played in the 1920s against a under-examined subject in
club from Oxboro Heath, later baseball history.
home of Metropolitan Stadium The book covers the entire and the Mall of America. In history of major league addition, the author has baseball, and as such, only a included team rosters for the fraction of the ballplayers regions significant black teams Walters discusses are from the from 1920 up to the time of Deadball Era. Rube Waddell is integration, as well of a list of described at length as the first African American and Latino of baseballs Rubes (In 1946, players who graced the lineups the Old Timers Committee of Minnesotas minor league elected him to the Hall of clubs. Fame, Walters writes. Were Whites prose is precise and he alive, he might have run off economical and his narrative to a fishing hole the day of the unfolds in an easy-to-follow, induction). Other Deadball- chronological fashion. He Era Rubes, Hall of Famers includes as well several Marquard and Foster receive sidebars that provide addi- THE LOW SELF- less attention. Walters also tional information about ESTEEM CLUB: THE spotlights free-spirited pitcher players and squads not covered STORIES BEHIND Bugs Raymond of the Giants, in the main text. The book is BASEBALLS MOST and the book has entries on beautifully designed and UNFLATTERING near-contemporaries Baldy illustrated with over seventy- NICKNAMES Louden, Crazy Schmit and five images, including several Noodles Hahn. never before seen photographs By C. Terry Walters Players with ethnically from the authors personal 2016, Terremoto Grande offensive or politically collection. Clocking in at a Publishing incorrect nicknames receive modest 194 pages, Frank [ISBN: 978-0983328537. 260 their own chapter. For Whites They Played for the pp. $14.95 USD. Paperback] example, we are introduced to Love of the Game is a loving, three players nicknamed Nig, informative look at a Reviewed by including Deadball-Era catcher significant, if obscure, slice of Andrew Milner Nig Clarke. Walters also details baseball history and would be a ajmilner@comcast.net the disputed account of welcome addition to any sports Clarkes eight-homer minor fans library. The main thrust of this book, league game in 1902. Another Todd Peterson is a Kansas author C. Terry Walters writes chapter focuses on players City-based baseball historian, in the introduction to his new whose nicknames were simply visual artist, and educator. He book, is to explore the Word Play, including Yo-Yo is a past recipient of a uncomplimentary, and Davalillo, Hippity Hopp and Yoseloff-SABR Baseball sometimes insulting, Bob Ach Duliba. In another Research Grant, and has twice nicknames that players chapter (titled We Dont Need won the Normal Tweed embraced or tolerated. Hes No Stinking Nicknames), Webb Lifetime Achievement published a book with a Walters highlights players with Award for outstanding somewhat awkward title, but it offbeat first names and research. is nonetheless a well-written surnames such as Orval and exceptionally well- Overall, Angel Bravo, Lu Blue, researched volume about an and Urban Shocker (the
Page 19 - The Inside Game - Vol. XVII, No. 2
pitcher with a name that scattered throughout the text. sounds like a movie tagline). If the book has a major thematic drawback, it might be Walters does a thorough job that Walters doesnt analyze explaining the derivation of why derogatory nicknames each players nickname. For gradually fell out of favor in the example, we are told Lewis national pastime (Bill James, Pessano Dickerson debuting in his Historical Abstract, in 1878, he was MLBs first wrote that the nastier baseball Italian-American received nicknames in the World War II the nickname Buttercup era were reserved for the 4-F because he liked flowers, while players, not the ballplayers 19 th century contemporary who saw military action). Is it Elton Chamberlain got because unpleasant nicknames christened Ice Box for the have declined throughout coolness of his clutch pitching. society in general, or do todays Walters also devotes one athletes -- armed with seven- chapter to players whose and eight-figure annual nicknames cant be sufficiently salaries, agents, and Twitter/ explained. Earle Neale (later a THE LIFE, TIMES, AND Instagram accounts -- simply Pro Football Hall of Famer) TRAGIC DEATH OF control their public images in a became Greasy either PITCHER WIN way that major leaguers 75 to because he worked as a grease MERCER: 100 years ago could not? boy in his youth or due to his A BASEBALL running down the football field Those caveats aside, The Low BIOGRAPHY as if he was greased. You Self-Esteem Club is a quick, make the call, reader. enjoyable read. While little of By Jimmy Keenan the book specifically deals with The author approaches the 2016, CreateSpace Deadball-Era baseball, fans of subject matter with precisely Independent Publishing the period will appreciate the right touch. Walters Platform Walters thorough research and observes that most players [ISBN: 9781539949053. enthusiasm for the topic, and nicknamed Skeeter played in 182pp. $12.95 USD. the book would make an the early 20th century, then Paperback] excellent addition to general notes that William Henry libraries. Reviewed by Skeeter Barnes entered the bigs in 1983: The truth is, Andrew Milner joined SABR in Paul Browne Barnes never had the chance to 1984 and has written for The browne@echoes.net pick his own name; his Mom SABR Review of Books and the declared him to be a Skeeter 2013 convention issue of The George Barclay Win Mercer shortly after birth. When your National Pastime. He is also was one of a series of early ball mother lies in a hospital bed editing a chapter of the players who died under after surviving the pains of Deadball Era Committees mysterious circumstances. The labor and childbirth, you are forthcoming World Series story of Win Mercer may not going to be a Skeeter if that is book. Andrew was a regular be the best known of these but what she decides you will be. contributor to the Philadelphia its status as a still unsolved City Paper when it closed two cold case makes it very As The Low Self-Esteem Club interesting. Author Jimmy years ago, and he lives and is self-published, there are a Keenan well knows Mercers works in the Philadelphia few typos and misspellings story and tells it in a very region.