A Reader: “The Echoing Green” by Joshua Prager

Baseball’s History

Football has replaced baseball as America’s favorite pastime. Fewer people call themselves a fan of the sport and even fewer seem to tune in for the fall classic. Not me, though. As I grow older, the more I come to appreciate baseball’s history. This book serves as an introduction to a sport in which I have only begun to scratch the surface. My hope is with each book I will develop a deeper understanding and love for a sport that I deeply admire for its pace, pressure, and deep-seated hold on the American psyche.

The Cleveland Indians

I have been a fan of the Cleveland Indians since I was a little kid. Over the course of my life, I have watched them lose three World Series; two of them in extra innings during the seventh game of the World Series. I have watched their dreaded title streak continue and become the longest in Major League Baseball. As I read this book, I could not help but think of the suffering I have endured thanks to a group of men who I have no control over. I also could not help but think of the hundreds of reasons I keep returning season after season to cheer on my beloved Indians.

The Loser

“History is written by the winners.” In this book, we are treated to a rare tale and offered a glimpse into the life of a pitcher who…