The title of this book exactly explains its contents: author Larry Moffi interviewed seventeen former baseball players in 1993 and 1994, and in their own words they tell us what it was like to play major league baseball in the 1950s, which is considered by many to be baseball's golden era. These were good, but not great, ballplayers, never considered for the Hall of Fame. It was fascinating to read the baseball history of an era where each league had eight teams playing 154 games (77 home and 77 away, 11 home and 11 away against each team in its league) in a season; where doubleheaders were actually two-games-for-one-price and the norm, not the result of postponements; where pitchers were expected to finish games that they started; and where New York's three teams (until 1958) were all good at the same time (a New York team won every World Series that decade except in 1957 and 1959). Well done! ( )

In the style and spirit of Lawrence Ritter's classic oral history of the early days of baseball "The Glory of Their Times," author/transcriber Larry Moffi presents reminiscences from 17 ballplayers who predominantly played in the 1950's, insightful snapshots of what it was like to play in that golden era. These are not the superstars of the era, but rather players that were a notch or more below Hall of Fame caliber, those on the other side of Cooperstown, such as Marty Marion, Frank Thomas, Gene Woodling, Carl Erskine, Roy Sievers, and Cal McLish. The reminiscences follow a similar structure: stories and anecdotes of their earliest interest in baseball, how they were signed to professional contracts, the days through the minor league, the breakthrough to the majors, and the ups and downs of their careers. But beyond their personal stories there are insights into how the game was played back then, particularly the priority of team-oriented play ("winning" baseball) rather than individual achievements and personal statistics. Moffi has constructed a baseball classic in its own right, as the joy that these men experienced playing ball truly shines through in their recollections. ( )