Rating: 
Summary: An amazing first-hand look back at America's Pastime.
Review: It has been a long time since I read this book, but no other book on baseball or even on America during the first half of the century revealed so much about our character. Told by those who played at the time, it is an astonishingly literary work, with a rythym much like the game itself. A slow ride that somehow takes you in. the best baseball book I have ever read, by far
Rating:
Summary: The Best Baseball Book I have ever read
Review: It doesn't get much better than this. And I've read most of the top books in this field. If you have an interest in Baseball -- and want to read about the sport when it was really a "game" try this book. The book is truly told by the men who played the game in the early 1900's -- as transcribed in oral history fashion -- one chapter devoted to each player. Ritter brings to life players that most of us have always read about (Ruth, Cobb and Walter Johnson) and many more greats from that era -- Harry Hooper, Paul Waner, Rube Marquard, and Goose Goslin. (And yes, the author is my Uncle, but the book is STILL a great one!)
Rating:
Summary: Revel in "The Glory of Their Times"!
Review: I've been a baseball fan for as long as I can remember (40+ years) and have read a number of great baseball books during that span. "The Glory of Their Times" certainly ranks with any of them. Lawrence Ritter traveled the countryside in the 1960's to interview and record the thoughts of some of baseball's greats from the early 20th Century. His goal was simple: record the anecdotes and thoughts from these great players before it was too late. He definitely achieved his goal.
Ritter allows the players to do the "writing" of the book by just holding the microphone in place and editing the volumes of information that he gathered from these former stars. Most of the names (Waner, Greenberg, Goslin, Wood) will be familar to baseball fans, but even the obscure (Leach, Austin, Lobert, Torpocer) are given their due. The stories don't just revolve around the baseball careers of these players. Snippets of what life was like in our country between the two great wars can be found here as well. In that regard, any reader who appreciates history or good human interest stories will enjoy "The Glory of Their Times" as well.
The photos that accompany the book are just as impressive as the stories themselves. There are a number of pictures of other baseball greats not featured in the book including, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson and Honus Wagner, just to name a few.
Reading "The Glory of Their Times" is a great nostalgic trip into baseball's early history and I give it my highest recommendation!
Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: A+
Review: The interviews form a tapestry evoking the baseball era before WWII and the feel of the national pastime is captured. Brilliant journalism. Warm yet realistic, and laugh out loud funny.
Rating:
Summary: Mark It Down: The Best Baseball Book Ever
Review: In short: There has never been a book that made me feel as justified about my love of the game as "The Glory Of Their Times". Lawrence Ritter gets the job done by getting out of the way and letting the greats of the game from 1900s-1930s tell their stories. Review after review of this book calls it the best baseball book ever and let me add my voice to that chorus.Baseball in the deadball era when the fences were so far out that the league leading home run hitter hit 4 home runs; all of them inside the park runs. Baseball when you got one ball to play with. Fred Snodgrass' story *alone* is worth the price of the book, but you also get to hear what it was like to play with Walter Johnson, Babe Ruth (with the Red Sox), lots of dirt on Ty Cobb and Christey Matthewson....... Each of these stories is like a summer day and makes you feel like grabbing a ball and mitt and heading outside. What else is there to say? Pick it up!
Rating:
Summary: The Best Baseball Book - Period
Review:
This is, and will always be, my most favorite baseball book ever. Read all of the previous reviews and you will understand why so many readers love this book. Read the book and you will realize why you love baseball so much.
If you are debating whether or not to read The Glory of Their Times ask yourself this question, do you know who Charles Victory Faust is? No? Then read the book. That alone is worth the price of admission.
I have reread this book a number of times and there is still a Germany Schaefer story I love to tell any baseball enthusiast who hasn't heard it. But that is just one of many great stories told by a colorful collection of great players who help make baseball the great game that it is.
Rating:
Summary: A Priceless Collection
Review: Being a die hard baseball fan, I am always on the look out for great baseball books. And after reading numerous lists of favorite baseball books by Amazon.com readers, it seemed that there was one unanimous choice, The Glory of Their Times, by Lawrence Ritter. And let me say, that I wasn't dissapointed in the least. The beauty of this book is that you feel like you yourself are sitting down with the different players interviewed and having them regale you with stories about playing baseball in the early 20th Century or earlier. The players interviewed are not all household names which adds so much to it. Most of us know the exploits of Cobb and Ruth. Not as many know the stories of Harry Hooper, Wahoo Sam Crawford, and Paul Waner to name just a few. This book is a pleasure to read through and all I can say is thank God that Mr. Ritter wrote this book when he did as all of the players interview here have since passed on I believe. Don't miss this book!
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