To Every Thing a Season

Rating:
Summary: WELL WORTH READING
Review: Bruce Kuklick's book is an excellent history about a longtime Philadelphia institution, Shibe Park (ie Connie Mack Stadium). Not just a nostalgia-laden trip down memory lane, the book details the sociological impact baseball, particularly the Philadelphia A's, had on the surrounding neighborhood in North Philadelphia.

The book basically has two plotlines. One plotline deals with the baseball played at Shibe Park. It discusses the extreme peaks and valleys experienced by the A's during their time at the park. It also analyzes the shift in fan allegiance from the A's to the Phillies that occurred in the late 1940's and early 1950's, which eventually forced the A's to move after the 1954 season. Finally, the book discusses how the advancing age of the park forced the Phillies to move out of the park after the 1970 season.

The other plotline deals with the interaction of the community and the ballpark (and teams at the ballpark). It traces the pride the local community had in the ballpark (and the A's) during the early years of the park through the changing demographics of the neighborhood and the changing modes of transportation in America which gradually made the park (and the area around the park) unattractive to most fans. This arc also emphasizes how the A's and later the Phillies were an integral part of the community.

Overall, Mr. Kuklick has written a book that doesn't mythologize Shibe Park, but rather puts it in a more real, human context. The book also includes some interesting pictures, the most of which (to me) was the picture showing the proximity of Baker Bowl (the Phillies old ballpark) to Shibe Park. A highly recommended book for anyone interested in baseball, particularly Philadelphia baseball.

Rating:
Summary: You'll turn, turn, turn the pages...over and over
Review: Bruce Kuklick's book is an excellent history about a longtime Philadelphia institution, Shibe Park (ie Connie Mack Stadium). Not just a nostalgia-laden trip down memory lane, the book details the sociological impact baseball, particularly the Philadelphia A's, had on the surrounding neighborhood in North Philadelphia.

The book basically has two plotlines. One plotline deals with the baseball played at Shibe Park. It discusses the extreme peaks and valleys experienced by the A's during their time at the park. It also analyzes the shift in fan allegiance from the A's to the Phillies that occurred in the late 1940's and early 1950's, which eventually forced the A's to move after the 1954 season. Finally, the book discusses how the advancing age of the park forced the Phillies to move out of the park after the 1970 season.

The other plotline deals with the interaction of the community and the ballpark (and teams at the ballpark). It traces the pride the local community had in the ballpark (and the A's) during the early years of the park through the changing demographics of the neighborhood and the changing modes of transportation in America which gradually made the park (and the area around the park) unattractive to most fans. This arc also emphasizes how the A's and later the Phillies were an integral part of the community.

Overall, Mr. Kuklick has written a book that doesn't mythologize Shibe Park, but rather puts it in a more real, human context. The book also includes some interesting pictures, the most of which (to me) was the picture showing the proximity of Baker Bowl (the Phillies old ballpark) to Shibe Park. A highly recommended book for anyone interested in baseball, particularly Philadelphia baseball.

Rating:
Summary: Slammin'
Review: The best baseball books earn their sentiment. Bruce Kulkick's book does just that. It is a grown-up story written with passion and anger and affection. The author knows the game, knows that IT IS a game and does a balancing act that should satisfy fans of Big League ball, 20th century American history, and any city planning student around. Baseball is said to be a perfect game in its dimensions; if the distance between bases were any shorter, far too many hits would be produced, if the distance were longer, nobody would ever get aboard. Kuklick is a writer who carries off the same tricky balance. Elegaic and important.

Rating:
Summary: WELL WORTH READING
Review: THIS BOOK GIVES A VERY NOSTALGIC AND DETAILED LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF SHIBE PARK AND THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD. MUCH DETAIL AND DRAMA IS GIVEN TO THE EVENTS THAT GRACED THIS GREAT PARK. ALSO COVERED IN DETAIL ARE THE SHORT STAY OF THE EAGLES, THE RIVALTY OF THE A'S AND PHILLIES. THE BUNGLING AND MISMANEGMENT OF THE MACK FAMILY AND OF THE CARPENTERS IS ALSO VERY WELL DOCUMENTED AND WELL DESCRIBED. THE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM SURROUNDING THE JOUNEY TO AND FROM SHIBE PARK AND THE DETERIORATING NEIGHBORHOOD ARE ALSO A VERY WELL COVERED PART OF THIS MUST READ NOVEL. I REALLY LOVED THIS BOOK. I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO PHILADELPHIA, BUT THE AUTHOR MAKES THIS HISTORIC PARK INTO A STAPLE IN BASEBALL HISTORY. VERY RECOMMENDED.

Rating:
Summary: SHIBE PARK LIVES AGAIN
Review: This is a magnificent work, weaving the history of the Phillies and A's through the socioeconomic changes in Philadelphia during the tenure of Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium. Although I am not a Phila. native nor am I a Phillies fan, I found this work fascinating, and could not put it down! An absolute must for any library of information about historic stadiums - WELL WORTH THE MONEY AND TIME!

Rating:
Summary: SHIBE PARK LIVES AGAIN
Review: This is a magnificent work, weaving the history of the Phillies and A's through the socioeconomic changes in Philadelphia during the tenure of Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium. Although I am not a Phila. native nor am I a Phillies fan, I found this work fascinating, and could not put it down! An absolute must for any library of information about historic stadiums - WELL WORTH THE MONEY AND TIME!