Lawrence S. Ritter (1922-2004) was chairman of the Department of Finance at the Graduate School of Business Administration of New York University. He collaborated with fellow baseball historian Donald Honig on The Image of Their Greatness and The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time but is best known for The Glory of Their Times, one of the most famous sports books ever published.
With "handsome, vibrantly hued" artwork, "this respectful tribute makes a worthwhile addition to any young ballplayer's library," said PW. Ages 6-up. (Jan.)
Gr 2-4‘While there are more substantive titles on the subject available, this appealingly illustrated offering presents a brief history of the Negro Leagues, basically through the introduction of some of their stellar performers. Along with the player profiles, Ritter brings to light the trauma and tribulations these men had to go through in order to play. He invites readers to draw their own conclusions on how these individuals would have fared in the Major Leagues, if the teams had been integrated at the time. He fittingly concludes: ``It may be too late to compensate these fine athletes for what they lost through no fault of their own, but the least we can do is remember their names and honor their memories.'' Merkin makes a very successful picture-book debut. His oil pastels, many of which are full-page portraits, are rich and vibrant, helping bring to life the people and the era. Leagues Apart is a fine melding of text and illustration that makes accessible an important part of baseball history. Michael Cooper's Playing America's Game (Lodestar, 1993) and Robert Gardner and Dennis Shortelle's Forgotten Players (Walker, 1993) are quality titles about the Negro Leagues for older audiences.‘Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI
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