Review of "Ernest Lawrence Thayer’s Casey At the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888," by Christopher Bing

 Review of

Ernest Lawrence Thayer’s Casey At the Bat: A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888, by Christopher Bing ISBN 0439331684

Five out of five stars

Unique rendition of a golden oldie

 There is no better poem in all of sports than the classic, “Casey at the Bat.” Written in 1888, it has been published many times in various forms. This is one of the best. Using what appears to be faded newspaper accounts of the famous game in Mudville, Bing builds the action up to that climactic moment of the mighty, but futile swing.

 The men in the crowd are generally dressed in coats, ties and fancy hats while the few women are wearing very large hats. The players are depicted largely as they were in 1888 in terms of their uniforms and equipment. Although there are some inconsistencies. On one page the umpire is behind the plate while in another he is behind the pitcher and calling a strike on Casey.

 The sharp and historically knowledgeable reader will notice two other unusual traits, that may not be anomalies. On the page where Casey has just come to the plate and is tipping his cap, the catcher for the other team appears to be black. Furthermore, on the page where the umpire is calling the second strike on Casey, the pitcher also appears to be black. While this is possible, for this was before there was the official color barrier, it is implausible. Yet, it was nice to see.

 A great rendition of the best sports poem of all time, Bing has done a wonderful job of establishing the proper context.