1939: Baseball's Tipping Point

... Show More
Baseball has never had a more important year than 1939, when events and people came together to reshape the game like never before. The author explains why that special year proved to be absolutely pivotal for our national pastime and its greatest heroes, as baseball's golden age met its modern era. Every chapter stands alone as a separate vignette, yet all intertwine to convey baseball's magic. Expert commentary, eyewitness reports, and candid facts uncovered through years of research illustrate how the role models of 1939 have stood the test of time as authentic heroes. Gehrig, DiMaggio, Williams, Feller, and Paige stand tall as men of remarkable achievement on the field, while events off the field-the grand opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the debut of baseball on television, and the formation of Little League Baseball-solidify 1939's landmark stature in history.

Community Reviews

Rating(4.5 / 5.0, 2 votes)
5 stars
1(50%)
4 stars
1(50%)
3 stars
0(0%)
2 stars
0(0%)
1 stars
0(0%)
2 reviews All reviews
April 26,2025
... Show More
I never really thought of 1939 as being such an important time in the sport of baseball but I was wrong.....and how. The author puts together the stories and anecdotes of what made 1939 such a pivotal year in stand alone chapters which allows the reader to enjoy it at leisure.

Just some examples of the history of this year are:
* Opening the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown
* All games being announced on radio
* Lou Gehrig's farewell speech once he was diagnosed with ALS
* Active movement toward baseball racial integration.

And those are just for starters. The reader gets a taste of the real game of baseball before labor strife and steroid use were problems. It wasn't perfect but it reminds us why we love the game and always will. A baseball fan's dream read.
Leave a Review
You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.