Tagged: charlie gehringer

Characters from the Diamond-Wild, Crazy and Unique Tales from Early Baseball

I have been sticking to the theme of Pre-World War II baseball reading lately.  I have been lucky enough to find some more material about that era and  I have realized that it is a large deficiency in my baseball education.  My knowledge hole if you want to call it that, starts in the late 19th century and ends in the late 1920’s or so.  Today’s book falls right in the middle of that time frame and allows me to gain some serious knowledge of the era.


By Ronald T. Waldo-2016

Ronald T. Waldo has brought forth another winner in this era.  For fans of early baseball he has produced a compilation of some great stories of baseball’s early years.  From the games greats like Ty Cobb, and then the games not so greats like Arthur Evans, the author has regaled the reader with some very entertaining stories.  He also does go beyond just the players.  He includes Umpires, Owners and often forgotten names from this unique era in baseball history.

Characters from the Diamond paints a unique picture of what baseball was really like during its early years.  Perhaps during this era baseball was keeping more in-line with its original roots as being a form of relaxation and fun for the players and the masses.  This is in contrast to the mega business powerhouse it is today.  The picture this book paints helps keep a unique era in baseball’s history preserved in print, so as time marches on fans of the game will realize where the sport came from and how we got to where we are now at today.

Author Ronald T. Waldo has really found his niche in this era.  From his previously published books and now including this one he has undertaken measurable tasks with his books.  He is working in an era that very few players, if any are still alive.  Even people who witnessed the end of this era are few and far between, so he is trying to compile stories in the fourth and fifth person down the line.  That is a monumental task for a writer.  The pressure involved with fact checking and putting your name on the line that you got the story correct is monumental.  As one is reading Waldo’s work you get the feel that the research is thorough and you are getting the complete story.  That is both a compliment to his dedication and writing style.  This is a very hard era to make the reader feel like they are actually there, but Ronald T. Waldo pulls it off. The main reason being that between alcohol and gambling alone the game of baseball on and off of the field is such a different game than what we are used to.

Baseball fans should take the time to check this one out.  It is a great history lesson for everyone, and an era where a few laughs up until now have been hard to find.  It is also important for everyone to see where we have come from and be able to appreciate what we now have on the field.


Characters from the Diamond

Happy Reading