Robert P. Gelzheiser

Being an account of the economics of labor relations in early baseball which closely mirrors its title in focus. The book's readability stalls at times when the author elucidates his interest in his main thesis, viz., that the baseball magnates of the day operated in a similar way to the better-known robber barons, soi-disant, of the wider economy. He proves his thesis, yes, but his tenacity in proving it over and over again is repetitious and in any case is mostly a review of things you learned in your Econ class in college, if not high school. The book is very informative and, at least to the early baseball enthusiast, enertaining when he focuses more on the players' unions, their contract terms and stipulations, and the owners' tactics to maintain their monopoly, though actual games and pennant races are rarely mentioned. Early baseball compulsives like myself will like this book, but it's difficult to recommend to any sort of wider audience.… (altro)