kevin martin

Brilliant study of a great topic.

Fifi Cat on Amazon: This book is a terrific portrayal of what sports were like in early 20th century America, and it also offers a window into how tough life was for immigrants, or at least Irish immigrants, at the turn of the last century. I was interested in this one because I've read a lot about 19th century baseball, and I've started to turn to other sports of that general era. These "Irish Whales" were some tough dudes. Most worked in between the Olympic Games for the NYPD, and from the fine photos in the book, it looks to a contemporary reader that some of these guys were pretty out of shape. (The many fabulous photos that accompany the text are worth the price of the book alone.) But they were as strong as horses, and in their time they were among the most celebrated sports superstars. Imagine what it must have been like to be an immigrant to New York and able to look up to these athletes? The author (also an expert on Irish Pubs!) did a great job telling the forgotten stories of these champions. It's very entertaining. Should be a movie!