Baseball Epic: Famous and Forgotten Lives of the Dead Ball Era

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

In this work of cartoon revisionist history, Jason Novak explores the little-talked-about dead ball era of baseballfrom 1900 to 1920, when a single ball was used for an entire gameand the men and women who shaped its course. Ranging from mischievous in-game antics to the racial barriers being crossed well before Jackie Robinson, these miniature biographies highlight the joys and struggles, both on and off the field, of the unsung heroes who played pro ball before it was a profession.

Reviews

A Schadenfreude spit-take of history.Los Angeles Times

The real work of the book is drawing attention to the black, Cuban, and Native American players despite horrible racism. . . . Novaks handles their stories with care and Baseball Epic is a wonderful entrant because of it. The A.V. Club

While flag-waving, replays, and statistical noise ruin the joy of contemporary baseball, Jason Novak has written and illustrated a Gorey-esque history of the dead-ball era that is delightfully morbid, intriguing, and a hell of a lot of fun. And maybe best of all, Novaks magic comes from stories rather than numbers.Josh Ostergaard

Jason Novaks graphic essay bridges the mundane, the dangerous, and the divine in the era of the dead ball. We see the fingers of fate upon each of Novaks ball players. Plays add up. Sacrifices add up and conclude mostly off the field. Jim Shaw had multiple scrapes with death until he shot himself hunting rabbits. Ditto Bill Hobbs. Ditto Charlie Armbruster. Chief Johnson was shot dead over a dice game. Benny Kauff wore his celebrity casually. Cheeky clothes likely led to his rigging the 1919 World Series.Baseball Epicoffers subtle, harsh, but sweet images of the men and women who played for the love of thegame.LeAnne Howe

Novak provides a window into the personalities and untold histories of the sport.Vol. 1 Brooklyn

This sometimes funny, sometimes sad book will enchant any baseball fan and also serves as a window into a period of American history that most of us know too little about. I can hardly wait to get my hands on this treasure.David Unowsky

Praise for Jason Novak

A witty and delightfully morbid book that will make you wonder why on earth anyone would want to be a Roman Emperor.Mike Duncan, best-selling author ofThe Storm Before the Storm

This twisted and fantastically illustrated survey of the brutal fate of every Roman Emperor is a strong reminder to study historybecause we sure as hell dont want to repeat it.Wendy MacNaughton, best-selling author ofPen & Ink

Author Bio

Jason Novak is a cartoonist whose work has appeared in the New Yorker, the Paris Review, and the Believer, among other places. He lives in Oakland, California.