Eri's Reviews > The Lords of the Realm: The Real History of Baseball

This is a wonderful book. It's a history of the evolution of Major League Baseball through the owners of the teams, and the players's growing discontent with the unfair terms of their contracts.
I wanted to know why players negotiated for such huge contracts--and we, the fans always grouse about that.
This book explains--no, not merely telling us--that would be dull! Through anecdotes, quotes from owners, players, labor leaders, agents, we learn about the gritty greenback-side of America's Pastime. Here's this quote from the Don Fehr of the Players's Union: “Major league baseball players ought to have the same rights as other Americans, who, after an employment contract expires, are free to seek work elsewhere, on the best terms they can negotiate, without any new employer being required to pay ‘compensation’ to the former employer.… Ownership of property is consistent with the principles of our society; ownership of people is not.”

Excerpt From: Helyar, John. “The Lords of the Realm.” Ballantine Books, 2011-07-06. iBooks.
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So throughout--and I'll admit, I'm left of center when it comes to workers's rights--we get to hear from both points of view, but the owners come off pretty badly.

All I have to say is, read this entertaining book and if you find yourself incensed at some guy getting paid more than you think he's worth, think of that quote above.