But Didn't We Have Fun?

But Didn't We Have Fun? charts the development of baseball from its folk game origins through its transformation into a structured modern sport. Through firsthand accounts and historical records, Peter Morris reconstructs how early baseball was played and experienced in mid-19th century America. The book examines the equipment, rules, playing fields, and social customs that shaped baseball's earliest years. Morris draws from diaries, letters, and newspaper articles to capture the voices and perspectives of baseball's first players and spectators. Morris explores baseball's shift from an informal pastime to an organized sport with standardized practices and professional teams. This evolution reflects broader changes in American society during the Victorian era, as recreation and leisure activities became more regulated and commercialized. The narrative reveals how baseball served as both a mirror and a driver of cultural change in 19th century America. Through baseball's story, readers gain insight into the nation's evolving attitudes toward competition, community, and the growing divide between work and play.

Readers appreciate the book's deep research into early baseball history (1830-1870) while making it accessible through personal stories and first-hand accounts. Many note it brings a human element to what could be dry historical facts. Multiple reviews highlight Morris's ability to dispel myths about baseball's origins without diminishing the sport's cultural impact. Readers specifically mention the insights into how different regions developed their own versions of the game. Common criticisms include: - Jumps between time periods can be hard to follow - Too much focus on New York baseball history - Some passages get repetitive with similar anecdotes Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (62 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (21 reviews) LibraryThing: 4/5 (8 ratings) "The personal accounts from players and newspaper clippings make the era come alive" - Amazon reviewer "Needed better organization, but the research is remarkable" - Goodreads review

Baseball in the Garden of Eden by John Thorn This comprehensive history of baseball's origins traces the sport's development from its folk game roots through early professionalization, incorporating primary sources and dispelling popular myths.

Playing for Keeps by Warren Goldstein The examination of baseball's transformation from casual recreation to organized sport in 1850s Brooklyn and New York presents the cultural shifts that shaped America's pastime.

A Game of Inches by Peter Morris A detailed exploration of baseball's evolution chronicles the incremental changes in rules, equipment, strategies, and customs that created the modern game.

Base Ball: A Journal of the Early Game by John Thorn and Mark Rucker The collection of scholarly articles and primary documents illuminates the development of baseball from its earliest incarnations through the 1870s.

America's First National Game by Albert Spalding The first-person account from a pioneering figure in baseball's development provides insights into the sport's early organization and commercialization during the nineteenth century.

🏏 The book explores baseball's fascinating "amateur era" (1845-1870), revealing how the sport was primarily a casual social activity before professional leagues emerged. ⚾ Author Peter Morris won the prestigious Seymour Medal from the Society for American Baseball Research for his previous book "Game of Inches." 🤝 During the period covered in the book, teams often shared meals together after games, with home teams hosting their opponents in a cherished tradition of hospitality. 📜 The book's title comes from a quote by Henry Chadwick, an influential 19th-century baseball journalist who helped establish many of the game's early rules and scoring practices. 🎩 Early baseball players were known to wear full-length trousers and dress shirts during games, as specialized athletic wear hadn't yet been developed for the sport.