It doesn't get much better than this. And I've read most of the top books in this field. If you have an interest in Baseball -- and want to read about the sport when it was really a "game" try this book. The book is truly told by the men who played the game in the early 1900's -- as transcribed in oral history fashion -- one chapter devoted to each player. Ritter brings to life players that most of us have always read about (Ruth, Cobb and Walter Johnson) and many more greats from that era -- Harry Hooper, Paul Waner, Rube Marquard, and Goose Goslin. (And yes, the author is my Uncle, but the book is STILL a great one!)

I'll be blunt. This is the single greatest baseball book I've ever read. I wouldn't be surprised if it were the best baseball book ever written. This book conveys the tone of baseball's early days. The players tell their stories in their own voice, oft-times a considerably different manner of speaking than we use currently.

I greatly enjoyed the slang words the old ballplayers used. They taunted rookies by calling them 'bushers'. One player warned another (speaking of Nap Lajoie) 'Watch out for the Frenchman.' Priceless!

Outside of the words, the stories themselves paint a glorious picture of baseball at the beginning of the century. The lesser ballplayers, the Hans Loberts and Chief Meyers', give their impression of the all-time greats; Wagner, Lajoie, Mathewson, Cobb, Jophnson, Bender, Waddell, and Shoeless Joe. Much of what we now know about these legends came directly from the recollections in this book. This is a baseball treasure and belongs in every serious fan's library.

I have heard so many stories about Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb, I can't tell fact from fiction. Lawrence Ritter and undertaken an extremely long journey to bring you a true record of the early days of baseball.

Packed with stories from legends Goose Goslin, Harry Hooper, Joe Wood, Hank Greenberg, Sam Crawford and others the spirit of baseball past comes to life. Ritter's ability to bring baseball alive is nothing short of spectacular.

Probably the best baseball book I have ever read, The Glory of Their Times, is more than a amazing collection of stories. You'll read about how baseball has transformed from a love of the game to love of money.

Each story has so much packed into it that I found myself re-reading each chapter just to make sure I got everything. I am so very proud that I have had the opportunity to read and review this extraordinary work on baseball. Thank you so very much Lawrence Ritter!