Ebbets Field: Brooklyn's Baseball Shrine

All the way through the regaling that Joseph McCauley works in his tale of Ebbets Field, you have an inkling of the envy you'll eventually feel when you come to finish this really great story of a truly unique time in the history of man -- when one could trust his eight-year-old daughter to her ten-year-old brother and a fistful of change, alone at a double-header in a major league ballpark, surrounded by what had become to them the family of Dose Bums and their fans! I resolved, as I put down this book, that I wished to be 50 years older, when you had a chance to be a member of that great gathering.McCauley tells the story of more than merely a structure. His is the story of a place and a time when professional ball players talked with you and you talked with them as friends and co-admirers, not combatants; when the players lived in your neighborhood and, at times, even knew you by name; when you heard not only the crack of the bat at the crack of dawn, but often the closing of the bar with some of the team, much later after the game, win of lose. As McCauley tells it, you went to Ebbets not merely to support your Dodgers but 'cause that's what there was to do 'round Brooklyn -- and what there was to do there was lots of fun!And was there a lot to do! McCauley spins the stories out nearly faster than they can be caught -- of games won and lost, championships had and missed, players coming and going and always remaining memorable, of Holy Name Society gatherings and college football matches and circuses and side shows and hot-dog venders and amateur musicians, and more variants thereon than I had thought possible, finally coming to conclusion 'midst the mess of a demolition derby preceding the demolition ball.When the grand ole' place finally meets her demise, you lament not only for what was but for all those who partook, as performers whether on the field or in the stands -- and you wish you could've been there, too!Buy this book, wade through the publisher's abysmal punctuation, and really enjoy the author's great recounting of a place and time to be envied!

Joe McCauley has researched and written a complete history of a storied and revered baseball "shrine," as he calls it. For Brooklyn Dodger fans of an earlier era, this is an invaluable chronology of the ballpark -- and the team -- over 47 unforgettable years."Ebbets Field" is written with expertise and affection, unusual qualities found together in a serious history.The book is easy to read for fans of any age, and will have special impact on all those who are old enough to remember. It is well illustrated with color and b&w photos.It's a one-of-a-kind treat. Add it to your coffee table, at least!