Full Description
Few people associate baseball with Great Britain, but for a brief period in the 1930s, America's pastime nearly gained a foothold with the British populace. Though never as popular as the beloved football clubs, or even greyhound races, baseball teams like the West Ham Hammers developed intense local followings, and played some excellent baseball--in 1936, the Hammers defeated the U.S. Olympic team. The outbreak of World War II ended the rising popularity of baseball among Britons, but speculation remains that, under different circumstances, British baseball could have flourished.
This book traces the history of baseball as a popular British sport, concentrating on one particularly successful and notable team, the West Ham Hammers. It places the West Ham club within the historical context of 1930s Great Britain, and covers team management, major players (e.g., Roland Gladu, the "Canadian Babe Ruth"), and the fans, many of whom still cling fondly to faded memories of the club and West Ham Stadium. Eight appendices include team rosters, British baseball rules, and year-by-year records from 1890 to 2005.
Contents
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Preface
Introduction
1. The Netherlands
2. Italy
3. Spain
4. Belgium
5. Great Britain
6. Germany (including West Germany)
7. Russia (and the Soviet Union)
8. Sweden
9. France
10. Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia)
11. Croatia
12. The Rest of Europe: A-H
13. The Rest of Europe: I-M
14. The Rest of Europe: N-Z
15. European Baseball Championships
Appendices
A—A Brief History of European Baseball's Governing Body
B—Player Participation in Europe
C—European Countries in World Rankings
D—Medals at the European Baseball Championships
E—European Club Competitions
F—European Countries in World Events
G—Country-by-Country National Champions and Federations
H—European-Born Major Leaguers
I—Europeans Signed by MLB Organizations (1999-2018)
J—Major Leaguers in European Domestic Baseball Leagues
K—Glossary
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
