Eastern Shore League

This is the second book from Arcadia Publishing that covers the history of the Eastern Shore Baseball League (ESHL). Eastern Shore baseball fans watched over three eras of class D professional baseball for 15 years, from 1922 to 1949. Many players, such as Don Zimmer, Mickey Cochrane, Red Ruffing, and Sid Gordon, came through the ESHL on their way to the major leagues. There were also many players that played and managed in this league who were former major-league players, including Gene Corbett, Ducky Detweiler, Val Picinich, and Joe Becker, to name a few. Eastern Shore League: Extra Innings, along with Eastern Shore League, will give baseball and history fans a more comprehensive understanding of the league.

In the summer of 1937 the Salisbury Indians, a Class D minor league team in rural Maryland, achieved national celebrity playing one of the most amazing comeback seasons in baseball history. Starting with 21-5, the club allegedly violated the Eastern Shore League's rules by fielding more than four players with professional experience. Forfeiting their 21 wins and plummeting to the bottom of the standings, they went on to win 59 of their last 70 games, capturing the league pennant and playoffs championship. This game-by-game account chronicles the extraordinary pitching and relentless hitting of one of the greatest minor league teams ever assembled, under the redoubtable leadership of D'Arcy "Jake" Flowers.

By 1900 Maryland's Eastern Shore, along the western side of the Delmarva Peninsula, was acknowledged in the national press as a hotbed of baseball activity. By the 1920s the game was fully ingrained into local community life, central to the summer social season among the towns and villages that measured their worth by the quality of their teams. Providing fresh insight into early 20th century baseball at its grassroots, this book explores the Chesapeake Bay region as a case study for the enthusiasm (and hubris) the game brought to rural American life, in context with national trends and influences.

Between 1922 and 1949, the citizens of Delmarva enjoyed watching baseball the way it was meant to be played. Loyal Eastern Shore baseball enthusiasts were blessed to witness three eras of professional class "D" baseball, supporting their favorite teams, including the Parksley Spuds, Salisbury Indians, and Dover Orioles. The local faithful cheered on homegrown legends such as Frank "Home Run" Baker and Jimmie Foxx, both destined for enshrinement in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Examine the big-league benefits of minor league baseball! The Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports examines the role played by minor league baseball in hundreds of cities and towns across the United States. Written from the unique perspective of a sociologist who also happens to be an avid baseball fan, the book looks at the contributions minor league teams make to the quality of life in their communities, creating focal points for spirit and cohesiveness while providing opportunities for interaction and entertainment. The book links theory and experience to present a “sociology of baseball” that explains the symbiotic relationship which brings people together for a common purpose—to root, root, root for the home team. From the author: Minor league baseball is played across the country in more than 100 very different communities. These communities seem to share a special bond with their teams. As with all sports teams, there is a symbiotic relationship between the team and the city or town that it represents. In the case of major league professional sports, the relationship is often fueled by economic outcomes. On the minor league level, the relationship appears to go beyond mere money and prestige. Minor league teams occupy a special place in our hearts. We are more forgiving when they lose, and extremely proud of them when they win. Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports is a detailed look at the connection between town and team, including: economic benefits (development strategies, community growth) intangible benefits (ballpark camaraderie, hometown pride) fan attachment and attendance (demographic variables, stadium accessibility, “home court advantage”) case studies of two Maryland minor-league franchises--the Class AA Bowie Baysox and the Class A Hagerstown Suns Minor League Baseball: Community Building Through Hometown Sports also includes an introduction to the organizational structure of the minor leagues, a history of each current league, and charts and tables on attendance figures and franchise relocations. This book is essential reading for sociologists, sport sociologists/historians, academics and/or practitioners in the fields of community sociology and psychology, and of course, baseball fans.