Title/Author:
“Pastime Lost: The
Humble, Original and Now Completely Forgotten Game of English Baseball” by David
Block
Tags:
Baseball, history,
scholar
Publish date:
April 1, 2019
Length:
328 pages
Rating: to
4 of 5 stars (very good)
Review:
While there has been much research
and writing dedicated to the origins of American baseball and disproof of the
myths surrounding that origin, there has been little written about the game of
English baseball, which as the author makes known throughout the book is NOT
the same as the game of rounders. David Block has written a very interesting book
on the game, combing through various publications and archives to research his
material and come to some conclusions about the game.
What is most noteworthy about the
book is that the majority of it discusses the literary and journalistic sources
that mention the game of English baseball.
The first reference that Block notes is from John Newbury’s children’s book
A Pretty Little Pocketbook. Published in 1744, there is a passage that
reads “The Ball once struck off,/Away flies the Boy/To the next Destin’d
Post/And then Home with Joy.” A drawing that illustrates this accompanies the
prose, illustrating a boy with a ball in his hand ready to toss it. Many researchers believe this is the first
reference to baseball in any form, including those who research the origins of
the American game.
From there, the reader will be taken along Block’s journey through the archives of many English sources as he scoured them for more references to the game. Many people know of the famous passage in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abby. This is just one of the numerous passages that Block mentions and/or quotes on his journey. Block covers the entire period that the game has references and was played, which was from the 18th century to the early 20th century. He also includes a chapter in which he explains the game as much as possible from the information he has gleaned from these sources.
From there, the reader will be taken along Block’s journey through the archives of many English sources as he scoured them for more references to the game. Many people know of the famous passage in Jane Austen’s Northanger Abby. This is just one of the numerous passages that Block mentions and/or quotes on his journey. Block covers the entire period that the game has references and was played, which was from the 18th century to the early 20th century. He also includes a chapter in which he explains the game as much as possible from the information he has gleaned from these sources.
Even though this is excellent
information for readers who are interested in baseball or literary history,
what makes this book an enjoyable read is the writing style of Block. He takes
the reader on his journey to find out about English baseball with some self-deprecating
humor and other wit along the way. This makes for an excellent combination of
information and entertainment that is sure to please any reader interested in
the aforementioned topics.
I wish to thank University of
Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest
review.
Book Format Read:
Hardcover
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