Before the World Series
Subtitle: Pride, Profits, and Baseball's First Championships
Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press
Published: March 19, 2003
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 262
ISBN-13: 9780875803074
Subjects: Baseball; History of specific subjects; c 1800 to c 1900; United States; History; Sports & Recreation; Sports; USA; Baseball - History; Sports / Baseball; 19th century
Description: "The first World's Championship Series arose in an ad hoc manner when the Providence Grays faced the New York Metropolitans in 1884. Seeking to maximize profits, team owners promoted postseason baseball to ensure that one team could bill itself as the world's best. Bowman traces the history of seven championship series, recounting the frenzied negotiations that often preceded the games. He also analyzes the emergence of mascots, the evolution of the sport's rules, and the impact of America's explosive urban growth on baseball's popularity"--Jacket.