Outside the Lines of Gilded Age Baseball: Alcohol, Fitness, and Cheating in 1880s Baseball

This is book 1 in the series on 1880s baseball from Society of American Baseball Research member Dr. Rob Bauer. He is a member of SABR's 19th Century and Deadball Era research committees.

This is a book not just for baseball fans. It’s a comprehensive examination of the unusual ways players behaved in 1880s baseball, full of fun stories anyone can enjoy.

In the 1880s, drinking by baseball players was out of control. Every team had players who drank too much. Men came to the ballpark drunk, or drank during games. The Philadelphia Athletics brought a keg of beer to one doubleheader with St. Louis. How did the problem get so bad?

What about physical training? Players had no scientific training plans, but tried to stay in shape all the same. Some swung Indian war clubs to loosen up, while others went to hot springs. Regarding the question of treating injured players, what worked best? Was it rest, water, electricity, magnetism, patent medicines, or a branding iron?

Finally, the 1880s was the golden era of cheating in baseball. Meet the most well-known cheaters, learn their tactics, and the counters to those tactics. It’s all here in this book.