseball became an important part of the assimilation process and it thrived as a church-sponsored form of recreation and entertainment for the coal miners and their families. This work explores the childhood, and minor and major league experiences of Christy Mathewson, Stan Coveleski, Stanley “Bucky” Harris, Hughie Jennings, Ed Walsh, Nestor Chylak, Joe Bolinsky, Jake Daubert, John “Buck” Freeman, Mike Gazella, Pete Wyshner, John Edward Murphy, Steve O’Neill, John Picus, Joe “Lefty” Shaute, Steve Bilko, Harry Dorish, Bob Duliba, Joe “Professor” Ostrowski, and Stan Pawloski—21 players, managers, and umpires who exemplify the great talent, dedication, humility, and hardship that many northeastern Pennsylvanians experienced.

William C. Kashatus, a lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania is a historian at the Chester County Historical Society in West Chester. A regular contributor to the Philadelphia Daily News, he is also the author of Mike Schmidt (2000), Connie Mack’s ’29 Triumph (1999) and One Armed Wonder: Pete Gray, Wartime Baseball, and the American Dream (1995).

William C. Kashatus

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 183
Bibliographic Info: photos, tables, notes, appendix, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2002
pISBN: 978-0-7864-1176-4
eISBN: 978-0-7864-8378-5
Imprint: McFarland

• “an enjoyable and well-researched study…captivating”—Nine
• “a solid piece of history about a subject that up to now has been fragmented…Kashatus skillfully brings this era back to life”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
• “an indepth look at 21 players, managers and umpires…who helped shape the past…delves into the game’s roots…a gem to be treasured by any baseball fan hungry to learn about the game’s past”—The Sunday Times (Scranton, Pennsylvania)