tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985668569918053928.post4908471890523079363..comments2024-01-24T05:19:09.805-06:00Comments on This Game Of Games: Greener Pastures: Joe Blong And The Collapse Of The 1875 St. Louis Red StockingsJeffrey Kittelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02367989375750209078noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985668569918053928.post-26322705010519655512008-03-25T16:11:00.000-05:002008-03-25T16:11:00.000-05:00Ryczek deserves credit for writing about a period ...Ryczek deserves credit for writing about a period that had been neglected, but the overly narrow focus on the "major" clubs means his books don't age well. And yes, the writing style is not the most gripping.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985668569918053928.post-45271936754150824922008-03-25T14:03:00.000-05:002008-03-25T14:03:00.000-05:00The question of what happened to the Reds in July ...The question of what happened to the Reds in July 1875, when they're "disappeared" from the histories, is what really started me doing all of this. Just a nominal bit of research showed that the club didn't break up or cease to be. Other than the loss of a few players, the press at the time didn't take note of anything monumental happening to the club. It's only in retrospect, when looking at the history of Major League Baseball, that these events take on any importance.<BR/><BR/>As far as Ryczek goes, I love that quote of his about the Reds. It's a nice turn of phrase and it amuses me to no end. In general, though, while I respect the man and the work that he's done, I find him to be rather unreadable. I can't really put my finger on it (and it may just be a matter of taste) but if I'm having difficulty falling asleep all I have to do is pick up Blackguards or Johnny and I'm out like a light. It's a shame because I really want to like those books.Jeffrey Kittelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02367989375750209078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5985668569918053928.post-78393963228129027922008-03-25T09:18:00.000-05:002008-03-25T09:18:00.000-05:00Very interesting post. We tend to know much more ...Very interesting post. We tend to know much more about club origins and about their good times than we do about their collapses. Part of the collapse was the loss of interest by newspapers. So it is good to see the story of the Reds of 1875.<BR/><BR/>As for Ryczek's analysis, he suffers from the usual lapse of baseball histories of conflating "baseball" with "major league baseball". It is as if all but a handful of clubs simply disappeared. I have been pounding the drum for some time now that if we want to really understand the business of baseball in the 1870s we have to include nominally amateur clubs in the discussion. Your point about the Reds honorable history is very much on point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com