04/12/2021
Sports historian Constantino (50 Moments That Defined Major League Baseball) takes a detailed if sometimes superficial look at the impact of African Americans on the history of professional baseball. Pulling from mostly secondary sources, Constantino begins his narrative in 1884 with Moses Fleetwood Walker, who was considered “the last Negro to play in the majors” before Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Constantino’s coverage of the rise of Black players in the sport after Robinson took the field is solid but unremarkable—favoring laundry lists of dry stats and records set over in-depth stories—and fails to touch on wider issues of racism within baseball. Casual followers of the game may be surprised at the recent decline in the percentage of Black players in Major League Baseball, going from 18.5% in 1975 to below 10% in the last decade. Constantino delineates the theories around this significant drop—which include a rise in the number of Hispanic players—but doesn’t analyze it in depth, or suggest how the trend could be (or if it will be) reversed. This works as a decent primer, but those with even basic familiarity with the history of the sport won’t be blown away. (May)
I want to mention to the Afro-American players throughout the Major Leagues that [Beyond Baseball's Color Barrier] is outstanding. Jackie Robinson was the first, Larry Doby the second and if it wasn't for those two individuals, myself as a player, getting an opportunity as a Major League ballplayer, it would have taken a monumental task on my part. But I am really happy I had the opportunity to do that for well over 20 years.
Beyond Baseball's Color Barrier honors the great history of Black players in MLB history and also looks towards the future with hope. Rocco creates a detailed history that is very colorful and well researched.
Beyond Baseball's Color Barrier is a book that honors great Black players through Major League history, including myself. It's important to honor great players such as Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron and so many more.
Rocco does a great job of capturing the important history of Black ballplayers in MLB in Beyond Baseball's Color Barrier. He honors everyone from Aaron and Mays to Betts and Griffey while also looking to the future. It's a great book.
Beyond Baseball's Color Barrier is an important book because it honors the careers of so many Black players throughout Major League Baseball history. African American ballplayers at the Major League level have played significant role models in the lives of Black youths who have aspired to reach those heights. There are so many Black ballplayers who rank among the greatest players to ever play the game. Recognition of lifelong accomplishments encourages one to dream big.
Rocco does a great job of capturing the history of Black players in MLB while being hopeful about the future. I've been inspired by so many throughout my career, from Jackie Robinson to players like Tony Gwynn and Ken Griffey Jr. It's hugely important to honor them for the sacrifices they made paving the road and for the efforts that went into progressing the game both on and off the field. It's something that myself and future generations will forever be indebted for, so thank you very much to those players from the bottom of my heart and thank you to Rocco as well for continuing to spread that message.
I'm very honored to be in Rocco's book with pitchers like Bob Gibson, Satchel Paige, Luis Tiant and many others. Beyond Baseball's Color Barrier is a great book that honors so many of the game's greatest.
Not since [Robert] Peterson's Only the Ball Was White have I read a more complete, thought-provoking history of the Black experience as it pertains to both the Negro and Major Leagues. Even better, in Beyond Baseball’s Color Line, Constantino takes a deeper dive, bringing us full circle from the pre-Jackie Robinson era to today when African American participation in the game is at a multi-decades low. Constantino brings to life the legends and voices of Black baseball—their struggles, their courage, and their oft-untold exploits. A must-read for anyone who wants a more thorough picture of our National Pastime—and our country's complicated history. An appropriate story for our current, turbulent times.
I want to mention to the Afro-American players throughout the Major Leagues that [Beyond Baseball's Color Barrier] is outstanding. Jackie Robinson was the first, Larry Doby the second and if it wasn't for those two individuals, myself as a player, getting an opportunity as a Major League ballplayer, it would have taken a monumental task on my part. But I am really happy I had the opportunity to do that for well over 20 years.
This excellent audiobook is a timely complement to baseball’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s major league debut. Chronicling the careers of baseball’s African-American players from Robinson’s time to the present, the book is a comprehensive examination not only of the players and their careers, but also of their lives and the events that transformed them and their sport. Bill Andrew Quinn’s performance is ideal. His direct yet nuanced delivery brings out the players’ personalities while also ensuring that listeners focus on how the players dealt with their careers and the often challenging societal issues confronting them. The result is a timely chronicle that will appeal to baseball fans, as well as anyone interested in how Jackie Robinson began a transformation that extended well beyond his own sport. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
This excellent audiobook is a timely complement to baseball’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s major league debut. Chronicling the careers of baseball’s African-American players from Robinson’s time to the present, the book is a comprehensive examination not only of the players and their careers, but also of their lives and the events that transformed them and their sport. Bill Andrew Quinn’s performance is ideal. His direct yet nuanced delivery brings out the players’ personalities while also ensuring that listeners focus on how the players dealt with their careers and the often challenging societal issues confronting them. The result is a timely chronicle that will appeal to baseball fans, as well as anyone interested in how Jackie Robinson began a transformation that extended well beyond his own sport. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
