Deadball Trailblazers: Single-Season Records of the Modern Era

Selected as a finalist for the 2023 Larry Ritter Book AwardSingle-Season Records of the Modern EraThe Deadball Era changed everything.From 1900 to 1919, a host of great players ushered in a century of groundbreaking baseball. Many exceptional diamond icons during this period established single-season modern era records that have acted as a litmus test for players throughout history to try to surpass.The old adage that records are made to be broken isn't necessarily a practical conclusion when it comes to the great players in this book.Some of these records, set over a century ago, still haven't been broken, like Jack Chesbro's 41 wins, Rube Marquard's 19-straight victories, and outfielder Chief Wilson's 36 triples for the Pittsburgh Pirates.Since failure and disappointment are key components of baseball, the author includes single-season records of futility during the Deadball Era too, like shortstop John Gochnaur committing 98 errors and Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Jack Nabors losing 19 straight games in 1916.Besides chronicling these setbacks and achievements, author Ronald T. Waldo offers background information about each player and a relevant secondary story that accompanies their record-setting season. As a result, everything transcends beyond the numbers, as each player's personality, mindset, and behavior are taken into account.