Sampson, Robert D. Ballists, Dead Beats, and Muffins: Inside Early Baseball in Illinois. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 2023. 272 pp. Includes 18 black and white photos. End matter includes listing of Illinois baseball teams and players, 1865-70, notes, bibliography, index. Paperback $24.95.
Reviewed by Lisa Timpf
Though Shakespeare suggested that a rose by any other name might smell as sweet, the main title of Robert B. Sampson’s book, Ballists, Dead Beats, and Muffins: Inside Early Baseball in Illinois intrigues the prospective reader in a way that less inventive phrasing would not. “Ballists” or ball players, is clear enough, but what is the significance of “dead beats”? And what do “muffins” have to do with baseball? All is made clear within the covers of this in-depth work that examines the ups and downs of baseball in Illinois within a five-year period, 1865 to 1869.
The narrow time frame allows Sampson to take a deep dive into the history and context of the game during the period in question. Sampson discusses how baseball was played, and what the sport meant to players and to the towns they represented. Rather than simply presenting the reader with a chronology, Sampson structures the book into theme-based chapters, the number of which—nine—mirrors the game itself. Chapter titles, such as “First Inning: Baseball Fever and Pioneers,” and “Fifth Inning: Sharing the Fun,” give the reader an indication of the intended focus. Through the nine “innings” of the book, Sampson discusses rituals, gambling, and the propensity for injury, among other topics.
The book’s five-year period of focus may be relatively short, but a surprising amount of change occurred during that time. Teams rose and fell. Rituals reinforcing the social aspects of inter-town games and an emphasis on the importance of having fun began to erode as more teams employed professionals, leading to increased competitiveness and an emphasis on winning.
Throughout the book, Sampson gives us a strong sense of the game as it was played back then. Unlike athletes on the manicured fields enjoyed in modern times, players often contended with obstructions like trees, ditches, and unmown vegetation. On some occasions, trains or steamboats served as the modes of travel between towns. The playing attire of the time is described, and we also get an understanding of the toll the game took on the human body back in the day when gloves were not yet employed, and skills hadn’t been honed to a keen edge.
Much of Sampson’s research was gleaned from the newspapers, and he notes, “The reporting indicates baseball was a work in progress for both players and newspaper writers. Clumsily played and erratically reported, baseball appears a mishmash of running, throwing, hitting, and confusion.” Hitting balls, he adds, “required timing and accuracy,” but catching them, on the other hand “demanded courage.” Fielding gloves had not yet been adopted, so hand injuries were frequent. One newspaper report reprinted in the Illinois State Register noted that a game “left dislocated fingers, sprained ankles, and bleeding hands in its wake.” Despite the inherent risks, players flocked to play the game, and as the appendix notes, numerous baseball squads sprung up throughout Illinois, some sporting exotic names such as “Lively Turtles.”
Injuries weren’t the only issue. In some towns, baseball players were viewed as a nuisance due to foul language and the penchant for errant balls to strike unwary bystanders. There were also criticisms of the game based on the prevalence and negative effects of gambling. Heated rivalries and flaring tempers marred some of the contests. Racial and gender-based barriers restricted opportunities for certain groups to enjoy the game.
It’s clear from the detailed descriptions provided in the book that Sampson has done a lot of homework. Ferreting out information about early baseball came with its own challenges. Newspaper accounts of the time were sketchy and cryptic, often focussing on almost everything except the game itself. Despite all this, Sampson paints clear images for the reader.
The depth of Sampson’s research is reflected in the comprehensive references provided at the end of the book. These include a list of Illinois baseball teams by town and year founded, 1865-70; a list of residents of Bloomington’s Fifth Ward School-Grounds Neighborhood, with names, occupations, and addresses; and a list of Illinois baseball players from 1865-1870, by town and team. The latter also lists occupations, where known. The book also includes extensive footnotes and bibliography, and a detailed index.
Sampson’s descriptions whisk us back to an earlier day, enabling us to picture the rustic playing fields and the spectacle that might have confronted the bystander as a visiting team was effusively greeted by their hosts upon arrival after a long train or steamboat journey. Engagingly written, with an often wryly humorous tone, Ballists, Dead Beats, and Muffins illuminates a brief span that might otherwise be lost to time. While some aspects of Illinois baseball history are unique, one might imagine that the sport of baseball played out in similar ways in other venues. Baseball enthusiasts, and anyone interested in gaining an insight into the interplay between sport and society in an earlier time, should enjoy this volume.
Sport Literature Association 