Outside the Lines of Gilded Age Baseball: The Finances of 1880s Baseball is the final book in the epic Outside the Lines of Gilded Age Baseball series. It is a comprehensive examination of all financial facets of 1880s baseball.

Who was making money in 1880s baseball? How much? Were the players overpaid, or were they the victims of miserly owners who tried to squeeze them for every last dime? Could teams buy their way to a championship, just as they do today?

Readers will also find a thorough look at other financial aspects of 1880s baseball. This decade saw the reserve clause assume the all-important role it would play until the 1970s. It also saw the blacklist, two salary limit plans, improvements to ballparks, and baseball’s first labor union. Each was important to the game’s financial structure.

Finally, this book also compares baseball to other businesses of Gilded Age America. How was it similar to, or different from, more traditional industries of the 1880s? Find out in the conclusion to the Outside the Lines of Gilded Age Baseball series.