Orator O'Rourke: The Life of a Baseball Radical
Roer, Mike
ISBN 10: 0786423552 ISBN 13: 9780786423552
Published by McFarland, 2006
Used
Soft cover
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World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
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About this Item
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Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00078393923
Synopsis:
As a player, manager, team captain, umpire, owner and league president, Hall of Famer Jim O'Rourke (1851-1918) spoke for the players in the emerging game of baseball. O'Rourke's career paralleled the rise of the game from a regional sport with few strategies to the national pastime. Nicknamed "Orator" for his booming voice and his championing of the rights of professional athletes, he was a driving force in making the sport a profession, bringing respectability to the role of professional baseball player.
From contemporary sources, O'Rourke's own correspondence, and player files available through the National Baseball Library, a rounded portrait of Jim O'Rourke emerges. Quick to speak his mind, the outfielder played on nine pennant-winning teams, but his playing career was overshadowed by his work in organizing baseball's first union. After his playing days ended, O'Rourke attempted to establish the Connecticut League, becoming the circuit's president, secretary, and treasury. Though the league failed to fully materialize, his Bridgeport Victors did play several games and were one of the few racially integrated teams--a fact emblematic of O'Rourke's efforts to change the national pastime. In those efforts, he attempted to wrest control of the game from the owners and empower the players. A carefully researched account of O'Rourke's life and career, this biography also provides a behind-the-scenes look at the growth of the national pastime from the Civil War through the deadball era.
About the Author: SABR member Mike Roer is the president of a software company in Fairfield, Connecticut. He lives in Fairfield.
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Bibliographic Details
Title: Orator O'Rourke: The Life of a Baseball ...
Publisher: McFarland
Publication Date: 2006
Binding: Soft cover
Condition: Good