General Sports

Baseball's long and storied history in Los Angeles has been played at venues including the turn-of-the-century Chutes Park, which was part of an amusement park, as well as Gilmore Field, where the Hollywood Stars played, and Wrigley Field, where many movies and television shows were filmed. The 1923-vintage Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum became the Dodgers' first home in California in 1958, when they moved from Brooklyn. Greater Los Angeles also featured professional baseball at Olive Memorial Stadium in Burbank, Brookside Park in Pasadena, on Catalina Island, plus at numerous diamonds throughout Orange and Riverside Counties, where legends including Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and Connie Mack appeared. Most fans know Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium, but many other historic ballparks existed in Southern California. Their images are collected together here for the first time.

No ballpark in Philadelphia was more revered than the one at Twenty-first Streetand Lehigh Avenue. A must-have for fans of Philadelphia and baseball history!

Originally called Shibe Parkand later Connie Mack Stadium, America's first steel-and concrete stadium opened in 1909. When it closed in 1970, it had earned a special place in the hearts and minds of Philadelphia sports fans. Home of the Athleticsfor 46 years, the Philliesfor 32 and a half seasons, and the Eaglesfor 18 years, it was also the site of many boxing matches, Negro Leaguebaseball games, and college and high school baseball and football games. Over the years, as the area developed, Shibe Parkbecame known for its obstructed views, delicious hot dogs, Sunday curfews, absence of beer, and boobirds. Along with memorable teams and games, the ballpark played host to eight World Seriesand two All-Star Games.

Join Rich Westcott, baseball writer, historian, author and president of the Philadelphia Sports Writers' Association, as he gathers archival photos capturing this legendary stadium's exciting history.

Rising among the factories and body shops off Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, Shea Stadium became the home of the New York Mets in 1964. Named after William A. Shea, the New York attorney responsible for bringing baseball back to the Big Apple after the departure of the Giants and the Dodgers, Shea Stadium has been the setting for many of the game's greatest moments. Able to be converted from a baseball diamond into a football fi eld, the ballpark was home to the New York Jets from 1964 until 1983. From its opening in 1964 for the world's fair to the unforgettable Beatles concert to the 1969 Miracle Mets, this book covers the history of Shea Stadium through its inception and up to the creation of the new modern-day Citi Field, which the
Mets will call home in 2009.

In June 1967, Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey declared Fenway Park outdated and stated that without help from the city for a new ballpark, he would consider moving his team. That same year, an impossible dream came true as the 100-1 underdog Red Sox won the pennant and a record-setting 1.7 million fans visited Fenway. Since then, approximately 110 million fans have watched the Red Sox play at what is now called "America's Most Beloved Ballpark." While Fenway Park was once known for simply resembling a warehouse, its nearby streets now hold a baseball festival every game. Those festivals have grown to include concerts, hockey, soccer, and high school football. The exterior walls of the park extoll the accomplishments of each Red Sox World Championship team and fly the banners of Red Sox Hall of Famers since the team's birth in 1901. Red Sox bronzed immortals stand watch at the entrance to Gate B.

Baseball came to St. Louis before the dawn of the major leagues. It was a gentleman's game, a simple summer pastime, and its popularity grew as the city evolved. Local amateur teams proliferated, and interest in forming a team of professionals resulted in two such St. Louis teams in 1875, the Brown Stockings and the Red Stockings. The Browns and Reds played their home games at separate parks, the Grand Avenue Grounds and Red Stockings Park. The first fully professional game of baseball held in St. Louis took place at the latter. Very few modern fans are aware of this, or of these parks' locations. Moreover, there was a time early in the twentieth century when St. Louis supported not just two, but three major league teams, each with its own ballpark. This book is intended as a keepsake of the stadiums and playing fields of St. Louis' baseball past.

Since 1962, the inspiring architecture and sweeping vistas of Dodger Stadium have inspired millions of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball fans. What team president Walter O Malley envisioned nearly half a century ago endures as one of professional baseball s most striking pieces of architecture, standing in the shadow of the dramatic San Gabriel Mountains. Dodger Stadium is also one of only two such parks built during the 20th century constructed entirely with private funds. Most people think of the stadium as a world-class baseball park, and Dodger Stadium has certainly earned such a reputation, hosting eight World Series, an All-Star contest, and hundreds of action-filled games through the years, during which the Dodgers won eight National League championships and four World Series. But the stadium has been much more than a sporting ground, hosting Olympic ceremonies and events, a papal visit from John Paul II in 1987, and world-renowned musical events, ranging from Elton John to KISS to The Three Tenors. Other events have included ski-jumping competitions, boxing, and a Harlem Globetrotters basketball exhibition. For four years in the 1960s the stadium was also used by the Los Angeles Angels baseball team.

The Chicago White Sox opened Comiskey Park on July 1, 1910. Their owner, Charles Comiskey, wanted a new, modern, park made of steel and concrete to replace the old South Side Park. Comiskey Park was the home of the White Sox for the next 80 years, and over 72 million fans saw games there. This book recounts the history of the storied ballpark and the great events and ballplayers that made it famous. The Sox won all three World Series games played at Comiskey in 1917, the year of their only championship. It was followed two years later by the infamous Black Sox Scandal. In 1960, then owner Bill Veeck, one of the great innovators in the game's history, installed the first exploding scoreboard in center field. Starting in 1969, Comiskey had a unique playing field for several years; artificial turf on the infield, and natural grass in the outfield. Comiskey Park last hosted the World Series in 1959, when the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Sox four games to two. All-star players and fan favorites always made a trip to Comiskey worthwhile, and the Sox have fielded their share of Hall-of-Famers through the years, including Luke Appling, Nellie Fox, Eddie Collins, Luis Aparicio, and Carlton Fisk.

This book takes you on a visual tour of baseball in the Motor City from the beginning of the Tigers franchise to the historic final game played at Tiger Stadium.

Michigan and Trumbull was the address for professional baseball in Detroit for 104 seasons. From 1896 when Bennett Park opened, until the last game at Tiger Stadium in 1999, Michigan and Trumbull was the most famous street corner in Michigan. In this book, you will find Tiger legends Cobb, Gehringer, Greenberg, Kaline, Lolich, Trammell, and others, many captured in never before published photographs.

One Hundred stories from the last century that salute the legacy of Wrigley Field and its beloved Cubs.

Charge through the turnstiles of this collection of personal stories about baseball's greatest ballpark and the sacred space it occupies in the hearts of Cubs fans and the soul of Wrigleyville. With contributors like Bob Costas, Rick Sutcliffe and Steve Stone, these 100 stories reflect the variety of millions of Cubs fans around the world, from those whose relationship with the Friendly Confines has lasted a lifetime to those who are taking their seats up close to the ivy for the very first time.