In old days, baseball was a stranger sport

By tradition, this is opening day for Major League Baseball, and thus it's a good time to talk about how baseball traditions have evolved since the game was new.

Writer Scott Simkus writes about a forgotten world of baseball culture in his new book, "Outsider Baseball: The Weird World of Hardball on the Fringe 1876-1950." It was an era when leagues and independent clubs sprung up all around the country, featuring major-league quality players.

From the Chicago Review Press:

With new research and revelations that will surprise even the most ardent baseball history buffs, this engaging account tells the story of the mostly forgotten world of the mercenaries, scalawags, and outcasts who made up the independent professional ball clubs. Combining meticulous research with modern analytics, the book provides a deeper understanding of how vast and eclectic the world of professional baseball was during the first half of the 20th century. It illuminates an alternate baseball universe where Babe Ruth, Rube Waddell, and John McGraw crossed bats with the Cuban Stars, Tokyo Giants, Brooklyn Bushwicks, dozens of famous Negro league teams, and novelty acts such as the House of David and Bloomer Girls.

In observance of opening day, The Daily Circuit invites Simkus to discuss the baseball legends of days gone by.