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British Baseball and the West Ham Club
History of a 1930s Professional Team in East London
Josh Chetwynd and Brian A. Belton

ISBN 978-0-7864-2594-5
37 photos, appendices, notes, bibliography, index
272pp. softcover 2007

Description
Few people associate baseball with Great Britain, but for a brief period in the 1930s, America’s pastime nearly gained a foothold with the British populace. Though never as popular as the beloved football clubs, or even greyhound races, baseball teams like the West Ham Hammers developed intense local followings, and played some excellent baseball—in 1936, the Hammers defeated the U.S. Olympic team. The outbreak of World War II ended the rising popularity of baseball among Britons, but speculation remains that, under different circumstances, British baseball could have flourished.

This book traces the history of baseball as a popular British sport, concentrating on one particularly successful and notable team, the West Ham Hammers. It places the West Ham club within the historical context of 1930s Great Britain, and covers team management, major players (e.g., Roland Gladu, the “Canadian Babe Ruth”), and the fans, many of whom still cling fondly to faded memories of the club and West Ham Stadium. Eight appendices include team rosters, British baseball rules, and year-by-year records from 1890 to 2005.

About the Author
Josh Chetwynd is an award winning journalist who has worked as a staff reporter for USA Today and U.S. News & World Report. He also served as co-host of Major League baseball coverage on Five (TV) in the United Kingdom. He currently resides in Tucson, Arizona.

Brian A. Belton is a senior lecturer at the YMCA George Williams College in London, England. He lives in London.





Other Book(s) by Josh Chetwynd Available from McFarland:

Baseball in Europe



Table of Contents & Excerpts

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