More than any other American sport, baseball is firmly rooted in history and tradition. The game links us to earlier generations, to our own childhood, and to our children. Fans are familiar not only with the heroes of today and of their youth but also with the legends of the past. The players we cheer for today are part of a tradition that goes back to the first men to put on a uniform.

The individuals whose voices we hear in these interviews helped shape that tradition, and their stories, told in their own words, bring baseball history to life. Statistics that measure players’ relative ability have long been a significant part of baseball lore, and the recent surge of sophisticated analytics has taken the fascination with data to a whole new level. But while statistics serve to document the history and continuity of baseball quantitatively, they do not capture the human element of the game. The stories told here by those who made their living in the major leagues reveal the humanity behind the numbers.

This website features the personal recollections (arranged in chronological order) of 42 major leaguers, including eight Hall of Famers: Phil Rizzuto, Yogi Berra, Tommy Lasorda, Joe Torre, Ron Santo, Tony La Russa, Craig Biggio, and Mike Piazza, The rest of the lineup includes MVP Award winners and All-Stars, as well as players with less illustrious careers, together with coaches, managers, umpires and front-office executives.

Ballplayers readily recall important games lost, the hard work it takes to make it to, and stay in, the big leagues, the frustration of dealing with injuries and enduring the drudgery of rehabilitation, the hardship of being away from your family. Yet, even while acknowledging the physical and mental challenges of playing the game at its highest level, these athletes leave no doubt that they cherished the opportunity to play on the big stage.

Their stories, which go beyond facts and figures to provide an inside look at life in the big leagues, cover nine decades of baseball history, from the 1930s to 2017. Whether they began their careers in the thirties, at the height of the Great Depression, or in the 21^st century, what they all share is a lifelong passion for the game, as well as engaging stories that illustrate the way the game has evolved over the years. The stories you will hear convey first-hand accounts of that evolution, from the early years, when players struggled to be accepted in the big leagues, at times in the face of discrimination, to gradual success, prominence in the middle years of the 20th century, and the progression to administrative positions as coaches, managers, and front-office executives.

These interviews constitute a chronicle that documents not only the evolution of Italian American participation in the national pastime but also the many changes that have taken place, on and off the field. The broad chronological scope and the variety of speakers should provide something of interest to virtually any baseball fan.