Ballparks

Librarian: Okay so I wouldn't have bought this book for my last library. I would have wanted to, (I'm a sucker for all things baseball.) but I wouldn't have let myself. British schools are just not good places for circulating baseball books. If, however, I were a nonfiction librarian in the states I absolutely would order it. It's a great book for any fans of baseball.
Reader: I'm a sucker for baseball. And lately there have been so many great books about it being released. This is one of the best I've read so far. The information is fascinating and the pictures are great.

What a great trip down memory lane!

This book contains a look at ballparks in the United States divided by towns and the ballparks located there.

The photos are fabulous. The information starts from a historical prospective and covers the ballparks and teams that played in each of them.

Being a Detroit Tigers fan, I had to jump to the Detroit section. I was thrilled when it began with “Michigan and Trumbull.” Those of us who have attended games at Tiger Stadium recognized the slang for the ballpark. Pictures of Tiger Stadium evoked sweet memories of the time spent there. It also covered the sad state Tiger Stadium that Mr. Illich allowed to occur so he could get a fancy, new stadium. The new Comerica Park was shown and honestly reviewed. It also covered the early black league that played in Mack Park. I loved it.

Baseball fans will enjoy seeing and remembering the ballparks.


I received an eBook ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinions or ratings of this book.

Ballparks
A Journey Through the Fields of the Past, Present, and Future
by Eric Enders

This book was a joy to read. It has history, photos, tidbits, sites to visit that are relevant to baseball but not stadiums, information about owners, players, teams and more. It is a treasure trove of information and well worth having. I hadn’t realized that early stadiums in the mid to late 1800’s were made of wood and often burned down. Also, wood requires more upkeep and many didn’t stay in place as long as if they had been made of concrete.

I loved the photos from the past with the way the team uniforms and players changed and evolved over time. The sites used for movies such as Field of Dreams and Bull Durham brought back memories. I hadn’t realized that there were college and little league world series or where they are held. I did know that some teams moved from one city to another but had not heard as much as was included in this book.

Spaulding balls and bats are commonly purchased and I bought them for my children never knowing that Spaulding was a baseball player and that he organized world tours for baseball players in 1888 and 1889. The photos of the teams in Cairo were priceless.

Nice little visit to the past this afternoon and I would like to than Quarto Publishing Group – Chartwell Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

A fun and informative journey through all of the ballparks in history. There are photos, information, tidbits, and history for all levels of baseball fans. This is a must read for any baseball fan.

'Ballparks: A Journey Through the Fields of the Past, Present, and Future' by Eric Enders is a tour through the MLB ballparks in North America geographically and historically.

Starting with Philadelphia and going through Miami the book discusses the teams and mainly the stadiums that were and are still there. There are pictures of the stadiums, the players, other bits of history. Some chapters end in sidetrips to stadiums made famous by movies, or built for movies. There is a minor league field in the South that feels like an old school stadium. The new stadium retro craze is discussed along with the sometime shady political deals that get made.

As a casual baseball fan, but one who loves history, I loved this look at the past and present. Minor league teams and stadiums are under represented simply because it would add too much to the book, but I was pleased that so much of the Negro leagues and their stadiums were mentioned.

I received a review copy of this ebook from Quarto Publishing Group-Chartwell Books, and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.

Loved this one!!! I am a HUGE baseball fan so obviously I thought it was great and would recommend it to other baseball fans who enjoy learning/going to different ballparks.

A book for all baseball fans. The author shows you pictures and stories all of the different ballparks from the 1800’s up today’s stadiums’. You are taken through every city and the different ballparks they had and the history behind each one. How the old ones were made of wood, the men who played on those fields. The ones were movies were filmed. Where also the Black league played, as well as Cooperstown and Williamsport. What I liked about this book was the memories for me. Having been too old Yankee Stadium, going to Angel Stadium in the ’70s 80’s 90’s and the 2000’s and seeing the changes to that stadium as well as Dodger Stadium. Going to Cooperstown with my father when he was still alive and having a picture of him sitting on the bleachers of the ballpark not knowing I took his picture. Going to a game with him at old Yankee Stadium and him telling me he could remember when he was a kid how the smells of roasted peanuts, cut grass, cigars all made the game feel different for him. That for me was what this book brought back along with remembering taking my daughter and sitting there at old Yankee Stadium and Angel Stadium taking her to the ballpark and looking at her face when she saw everything for the first time. This book is like that smile of seeing that field and cut grass, and those men hitting the ball out of the park. A very good book.

This is a beautiful book highlighting Baseball Parks. The book is arranged by city and includes past and present parks. A short history of baseball in the city begins each chapter. Major League, Minor League and the Negro League parks are included. The photographs are wonderful. I really enjoyed reading about the long forgotten teams and parks. The author also includes some off the beaten track parks. This book will make a wonderful gift. Enjoy this arm chair travel through baseball history.