Howard W. Rosenberg

This particular book examines a few of the myths of late 19th century baseball, centering on a key one: were the Baltimore Orioles of that day really the tricky devils myth and legend have made them out to be? The author does a very deep dive into the primary source materials of the era, which is well done, but I think he's somewhat defeated by the very poor editing and layout of the book, which can make following what he's doing elusive. With some judicious editing, and vastly better layout, this could be a terrific book.… (meer)

Note: the author invited me to read this book in galley form in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Howard Rosenberg for this offer.
Mr. Rosenberg concedes late in this book that he emphasizes research over analysis. I agree with him in this assessment. He has scoured archives in the Library of Congress and elsewhere and consulted online databases to read everything ever printed in newspapers and other sources about the great, controversial star who dominated the game of baseball in the first two decades of the twentieth century. He has amassed much material. The resulting book is not, however, a biography as much as it is the gleanings of his assiduous searches.
Rosenberg is justly proud of his internet research skills. Yet repeated phrases such as “as I annotated below” (p. 39) reflect the challenge he faced in organizing the material he turned up, much less shape it into a narrative.
The subtitle identifies this book as a “counter-biography.” In large measure, it is a reaction against previous Cobb biographies. In 2015 alone, two major works appeared; one of which, by Charles Leerhsen, gained more media attention and sales than the other, by Tim Hornbaker. Rosenberg is particularly critical of Leerhsen’s, which had softened the prevailing image of Cobb as a maniacal, spike-sharpening racist. To Rosenberg, Leerhsen went too far in rehabilitating Cobb.
In addition, Rosenberg faults Leerhsen with numerous flaws in his use of sources. While many of the instances he cites amount to minor transcription errors, Rosenberg’s documentation of them is a wholesome reminder to all who write that it is essential to take time when a manuscript is finished to double-check all quotations in their original form, rather than in one’s own notes of them.
I wish I could give this book more stars, for it is clearly a labor of love. The author is an intrepid researcher who cares passionately about the history of baseball. His allegation that Leerhsen’s otherwise excellent biography may also reflect a flawed judgment of the man is a useful reminder that any biography is an interpretation of a life, not the person him- or herself.… (meer)