This essay puts the game into perspective, that is, enduring changes in life and society, baseball stays the same. Along with pete palmer he created and edited total baseball. As with the former, total baseball provides the complete annual and career pitching and batting statistics of every man that ever played in a major league contest. A journal of the early game, a semiannual scholarly publication. His most recent book is baseball in the garden of eden. John thorn author of baseball in the garden of eden. Pete palmer and a great selection of similar new, used and collectible books available now at great prices.
John thorn is the official historian for major league baseball. The official encyclopedia of major league baseball. Apart from his creation, with pete palmer, of total baseball, his many baseball books over the past three decades also include treasures of the baseball hall of fame, the game for all america, and our game, a history of the game which also supplies the title for his blog at. See the complete profile on linkedin and discover johns connections. The secret history of the early game, he penned the ultimate story of the origin of our national pastime. John thorn official historian major league baseball. He was the coauthor of total baseball, a wellknown baseball book, and many other baseball books.
John thorn was named the official baseball historian for major league. Bud selig announced today that author john thorn has been named the official baseball historian for major league baseball. Forget the myth of abner doubleday as the games originator. Reputed baseball historian john thorn has not only been named major league baseballs official historian in 2010, in his new book baseball in the garden of eden. Since march 1, 2011, he has been the official baseball historian for major. The 25 best baseball books of all time, ranked sporting news. He was an onscreen historian and the chief consultant to ken burnss pbs series baseball. The national pastime by john thorn, baseball book, hardcover 1987 book is in great condition some slight wear on coveredges page 155 is creased see pics seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. John thorn thorn, john used books, rare books and new books. John thorn is the official historian of major league baseball. Major league baseball historian john thorn has a man cave inside his charming yellow and greentrimmed victorian house in catskill. John thorn had an unconventional start for someone who would become major league baseballs official historian. Five baseball books you should know society for american. Baseball hall of fame has always made room for infamy.
Thorn sat in his secondfloor study, surrounded by antique sports prints and shelves sagging with baseball books. Baseballs official historian explains the origins of our. Baseball in the garden of eden by john thorn kirkus. The secret history of baseballs earliest days fresh air. Baseball in the garden of eden, by john thorn sfgate. The official encyclopedia of major league baseball, not only a complete record of the games statistical history, but one that. John thorn has served as the longtime editor and author of total baseball with pete palmer, mike gershman, and david pietrusza and many other outstanding baseball books including. The official encyclopedia of major league baseball, fourth edition may 1, 1995 by john thorn, pete palmer. Thorn is the author and editor of numerous books, including total baseball.
His many baseball books over the past three decades also include treasures of the baseball. From sabr member john thorn at our game on february 15, 2016. Apart from his creation, with pete palmer, of total baseball, his many baseball books over the past. John thorn was named the official baseball historian for major league baseball by commissioner allan h.
John thorn born april 17, 1947 is a sports historian, author, publisher, and cultural commentator. In partnership with pete palmer, he created the hidden game of baseball and total baseball. The national baseball hall of fame and museum, and more on. The official encyclopedia of major league baseball and the armchair book of baseball. John thorn is the preeminent historian of baseball. Play, a column for voices, the semiannual of the new york folkore.
John thorn, a sports historian and author, has been the official baseball historian for major league baseball since 2011. Thorn has done an admirable job in uncovering the truths and fossils of baseballs foggy prehistoric era, but the book is so dense with key figures and historical minutiae the book spans from ancient egypt to the opening of the baseball hall of fame in 1939 that it. Thorn expertly sifts the mix of high and low motives accounting for the anointment of doubleday and cooperstown, resuscitates names and teams vastly more important to the games origins and cheerfully limns a parade of gilded age entrepreneurs, hucksters, journalists and promoters, whose charming fantasy of baseballs ancestry persists in. The national baseball hall of fame and museum by john thorn 19980519 jan 1, 1850. The secret history of the early game, and treasures of the baseball hall of fame. Baseballs early history gains a fresh and fascinating perspective from noted baseball author, editor and historian, john thorn. The armchair quarterback the armchair library by thorn, john and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Now and then i am asked which books of baseball history are the best. The rerelease of the hidden game of baseball will expose a new generation of baseball fans to one of the most important baseball books ever written. We began our tour in the 19 th century, because that is thorns favorite century. See all books authored by john thorn, including baseball in the garden of eden. Since then he has written and edited a great many more, among them the hidden game of baseball, the game for all america, and the armchair book of baseball with statistician pete palmer, he created the official encyclopedia of the game, total baseball, now in its fifth edition. John thorns most popular book is baseball in the garden of eden. View john thorns profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community.
Books by john thorn author of baseball in the garden of eden. The best books on baseball five books expert recommendations. It would also do hot tickets 10 games you wish youd seen in each decade, it also had the best of the 1960s the best 5 teams combined records of the decade which the orioles led the pack in the 60s with a 911698. John thorn books list of books by author john thorn. I was once addicted to the baseball encyclopedia, but total baseball is even better.
Mead a false spring pat jordan the fireside book of baseball editor charles einstein five seasons. John thorn wrote his first baseball book twentyfive years ago. Thorn is the author and editor of numerous baseball books, including the forthcoming baseball in the garden of eden. Among the many books that have educated us about the birth and infancy of baseball, john thorns extraordinarily detailed and welldocumented baseball in the garden of eden is the advanced. March 16, 2011 baseballs official historian, john thorn, sets the record straight on the games earliest days. Thorn born april 17, 1947 is a germanborn sports historian, author, publisher, and cultural commentator.
John thorn is the author of baseball in the garden of eden 3. Total baseball, by john thorn and pete palmer in a foreword to a 30th anniversary edition of the hidden game of baseball, john thorn wrote that a baseball encyclopedia had been the original idea. John thorn s most popular book is baseball in the garden of eden. He has authored several books, including his most recent. Since march 1, 2011, he has been the official baseball historian for major league baseball. John thorn, the official historian for major league baseball, has written dozens of books about the game, including the total baseball encyclopedia series. Thorn is the author and editor of many books about baseball, including total baseball. John thorn has 63 books on goodreads with 3451 ratings.
Together thorn and palmer were the lead editors of total baseball. Writer john thorn, official historian, major league baseball baseball in the garden of eden favorite book the universal baseball association inc. Pete palmer is a statistician, baseball analyst, and a former consultant to sports information center. Thorn was the historical consultant for ken burns emmy awardwinning documentary baseball and frequently comments on the game for espn. He was the coauthor of total baseball, a wellknown baseball book, and many other baseball books, notably the hidden game of baseball.
John thorn 1947 is the official historian of major league baseball, an honor that reflects his incomparable contributions to baseball history. Thorn was the historical consultant for ken burn s emmy awardwinning documentary baseball and frequently comments on the game for espn. The hidden game of baseball 9780385182843 by john thorn. His most recent book is baseball in the garden of eden, published by simon. John thorns baseball in the garden of eden is and exquisite examination of the true origins of baseball, and he makes a compelling case for showing its provenance does lie with abner doubleday at cooperstown. Plaster saints is not what we have in the hall of fame, said john thorn, perhaps the nations most widely known baseball historian and the author of. Baseball in new york city 19471957 with the museum of the city of new york, collins, 2007, paperback 2008. The complete armchair book of baseball edited by john thorn daguerreotypes sporting news dollar sign on the muscle kevin kerrane eight men out by eliot asinof. John thorn, 63, was recently named the official baseball historian for major league baseball, and its not hard to understand why. The hidden game of baseball with pete palmer, 1984, the complete armchair book of baseball, treasures from the baseball hall of fame. Thorn was born in a displaced persons camp in stuttgart, germany, in 1947.
Find and compare hundreds of millions of new books, used books, rare books and out of print books from. Every generation views the old game as better when they were young, that is the primary consistency. Thorn and palmer ranking barry bonds as the best player of all time in the new appendix just makes a great book even greater. The secret history of the early game, which will be published on march 15th by. The official encyclopedia of major league baseball, not only a complete record.