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America grew rapidly after World War II, and the national pastime followed suit. Baseball dramatically changed from a 19th century pastoral relic to a continental modern sport. Six Major League clubs relocated to new cities, capped by the coast-to-coast moves of the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants. Four expansion teams were created from thin air. Dozens of black stars emerged after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. The players formed a union--higher salaries materialized.
This book tells the story of baseball's metamorphosis 1945-1962, driven by larger-than-life personalities like the bombastic Larry MacPhail, the sage Branch Rickey, the kindly Connie Mack, the quick-witted Bill Veeck and the wily Walter O'Malley--Hall of Famers all. The upheaval they sparked--and sometimes failed to control--would broaden the sport's appeal, setting the stage for tremendous growth in the half-century to come.
List of contents
Table of ContentsPreface
Prologue: Inertia
Part One: 1945-1952
¿1.¿MacPhail
Headlines: 1945
¿2.¿Rickey
¿3.¿Labor
Headlines: 1946
¿4.¿Pacific
Headlines: 1947
¿5.¿Veeck
Headlines: 1948
¿6.¿Clouds
Headlines: 1949
¿7.¿Freefall
Headlines: 1950
¿8.¿O'Malley
¿9.¿Unhappy
Headlines: 1951
10.¿Celler
11.¿Shrinking
Headlines: 1952
Part Two: 1953-1957
12.¿Milwaukee
Headlines: 1953
13.¿Disruption
14.¿Toolson
Headlines: 1954
15.¿Philadelphia
16.¿Wrigley
Headlines: 1955
17.¿Moses
18.¿Stoneham
Headlines: 1956
19.¿Griffith
20.¿Showdown
Headlines: 1957
Part Three: 1958-1962
21.¿California
22.¿Shea
23.¿Kefauver
Headlines: 1958
24.¿Chavez
25.¿Continental
26.¿Comeback
Headlines: 1959
27.¿Outlaws
Headlines: 1960
28.¿Uncertainty
29.¿Expansion
Headlines: 1961
30.¿Twilight
Headlines: 1962
Epilogue: Beyond
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
About the author
G. Scott Thomas has been a journalist for more than 40 years, specializing in coverage of business, demographics, politics, and sports. His blog, Baseball's Best (and Worst) can be read at bestworst.substack.com. He lives in Tonawanda, New York.
