Thom reviewed Betrayal by Charles Fountain
Review of 'Betrayal' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Very well researched book on the 1919 World Series, events leading up to it and the aftermath. Facts from recently uncovered materials add to the narrative. Recommended for fans of history, baseball, biography, or courtroom drama.
The author presents a mostly chronological narrative, adding history and explanation to several events - including scandal in the 19th century (and the rules made to handle that), the founding the American League and various challenges to the reserve clause (finally removed in the late 1970s). Coverage of the 1919 season is thorough but not game-by-game, and benefits greatly from the boxes of material held by Comiskey's lawyer. Here too the history and biography explanations continue, including details on everyone from Arnold Rothstein down to the local thugs. Those papers also expand the courtroom drama, naturally, and the disappearance of the signed confessions.
The book closes with aftermath, including both Pete Rose and the …
Very well researched book on the 1919 World Series, events leading up to it and the aftermath. Facts from recently uncovered materials add to the narrative. Recommended for fans of history, baseball, biography, or courtroom drama.
The author presents a mostly chronological narrative, adding history and explanation to several events - including scandal in the 19th century (and the rules made to handle that), the founding the American League and various challenges to the reserve clause (finally removed in the late 1970s). Coverage of the 1919 season is thorough but not game-by-game, and benefits greatly from the boxes of material held by Comiskey's lawyer. Here too the history and biography explanations continue, including details on everyone from Arnold Rothstein down to the local thugs. Those papers also expand the courtroom drama, naturally, and the disappearance of the signed confessions.
The book closes with aftermath, including both Pete Rose and the books and movies written and loosely based on the events. A thorough bibliography and index finish the cycle. The earlier Eight Men Out occasionally played loose with the facts for added drama; this book sticks to the facts and can be a little dry. Thus it wouldn't be 5 star for everyone, but it is one of the better written (and researched) baseball histories I've read recently - I learned more about Ban Johnson and Kenesaw Mountain Landis here than I have in other sources.