1939: Baseball’s Tipping Point

Baseball has never had a more important year than 1939, when events and people came together to reshape the game like never before. The author explains why that special year proved to be absolutely pivotal for our national pastime and its greatest heroes, as baseball’s golden age met its modern era. Every chapter stands alone as a separate vignette, yet all intertwine to convey baseball’s magic. Expert commentary, eyewitness reports, and candid facts uncovered through years of research illustrate how the role models of 1939 have stood the test of time as authentic heroes. Gehrig, DiMaggio, Williams, Feller, and Paige stand tall as men of remarkable achievement on the field, while events off the field-the grand opening of the Baseball Hall of Fame, the debut of baseball on television, and the formation of Little League Baseball-solidify 1939’s landmark stature in history.