- Scoundrels, Scandalous Behavior, and Tragic Events - 

Mayhem and tragedy prevailed throughout baseball’s Deadball Era.

Throughout the 1890s and Deadball Era, noteworthy events occurred, cementing that period’s place in the annals of baseball history. As a host of supreme ballplayers aided baseball’s growth, scoundrels and roustabouts exuded their influence from the diamond and through outside nefarious endeavors. Sadly, tragic moments also occurred, due to the frailty of human nature.

Although pitcher Win Mercer achieved success in the 1890s and early twentieth century, while endearing himself to teammates and opposing players, dark secrets lurked below the surface. Female fans adored the handsome hurler and flocked to the ballpark when he pitched on Ladies’ Days. Sadly, Win ended his life on January 12, 1903, in San Francisco. Fans from that era also witnessed the stories surrounding Chick Stahl’s and National League president Harry Pulliam’s tragic suicides, Ed Delahanty’s unfortunate accidental death, and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Eddie Doheny’s mental breakdown on the eve of the 1903 World Series.

Did Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Rube Waddell suffer an arm injury late in the 1905 season, resulting from foolish behavior, or did gamblers pay him off not to participate in the World Series against the New York Giants? New York’s gambling apparatus also attempted to influence diamond outcomes during the tight 1908 National League pennant race. Author Ronald T. Waldo thoroughly covers each of these topics, while also chronicling incidents surrounding Carl Mays’s desertion, Mike Donlin’s indiscretions, and the feud between Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss and Giants manager John McGraw.

REVIEWS:

“The Deadball Era is by far the most colorful period in baseball history, and no one captures the spirit of the times better than Ronald Waldo. Some of the game’s most vibrant personalities are brought to life in Waldo’s latest work: Deadball Mayhem. Of particular interest are the stories involving Mike Donlin and Ty Cobb--two of the most notorious hotheads ever to play in the majors. Other offbeat tales (including the one about how Hall of Famer Rube Waddell was kidnapped at gunpoint and forced to pitch against a college team) lend credence to the popular idiom, ‘You can't make this stuff up.’”—Jonathan Weeks, author of The Yankees Icon Trilogy and Shocktober: The Biggest Upsets in World Series History.

“Time travel is a subject that has fascinated many people including me for a number of years now. I do not have the technology, nor do I have the mechanical abilities to make this happen. So when it comes to baseball, and I want to time travel I do the next best thing. I purchase and read one of Ronald T. Waldo’s books and prepare to take a trip back in time in baseball when the game was really something special. In his new book entitled Deadball Mayhem: Scoundrels, Scandalous Behavior, and Tragic Events, Mr. Waldo uses his skills as a researcher and writer to take someone back in time to tell the stories of characters like Mike Donlin, Ed Delahanty, and Rube Waddell, and strange events that take the reader back and make it seem like you are there witnessing and seeing the events and characters unfold. There is nothing more anyone can do than what Mr. Waldo has done to explain this to someone by giving them a front row seat to the events. Thank you Mr. Waldo for such a well-done piece of literary genius and I can promise that someone will not go wrong when they purchase this book.”—Kevin Larkin, author, and baseball researcher.

“There is no better baseball Deadball Era historian than Ronald Waldo and no one who could tell the stories of these troubled players from the era any better. Deadball Mayhem: Scoundrels, Scandalous Behavior, and Tragic Events is a fascinating collection of tales of those players who didn’t live life on the happiest terms. It is a MUST read for anyone who enjoys the game.”—David Finoli, author of Perfection: The 1910 Pittsburgh Panthers.

by Ronald T. Waldo
Page Count: 388
Trim Size: 6 x 9
Publish Date: January 28, 2025
Imprint: Sunbury Press
Genre: Baseball

SPORTS & RECREATION / Baseball / History
SPORTS & RECREATION / Baseball / Statistics
SPORTS & RECREATION / Baseball / Essays & Writings