"When the book arrived it exceeded all expectations – this was one of the best books on minor league baseball’s glory years that I’d ever read. The author, Jimmy Keenan, traces his relatives as they navigated through the bush leagues from the 19th century to the 1930’s. As an outsider baseball historian, a book like this means so much more to me – for every Mickey Mantle and Hank Greenberg, there were thousands of Jimmy Lyston’s whose story will never be told. Fortunately for us, Jimmy Keenan was a talented enough writer, loving grandson and baseball historian, to pay the ultimate homage to his family’s personal connection to the national pastime. So here’s my short overview of Jimmy Lyston, utility man on the 1921 Orioles." |
"I highly recommend you pick up a copy of The Lystons by Jimmy Keenan. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a book that better documents the life of a typical 1920’s minor league ballplayer than Keenan has done. Besides being a valuable look at the life and times of roarin’ 20’s baseball, Keenan’s book is a heart-felt tribute to the man who raised him and played such an important part in his early life. There are only so many times you can re-read the same retread bio’s of Satchel Paige and Cal Ripken – “The Lystons” shines a bright light on a part of baseball history that is rarely told and that is unceasingly interesting. I also recommend Keenan’s book about turn-of-the-century Detroit Tigers pitcher Win Mercer – the perfect combination of Deadball-Era baseball and mystery." |
This webspace is dedicated to my first book, "The Lystons". I started
the research for this project in 1995 and began to put the information
in book form in January of 2002. Now, in 2008, I have finally completed
this 510 page effort. I wrote this book in memory of my grandfather, Jimmy Lyston. His professional baseball career spanned a decade, plus he played semi-pro baseball for almost twenty years. He played with and against some of the greatest players in baseball history. I am named after my granddad and he was my godparent. He took me to my first little league practice and never missed any of my ballgames up until the day he died. |
Sneak Peeks from The Lystons: |
From the Back Cover:
Baltimore, MD, is privileged to claim a number of legendary
ballplayers and managers as members of its local nines. Baseball icons Babe
Ruth, Lefty Grove, Satchel Paige along with John McGraw, Ned Hanlon and Jack
Dunn, plus many other notable names, were associated with the various
professional baseball teams that called Baltimore their hometown. Providing a biographical perspective of professional baseball in Baltimore and beyond, "The Lystons" follows the baseball careers of five family members: Bill, John M., Marty, John C. and Jimmy Lyston. Along the way, you will meet many famous ballplayers who the Lystons played alongside or against during their journey through organized baseball that spanned from the 1880s thru the 1930s. Beyond the boxscores, "The Lystons" highlights colorful player anecdotes and interesting Baltimore history. The author, Jimmy Keenan, is the grandson of former Baltimore Oriole Jimmy Lyston. There are numerous baseball stories here that were passed from his grandfather to Jimmy as they spent many enjoyable hours together as he was growing up. Jimmy Lyston was a founding member of the Oldtimers Baseball Association of Maryland and the Maryland Professional Baseball Players Association. He also served 33 years in the Baltimore City Police Department and played on the great Police baseball teams of the 1930's. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |