Review of "The Best Team Over There"

Having gone to a baseball game via the train recently, I did the usual activity I do on a train and read a book about the sport that I am attending.  For this ride, I chose this book on Grover Cleveland Alexander.  It wasn't quite what I expected.  Here is my review of "The Best Team Over There"

Title/Author:

“The Best Team Over There: The Untold Story of Grover Cleveland Alexander and the Great War” by Jim Leeke

Rating: 

3 of 5 stars (okay)

Review:

Grover Cleveland Alexander was both one of the best stories in early 20^th century baseball and one of the most tragic. The winner of 373 game, the pitcher known as “Pete” was inducted in the baseball Hall of Fame in 1938. He also was a decorated veteran of World War I and his time in the service and how it affected his baseball career and his life afterward is the subject of this book by Jim Leeke.

A reader should not expect a book that talks much about Alexander’s baseball career.  There is some baseball talk, especially for the year before he left for Europe, which included a trade from the Philadelphia Phillies to the Chicago Cubs.  Leeke does a nice job of illustrating Alexander’s feelings about being drafted and his farewell game for the Cubs before leaving for basic training.

It is after this part where the book really becomes a military book.  While the research and detail about the particular battles and movements made by Alexander’s division, it is written in a manner that unless a reader is well-versed in World War I military language, it could be confusing.  I did go back several times to re-read passages to make sure I followed along.  This took up the bulk of the book, especially when Alexander and his fellow soldiers had to stay in Europe for occupation of Germany after the Armistice Treaty ended the war on November 11, 1918.  

Because of this, and the following disconnect that seemed to occur after Alexander continued his baseball career upon his return, I found this book to be one better suited for military buffs than for baseball fans.  But it is clear that Leeke is knowledgeable about both topics and his work on both is worth the time to read.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.  The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

 

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Best-Team-Over-There-Cleveland/dp/1496217160/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=