Geoffrey C. Ward

New York Times Bestseller 
A vivid and personal portrait of America’s greatest political family and its enormous impact on our nation, which expands on the hugely acclaimed seven-part PBS documentary series, bringing readers even deeper into these extraordinary leaders’ lives
 
With 796 photographs, some never before seen
 
The authors of the acclaimed and best-selling The Civil War, Jazz, The...

What we remember, what we've forgotten, and what we never knew about America's least understood war, revealed in a riveting, richly illustrated volume based on the major ten-part PBS documentary series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. Historian Geoffrey C. Ward and filmmaker Ken Burns, the authors of the acclaimed and best-selling THE CIVIL WAR, JAZZ, THE WAR, and BASEBALL, present an intimate history of the Vietnam War. All the major milestones...

Immigrants to America eagerly root for baseball, but baseball is trying to endure a decade that includes the meanest, vilest, angriest player ever to step onto a field and a scandal that almost destroys the game.

The Negro Leagues bring baseball to towns the major Leagues ignore. To delight the fans they develop an elaborate warm-up routine in pantomime; throwing and hitting an invisible ball. It's called "shadow ball."

In 1894, sportswriter Byron Bancroft Johnson takes over a struggling Western League and turns it into a financial success. In 1900, he changes its name to the American League and begins talking about challenging the National League. In 1903, the first World Series is played between the American League Boston Pilgrims and the National League Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 1920s begin with baseball trying to recover from the scandal of the 1919 World Series. America finds relief in George Herman "Babe" Ruth who is one of the best pitchers in baseball. In 1919 he hits 29 homers for the Red Sox, more than any player has ever hit in a single season.

The 1960s is a turbulent time for baseball as one by one its "sacred" institutions fall. First with Bill Mazeroski bringing down the the mighty Yankees with one dramatic home run. In 1961 Roger Maris pursues Babe Ruth's "untouchable" record. In 1962 the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants are replaced by the New York Mets who compile the worst single season record of the century.