Baseball Barnstorming and Exhibition Games, 1901-1962 - by Thomas Barthel (Paperback)

About the Book

Baseball postseason barnstorming is a phenomenon specific to baseball and to American sports. By the author's count there have been a minimum of 1,561 games that had been scheduled from 19011962. Exhibition games added even more liveliness to this postseason hubbub of activity. Sometimes in baseball the term "barnstorming" was used to mean that movement north (or east) from spring training in Florida and Texas and California, stopping for games at a number of small towns and lesser cities. So the "barn-" part of the word was used to emphasize the rural aspect of the games. The "-storm" part was used to describe the speed of the movement from game to game. For the players, an aspect of the trip north was simply more games played without their being paid for them.

Book Synopsis

Until 1947, professional ball players were paid only from opening day to season's end. Even during the season, a lot of their expenses came out of their own pockets. Even the best-paid players had trouble making ends meet. One answer to their money woes was barnstorming--tours out of season. Cities lacking their own major league teams were happy to host big-league players for such events, as well as for special exhibition games whose proceeds sometimes went to local charities.

Here is a history of barnstorming and exhibition games from 1901 (when both of the two current major leagues began operating) through 1962 (when a team led by Willie Mays was unsuccessful in its attempt at a tour, signaling an end to true barnstorming). Decade by decade, it covers the teams, the games, and the players for a detailed look at how barnstorming and exhibition brought big-league baseball to the backyard ballparks of America.

Review Quotes

"informative...fills huge voids in baseball information...a terrific research job"-Sports Collectors Digest.

About the Author

Thomas Barthel, a professor emeritus in the State University of New York system, has written nine books on subjects ranging from the Civil War, to baseball history to civil engineering. He lives in Clinton, New York.