Hal Bock

BANNED by Hal Bock is a compiled list of people (Players, managers, front office persons, etc) that have been banned from Major League baseball. It spans from the begins of baseball all the way to the recent substance abuse bans of present day. It is put together more like a list, rather than a book, and each story has been well researched and charmingly presented.
I found the section about the 1919 Black Sox very interesting, especially finding out that even some of the indirectly associated people were banned. Bock does a good job of setting the scene for each banning and helping the reader get to know many of the players involved and the book includes pictures of many of the players. Also, several of the chapters references events in earlier chapters as if the reader hadn't just read about them. It almost made me feel like the book needed a little more editing to make a smoother read.
Lacking a cohesive narrative (other than banning) was a little disappointing, but BANNED was nevertheless quite informative and enjoyable for a baseball nut like me.
Thank you to Diversion Books, Hal Bock, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!… (meer)