Books by Thomas Barthel

George Herman "Babe" Ruth knew he could profit from celebrity. He soon with Christy Walsh, baseball's first publicity agent. Walsh sold Ruth's ghostwritten byline to a newspaper syndicate. Walsh's writers made him a hero, crafting his public image as a lovable scalawag. Drawing on primary sources, this book examines the stories, separating exaggerated facts from clear falsehoods.

Abner Doubleday is remembered primarily for his 'invention' of baseball. Following Doubleday's youth in Auburn, NY, to his days as a cadet at West Point, the general's involvement in the American Civil War, and his public service afterwards, this title portrays him as a man who took unpopular stands but was guided by a firm vision of justice.