The Bookshelf Conversations #182: Jim Chapman

Just about 30 years ago, I bought Baseball’s Golden Age: The Photographs of Charles M. Conlon. Even if you’re not a connoisseur of the early 20th century game, I’m willing to be you’ve sen photos taken by Conlon. Many of the close-ups are haunting. To me, the players always seemed much older than the 20- or 30-somethings they were at the time. (The McCabes published The Big Show: Charles M. Conlon’s Golden Age Baseball Photographs in 2011.)

Shortstops: The Vision of Charles Conlon | Baseball Hall of Fame Charles M. Conlon's Golden Age Baseball Photographs - The New York Times

44 Photographs By Charles M Conlon Image: PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search} Rare photos of baseball's golden era by Charles M. Conlon

Earlier this year, I attended Spitball Magazine‘s CASEY Awards where I met three authors for the first time: Joe Posnanski, who has graced us with previous Conversations; Steve Gietscheir, whom I had known for more than 15 years although we had never met face to face; and Jim Chapman, a newcomer to my acquaintance. All three were finalists for the CASEY, which, like the Golden Globes, seemed a precursor of future baseball awards: Posnanski won for Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments, while Gietschier received SABR’s prestigious Seymour Medal for Baseball: The Turbulent Midcentury Years and Chapman’s impressive Baseball Photography of the Deadball Era won SABR’s Ritter Award, given to the best book about that time period.

I had the opportunity to discuss Chapman’s labor of love and the decisions that went into how the book was researched and brought to market. I have always maintained that the Bookshelf was a niche spot, unlike the hundreds of other baseball sites that deal with scores, stats, and news. But Chapman’s work is even more so, which is why he decided to go the self-publishing route. The results are amazing.