Synopses & Reviews
Houston is no newcomer to baseball. Imported from the northeast, the sport made its way to the Bayou City as early as the 1850s. Houston Baseball: The Early Years 1861-1961 chronicles each step in the development of Houston baseball from town ball to the emergence of a game that modern fans would recognize. Historian and longtime baseball devotee Mike Vance has crafted a fascinating history that will gratify enthusiasts and shed new light on the game that made Houston a sports town. The book covers the nineteenth-century flourish of Americas favorite pastime in Houston in far more detail than has ever been studied. Dizzy Dean, Chick Hafey, Billy Williams, and Ron Santo are just a few of the legendary names to appear as Vance details Houstons ascension from minor to major league play. This definitive history of Houstons passion for baseball brings together politics, personalities, and love of the game. Richly illustrated and expertly told, Houston Baseball will delight fans of Houston baseball past and present.
Synopsis
The birth of baseball in Houston has long been a subject of fascination--and mystery--to dedicated fans. Much like the birthday of baseball itself, it's impossible to put an exact date on the first game ever played in the Bayou City. Now, historian Mike Vance has collected definitive information uncovered by members of the Larry Dierker Chapter of The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) and weaves it into a book that will gratify enthusiasts and shed new light on the game that made Houston a sports town.
About the Author
From personal experience having practically grown up in the Astrodome to professional experience as a member of The Society for American Baseball Research, Mike Vance is an authority on Houston baseball history. Founder of Houston Arts and Media, a non-profit organization that creates innovative ways to educate Texans about their history, Vance has worked with dozens of groups, cities and school districts to document and celebrate their history. His feature length documentary, Houston: A Nation's Capitol, won the Platinum Award in Documentary at World Fest/Houston International Film Festival, and his history television series, Postcards from Texas, was named most outstanding media effort in the state by both the Texas Historical Commission and the Texas Society Daughters of the American Revolution. His book, Houston's Sporting Life: 1900-1950, from Arcadia Publishing, is now in its second printing. For the past three years, Vance has lectured on Houston history topics as part of the Continuing Studies program at Rice University. Mike currently serves on the Harris County Historical Commission.