Red Sox vs. Braves in Boston: The Battle for Fans' Hearts, 1901-1952

by Charlie Bevis

Overview

For 52 years, Boston was a two-team Major League city, home to both the Red Sox and the Braves. This book focuses on the two teams' period of coexistence and competition for fans. The author analyzes the Boston fan base through trends in transportation, communication, geography, population and employment. Tracing the pendulum of fan preference between the two teams over five distinct time periods, a deeper understanding emerges of why the Red Sox remained in Boston and the Braves moved to Milwaukee.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786496648
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	11/21/2017
Pages:	250
Sales rank:	624,439
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Charlie Bevis, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, is a retired adjunct professor of English at Rivier University. He has written for Nine, The Cooperstown Symposium, The National Pastime and Base Ball, and is the author of several baseball books. He lives in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
Part One: Nationals Have Monopoly, 1871–1900
 1. Merchants as Spectators
 2. Emerging Middle Class at the Ballpark
 3. Two-Team City for Two Years
 4. Rise of ­Irish-American Fans
Part Two: Red Sox Dominate, 1901–1920
 5. American League Enters Boston
 6. Changing Nature of the Fans
 7. New Ballparks for Big Crowds
 8. Home Runs Convert Fans
Part Three: Braves Have Edge, 1921–1933
 9. Radio Broadcasts and the Vote on Sunday Baseball
10. Sunday Games Permitted Only at Braves Field
11. New Law Allows Sunday Games at Fenway Park
12. Braves Continue to Outdraw Red Sox
Part Four: Red Sox Triumph, 1934–1945
13. Renovated Red Sox
14. Braves Change Name to Bees
15. Power Hitting at Fenway Park
16. Doubleheaders in the War Years
Part Five: Braves Fight Back, 1946–1952
17. Braves Initiate Night Baseball
18. Trying to Mint Braves Fans
19. Television and Suburban Fans
20. Road-Game Radio Broadcasts
Epilogue: Jimmy Fund Games
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index

Editorial Reviews

Excellent...highly recommended”—The Inside Game (SABR Deadball Era Committee Newsletter); “McFarland & Company is the premier publisher of baseball history books and this latest addition to their illustrious catalog is still another exceptionally informative and unreservedly recommended addition”—Midwest Book Review.

From the Publisher