282 - On Baseball's First Superstar w/ Thomas W. Gilbert

Our guest this episode is Thomas W. Gilbert. His new book, "Death in the Strike Zone: The Mystery of America's First Baseball Hero" (David R. Godine, 2026), is the story of James Creighton, a young pitcher who pitched for amateur clubs in Brooklyn and is credited for inventing modern pitching. Gilbert's book is not only about Creighton's exploits on the field, but about the life and times of baseball in its earliest years - before the Civil War, before industrialization and before the game was played by professionals. Creighton died in October 1862 at age 21.Thomas W. Gilbert's website - howbaseballhappened.com.Death in the Strike Zone, publisher's site (https://tinyurl.com/hooks032526)In this episode we mentioned our Episode 238 - Artie Shaw's Nightmare: The Big Band Sound Goes to War w/ Michael Doyle.Consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns.Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.comEmail: [email protected] on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social)Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/Hosts Emeriti:Andrew Eckhoff on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@hofffestEric on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)   www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliksThis podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2026.