Voices from the Pastime

Over 1,500 men played major league baseball during the golden era of the 1920s, and over 850 played in the Negro Leagues during the same decade. At the end of the 20th century only about 20 of those men were still alive. The author of this work tracked down all of those players, 14 of whom were able to grant an interview. In this unique book, those 14 players, a Cuban leaguer and five former sportswriters give first person accounts of baseball in the 1920s and early 1930s. They talk of the greatest players in the history of the game--Babe Ruth, Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, Walter Johnson and Martin Dihigo--and of their own memorable careers. The personal accounts are then complemented by historical analysis from the author.

Those interviewed are major leaguers Bill Rogell, Willis Hudlin, Clyde Sukeforth, Ray Hayworth, Paul Hopkins, Bob Cremins, Frank Stewart, Karl Swanson, Mel Harder, Ben Sankey, Carl Sumner and Bill Werber; Negro leaguers Ted Radcliffe and Harold Tinker; Cuban leaguer Rodolfo Fernandez; and sportswriters Will Cloney, Fred Russell, Harold Rosenthal, Carl Lundquist and Will Grimsley.