The One Hundred Most Important Players in Baseball History

by Lincoln Mitchell

September 14, 2023

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I am very pleased to tell you that today my newest book The One Hundred Most Important Players in Baseball History has been published by Artemesia Press. The book looks at the history and impact of baseball through one hundred players, some well known and some more obscure, who had unique and significant roles in the development of baseball, and, in many cases history more broadly. The One Hundred Most Important Players in Baseball History offers a new and captivating look at baseball’s complex racial history, labor struggles and relationship to American culture and history through these players.

Of Special Note - The original concept for this work, was a series of articles I wrote here at Start Spreading the News a few years ago!

The One Hundred Most Important Players in Baseball History is a baseball book that will appeal to lifelong followers of the game as well as to newer fans. The book will also be of interest to people with a moderate or passing interest in the game, but who are intrigued by the relationship of baseball to history, culture and politics. Baseball writers and scholars have given The One Hundred Most Important Players in Baseball very positive reviews so far.

“The One Hundred Most Important Players in Baseball History is essential reading for anyone who wishes to truly understand the relationship between America and its National Pastime.” -Craig Calcaterra

“This is the essence of baseball.” -Greg Proops

“Superstars and lesser accomplished players are looked at in new light, enhancing our appreciation for baseball’s history from the perspective of the narratives that mean the most to us and explain the modern game’s evolution, good and bad.” -Adrian Burgos, Jr. “Lincoln Mitchell’s fresh approach to enumerating the best of the best sets his book apart from a crowded field, and includes some eye-openers - women! little people! spies!” -Perry Barber

“A fascinating and engaging read.” -Frank Guridy

“Here is the intersectionality of baseball recognized and indispensably codified.” -Steven Goldman

“Lincoln Mitchell shares the stories of baseball’s past while also using his deep knowledge of American history and the political world and to bring this compelling book together.” -Paul Semendinger

You can learn more about the book and read some longer reviews here.

I believe my book offers an important contribution to our understanding of baseball and of baseball’s place in American history and culture. Writing the book was a lot of fun and hard work, but it will feel much more worth it if people read it, so I am hoping you can help spread the word about the book. If you like the book and want to help out, I would be very grateful if you could help me promote it. Here are a few things you can do:

• Buy the book. This sounds obvious, but early sales help market the book. Most online booksellers will have it and some independent bookstores as well.

• Rate and review the book on platforms like Goodreads. If you buy it from a seller that has reviews, please rate and review it there.

• If you read the book and like it, send me a 50-100 word blurb that I can put on the book’s webpage and use in other promotional material.

• If your favorite local bookstore does not have The One Hundred Most Important Players in Baseball History, it would be very helpful if you could ask them to order it. These stores tend to respond to customer requests. The more bookstores that carry it the better.

• Promote the book to your own email lists and social media. Posts on social media that say how much you like the book, are looking forward to reading it or that quotes a passage help draw attention to it. Similarly, please feel free to forward this note to anybody you think might be interested in the book.

• If you belong to a club or organization that focuses on baseball or history, or that you think might be interested for any other reason, please encourage them to host a book event. This event could be in person if it is in or near New York or in Bay Area, or virtual.

• Media is very important, so if you have a connections in the media including radio, television, podcast, print or or anything else-or know somebody who has those kind of media contacts, please have me on as a guest or tell your contacts about me and the book.

• I also would like to remind all founding members of “Kibitizing with Lincoln” that your membership includes a free inscribed copy of the book, so if you are a founding memeber, please contact me about that.

I am grateful to all of you who subscribe to my Substack and to those who read my work. Support from friends and readers helps me continue to do the writing I love and, I hope, provide interesting and valuable reading for you. I am very appreciative of all of you and want to thank you in advanve for anything you can do to help out with my new book.

Thanks, Lincoln