1916 BBW Replay - Preparation - Part Two

When doing preparation for a replay, I like to read up on what I can find specific to that season. Many seasons, but not all, have a book that goes into great details the highlights and lowlights of the season in question. This isn't necessary by any means, but the writers of these books have done their research, and this pays off by providing insight not only into the season but also into the times in which the season is set.

1916 is no exception. The Major League Pennant Races of 1916 by father and son Paul and John Zinn covers both leagues in good detail, including pre- and post-season details. For my $.02, it is a bit of a dry read, much like a textbook, but it includes all f the details I want before I begin my replay.

 

I came across a second book this past week, so I haven't finished reading it yet: Major League Baseball Players of 1916 by Paul Batesel. It turns out this book really isn’t about 1916 itself, but it does include several paragraphs for most of the players from the 1916 season - where they started, how they got here, and where they ended up, plus there are plenty of pictures included as well.

 

The books above are in the $15-$20 range, and since I will be involved in the replay for about a year, I don’t mind spending a few bucks to increase my knowledge of the season in question. There may not be similar books for all seasons, but it is worth it to look for these kinds of books. I don’t mind supporting the authors who took the time to write them, either, plus maybe my purchases will inspire other writers to do likewise.

 

The other thing I do is peruse the web for free PDF downloads of old Reach, Spalding, or Sporting News Baseball Guides. Buying the actual book can get pretty pricey, as these are quite old and relatively rare, but if I can find a site that has a downloadable PDF, I actually prefer it. Sometimes the book is viewable and not downloadable (did I mention free?), but that is still better than nothing.

 

These have a lot of pictures that I can later snip for use in my blog posts, where I provide weekly season-long updates for the replay. However, the best part of these books is that they were written way back when and are not some current-day writers offering a modern interpretation of the events from that season. It just brings a different viewpoint and perspective to the writing,

Purchasing, or even reading these books, is in no way necessary in doing a replay. I would like to know more about the season in question, and I am grateful to others who have made them available for me and for baseball fans in general.




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