Thank you to the author for providing this book for review consideration in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Mr. Book just finished The Original Louisville Slugger: The Life And Times Of Forgotten Baseball Legend Pete Browning, by Tim Newby.

This book was published by University Press of Kentucky in August 2024.

This was a finalist for the CASEY Award, which is given by SABR (Society for American Baseball Research) to the best baseball book of the year.

This was an excellent and very thoroughly researched biography on Pete Browning. Browning was one of the best players of his era, from 1882-94. In addition to his playing accomplishments, Browning had a lot of issues with alcohol, which the book documents. It definitely gave a thorough look at both the player and the person.

I am still not sold on Browning’s credentials for the Hall of Fame, mostly out of questions on whether the American Association should be regarded as a legitimate major league. Despite it being granted “official” status by a 1969 committee, there are still many historians who dispute whether it belongs. But, no matter where one comes down on this issue, this was still a very enjoyable and persuasively written book.

I give this book an A.

Goodreads requires grades on a 1-5 star system. In my personal conversion system, an A equates to 5 stars. (A or A+: 5 stars, B+: 4 stars, B: 3 stars, C: 2 stars, D or F: 1 star).

This review has been posted at Goodreads and my blog, Mr. Book’s Book Reviews

Mr. Book finished reading this on November 19, 2024.