I really enjoyed reading this book and I learned a lot. The authors have done a lot of research on how the troops played and used baseball during World War I. The soldiers played the game whenever and wherever they could. The field was a great equalizer with unsegregated teams, there were even women teams. Baseball was also used as propaganda. The book is filled with some wonderful historical photographs. Like many sports books the authors do provide a lot of statistics and the text slows down. Enjoy this fascinating history

In their book, Play Ball!: Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War, Alexander F. Barnes, Peter L. Belmonte, and Samuel Barnes examine the love of “America’s Pastime” by those who fought World War 1. Whether they were on the frontlines in France or in training camps waiting to be sent to Europe, Americans always found time for baseball. The popularity of the game only increased when the draft was instituted, and Major League Baseball players such as Ty Cobb and Grover Cleveland Alexander were called to serve.

Play Ball! is incredibly well researched with newspaper articles, military records, eye-witness accounts, and amazing photos, giving the reader a wonderful, historic look at the game of baseball during war time. However, as the book progresses, the narrative becomes a bit pedantic and the volume becomes more about records and statistics and less about personalities, players and their stories.

All in all, the authors should be applauded for the research and recovery of the records that went into their work. If you are interested in the men who played “America’s Pastime” and fought in the Great War, Play Ball! is for you.



I was given a free copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

The popularity of baseball as a participant sport in the United States as well as a spectator sport was very high during the time of World War I. No matter where troops were stationed during the Great War, it was very likely that one could find a baseball game. This is illustrated in this book about the soldiers and their love of the game.

The authors performed a great deal of research, including items such as newspaper articles, cards and photos of soldiers, or “doughboys” as they were called during World War I, playing baseball. Box scores and stories from soldiers give the book not only an air of authenticity, but also a personal touch as well.

It didn’t matter where these soldiers were stationed. There were games between units on training bases, on the fields in France and also in Germany. These games were often played for diversion from the horrors of war and also for the morale of the troops. A nice touch by the authors was to include women in this book as there were teams made up of women as well, mostly from the nursing corps. One other noteworthy item is that there were many desegregated games played by these men and women, unlike the professional leagues back in the United States.

The writing and narration is crisp and easy to read, nicely complementing the pictures and other items noted earlier. Any reader who wants to learn more about the baseball games that the doughboys played during the Great War will want to pick a copy of this book. It is an excellent addition to anyone interested in the connection between World War I and the national pastime.

I wish to thank Schiffer Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spring time is fast approaching. Warmer temperatures, green grass, and the nation’s historic pastime of Baseball will soon consume my life. Much like Ken Burns, such pursuits have kept me from a proper haircut, and the statistical depth of the game makes me feel like I’m actually participating in something intelligent. While the old game of ‘rounders isn’t quite what it used to be as far as popularity, there is no denying that it has shaped the United States and parts of the world for the last 150 years. While connections to the Civil War and 20th century civil rights are well known, one such period in baseball history that’s been overlooked was the game’s influence during the First World War. Nearly every person involved in WWI was affected by baseball in some way, and one hundred years later we have the chance to reflect on it through detailed accounts. For this installment of the TehBen.com book club, we review Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War by Alexander F. Barnes, Peter L. Belmonte, and Samuel O. Barnes.


Before we dig too far in, let’s start with defining what a “Doughboy” is in the context of World War I. Doughboys were the informal term used to describe American soldiers most commonly during WWI, so named by their trademark white belts that were somehow cleaned with dough.  This term doesn’t have much bearing on the content of the book, and you probably already knew about it, but I personally felt like a simpleton by not knowing that designation going in. Anyway, Play Ball! is a detailed account of how the game of baseball (or base ball in the contemporary spelling) was played in the time of the First World War in both America and during occupation in post-Armistice Europe.  Before even considering the war, baseball in the 1910s was spreading faster than the Spanish Flu (too soon?). Almost everyone in America played the game, and it appeared to be the only true athletic hobby that could be played by almost anyone. As one example, entire leagues could be played inside one grammar school, and layers upon layers of interconnected seasons meant every able-bodied boy, (and some girls) were swinging bats and throwing balls in the early 20th century. Once America entered the First World War, the boys who’ve suddenly been forced to become men weren’t looking to give up their game, and no military assignment would keep baseball dormant for long.


The authors of Play Ball! do a fantastic job of making each account seem personal upon reflection, like the reader is receiving first-hand knowledge of what was taking place. The most important style choice employed throughout was to keep quotes and anecdotes written in their same tone, with the same precise choice of words. For me personally, I love “old-timey” lingo and even before considering the expansive WWI knowledge of the work, reading the proper “portsiders” and “raisin growers” was well worth the price of admission. Along with copies of box scores and anecdotal evidence from written accounts at the time, silly little ball games that may have kept the fighting spirit alive in the doughboys can live forever thanks to this book.
 

From the military training camps in the southern United States, to the wet grounds of France, to the occupation of the Rhineland, baseball was the chief diversion from the horrible bloodshed of the War to end all Wars. While it’s not a direct thesis of the book, it’s obvious to me that boosting collective morale with sporting events in either pickup games or militarily organized competitions was first manifested here. Play Ball’s curated evidence of political cartoons and news articles further expands on this concept, also describing instances of women’s games, and even desegregated games, decades before Jackie Robinson officially broke the color barrier in America.

Rating: Play Ball! Doughboys and Baseball during the Great War is a fantastic resource for anyone that’s a connoisseur of baseball history, military history, or any unique combination of the two. While not as overtly valorous as other moments in American history, the Doughboys and their relationship with the national pastime should be considered required reading for anyone seeking an understanding of who we are as a nation and of our game.


An advance review copy of this book was graciously supplied by Schiffer Publishing. All thoughts in this review are the sole opinion of the reviewer.

(Full review to be posted on http://tehben.com