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Fifty-Nine in '84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had
In 1884, Providence Grays pitcher Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn won an astounding fifty-nine games—more than anyone in major-league history ever had before, or has since. He then went on to win all three games of baseball's first World Series.
Fifty-nine in '84 tells the dramatic story not only of that amazing feat of grit but also of big-league baseball two decades after the Civil War—a brutal, bloody sport played barehanded, the profession of uneducated, hard-drinking men who thought little of cheating outrageously or maiming an opponent to win.
It is the tale, too, of the woman Radbourn loved, Carrie Stanhope, the alluring proprietress of a boarding-house with shady overtones, a married lady who was said to have personally known every man in the National League.
Wonderfully entertaining, Fifty-nine in '84 is an indelible portrait of a legendary player and a fascinating, little-known era of the national pastime.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published March 13, 2010
About the author
Edward Achorn
5 books62 followersEdward Achorn, a Pulitzer Prize finalist for Distinguished Commentary, is an editorial page editor with The Providence Journal. He is also author of Fifty-Nine in ’84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had. His reviews of books on American history appear frequently in the Weekly Standard. He lives in an 1840 farmhouse outside of Providence, Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
March 27, 2022
Same game, different era, VERY different era. 59 is the number, and a number without mystery as it begins the title of the book. But after accompanying the last pitcher to get 59 wins in a season on his grueling odyssey to that total, the final tally manages to be surprising anyway.
George Will's comment in Ken Burns' Baseball series that the early game was one played by tough, hard men who knew how much worse their other choices in life were seems appropriate to describe the book's hero as well as his teammates and opponents. Travel was arduous. Comforts were meager. Fans were violent. Management was calculating. Players were used for what they could provide in the immediate and then dispatched to experience life's other unfairnesses.
I don't doubt that reconstructing the life of 19th-century ballplayers from florid newspaper accounts and scant corroborating documentation was difficult, but the author has done a remarkable job given his disadvantages. The reader feels as though he can relate to the players in the elements that to them more normal but to us as baseball fans 130 years later seem alien.
George Will's comment in Ken Burns' Baseball series that the early game was one played by tough, hard men who knew how much worse their other choices in life were seems appropriate to describe the book's hero as well as his teammates and opponents. Travel was arduous. Comforts were meager. Fans were violent. Management was calculating. Players were used for what they could provide in the immediate and then dispatched to experience life's other unfairnesses.
I don't doubt that reconstructing the life of 19th-century ballplayers from florid newspaper accounts and scant corroborating documentation was difficult, but the author has done a remarkable job given his disadvantages. The reader feels as though he can relate to the players in the elements that to them more normal but to us as baseball fans 130 years later seem alien.
August 14, 2019
This book was so amazing.
March 13, 2010
In 1884, Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn won 59 games for the Providence Grays. This is the story of that almost unbelievable season. It is also the story of a hard-nosed man in a rough and ready sport.
The story begins with a brief biographical sketch of Radbourn, who grew up in Bloomington, Illinois. He enjoyed life in the Midwest, hunting being a favorite pastime. He also enjoyed baseball. We see the start of his career and his eventual signing a contract with the major league team from Buffalo. After a short-lived tenure there, he entered the major leagues next with the Providence team. We read of his feats in 1883, when he won a remarkable 48 games--and ended the season with a sore arm.
1884 began inauspiciously, as Providence acquired a second strong-armed prima donna pitcher (Charlie Sweeney). Sweeney and Radbourn were not exactly bosom buddies, and much animosity existed between them, not helping the team chemistry. Radbourn's arm was stiff at the start of the season. How would he perform? This book captures the hard work, the success, and the pain of pitching so many innings (678 innings pitched in 1884--after 632 in 1883). To make a long story short, Sweeney bolted and Radbourn agreed to pitch almost every game with a sore arm if he were reimbursed appropriately. From that point on, he pitched in almost all his team's games.
There is a rather tender (but thinly supported) talk of his romance with Carrie Stanhope, a woman with a probably dubious past. One of the recurring themes that is somewhat problematic of the continuing references along the lines of "Carrie might have been at the stadium that night." The thinness of information on their relationship seems to impel the author to create something that he really has no evidence for.
Radbourn never equaled the performance he had in 1883 and 1884. The author notes that his subsequent career was not so brilliant and that his wrecked arm prevented him from doing so well. But Old Hoss still won about 140 more games, so the statement seems somewhat of a stretch.
The book closes with his brief and rather sad post-baseball life, graced by life with Carrie Stanhope. By now, his relationship with her is much better fleshed out.
For those who want to know something about this amazing season, Edward Achorn's book will fill a void. Some questions for me: He does seem to stretch to fill in the relationship between Carrie and Old Hoss. Old Hoss still had a lot of success after the 1884 season. Finally, it would have been nice to have had Radbourn's career pitching statistics appear in this book.
The story begins with a brief biographical sketch of Radbourn, who grew up in Bloomington, Illinois. He enjoyed life in the Midwest, hunting being a favorite pastime. He also enjoyed baseball. We see the start of his career and his eventual signing a contract with the major league team from Buffalo. After a short-lived tenure there, he entered the major leagues next with the Providence team. We read of his feats in 1883, when he won a remarkable 48 games--and ended the season with a sore arm.
1884 began inauspiciously, as Providence acquired a second strong-armed prima donna pitcher (Charlie Sweeney). Sweeney and Radbourn were not exactly bosom buddies, and much animosity existed between them, not helping the team chemistry. Radbourn's arm was stiff at the start of the season. How would he perform? This book captures the hard work, the success, and the pain of pitching so many innings (678 innings pitched in 1884--after 632 in 1883). To make a long story short, Sweeney bolted and Radbourn agreed to pitch almost every game with a sore arm if he were reimbursed appropriately. From that point on, he pitched in almost all his team's games.
There is a rather tender (but thinly supported) talk of his romance with Carrie Stanhope, a woman with a probably dubious past. One of the recurring themes that is somewhat problematic of the continuing references along the lines of "Carrie might have been at the stadium that night." The thinness of information on their relationship seems to impel the author to create something that he really has no evidence for.
Radbourn never equaled the performance he had in 1883 and 1884. The author notes that his subsequent career was not so brilliant and that his wrecked arm prevented him from doing so well. But Old Hoss still won about 140 more games, so the statement seems somewhat of a stretch.
The book closes with his brief and rather sad post-baseball life, graced by life with Carrie Stanhope. By now, his relationship with her is much better fleshed out.
For those who want to know something about this amazing season, Edward Achorn's book will fill a void. Some questions for me: He does seem to stretch to fill in the relationship between Carrie and Old Hoss. Old Hoss still had a lot of success after the 1884 season. Finally, it would have been nice to have had Radbourn's career pitching statistics appear in this book.
July 15, 2012
For all baseball fans who have dared to argue the unanswerable question - who was the best pitcher in MLB history? - I submit the name of Charles Radbourn. Written by Edward Alchorn, this book would have to be considered a landmark achievement in recorded baseball history. Such a season has 'Old Hoss' Radbourn had needed to be told and Alchorn had done a remarkable - even incredible - job of researching and telling that story here. He also vividly recreates the era of bare-handed baseball, the men who played it, the people who became MLB's original 'fanatics' and the differing layers of public perception of professional baseball at that time in American history. While this book may not appeal to the average baseball fan, any fan that wants to understand the development of baseball from it early roots as a fledgling professional sport to it's current recognized state as 'America's Favorite Pastime', this book will definitely provide some clear insight and pique your interest for more baseball historical reading.
June 26, 2010
One of the best baseball books I've ever read, this is a fascinating and thoroughly researched history of the early days of baseball, and the year 1884 in particular, when one "Old Hoss" Radbourn won 59 games as a pitcher, a record that will never be broken. The author describes in detail how the game was in some ways the same, yet in many ways different, from the game we know today. He follows Radbourn and his teammates through that amazing season when his Providence Grays won the National pennant and the first-ever World Series. Drawing heavily on the journalism of the day and later interviews with those involved, Achorn describes Radbourn and the people around him in detail, and he effectively sets the scene against the backdrop of late 19th-Century America, as it became increasingly urban and industrialized. I highly recommend this book.
March 20, 2015
In 1884-the early days of professional baseball- a pitcher named Charles Radbourn won 59 games; a major-league record which is highly unlikely ever to be broken. He did this by pitching nearly every one of his team's games down the stretch, as they pursued (and eventually won) the National League championship; an insane workload, even for the time period (when pitchers were expected to work many more innings than they do today). He would get up in the morning with his arm so sore he couldn't lift it, but with methodical massaging and stretching and exercise, his arm would eventually loosen up enough that he could pitch another game.
To anyone with an interest in baseball history, he is a legendary player; and yet, few know much about him as a person, or about his life beyond 1884. So this meticulously-researched book is highly welcome; and it successfully transforms the impressive statistics into a complex human being. For fans of baseball history, I would call this a must-read.
The question is, how much interest would a non-baseball fan have in this book? For some people, I'm sure, the answer is "none". Part of what makes baseball history so interesting, though, is the way that it mirrors and sheds light upon the history of America as a whole; and a good writer such as Achorn makes sure to convey in detail the background of the times in which their chosen subjects performed. In the course of this book- set primarily in Providence, Rhode Island- we learn a great deal about what life was like in 1880s America; even readers who have little interest in baseball may find that worthwhile.
The most unsatisfying aspect of the book is Radbourn's romance with the woman he loved (and eventually married); Carrie Stanhope, who owned a boardinghouse which may- or may not- have doubled as a bordello. Little seems to be known about their history together, and apparently none at all about what their relations were like in 1884; but that doesn't prevent Achorn from speculating. At various times he suggests that Stanhope may have attended some of Radbourn's games; that, in his darkest hours, he may have received advice and support from her; that his failure to attend a post-season celebration may have been because he and Stanhope were celebrating privately. He even suggests that Radbourn's exceptional efforts that year were his attempt to prove himself to Stanhope and win her love. Individually, all of these suggestions are plausible enough; take them all together, though, and one can't help noticing that Achorn has built this love story out of pure speculation. Still, we do know that they eventually did marry (and pretended to be married for years before that), so it's not as though there's no story there. Too bad the real story is irretrievably lost.
To anyone with an interest in baseball history, he is a legendary player; and yet, few know much about him as a person, or about his life beyond 1884. So this meticulously-researched book is highly welcome; and it successfully transforms the impressive statistics into a complex human being. For fans of baseball history, I would call this a must-read.
The question is, how much interest would a non-baseball fan have in this book? For some people, I'm sure, the answer is "none". Part of what makes baseball history so interesting, though, is the way that it mirrors and sheds light upon the history of America as a whole; and a good writer such as Achorn makes sure to convey in detail the background of the times in which their chosen subjects performed. In the course of this book- set primarily in Providence, Rhode Island- we learn a great deal about what life was like in 1880s America; even readers who have little interest in baseball may find that worthwhile.
The most unsatisfying aspect of the book is Radbourn's romance with the woman he loved (and eventually married); Carrie Stanhope, who owned a boardinghouse which may- or may not- have doubled as a bordello. Little seems to be known about their history together, and apparently none at all about what their relations were like in 1884; but that doesn't prevent Achorn from speculating. At various times he suggests that Stanhope may have attended some of Radbourn's games; that, in his darkest hours, he may have received advice and support from her; that his failure to attend a post-season celebration may have been because he and Stanhope were celebrating privately. He even suggests that Radbourn's exceptional efforts that year were his attempt to prove himself to Stanhope and win her love. Individually, all of these suggestions are plausible enough; take them all together, though, and one can't help noticing that Achorn has built this love story out of pure speculation. Still, we do know that they eventually did marry (and pretended to be married for years before that), so it's not as though there's no story there. Too bad the real story is irretrievably lost.
December 20, 2013
I enjoyed Achorn's "The Summer of Beer and Whiskey" about the baseball season of 1883, so I went back and read this earlier book of his, "Fifty-Nine in '84", that tells the remarkable story of one Charles Radbourn who now holds the major league pitching record of 59 wins (in a 114 game season). Actually, the book covers more than just Radbourn. It covers his entire team, Providence Greys, and all of the National League leading up to and continuing through the 1884 season. Achorn also spends a lot of time describing life in America in 1884, which I found very interesting.
In style and technique, this book is similar to his later effort. If you only wanted to read one of the two, your best best would be to pick the teams you are more interested in: Providence and Boston (and to a lesser extent, Chicago) which would be this book, or St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Louisville (and to a lesser extent, Pittsburgh) which would be the "Summer" book. For a neutral reader, I'd say the books are equally good.
As is the style these days, Achorn uses endnotes instead of footnotes. 1 demerit for that, but I didn't change my overall rating for the book because of it.
In style and technique, this book is similar to his later effort. If you only wanted to read one of the two, your best best would be to pick the teams you are more interested in: Providence and Boston (and to a lesser extent, Chicago) which would be this book, or St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Louisville (and to a lesser extent, Pittsburgh) which would be the "Summer" book. For a neutral reader, I'd say the books are equally good.
As is the style these days, Achorn uses endnotes instead of footnotes. 1 demerit for that, but I didn't change my overall rating for the book because of it.
May 6, 2019
I am amazed at how much detail is available from individual baseball games from 1884. Yes 1884. Baseball was such a different game back then. I have always thought it would be a fun All Star Weekend idea to play the game under the old rules. Specifically the pitcher's box, where they were allowed to take a running start at the pitch. I am also intrigued by the fact that the distance for a homerun changed based on the number of people sitting in the outfield. You sat right on the field, at the edge of the grass, and they roped it off after everyone took their seats. The variabilities in the bat selected by the cagers, and the fact that they did not change a ball out until half innings.
The fact that these old timer pitchers pitched every day, instead of every 5 days is amazing. I would be interested to know of the prevalence of injuries and fatigue to the pitchers. The book does it mention it a little, but the pitchers still pitched even though their arms were tired.
I didn't care for the over used details of the stuff going on outside of the baseball games. Character development is fine, but it seems the author takes a long time providing background to very insignificant characters. Some recur insignificantly from time to time, but the length of the book could have been cut back a little by omitting what I consider un-necessary. My most favorite book from the early days of professional baseball is called Crazy '08. A must read.
Old Hoss Radbourn has quite a record though. One that will surely never be beat like the Dimaggio hitting streak and Ripken consecutive games played records. The homerun record will go down eventually. Stolen base record as well. These three though, untouchable.
I also really enjoy some of the team names from back then. So fun!
The fact that these old timer pitchers pitched every day, instead of every 5 days is amazing. I would be interested to know of the prevalence of injuries and fatigue to the pitchers. The book does it mention it a little, but the pitchers still pitched even though their arms were tired.
I didn't care for the over used details of the stuff going on outside of the baseball games. Character development is fine, but it seems the author takes a long time providing background to very insignificant characters. Some recur insignificantly from time to time, but the length of the book could have been cut back a little by omitting what I consider un-necessary. My most favorite book from the early days of professional baseball is called Crazy '08. A must read.
Old Hoss Radbourn has quite a record though. One that will surely never be beat like the Dimaggio hitting streak and Ripken consecutive games played records. The homerun record will go down eventually. Stolen base record as well. These three though, untouchable.
I also really enjoy some of the team names from back then. So fun!
January 26, 2024
Interesting baseball history. The sport was rampant with drunkenness, violence, injuries, and player and umpire abuse. There was only one umpire at each game, so cheating went on left and right. When the ump wasn't looking, a player could just skip 2nd base and go merrily go from 1st to 3rd, trip other players, or even slug them an opposing team member. Umpires frequently had to run for their lives or require police protection to get home. Players had no protective equipment, not even gloves. "With ghastly frequency, catchers’ thumbs and fingers were knocked out of joint and bones splintered or driven through the skin, splattering blood around home plate." Catchers finally began to shield their faces with a of "thick wire, rather than solid metal bars impervious to baseballs. They could be staved in, and foul tips sometimes snapped the wire, driving razor-sharp metal into the face."
Players didn't start wearing numbers on their uniforms until 1929, for heaven's sake, so it could be difficult to tell who was who. "o The National League had experimented in 1882 with a truly bizarre scheme: it dressed the men in color-coded uniform shirts, depending on their position. All catchers wore light blue, all second basemen orange-yellow and black stripes, all pitchers dark blue and white, et cetera. In such cases, the fielder and runner, though on opposing teams, were wearing the same uniform— The whole point of the system broke down if players had to switch positions during the game.
Really interesting from a history perspective, although not being a sports fan, I could have done without all the play-by-play descriptions of games that was like reading a series of lengthy articles from the sports pages.
Players didn't start wearing numbers on their uniforms until 1929, for heaven's sake, so it could be difficult to tell who was who. "o The National League had experimented in 1882 with a truly bizarre scheme: it dressed the men in color-coded uniform shirts, depending on their position. All catchers wore light blue, all second basemen orange-yellow and black stripes, all pitchers dark blue and white, et cetera. In such cases, the fielder and runner, though on opposing teams, were wearing the same uniform— The whole point of the system broke down if players had to switch positions during the game.
Really interesting from a history perspective, although not being a sports fan, I could have done without all the play-by-play descriptions of games that was like reading a series of lengthy articles from the sports pages.
June 17, 2011
If you are a baseball fan — especially of the history of the game — this book is for you.
This is the tale of Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn(e), who pitched the Providence Grays to the National League pennant in 1884. That he did that wasn’t just the story, however. It’s of how he took the Grays upon his back and carried them to the championship by winning 59 games (or 60, pending on sources) during the regular season. Despite pain and without the courtesy of modern training regimens, Old Hoss did something likely never to be duplicated in the game of baseball. (Or, base ball, as it was known back then).
Edward Achorn takes us through a bit of Radbourn’s career, but specifically the 1884 season. His writing style is interesting, especially as he shows a bit of the 1884 “sportswriter” way of doing things. His research is deep and it shows that some things will never be uncovered as at times he has to presume or assume certain things, but makes sure to point out things like that. It was, after all, 1884 and I’m quite sure certain things were not recorded as they are today.
Achorn takes us through Radbourn’s battled with fellow star pitcher Charlie Sweeney and manager Frank Bancroft. He gives us glimpses of some of Radbourn’s colorful teammates, such as catcher Barney Gilligan and first baseman Joe Start. In fact, Achorn gives us a solid glance for most of the 1884 Grays, showing some interesting folks along the way. He also does a good job in showing some great battles Radbourn and the Grays had with heated rivals the Boston Beaneaters and Chicago White Stockings (who would, eventually, become the Cubs).
Old Hoss Radbourn was quite a character. Quiet and trying to stay out of the limelight, he was something else and he’s portrayed well in this book. The reader really gets a chance to dig into this person and get to know him as well as possible, considering he died before the turn of the century into the 1900s.
If you love baseball history, this book is probably something you could delve into. It’s filled with interesting things from the game’s early years.
Now for my thoughts…
THE GOOD
I had been looking forward to reading this book for a while. I finally ponied up and got it for my Kindle (though I think a hard copy might be better, considering some of the items Achorn has picked out to have as images. Some of the things were hard to read on the Kindle, such as scorecards and such, but that’s not Achorn’s fault by any means).
The research in this book is quite good. It really paints a good picture not only of what baseball was like in 1884, but what life was like in those times. Things weren’t easy. Baseball wasn’t easy. With no gloves, it was quite tough to play the game. Especially being as the National League, at that point, had switched to the new pitching rule to allow overhand delivery. Catchers took a beating. Players took a beating.
This book shows all of that.
The descriptions of the players, rivals and game was excellent. I could easily picture the stadiums, the players, the uniforms, the pitches and outs by the way it was written. It took me back to 1884, which is something I would want in a book like this.
The best part of this book is the history, without a doubt. The game as it is today is nothing compared to 1884. It really shows one what the game has done over time to blossom and grow. If I could hop into a time machine and morph back to 1884 to watch a game between Boston and Providence at Messer Street Grounds, I feel I would be aptly prepared because of this book. I would gladly pay 50 cents to watch that game.
THE BAD
The book tends to get jumpy at times. With quite long chapters, Achorn bounces around a bit in each one. He’ll start on something, which will then lead to a side story or two. Then, he’ll pop back to the original story. At times, it got confusing and frustrating to read this style. It might have been good to have some sub-titles and such inside the chapters, just to break it up a little. I liked the side stories, don’t get me wrong, I just didn’t like that it seemed at times that they just showed up etc.
And this might be the journalist/English teacher in me, but sometimes the writer would use a quote and say something like “Bancroft recalled…” I understand that the quote came from the research and from a newspaper or something along those lines, but I would have liked to have seen a little more attribution with it. To be fair, the back of the book has so much attribution, it’s not funny. Still, it’s something that was pounded in my head during college and during my years of working at a newspaper, so sometimes I cringe when I see things like that!
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Again, I would highly encourage baseball history fans to read this book. It’s an excellent read. However, it’s not what I would call a “page turner.” It’s not one of those books that I couldn’t wait to get back to or would sit reading for several hours each night. With the long chapters, I often found myself reading one chapter in a night and calling it good. There were a few times I would go a couple of days without reading. But I was always interested in the next chapter and in watching how the season unfolded. I never wanted to stop reading the book, which is a good thing, and I did really enjoy it. It’s a slower-paced book that really gave a history lesson. For that, I was happy.
RATING
Originally, I wanted to give this something in the 3.5 range, but after thinking about it, I think it’s a solid 4 stars. It’s a strong read. Though the style, at times, is maddening, overall it’s a very good book and worth reading. Especially if you are a baseball or baseball history fan.
On a side note, you can see Old Hoss in modern times on Twitter (@OldHossRadbourn).
This is the tale of Charles “Old Hoss” Radbourn(e), who pitched the Providence Grays to the National League pennant in 1884. That he did that wasn’t just the story, however. It’s of how he took the Grays upon his back and carried them to the championship by winning 59 games (or 60, pending on sources) during the regular season. Despite pain and without the courtesy of modern training regimens, Old Hoss did something likely never to be duplicated in the game of baseball. (Or, base ball, as it was known back then).
Edward Achorn takes us through a bit of Radbourn’s career, but specifically the 1884 season. His writing style is interesting, especially as he shows a bit of the 1884 “sportswriter” way of doing things. His research is deep and it shows that some things will never be uncovered as at times he has to presume or assume certain things, but makes sure to point out things like that. It was, after all, 1884 and I’m quite sure certain things were not recorded as they are today.
Achorn takes us through Radbourn’s battled with fellow star pitcher Charlie Sweeney and manager Frank Bancroft. He gives us glimpses of some of Radbourn’s colorful teammates, such as catcher Barney Gilligan and first baseman Joe Start. In fact, Achorn gives us a solid glance for most of the 1884 Grays, showing some interesting folks along the way. He also does a good job in showing some great battles Radbourn and the Grays had with heated rivals the Boston Beaneaters and Chicago White Stockings (who would, eventually, become the Cubs).
Old Hoss Radbourn was quite a character. Quiet and trying to stay out of the limelight, he was something else and he’s portrayed well in this book. The reader really gets a chance to dig into this person and get to know him as well as possible, considering he died before the turn of the century into the 1900s.
If you love baseball history, this book is probably something you could delve into. It’s filled with interesting things from the game’s early years.
Now for my thoughts…
THE GOOD
I had been looking forward to reading this book for a while. I finally ponied up and got it for my Kindle (though I think a hard copy might be better, considering some of the items Achorn has picked out to have as images. Some of the things were hard to read on the Kindle, such as scorecards and such, but that’s not Achorn’s fault by any means).
The research in this book is quite good. It really paints a good picture not only of what baseball was like in 1884, but what life was like in those times. Things weren’t easy. Baseball wasn’t easy. With no gloves, it was quite tough to play the game. Especially being as the National League, at that point, had switched to the new pitching rule to allow overhand delivery. Catchers took a beating. Players took a beating.
This book shows all of that.
The descriptions of the players, rivals and game was excellent. I could easily picture the stadiums, the players, the uniforms, the pitches and outs by the way it was written. It took me back to 1884, which is something I would want in a book like this.
The best part of this book is the history, without a doubt. The game as it is today is nothing compared to 1884. It really shows one what the game has done over time to blossom and grow. If I could hop into a time machine and morph back to 1884 to watch a game between Boston and Providence at Messer Street Grounds, I feel I would be aptly prepared because of this book. I would gladly pay 50 cents to watch that game.
THE BAD
The book tends to get jumpy at times. With quite long chapters, Achorn bounces around a bit in each one. He’ll start on something, which will then lead to a side story or two. Then, he’ll pop back to the original story. At times, it got confusing and frustrating to read this style. It might have been good to have some sub-titles and such inside the chapters, just to break it up a little. I liked the side stories, don’t get me wrong, I just didn’t like that it seemed at times that they just showed up etc.
And this might be the journalist/English teacher in me, but sometimes the writer would use a quote and say something like “Bancroft recalled…” I understand that the quote came from the research and from a newspaper or something along those lines, but I would have liked to have seen a little more attribution with it. To be fair, the back of the book has so much attribution, it’s not funny. Still, it’s something that was pounded in my head during college and during my years of working at a newspaper, so sometimes I cringe when I see things like that!
OVERALL THOUGHTS
Again, I would highly encourage baseball history fans to read this book. It’s an excellent read. However, it’s not what I would call a “page turner.” It’s not one of those books that I couldn’t wait to get back to or would sit reading for several hours each night. With the long chapters, I often found myself reading one chapter in a night and calling it good. There were a few times I would go a couple of days without reading. But I was always interested in the next chapter and in watching how the season unfolded. I never wanted to stop reading the book, which is a good thing, and I did really enjoy it. It’s a slower-paced book that really gave a history lesson. For that, I was happy.
RATING
Originally, I wanted to give this something in the 3.5 range, but after thinking about it, I think it’s a solid 4 stars. It’s a strong read. Though the style, at times, is maddening, overall it’s a very good book and worth reading. Especially if you are a baseball or baseball history fan.
On a side note, you can see Old Hoss in modern times on Twitter (@OldHossRadbourn).
October 1, 2023
What a wonderful book! More than a book about baseball, it’s also a commentary on nineteenth-century America. Well edited, Achorn provides just enough detail about Radbourn’s amazing 1884 season so as to not overwhelm readers who may not be the biggest of fans of our national pastime. For the ardent baseball lover, it provides incredible insight into the raw origins of the game and its players. Baseball was incredibly important to the nation during that period, and the author captures the exuberance for the sport, which was sometimes fickle.
August 5, 2016
Old-time ballplayers are often critical of today's pitchers, who are protected by pitch counts, bullpens, and the five-man rotation. Starters of prior generations worked on only three days rest and were expected to finish what they began. It wasn't uncommon in the 1960s for pitchers to log 20 or more complete games and upwards of 300 innings a season.
What a bunch of wimps.
Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn started 73 games in 1884—and he finished them all. Radbourn established the big league record for wins that year with 59—in a 112-game season—while logging 678.2 innings. For most of the second half of the year, he was a one-man rotation. At one stretch Radbourn made 22 consecutive starts for the Providence Grays, winning 19 of them. This incredible campaign, in which he led his club to its second, and last, National League pennant, is chronicled in Edward Achorn's "Fifty-nine in '84."
The workload took its toll. Radbourn battled such intense pain late in the year he needed help from his manager just to get dressed. He was never the same pitcher in subsequent years, going 144-127 the rest of his career after winning 140 games and losing 56 from 1882-84. Jealous, stubborn, and driven by a rare offer of free agency, Radbourn fought through the pain on whiskey and guts until Providence clinched the pennant on Sept. 26 with nearly three weeks to play.
It was a finish that seemed implausible in mid-July, when the club suspended Radbourn for throwing a game, suspecting he was on the verge of jumping to the upstart Union League. The temperamental star was in a snit because Charlie Sweeney, his fellow pitcher and rival, wasn't carrying his share of the workload. With the new league dangling big dollars in an attempt to lure him away, Radbourn considered leaving, a move that would have earned him a permanent blacklisting from the NL. Sweeney made the jump instead, clearing the way for Radbourn's run at immortality.
As a reward, Bancroft offered his star his freedom at the end of the year. But Radbourn re-upped with the Grays, staying in Providence where he frequented a shady boarding house run by the lovely Carrie Stanhope. Achorn details the couple's relationship, from Stanhope's checkered past to their eventual marriage and premature deaths, both perhaps owing to syphilis.
A native New Englander who has lived in Providence for 10 years, Achorn paints a vivid picture of life there in the 1880s. Crawling with prostitutes, and crooked cops who would allow them to operate, the city was a rough place, where one risked one's safety and wallet by walking around after dark. That Wild West flavor carried over into the ballpark, where Grays fans were renowned for their belligerence toward opponents and umpires.
Not that some of the visiting players and arbiters didn't deserve the rude reception. Rival clubs from Boston and Chicago brought men who weren't above any dirty trick that would help them win a game. The umpires, who worked alone, were often cowed enough—or crooked enough—to let them get away with it.
The game took a big step toward the product we know today with the legalization that year of overhand pitching, something many hurlers were illegally doing for several seasons already. Moundsmen were allowed a running start within the pitcher's box and released the ball from as little as 50 feet away from home plate.
A longtime fan of 19th-century baseball, Achorn expertly captures the game's nuances, as well as the travails of its weary pitchers. The deputy editorial pages editor for The Providence Journal made extensive use of the archives of the Providence, Boston, and New York papers, but he didn't stop there, researching the genealogies of Radbourn and Stanhope and even digging into Sweeney's sordid family. He also spent quite a bit of time at the Rhode Island Historical Society, wanting to properly place Radbourn's accomplishments into the context of his era.
What a bunch of wimps.
Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn started 73 games in 1884—and he finished them all. Radbourn established the big league record for wins that year with 59—in a 112-game season—while logging 678.2 innings. For most of the second half of the year, he was a one-man rotation. At one stretch Radbourn made 22 consecutive starts for the Providence Grays, winning 19 of them. This incredible campaign, in which he led his club to its second, and last, National League pennant, is chronicled in Edward Achorn's "Fifty-nine in '84."
The workload took its toll. Radbourn battled such intense pain late in the year he needed help from his manager just to get dressed. He was never the same pitcher in subsequent years, going 144-127 the rest of his career after winning 140 games and losing 56 from 1882-84. Jealous, stubborn, and driven by a rare offer of free agency, Radbourn fought through the pain on whiskey and guts until Providence clinched the pennant on Sept. 26 with nearly three weeks to play.
It was a finish that seemed implausible in mid-July, when the club suspended Radbourn for throwing a game, suspecting he was on the verge of jumping to the upstart Union League. The temperamental star was in a snit because Charlie Sweeney, his fellow pitcher and rival, wasn't carrying his share of the workload. With the new league dangling big dollars in an attempt to lure him away, Radbourn considered leaving, a move that would have earned him a permanent blacklisting from the NL. Sweeney made the jump instead, clearing the way for Radbourn's run at immortality.
As a reward, Bancroft offered his star his freedom at the end of the year. But Radbourn re-upped with the Grays, staying in Providence where he frequented a shady boarding house run by the lovely Carrie Stanhope. Achorn details the couple's relationship, from Stanhope's checkered past to their eventual marriage and premature deaths, both perhaps owing to syphilis.
A native New Englander who has lived in Providence for 10 years, Achorn paints a vivid picture of life there in the 1880s. Crawling with prostitutes, and crooked cops who would allow them to operate, the city was a rough place, where one risked one's safety and wallet by walking around after dark. That Wild West flavor carried over into the ballpark, where Grays fans were renowned for their belligerence toward opponents and umpires.
Not that some of the visiting players and arbiters didn't deserve the rude reception. Rival clubs from Boston and Chicago brought men who weren't above any dirty trick that would help them win a game. The umpires, who worked alone, were often cowed enough—or crooked enough—to let them get away with it.
The game took a big step toward the product we know today with the legalization that year of overhand pitching, something many hurlers were illegally doing for several seasons already. Moundsmen were allowed a running start within the pitcher's box and released the ball from as little as 50 feet away from home plate.
A longtime fan of 19th-century baseball, Achorn expertly captures the game's nuances, as well as the travails of its weary pitchers. The deputy editorial pages editor for The Providence Journal made extensive use of the archives of the Providence, Boston, and New York papers, but he didn't stop there, researching the genealogies of Radbourn and Stanhope and even digging into Sweeney's sordid family. He also spent quite a bit of time at the Rhode Island Historical Society, wanting to properly place Radbourn's accomplishments into the context of his era.
October 11, 2012
One of the greatest feats in sports history was the 60-12 season posted in 1884 by Old Hoss Radbourn. Although he is in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, and was celebrated in his day, modern baseball fans know little about him. This book changes all that.
Achorn does a wonderful job of bringing Radbourn to life. Radbourn was feisty, rebellious, and crafty, a hard drinker and a hard worker. He had a great fastball and a good curve ball. He was an early pioneer of the screwball. Above all, he had pinpoint control and he was so unpredictable that batters were totally baffled. In 1884 he had a 1.38 ERA, pitched 73 complete games, and struck out 441 batters. After that, he pitched and won all of the games of the 1884 World Series. In his career he posted 309 wins.
While the book does recount the excitement of the 1884 pennant race, it also provides a picture of the times. The love affair of Radbourn with Carrie Stanhope, and the tragedies that befell both of them, make this more than just a book about a forgotten baseball legend.
There is one thing that the author does that I disagree with. In recent years it has been fashionable for baseball writers to recalculate and change the statistics of 19th Century baseball players. Thus, Hugh Duffy's record breaking average in 1894 is either .440 or .438, depending on the source. Some .400 hitters were demoted to hitting .389 or thereabouts. One 40 game winner has been demoted to a "mere" 39 wins.
It often depends on the scoring: what is a hit; what is an error; what is an official game. In the case of Old Hoss Radbourn, Achorn decided that in one of Radbourn's 60 wins, where two pitchers were used in the game, the win should have gone to the other pitcher. Hence the title of this book is "Fifty Nine" instead of "Sixty".
Since Radbourn's contemporaries scored the game to give him the win, since he has been credited with 60 wins for well over a hundred years, I think it is ridiculous to now come back and rescore the game to give him a lower total.
Some baseball records will never be broken. Chief Wilson's 36 triples will stand as a single season record forever, because stadiums are not cavernous enough and long ball hitters are swinging for the fences and clearing them. Radbourn's record will never be duplicated because no team will ever dare to risk injury to their star pitcher by pitching him so often.
The turbulent times of the era have been well portrayed in this interesting book. The author does a remarkable job of uncovering facts to bring the legend to life for the attention that the former hero deserves.
Achorn does a wonderful job of bringing Radbourn to life. Radbourn was feisty, rebellious, and crafty, a hard drinker and a hard worker. He had a great fastball and a good curve ball. He was an early pioneer of the screwball. Above all, he had pinpoint control and he was so unpredictable that batters were totally baffled. In 1884 he had a 1.38 ERA, pitched 73 complete games, and struck out 441 batters. After that, he pitched and won all of the games of the 1884 World Series. In his career he posted 309 wins.
While the book does recount the excitement of the 1884 pennant race, it also provides a picture of the times. The love affair of Radbourn with Carrie Stanhope, and the tragedies that befell both of them, make this more than just a book about a forgotten baseball legend.
There is one thing that the author does that I disagree with. In recent years it has been fashionable for baseball writers to recalculate and change the statistics of 19th Century baseball players. Thus, Hugh Duffy's record breaking average in 1894 is either .440 or .438, depending on the source. Some .400 hitters were demoted to hitting .389 or thereabouts. One 40 game winner has been demoted to a "mere" 39 wins.
It often depends on the scoring: what is a hit; what is an error; what is an official game. In the case of Old Hoss Radbourn, Achorn decided that in one of Radbourn's 60 wins, where two pitchers were used in the game, the win should have gone to the other pitcher. Hence the title of this book is "Fifty Nine" instead of "Sixty".
Since Radbourn's contemporaries scored the game to give him the win, since he has been credited with 60 wins for well over a hundred years, I think it is ridiculous to now come back and rescore the game to give him a lower total.
Some baseball records will never be broken. Chief Wilson's 36 triples will stand as a single season record forever, because stadiums are not cavernous enough and long ball hitters are swinging for the fences and clearing them. Radbourn's record will never be duplicated because no team will ever dare to risk injury to their star pitcher by pitching him so often.
The turbulent times of the era have been well portrayed in this interesting book. The author does a remarkable job of uncovering facts to bring the legend to life for the attention that the former hero deserves.
September 16, 2011
Really interesting story primarily about Hoss Radbourn, a pitcher for the Providence Grays (a National League team at the time) in the mid-1880s, and how he won 59 games during the 112-game regular season. He started 75 games and completed them all, including 16-, 15-, and 14-inning games. He pitched 679 innings during that season, and had a 1.38 earned run average. For anyone who follows baseball and knows that starting pitchers now start 30-32 games a year and might throw as many as 240 innings in a season, rarely completing games, Radbourn's accomplishments are eye-opening... but not uncommon for his era.
As the author describes it, Radbourn's shoulder and elbow at the end of the 1883 season were virtually held together with baling wire and sealing wax - likely having a torn rotator cuff at that point from overwork in 1883. His arm hardly had a chance to heal over the winter, and then he undertook his unparalleled season in 1884.
So how was baseball different in its early days? The pitchers didn't toe a rubber, but pitched from a pitcher's box, and could do whatever they wanted for a windup as long as they delivered the ball from the box. Fielders did not wear gloves. Catchers, unbelievably, wore only fingerless leather gloves on their hands, no chest or shin protection, and only a rudimentary wire mask. (And catchers' hands were routinely mangled, fractured, contused, or lacerated from foul balls.) Hitters wore no batting helmets, and being hit by a pitch was simply "no pitch," not "take your base." (So pitchers could plunk batters at will, except that the pitchers also needed to hit in the game.)
Amusingly, the author on more than one occasion references games in which the umpire (there was only one for each game) would wave his arms, halt play, and someone from the stands would emerge to present a large bouquet of flowers, or perhaps an oil painting, to a favorite player who had achieved above and beyond the call of duty in his recent play!
As someone who grew up in Rhode Island, the descriptions of Providence in the 1880s were fascinating, though it didn't seem like the most savory place, with apparently rampant prostitution, gangs, and an overall wild west mentality. The general sense that came across was that most people had hair-trigger tempers and didn't hold back when they flared.
This was a very entertaining and informative read, especially if you are a baseball enthusiast.
As the author describes it, Radbourn's shoulder and elbow at the end of the 1883 season were virtually held together with baling wire and sealing wax - likely having a torn rotator cuff at that point from overwork in 1883. His arm hardly had a chance to heal over the winter, and then he undertook his unparalleled season in 1884.
So how was baseball different in its early days? The pitchers didn't toe a rubber, but pitched from a pitcher's box, and could do whatever they wanted for a windup as long as they delivered the ball from the box. Fielders did not wear gloves. Catchers, unbelievably, wore only fingerless leather gloves on their hands, no chest or shin protection, and only a rudimentary wire mask. (And catchers' hands were routinely mangled, fractured, contused, or lacerated from foul balls.) Hitters wore no batting helmets, and being hit by a pitch was simply "no pitch," not "take your base." (So pitchers could plunk batters at will, except that the pitchers also needed to hit in the game.)
Amusingly, the author on more than one occasion references games in which the umpire (there was only one for each game) would wave his arms, halt play, and someone from the stands would emerge to present a large bouquet of flowers, or perhaps an oil painting, to a favorite player who had achieved above and beyond the call of duty in his recent play!
As someone who grew up in Rhode Island, the descriptions of Providence in the 1880s were fascinating, though it didn't seem like the most savory place, with apparently rampant prostitution, gangs, and an overall wild west mentality. The general sense that came across was that most people had hair-trigger tempers and didn't hold back when they flared.
This was a very entertaining and informative read, especially if you are a baseball enthusiast.
December 24, 2023
Random thoughts about Fifty-Nine in '84 by Edward Achorn:
- Provenance: Purchased in a used book store in Redondo Beach for $7.95.
- Before I start the review, may I suggest you follow @oldhossradbourn on Twitter. Hilarious tweets about baseball and other items of modern interest in the style of the later 19th century.
- A very interesting book about not only the baseball season of 1884, but what life was like during that time as well. This is very much a baseball book, but it is also a book about life at that time, using baseball as the background.
- In the 1884 season Radbourn set the record for victories in a season by a single pitcher - a remarkable, even for that time, of 59.
- Teams in those years used two pitchers, who would alternate games. Due to injuries, drunkenness, egos, and quitting, Radbourn becomes essentially the only pitcher for the Providence Grays. Because the Grays are in a pennant race, and Radbourn is the only pitcher they can comfortably rely upon, he pitches nearly every game after July 1, including at one point 16 games in a row.
- For those who point to statistics like that and compare today's pitchers throwing once every five days as some kind of "less than," Radbourn and his peers destroyed their arms pitching even every other day. Most of those pitchers had four or five good years before their arms gave out completely.
- Also, because of the nature of the game at the time, pitchers would very much throw it so that hitters could put the ball in play. Hitters were smaller, and had much less power. Also, the softer nature of the ball made it harder to hit home runs. So even if a batter reached base, it would take at least two more hits to bring him home.
- As an example of the lack of offense, the Grays won the pennant that year, winning about 80% of their games. They had one hitter who hit over .300 (and he hit .302). Pitchers could afford to throw easier and still be effective. Today's pitchers would give up 15 runs a game doing that.
- A very interesting history of old-time baseball, and old-time society.
- Provenance: Purchased in a used book store in Redondo Beach for $7.95.
- Before I start the review, may I suggest you follow @oldhossradbourn on Twitter. Hilarious tweets about baseball and other items of modern interest in the style of the later 19th century.
- A very interesting book about not only the baseball season of 1884, but what life was like during that time as well. This is very much a baseball book, but it is also a book about life at that time, using baseball as the background.
- In the 1884 season Radbourn set the record for victories in a season by a single pitcher - a remarkable, even for that time, of 59.
- Teams in those years used two pitchers, who would alternate games. Due to injuries, drunkenness, egos, and quitting, Radbourn becomes essentially the only pitcher for the Providence Grays. Because the Grays are in a pennant race, and Radbourn is the only pitcher they can comfortably rely upon, he pitches nearly every game after July 1, including at one point 16 games in a row.
- For those who point to statistics like that and compare today's pitchers throwing once every five days as some kind of "less than," Radbourn and his peers destroyed their arms pitching even every other day. Most of those pitchers had four or five good years before their arms gave out completely.
- Also, because of the nature of the game at the time, pitchers would very much throw it so that hitters could put the ball in play. Hitters were smaller, and had much less power. Also, the softer nature of the ball made it harder to hit home runs. So even if a batter reached base, it would take at least two more hits to bring him home.
- As an example of the lack of offense, the Grays won the pennant that year, winning about 80% of their games. They had one hitter who hit over .300 (and he hit .302). Pitchers could afford to throw easier and still be effective. Today's pitchers would give up 15 runs a game doing that.
- A very interesting history of old-time baseball, and old-time society.
December 12, 2014
“Fifty-nine in ‘84” by Edward Achorn, published by Smithsonian Books.
Category – Sports/Baseball Publication Date – February 22, 2011
Okay sports and baseball fans, if I told you a pitcher won Fifty-nine games in one season would you believe me? Yes, it is true in 1884 a pitcher by the name of Charlie Radbourn did it for the Providence Grays. This was a time when baseball was played barehanded, yes, no gloves, barehanded.
This book tells the story of baseball at its rawest. It was a sport that was brutal and bloody (remember barehanded). It was a sport that players not only hard drinkers but womanizers as well. It was a sport that had few rules and those were mostly ignored. If you weren’t cheating you weren’t trying. No one thought anything of trying to maim another player to get him out of the game. Many players were poorly educated, and gutter language was part of the game.
Umpires were a sorry lot, many of them knowing only the fundamentals of the game and were not beyond calling plays based on their own likes and dislikes. Umpires were also taking their life in their own hands because it was not uncommon for the players and fans to accost them, sometimes beating them severely.
Radbourn, like many pitchers of the time, was one of only two pitchers carried on a team. In his historic season, Radbourn was the only pitcher for Providence for over half the season. This means he was pitching just about every other day and sometimes days in a row.
A great read for the sports fan that not only tells the story of the “greatest pitcher of all time”, but the early beginnings of our National Sport. It is interesting to see how some baseball lingo and rules came into being.
Category – Sports/Baseball Publication Date – February 22, 2011
Okay sports and baseball fans, if I told you a pitcher won Fifty-nine games in one season would you believe me? Yes, it is true in 1884 a pitcher by the name of Charlie Radbourn did it for the Providence Grays. This was a time when baseball was played barehanded, yes, no gloves, barehanded.
This book tells the story of baseball at its rawest. It was a sport that was brutal and bloody (remember barehanded). It was a sport that players not only hard drinkers but womanizers as well. It was a sport that had few rules and those were mostly ignored. If you weren’t cheating you weren’t trying. No one thought anything of trying to maim another player to get him out of the game. Many players were poorly educated, and gutter language was part of the game.
Umpires were a sorry lot, many of them knowing only the fundamentals of the game and were not beyond calling plays based on their own likes and dislikes. Umpires were also taking their life in their own hands because it was not uncommon for the players and fans to accost them, sometimes beating them severely.
Radbourn, like many pitchers of the time, was one of only two pitchers carried on a team. In his historic season, Radbourn was the only pitcher for Providence for over half the season. This means he was pitching just about every other day and sometimes days in a row.
A great read for the sports fan that not only tells the story of the “greatest pitcher of all time”, but the early beginnings of our National Sport. It is interesting to see how some baseball lingo and rules came into being.
June 23, 2010
I lived in Detroit in 1968 when Denny McClain won 31 games for the Tigers. That was a big deal. While pitchers will break the 20 game mark, no one has reached 30 games since then.
But go back 126 years ....
This is a wonderful book with a ton of information about baseball in the mid 1880's and what American was like back then..
Charles Old Hoss Radbourn pitched for the Providence Grays -they were a professional ball club who along with the Boston Beaneaters, Detroit Wolverines, New York Gothams, Chicago White Stockings, Cleveland Blues, Buffalo Bisons and the Philadelphia Phillies made up the National League. The National League was the oldest professional baseball league at the time.
In 1884 the Grays played 122 games (that is only league play. The also had dozens of exhibition games). Old Hoss pitched in 75 of those 112 games; he started 73 of those games.
All 73 games he started, he completed. No going 6 1/2 innings and calling in a relief pitcher. You started a game, you were expected to finish the game.
He pitched a total of 678.2 innings from a pitcher's box that was just 50 feet from home plate. By the way, foul balls did not count as strikes then. Today it's a big deal if a pitcher throws 250 innings.
Of those 75 games, he WON 59, a record which still stands today. For 2 months, Radbourn was THE pitcher for Providence, starting every game. No three days rest. The only rest he had was on Sunday (no ball playing on the Sabbath) or when a game was rained out.
It is a great story and the author Edward Achorn has a wonderful writing style that breathes life into the rough and tough baseball world of the 1880s.
I loved it!
But go back 126 years ....
This is a wonderful book with a ton of information about baseball in the mid 1880's and what American was like back then..
Charles Old Hoss Radbourn pitched for the Providence Grays -they were a professional ball club who along with the Boston Beaneaters, Detroit Wolverines, New York Gothams, Chicago White Stockings, Cleveland Blues, Buffalo Bisons and the Philadelphia Phillies made up the National League. The National League was the oldest professional baseball league at the time.
In 1884 the Grays played 122 games (that is only league play. The also had dozens of exhibition games). Old Hoss pitched in 75 of those 112 games; he started 73 of those games.
All 73 games he started, he completed. No going 6 1/2 innings and calling in a relief pitcher. You started a game, you were expected to finish the game.
He pitched a total of 678.2 innings from a pitcher's box that was just 50 feet from home plate. By the way, foul balls did not count as strikes then. Today it's a big deal if a pitcher throws 250 innings.
Of those 75 games, he WON 59, a record which still stands today. For 2 months, Radbourn was THE pitcher for Providence, starting every game. No three days rest. The only rest he had was on Sunday (no ball playing on the Sabbath) or when a game was rained out.
It is a great story and the author Edward Achorn has a wonderful writing style that breathes life into the rough and tough baseball world of the 1880s.
I loved it!
August 6, 2023
Any fan of baseball owes it to themselves to learn about Old Hoss' 59 (or 60?) win season in 1884. Bonus - it's got the first interleague championship (which called itself a World's Series) in professional baseball.
With a cast as colorful as one would expect of a 19th century, no glove, hardball game, Achorn tells a good story. His only large, perhaps even unearned, flights of fancy involve Radbourn and his later wife Carrie Stanhope. As far as I can tell, the only evidence they were romantically involved in 1884 is circumstantial - she lived in Providence, and he pitched for Providence from 1881-1885, and they eventually married (after living together as husband and wife in Illinois for several years).
So the parts of the book that deal with Carrie running a boarding house (read: house of ill repute) and where it was and how far it was from the train station and police activity that occurred at other boarding houses in Providence take a little more of the stage than they should, even as they provide interesting milieu for the main story.
That's a quibble, though. Radbourn and his team-rival Sweeney, both ornery sunuvabitches, but Radbourn at least a law-abiding and dependable sunuvabitch, so a likeable antihero, and the late season miracle-on-dirt Radbourn produced, make a real page-turner and a story every baseball fan should know.
With a cast as colorful as one would expect of a 19th century, no glove, hardball game, Achorn tells a good story. His only large, perhaps even unearned, flights of fancy involve Radbourn and his later wife Carrie Stanhope. As far as I can tell, the only evidence they were romantically involved in 1884 is circumstantial - she lived in Providence, and he pitched for Providence from 1881-1885, and they eventually married (after living together as husband and wife in Illinois for several years).
So the parts of the book that deal with Carrie running a boarding house (read: house of ill repute) and where it was and how far it was from the train station and police activity that occurred at other boarding houses in Providence take a little more of the stage than they should, even as they provide interesting milieu for the main story.
That's a quibble, though. Radbourn and his team-rival Sweeney, both ornery sunuvabitches, but Radbourn at least a law-abiding and dependable sunuvabitch, so a likeable antihero, and the late season miracle-on-dirt Radbourn produced, make a real page-turner and a story every baseball fan should know.
December 2, 2012
Allow me to preface this by saying I know nothing about baseball- either it's modern incarnation or this, early "bare knuckle" style. I do, however, love history books, especially ones that use a topic to branch out into deeper historical narrative. This book does exactly that; in the tradition of Salt and Cod (two awesome books, by the way), it uses the early growing pains of baseball to work through the growing pains of post Civil War America.
Coming away from this book, I have a new respect for baseball, and a profound level of respect for these early pioneers of the sport. Any baseball fan should read this,and I think anyone who likes reading history stuff would enjoy this as well.
The story of Old Hoss Radbourn is, quite frankly, amazing. The amount of determination, grit, and skill this man had is unbelievable. I also like the honesty of the author; he did not attempt to deify his subject in any way, and his flaws make him all the more compelling.
I learned a lot about baseball, and learned more about America's "coming of age" years. I think this makes a great companion to The Great Oyster and would put this book up with one of my favorite history texts. Well done, sir.
Coming away from this book, I have a new respect for baseball, and a profound level of respect for these early pioneers of the sport. Any baseball fan should read this,and I think anyone who likes reading history stuff would enjoy this as well.
The story of Old Hoss Radbourn is, quite frankly, amazing. The amount of determination, grit, and skill this man had is unbelievable. I also like the honesty of the author; he did not attempt to deify his subject in any way, and his flaws make him all the more compelling.
I learned a lot about baseball, and learned more about America's "coming of age" years. I think this makes a great companion to The Great Oyster and would put this book up with one of my favorite history texts. Well done, sir.
September 29, 2011
While on the outside this appears to be a baseball book it really isn't. This is a 19th century Americana chronicle with sections devoted to temperance, tobacco, prostitution, politics, travel, the meat industry and life in general. Everything is framed around the pitcher Old Hoss Radbourn, his team, rivalries, the woman he loved and the team he threw for, the Providence Grays. He won 59 games in a single baseball season, something that will never be bettered. It's rare to have a 20 game winner now. But if that is the core the book really comes alive as the author brings in so many other aspects of life. As he read the microfilm for the sports section he must have also kept notes on the front pages and found the names of the other players in the book which include politicians, singers, tobacconists, parlour house owners, gamblers, owners, industrialists and all the filth that comes with being human and fallible. If you want some nostalgia and a good book, this one is fun and serious at the same time. The personalities jump off the page and seem like you have known them forever.
August 9, 2011
Fifty-Nine in '84 is a great biography of the man who holds the likely unbreakable single-season wins record for professional baseball. More interestingly, this book gives a great overview of the early days of professional ball, a gritty, blue-collar period when players used their bare hands, did anything to win (up to and including cheating, thanks to having just one umpire on the field), and often flamed out before they reached 30, their bodies battered from the abuse of the game. This is a great book for any baseball fan who wants to understand the origins of the professional game and what its early pioneers went through. Topping off a great story and solid writing are a slew of photographs of the players and the period.
June 26, 2010
If you like baseball history, this book is definitely recommended as it recounts the 1884 season when the game was in its infancy and played very much differently than today. Old Hoss Radbourn's season with the Providence Grays is chronicled as he set the single-season record for pitching victories which has never been surpassed. The author also provides an excellent look into life in America during the 1880's which makes the book even more interesting.
July 11, 2010
Edward Achorn does a great job of writing about Charles Radbourn.He chronicles the rough and tumble era of baseball in the 1880s.Back then there was a 2-man rotation,not 4 or 5 man rotation!Ball players had to be
real rugged and durable,especially the pitchers. Also enjoyed the author
writing about what was going in the New England area and the rest of
America during that time period.
One of the best sports books I've ever read!
real rugged and durable,especially the pitchers. Also enjoyed the author
writing about what was going in the New England area and the rest of
America during that time period.
One of the best sports books I've ever read!
December 8, 2013
This is probably one of my favorite baseball books. We always here about the great baseball heroes of early 20th century: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, etc. But we never here about the amazing players of the 19th century who endured so much more physically and economically. Its a telling story of how much baseball has changed in its hundred plus year history. The grittiness, passion, and athleticism of these forerunners of the great American pastime can't be forgotten.
April 28, 2015
I love this book so much! It had baseball, which I love, but it also gave me an insight into late 19th century America and the drama of that time. Thoroughly recommended.
October 7, 2021
59 in ’84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball, and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had
by Edward Achorn
I cannot remember how I came by this book, but suspect that my wife Shari gave it to me. What appeared to be a nice baseball book evolved into a pretty serious read. I kept trying to read faster, but could not as most sentences and surely paragraphs were filled with new information and stats that I had never read about before. A revelation to me in most of the cases.
The name is what the book is about: Charlie Radbourn and the truth is that he did – indeed win 59 games in1884. He patched most of the games for the Providence R.I. Grays. Day after day, after day, after day. Now mind you this was the time of the dead ball. However the basic dimensions were the same as today. One large difference is t ha t there was a pitchers BOX, and the pitcher our get a step or two from any corner to another corner of that same box before he threw the pitch. Hence the batter never knew from which corner the pitch would come. No mound, but a pitcher’s box, 50’6” away, as measured home to second by 4 feet wide. Before delivering the ball, pitchers were required to have one foot on the back line of the pitcher's box at all times, face the batter, hold the ball so the umpire could see it and were allowed only one step in their delivery.
The book is set in the early years of the emerging game of baseball. The rules are like another world compared to today.
Set in 1884, a year when three major leagues battled for predominance. Of the three, only the National League is left. In that year the president of the league welcomed new franchises in New York and Philadelphia.
It was a timely move, as there was a rival league . . . the American Association and the Union Association posed serious threats. Making it a special challenge, was the AA had cheaper admission rates to join the league.
With this in mind the year 1884 season was played out. Radbourn won an unsurpassed – never will be approached again, for sure – pitched for the Providence Grays. He won those games and in the process literally carried this team to the first official world championship of baseball. I truly regret that I did not know of this man when I visited the BH with my brother Tom and grandson Zachary some years ago.
Radbourn was not an easy man to know and he had a drinking problem, but he was truly a gifted pitcher. Remember the pitchers box was 50’6" from the batter’s box. He pitched overhand (recently approved), as well as underhand and side arm.
Of note in the book is the rivalry between Radbourn and an upstart youngster Charlie Sweeney, who won 41 games in 1884.
The author introduces one Carrie Stanhope, a woman of questionable reputation without proof as Radbourn’s love. I did not get the impression from the book t hat there is any real proof of this romantic relationship, though.
The pitchers box was replaced with a mound in 1893 and moved to 60” 6” from what had been a box.
If you like baseball and are interested in the history of the game, you will enjoy this book.
By the way Ty Cobb was born in 1886, only two years after this record setting performance. It is easy to see how he would have watched the game in the late 90’s and would have seen a lot of his
same approaches to the game as reflected in this book.
This is a well researched and fun read, but not one that you can speed read.
by Edward Achorn
I cannot remember how I came by this book, but suspect that my wife Shari gave it to me. What appeared to be a nice baseball book evolved into a pretty serious read. I kept trying to read faster, but could not as most sentences and surely paragraphs were filled with new information and stats that I had never read about before. A revelation to me in most of the cases.
The name is what the book is about: Charlie Radbourn and the truth is that he did – indeed win 59 games in1884. He patched most of the games for the Providence R.I. Grays. Day after day, after day, after day. Now mind you this was the time of the dead ball. However the basic dimensions were the same as today. One large difference is t ha t there was a pitchers BOX, and the pitcher our get a step or two from any corner to another corner of that same box before he threw the pitch. Hence the batter never knew from which corner the pitch would come. No mound, but a pitcher’s box, 50’6” away, as measured home to second by 4 feet wide. Before delivering the ball, pitchers were required to have one foot on the back line of the pitcher's box at all times, face the batter, hold the ball so the umpire could see it and were allowed only one step in their delivery.
The book is set in the early years of the emerging game of baseball. The rules are like another world compared to today.
Set in 1884, a year when three major leagues battled for predominance. Of the three, only the National League is left. In that year the president of the league welcomed new franchises in New York and Philadelphia.
It was a timely move, as there was a rival league . . . the American Association and the Union Association posed serious threats. Making it a special challenge, was the AA had cheaper admission rates to join the league.
With this in mind the year 1884 season was played out. Radbourn won an unsurpassed – never will be approached again, for sure – pitched for the Providence Grays. He won those games and in the process literally carried this team to the first official world championship of baseball. I truly regret that I did not know of this man when I visited the BH with my brother Tom and grandson Zachary some years ago.
Radbourn was not an easy man to know and he had a drinking problem, but he was truly a gifted pitcher. Remember the pitchers box was 50’6" from the batter’s box. He pitched overhand (recently approved), as well as underhand and side arm.
Of note in the book is the rivalry between Radbourn and an upstart youngster Charlie Sweeney, who won 41 games in 1884.
The author introduces one Carrie Stanhope, a woman of questionable reputation without proof as Radbourn’s love. I did not get the impression from the book t hat there is any real proof of this romantic relationship, though.
The pitchers box was replaced with a mound in 1893 and moved to 60” 6” from what had been a box.
If you like baseball and are interested in the history of the game, you will enjoy this book.
By the way Ty Cobb was born in 1886, only two years after this record setting performance. It is easy to see how he would have watched the game in the late 90’s and would have seen a lot of his
same approaches to the game as reflected in this book.
This is a well researched and fun read, but not one that you can speed read.
March 3, 2019
Edward Achorn gives us a sense of what baseball was like when professional leagues just got going. Imagine this, there were contract disputes, upstart leagues trying to buy players from established teams, bad umpires and players that were playing drunk. But there was many things that were different in the 1880's also. Pitching seemed to be the main one with teams basically going with two pitchers for the whole season. Pitchers were throwing from a boxed off area and could move around, not staying on a rubber. They weren't suppose to throw overhand but would get away with it now and then. The book centers on Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourne who won an incredible 59 games pitching nearly every game in the second half of the season after rookie sensation Sweeney was kicked off the team for drunk and disorderly contact. He was more cunning then overpowering. He was a quiet grumpy competitor who did not want to be outdone by teammates. I only wish the author would of described the pitching style earlier in the book since it seems incredible that someone could pitch this much. I know this can be done with underhand style of a softball pitcher but my guess is they pitched from many different angles and just had to gut out the pain that this much abuse would do to an arm. A fun read for baseball fans.
July 5, 2024
I love baseball history. It’s a reminder of a time when athletes exerted some effort at their jobs, and they weren’t babied, especially pitchers.
Granted, Radbourn is an extreme example with the number of games he was expected to pitch, however learning about his past and work ethic, modern day players should take note.
Here in modern times, a pitcher reaches 100 pitches and out he comes. 100 pitches back then was a player just getting started. We have pitchers today constantly breaking down, arm troubles, Tommy John surgeries etc. Why? They don’t build up strength to give their arms the ability to develop enough in order to go the distance in a game. If they continue to be babied, it’s only going to get worse.
Again, Radbourn is an extreme example (as were others during this time) I get it. He has a work ethic that is seriously lacking today and players should pay attention. When Sweeney is brought onboard to eliminate some pressure on Old Hoss, he’s not thankful, he’s livid. He viewed it as a knock on his ability to do his job as a professional baseball player. Players today? They get paid astronomical sums of money to work roughly 25-30 times a year, and then what? Hold out for more money, go on the DL for the littlest tweaks, and complain about not feeling appreciated.
Long live Old Hoss.
Granted, Radbourn is an extreme example with the number of games he was expected to pitch, however learning about his past and work ethic, modern day players should take note.
Here in modern times, a pitcher reaches 100 pitches and out he comes. 100 pitches back then was a player just getting started. We have pitchers today constantly breaking down, arm troubles, Tommy John surgeries etc. Why? They don’t build up strength to give their arms the ability to develop enough in order to go the distance in a game. If they continue to be babied, it’s only going to get worse.
Again, Radbourn is an extreme example (as were others during this time) I get it. He has a work ethic that is seriously lacking today and players should pay attention. When Sweeney is brought onboard to eliminate some pressure on Old Hoss, he’s not thankful, he’s livid. He viewed it as a knock on his ability to do his job as a professional baseball player. Players today? They get paid astronomical sums of money to work roughly 25-30 times a year, and then what? Hold out for more money, go on the DL for the littlest tweaks, and complain about not feeling appreciated.
Long live Old Hoss.
April 9, 2019
This might be the best baseball or sports narrative history I've read. Painstakingly researched and well-written, my only complaint is that the absence of some record documentation, particularly with respect to personal relationships, led the author to engage in more speculation that I would have preferred. This is understandable, given the nature of Radbourn's relationship with Carrie Stanhope, their relative lack of education, and the unlikelihood that any papers or letters between them would have survived. If they had Edward Achorn would certainly have found and used them. The speculation does make for a better story as he effectively weaves baseball action, the early business of baseball, intra- and inter-team rivalries, and the romance into a coherent history, often anticipating questions right as they come to mind. I'm looking forward to reading The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America's Game in case it's even half as good.
October 20, 2021
What is going on with modern sports journalists producing such wondrous biographies of nineteenth century athletes, especially when you consider the limited existence of relevant primary sources which help a full-length book come to life beyond the statistics? Following my reading of Reed Browning’s “Cy Young: A Baseball Life”, I anticipated the likely blueprint that Edward Achorn would have to follow in his biography on pitcher Charles Radbourn. Without many in-depth interviews from the subject themselves, loved ones or contemporaries, I fully expected Achorn to focus on box scores, newspaper recaps and a general overview of the world of baseball during the pre-modern era of the 1880s. Sure, this biography indeed followed that avenue, but Achorn’s presentation of the Providence Grays' pennant-winning season of 1884 - helmed by Radborn’s super-human effort - was an ASTOUNDING read! The first few chapters leading up to 1884 were slow and leaned a tad towards the filler side - and the repeated insinuations of Charlie meeting up with his future wife, Carrie, albeit with no substantial proof are tiresome - but the meat of the book and its conclusion surly sent me home happy.
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