{"product_id":"baseball-on-the-brink-william-j-ryczek-9781476668482","title":"Baseball on the Brink: The Crisis of 1968","description":"\u003cp\u003e Major League Baseball was in crisis in 1968. The commissioner was inept, professional football was challenging the sport's popularity and the game on the field was boring, with pitchers dominating hitters in a succession of dull, low-scoring games. The major league expanded for the 1969 season but the muddled process by which new franchises were selected highlighted the ineffective management of the sport.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e This book describes how baseball reached its nadir in the late 1960s and how it survived and began its slow comeback. The lack of offense in the game is examined, taking in the great pitching performances of Denny McLain, Bob Gibson, Don Drysdale and others. Colorful characters like Charley Finley and Ken Harrelson are covered, along with the effects that dramatic changes in American society and the war in Vietnam had on the game.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e William J. Ryczek\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1476668485\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781476668482\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e McFarland \u0026amp; Company\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/06\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 255\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.79lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.70h x 5.90w x 0.70d","brand":"William J. Ryczek","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44079390785791,"sku":"9781476668482","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_6fdacd5e-ff21-4dfa-92eb-dea409ce552f.jpg?v=1685480871","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/baseball-on-the-brink-william-j-ryczek-9781476668482","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}