Rowman & Littlefield
Hardcover, 2022
Nonfiction, 170 pages
A collection of iconic, unbelievable, and intimate stories from baseball history that celebrate the enduring impact of the national pastime.
Baseball—rooted as it is in tradition and nostalgia—lends itself to the retelling of its timeless tales. So it is with the stories in Classic Baseball, a collection of articles written by award-winning journalist John Rosengren and originally published by Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker, Sports on Earth, VICE Sports, and other magazines. These are stories about the game’s legends—Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Josh Gibson, Bob Feller, Frank Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Kirby Puckett—and its lesser-knowns with extraordinary stories of their own. They cover some of the game’s most famous moments, like Hank Aaron hitting No. 715, and some you’ve never heard of, like the time the Ku Klux Klan played a game against an all-Black team.
Whether it be the story of John Roseboro forgiving Juan Marichal for clubbing him in the head with a bat, Elston Howard breaking down the Yankees’ systemic racism to integrate America’s team, or the national pastime played on snowshoes during July in a remote Wisconsin town, these are stories meant to be read and read again for their poignancy, their humor, and their celebration of baseball.
What they’re saying about Classic Baseball:
John Rosengren finds both the quiet heroism and the quirky theatrics – and always the humanity – in his cast of baseball greats, near-greats, and guys who just love the game. Rosengren loves the game as well, and that passion brings to life every page in this collection of superb articles.
— James S. Hirsch, author of Willie Mays: The Life, the Legend
Classic Baseball, John Rosengren’s wonderful collection of true-to-the-bone baseball tales, reveals an artist in full control of enough writerly personae to fill an entire dugout. Rosengren is by turns an elegant stylist; evocative memoirist; provocative historian; probing investigative reporter; non-gooey nostalgist; and Sabr-matician with a soul beyond statistics. Whatever his authorial guise, Rosengren soulfully sheds new insight on baseball’s biggest themes and most intriguing crannies, in prose that glistens, well, like a perfectly cut diamond.
— Neal Karlen, author of This Thing Called Life: Prince’s Odyssey Off and On the Record
In his impressive collection, John Rosengren takes us to the four corners of the baseball world, adeptly exploring the game’s humorous, serious and poignant sides. When it comes to our national pastime, few write with such expertise, enthusiasm and understanding.
— Tim Wendel, author of Escape from Castro’s Cuba and Summer of ‘68
Like a seasoned hurler who knows exactly where he’s going to put his next pitch, John Rosengren delivers these Timeless Tales with skill, savvy, and a grace that belies the sheer amount of hard work involved. If you’re looking for a ripping baseball read, look no further.
— Dan Epstein, author of Big Hair and Plastic Grass: Baseball and America in the Swinging ‘70s
Media
Classic Baseball Tells the Mightiest Tales about the Game We Love review by Ben Abel
“The world of baseball knowledge, stories and interesting facts is so vast that one cannot simply learn everything. Classic Baseball goes a long way, though, to helping you along that road.”
Read the full review here: https://original.newsbreak.com/@ibwaa-1587524/2714780876803-classic-baseball-tells-the-mightiest-tales-about-the-game-we-love
The Baseball Doesn’t Fall Far from the Tree with Bob Hurte
Listen here: https://anchor.fm/bob-hurte/episodes/Episode-6—Interview-with-John-Rosengren-e1ebh5l
The Pandemic Baseball Book Club podcast with Tim Wendel
Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4BMrUkZEfc
DTALKS Podcast with Joe Shaw Listen here: https://dtalkspodcast.libsyn.com/episode-209-classic-baseball-ft-john-rosengren
Deborah Kalb’s Book Blog https://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2022/05/q-with-john-rosengren.html
SB Nation Purple Row review https://www.purplerow.com/2022/6/22/22992934/colorado-rockies-reconsidering-big-moments-baseball-history-classic-baseball-john-rosengren-review