''Baseball Magazine'' is a now-defunct

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...

magazine A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), containing a variety of content. They are generally financed by advertising, purchase price, prepaid subscriptions, or by a combinatio ...

, the first monthly baseball magazine published in the United States. The magazine was founded by

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

sportswriter Jake Morse prior to the 1908 season. It continued publishing until September 1957. The magazine was resurrected for a short reprieve from November 1964 through April 1965, before folding again. The magazine was based in Boston. Morse stated that his mission in starting ''Baseball Magazine'' was to "fill the need of a monthly organ filled with the highest thought surrounding the game, well edited, well printed, and filled with first class illustrations." The magazine also strove to provide human interest stories about baseball stars, such as

Ty Cobb Tyrus Raymond Cobb (December 18, 1886 – July 17, 1961), nicknamed "the Georgia Peach", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) center fielder. He was born in rural Narrows, Georgia. Cobb spent 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, the las ...

and

Christy Mathewson Christopher Mathewson (August 12, 1880 – October 7, 1925), nicknamed "Big Six", "the Christian Gentleman", "Matty", and "the Gentleman's Hurler", was a Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher, who played 17 seasons with the New York Giant ...

. F.C. Lane became the magazine's

editor Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, photographic, visual, audible, or cinematic material used by a person or an entity to convey a message or information. The editing process can involve correction, condensation, orga ...

in 1911 and remained in that post until 1937. One of Lane's first issues was devoted to Cobb, including stories about him and a Q&A session with him. Morse had previously devoted issues to

Cy Young Denton True "Cy" Young (March 29, 1867 – November 4, 1955) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. Born in Gilmore, Ohio, he worked on his family's farm as a youth before starting his professional baseball career. Young entered th ...

in 1908, shortly after baseball commemorated Cy Young Day, and to

Addie Joss Adrian "Addie" Joss (April 12, 1880 – April 14, 1911), nicknamed "the Human Hairpin", was an American professional baseball pitcher. He pitched for the Cleveland Bronchos of Major League Baseball, later known as the Naps, between 1902 and 191 ...

in 1911, shortly after Joss' death. Despite the magazine's reverence for Young and Mathewson, in 1909 Morse wrote an article in ''Baseball Magazine'' proclaiming former

Providence Grays The Providence Grays were a Major League Baseball team based in Providence, Rhode Island who played in the National League from until . The Grays played at the Messer Street Grounds in the Olneyville neighborhood. The team won the National Leagu ...

pitcher

Charles Radbourn Charles Gardner Radbourn (December 11, 1854 – February 5, 1897), nicknamed "Old Hoss", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for Buffalo (1880), Providence (1881–1885), ...

to be "the greatest pitcher who ever lived." Another famous article from the magazine's early days described how difficult it was to be a

catcher Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...

in baseball's early days. During the 1920s the magazine complained about players being paid to act as baseball writers.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Biography of Jake Morse from the SABR Biography Project

1908 establishments in Massachusetts 1957 disestablishments in Massachusetts Monthly magazines published in the United States Sports magazines published in the United States Baseball magazines Defunct magazines published in the United States Magazines established in 1908 Magazines disestablished in 1957 Magazines published in Boston