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Robert Peterson

Only the Ball Was White: A History of Legendary Black Players and All-Black Professional Teams Paperback – April 30, 1992

by Robert Peterson (Author)

(210)

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Early in the 1920s, the New York Giants sent a scout to watch a young Cuban play for Foster's American Giants, a baseball club in the Negro Leagues. During one at-bat this talented slugger lined a ball so hard that the rightfielder was able to play it off the top of the fence and throw Christobel Torrienti out at first base. The scout liked what he saw, but was disappointed in the player's appearance. "He was a light brown," recalled one of Torrienti's teammates, "and would have gone up to the major leagues, but he had real rough hair." Such was life behind the color line, the unofficial boundary that prevented hundreds of star-quality athletes from playing big-league baseball.

When Only the Ball Was White was first published in 1970, Satchel Paige had not yet been inducted into the Hall of Fame and there was a general ignorance even among sports enthusiasts of the rich tradition of the Negro Leagues. Few knew that during the 1930s and '40s outstanding black teams were playing regularly in Yankee Stadium and Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. And names like Cool Papa Bell, Rube Foster, Judy Johnson, Biz Mackey, and Buck Leonard would bring no flash of smiling recognition to the fan's face, even though many of these men could easily have played alongside Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Hack Wilson, Lou Gehrig--and shattered their records in the process. Many baseball pundits now believe, for example, that had Josh Gibson played in the major leagues, he would have surpassed Babe Ruth's 714 home runs before Hank Aaron had even hit his first. And the great Dizzy Dean acknowledged that the best pitcher he had ever seen was not Lefty Grove or Carl Hubbell, but rather "old Satchel Paige, that big lanky colored boy."

In Only the Ball Was White, Robert Peterson tells the forgotten story of these excluded ballplayers, and gives them the recognition they were so long denied. Reconstructing the old Negro Leagues from contemporary sports publications, accounts of games in the black press, and through interviews with the men who actually played the game, Peterson brings to life the fascinating period that stretched from shortly after the Civil War to the signing of Jackie Robinson in 1947. We watch as the New York Black Yankees and the Philadelphia Crawfords take the field, look on as the East-West All-Star lineups are announced, and listen as the players themselves tell of the struggle and glory that was black baseball. In addition to these vivid accounts, Peterson includes yearly Negro League standings and an all-time register of players and officials, making the book a treasure trove of baseball information and lore.

A monumental and poignant book, Only the Ball Was White reminds us that what was often considered the "Golden Age" of baseball was also the era of Jim Crow. It is a book that must be read by anyone hoping not only to understand the story of baseball, but the story of America.

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Print length

416 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Oxford University Press
Publication date

April 30, 1992
Dimensions

8.59 x 5.48 x 1 inches
ISBN-10

9780195076370
ISBN-13

978-0195076370

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] thorough, well-documented book....A worthy and fascinating addition to anyone's baseball library."--The New York Times Book Review

"Peterson...[is] to be congratulated not only for an original subject but an excellent book for anyone who enjoys reading baseball history."--The Sporting News

"Filled with the fascination that comes from discovering an unknown, complex, forgotten continent."--Newsweek

"Fascinating....One of the truly important sociological contributions to the growing literature of baseball."--The Washington Post Book World

"Highly recommended."--Library Journal

Book Description

The first full history of the old Negro League and great black players such as Josh Gibson, Buck Leonard, and Satchel Paige

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0195076370
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 30, 1992
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780195076370
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195076370
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.59 x 5.48 x 1 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #92,958 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #123 in Baseball (Books)
- #350 in African American Demographic Studies (Books)
Customer Reviews:
(210)

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Customer reviews

210 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book to be an excellent introduction to Negro Leagues Baseball, with one review noting it covers the subject from start to finish. The book's readability receives positive feedback, with one customer describing it as a must-read for baseball enthusiasts. The information quality receives mixed reactions, with some finding it very informative while others note it contains too much detail.

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9 customers mention readability, 8 positive, 1 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable to read, with one mentioning it's a must-read for baseball enthusiasts.

...They were very interested. Great read.Read more

Enjoyed this book.Read more

...I am enjoying the read.Read more

...I'ts a must read for anyone who loves baseball....Read more

7 customers mention history, 6 positive, 1 negative

Customers appreciate the book's coverage of Negro League baseball, with one customer noting it covers the subject from start to finish.

The book is on a a fascinating subject but is poorly organized and tedious beyond belief....Read more

...-great uncle is listed in this book and I found it to be a significant piece of history for my family and me.Read more

...Instead, I got a true history of the negro teams that used to exist in the US as well as a list of the legendary players at the end....Read more

...This book covers Negro League baseball from start to finish. I'ts a must read for anyone who loves baseball....Read more

3 customers mention information quality, 2 positive, 1 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the information quality of the book, with some finding it very informative while others note it contains too much detail.

I found this book to be very informative. I knew hardly nothing about the Negroe Leagues before reading this....Read more

...Way too much detail about long ago games and leagues, and less analysis, background or even interesting anecdotes....Read more

...Very informative, and at times engaging. As for the seller, no issues, great experience.Read more

Top reviews from the United States

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P. Sheehy
Very satisfied
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2019
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Not the best written book, but this early history of the Negro Leagues came out in the early 70s, and features many interviews with some of the best players who never got a shot at the majors. Very informative, and at times engaging.

As for the seller, no issues, great experience.

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One person found this helpful

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Catherine Carlson
Great gift for history buffs
Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2025
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
My grandson loved it

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Milt Fritz
Excellent book, you will learn a lot from this book.
Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2014
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I'am a big baseball fan and I am very interested in the history of the Negro Leagues . This book covers Negro League baseball from start to finish. I'ts a must read for anyone who loves baseball. Some of the greatest players never got the regognition theydeserved and were subjected to unbelievable prejudice and hardship.

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12 people found this helpful

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Eric V. Moye
Want to know the Game? Don't forget this book.
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2000
Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
There are dozens of books written on the Game. This one is essential to a full understanding of Baseball.
Of course, it has gaps. As it explains, there was seldom an official scorer, so we will never know exactly how many home runs Josh Gibson hit, or how many games Satchel Paige won. Nonetheless this is an outstanding compendium of research.
But is does tell us of some of the great and heretofore unknowns of the game. It tells how Rube Foster helped create an institution in which African Americans could take pride.
Want to know the only man to hit a fair ball out of Yankee Stadium? Check out the answer here in this book.

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5 people found this helpful

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G. Ivanson
Only the Ball was White
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
Great baseball book

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Jeanette Remily
Learned a lot
Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2012
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I found this book to be very informative. I knew hardly nothing about the Negroe Leagues before reading this. A couple of my students used some of the material for their projects. They were very interested. Great read.

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One person found this helpful

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JAMES E. RITCHIE
fantastic and interesting reading
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2021
Verified Purchase
didn,t know Ted Williams had a part in helping league get reecognition

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2 people found this helpful

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Nathan Blunck
More than I bargained for
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2013
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
I was expecting articles on all the great black ballplayers of the past. Instead, I got a true history of the negro teams that used to exist in the US as well as a list of the legendary players at the end. If you love baseball history, you need to read this book.

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15 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Larry Wood
A Good One to be Cherished
Reviewed in Canada on October 30, 2016
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

The various historical accounts and biographies of the players of the 'Negro' baseball leagues are mostly, sadly, essentially lore. They didn't keep records in the way the Major Leagues did. Many of the stories died with the players.That being the case, this book is a good as any of them. A valid effort to be sure.

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Amazon Customer
Gave it as a gift
Reviewed in Canada on September 5, 2019
Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
The person I gave it to said it was a good read

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