While there is a great deal of historical data, a lot of research, this history lacks a bit of a story. There are characters, and I wish I could have gotten more information on some of them, but the one that receives the most attention, Spalding, doesn't have the depth to develop a narrative around. Or rather, if he does, it's not done well by Thorn this time.The Secret History packs in so much detail that I'm fairly satisfied with what I've learned and that I've been given a fuller picture of baseball's beginnings and significance. This could have been a better book with a better selection of details to sacrifice in order to develop a more personal connection, some tension, and an arc.
