top of page
Look Inside
Click each box for a preview of individual chapters.
First Inning: The Dead-ball Era
Divided into nine Chapters or "Innings," each section discusses various parts of baseball, Cracker Jack, and their long, storied relationship with each other. The First Inning examines baseball during the Dead-ball Era. The author describes how new features such as rule changes, the World Series, and the ceremonial first pitch began to evolve, shaping baseball into the sport we recognize today. Illustrations include uniforms and equipment from the period. Next, read how the game got played including common strategies and tactics used, as well as the stars of this era. Finally, to offset baseball's growing popularity, read which stadiums were constructed at the start of the Twentieth Century.
Second Inning: The Federal League
The Second Inning describes how a new, upstart Federal League attempted to establish itself and compete with Major League Baseball. With the support of a handful of wealthy backers, this Mid-West Independent League declared itself a Major League in 1914, configuring eight teams, rosters, stadiums, schedules, umpires, and ticket prices. However, competing with the established American and National Leagues became a daunting task. With numerous players jumping contracts and switching from the Major Leagues to the Federal League and vice versa, ongoing disputes caused escalating friction during the 1914 and 1915 baseball seasons. Several of these cases got litigated in court. The confectioner, Rueckheim Brothers & Eckstein, documented this period by creating baseball cards that included players from all three Leagues. (Photo courtesy of Library of Congress 2014697934.)
Third Inning: A History of Cracker Jack
In the Third Inning, read about the origins of Cracker Jack. Starting with Frederick "Fritz" Rueckheim's early German roots, follow this immigrant's voyage to America during the Gilded Age and discover the various challenges he faced as he propelled himself to global success. Next, as Rueckheim's business began to excel, he and his brother, Louis, brought on a third business member, Henry Eckstein, who perfected a seal-proof box for packaging. Find out how savvy businessman Fritz Rueckheim merged advertising and marketing in a clever "prize in every box," thereby creating a perfect formula to propel his business to another level. Even with all of this success, one additional boost would supercharge their product.
Fourth Inning: Take Me Out to the Ball Game
The Fourth Inning examines the song that permanently merged baseball and Cracker Jack, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Inspired by Vaudeville entertainer Jack Norworth's stage partner, Trixie Friganza, discover the backstory of this 1908 hit song. Is the long-held account that Jack Norworth formulated this song during a New York subway ride accurate? With the aid of previous research, a compelling case is presented that this song may have another origin. Upon crafting this ballad, read which techniques were used to promote this as a Vaudeville number and when it finally got introduced into a Major League ballpark. (Photo courtesy of Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections, https://idnc.library.illinois.edu.)
Fifth Inning: 1914
While the January 1, 1914, headline from the Washington Times boldly proclaimed, “New York ushers in 1914 in Safe and Sane Manner," below the surface friction was already brewing. Constant feuding between the upstart Federal League and the more established Major Leagues was just one example of the conflicts already looming at the start of the year. By August, a Great War would begin engrossing much of Europe. In Chicago, the Rueckheim Brothers and Eckstein Company continued to produce their sweet and salty snack, Cracker Jack. With all the coverage baseball was receiving, and having already established a connection to baseball thanks to the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," the time seemed right for Cracker Jack to produce a baseball-related theme prize. Minus any public advertising and with little to no fanfare, baseball cards were discreetly packaged, one in each box of Cracker Jack. In the Fifth Inning, the author describes in detail nuances about this 144-card set and where the Rueckheim Brothers and Eckstein Company might have improved this prize.
Sixth Inning: 1915
There was a clear escalation of tensions in 1915, from the war in Europe when Germany first deployed mustard gas on the battlefield, to the sinking of the RMS Lusitania, it also marked when the showdown between the Federal League and Major League Baseball took place. Documenting the Federal League's all-out effort to sign Major League ballplayers, one can sense the hostile atmosphere of 1915 during the Sixth Inning. Chicago confectioner, Rueckheim Brothers and Eckstein mostly did a good job tracking each baseball transaction before distributing a second, expanded baseball card set, just in time for Opening Day. With input from experts and in careful detail, the author documents the great lengths this confectioner went to in making this second baseball card set a successful promotion. (Photo courtesy Robert Edward Auctions.)
Seventh Inning: The Great War (World War I)
Anti-German sentiment in America steadily increased as the war in Europe continued. By 1915 German-born Frederick Rueckheim, who had lived in America for over four decades, was no exception. Following an inspection at his Chicago factory in the Spring of 1917, Rueckheim got reported to the Secret Service. It is in the Seventh Inning that readers will discover what transpired and what actions the Rueckheim Brothers and Eckstein Company took to show their patriotism, as well as those actions all Americans and Major League Baseball took when the United States declared war on Germany in April 1917. Follow along as military-aged men got drafted and how the Director of the military draft announced that baseball was deemed non-essential. Read which players included in the two Cracker Jack baseball card sets fulfilled the "work or fight" order and in what capacity they each served.
Eighth Inning: Cracker Jack in the Post Dead-ball Era
A sense of normalcy returned following the demise of the Federal League and the end of the Great War in Europe. By 1920, baseball's Dead-ball Era would come to an abrupt end. Much like twenty years prior, new rules were implemented, and game tactics changed. Many characteristics and attributes that made the Dead-ball Era unique gave way to a new "Live-ball Era" with a young slugger named Babe Ruth leading the way. But as the game continued to evolve that beloved snack, Cracker Jack, continued its long-running relationship with baseball. In the Eighth Inning, read about the various baseball-themed prizes Cracker Jack has continued to distribute, including several modern baseball-card sets. (Top left photo of Baseball Spin Game courtesy of Ron Toth, Jr & Time Passages Nostalgia Co. www.timepassagesnostalgia.com).
Ninth Inning: Cracker Jack Collectability
Cracker Jack collectability is the theme of the Ninth Inning. Leading off, read about the Rueckheim Brothers and Eckstein Company's very first baseball-related lagniappe item, followed by a pristine 1914 Cracker Jack set that surfaced in 2004. Next up are Cracker Jack baseball-card sets assembled by five legendary sports card collectors, the 1915 Cracker Jack Babe Ruth card "that never was," two record-setting Cracker Jack sets that sold for over one million dollars each, along with a handful of photographs used to produce the images for the original prize cards. Closing out this 128-page full-color paperback book is a conclusion, Cracker Jack baseball-card checklists, a bibliography, and chapter endnotes. (Left photo: March 1991 Sotheby’s Auction catalog courtesy Sotheby’s Auction. Right photo: May 2019 Heritage Auction catalog courtesy of Heritage Auctions HA.com).
bottom of page