Baseball

by Eric Walczykowski (Author)

Do you want your athlete to reach their potential on the baseball diamond?In this book, Eric Walczykowski presents a practical and proven strategy for reaching your full potential on the baseball field and in life beyond. The Hard 90 Process and Philosophy are illustrated by anecdotes and insights gained through coaching high school and youth athletes that attained a high level of success on the diamond and in life. Eric combines strategies and tactics utilized in the corporate world and on the baseball diamond to bring to life a strategy for youth athletes to become elite. This book is intended for high school and youth athletes, their parents and youth coaches.

by Owen M. Roth (Author)

A DOG WHO PLAYS BASEBALL? HOW CAN THAT BE?

Well, Parker the dog doesn't actually PLAY baseball. After all, he's a four-legged animal. But Parker really understands baseball from having watched so many Little League teams play over the years.

So, instead of playing baseball, Parker coaches a boy named Max who plays centerfield for the Kansas City Royals in the Riverdale Little League.

Parker has made it his hobby to memorize the strengths and weaknesses of the Little League batters. He uses this information to position Max in centerfield for each hitter on the other team. He does this by pushing and nudging Max into the correct position.

Now Parker is looking forward to helping Max when Max's team plays its arch rival in the game that will decide which team goes to the Little League regional playoffs.

But then something awful happens. Just before this important game, the town's dog-catcher snatches Parker in his net and hides him from Max's team. No one knows where Parker is.

So Max is back on his own in the outfield, not sure where to position himself in centerfield for different batters.

Will Max find Parker or will he be on his own, wandering around the outfield, when his team plays the big game?

by William F. McNeil (Author)

Are today's major league baseball pitchers better than ever? Or do they pale in comparison to the great hurlers of 20, 30 or 40 years ago? This book tackles a debate that has been traveling baseball circles for several years. With changes in everything from the size of the playing field to the composition of the ball, it's a tall task to compare pitchers over the 170-year history of the sport in America. No stone is unturned as this work delves into every facet from the ancient roots of the game to the bigger size of today's players.

The first chapters reach back to the first known "batting contests" in Egypt 5,000 years ago and bring readers to a popular 18th century English game called rounders, which evolved into organized baseball in 19th century America. The following chapters then pace through the changes in rules that helped mold baseball into its modern form, and discusses innovators like James 'Jimmy' Creighton and Asa Brainard, early stars like Cy Young and Walter Johnson, and modern day standouts such as Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood. The book explores rule changes, adaptations to pitching and pitching strategies, and the effect of pitcher injuries and conditioning, among other influences. Fourteen former major league players comment on the game. The final chapter reviews what has happened to major league pitching. Appendices give stats for major league starting pitchers with comparisons by era, list those with more than 5,000 career innings pitched, list relief pitchers and their single season save records, and a look at the increase in major league home runs from 1919 to 2004.

Author Biography

William F. McNeil is a longtime baseball historian and the author of numerous books on the game. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), he is the recipient of five Robert Peterson awards for increasing the public's awareness of the Negro Leagues. He lives in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

by Orlando Ortega-Medina (Author)

Explosive psychological novel for fans of Michael Chabon, Mark Haddon, and George Saunders.

Marilyn Monroe died just after midnight on August 5th, 1962; former Little League champion Kimitake "Clyde" Koba was born on the same day, at the same time. As Clyde struggles to escape the ghost of his brother and his alcoholic father and stumbles through his first love, he finds strength in the belief that he is the reincarnation of Monroe.

A decade later, Raphael and 'Marilyn' find each other wandering the plastic-bright streets of Hollywood and set out to make a documentary about the transmigration of souls. But when the roleplaying goes too far, they find themselves past the point of no return in their quest to prove who and what they are to their families, God, the world, and themselves.

by J. B. Manheim (Author)

It seems so simple, so pure. But behind the green grass and iconic heroes, professional baseball has always been driven by greed, ambition, a thirst for fame, a lust for power, and a ceaseless conflict of motives that go far beyond winning and losing. Peel back the veneer with The Deadball Files.

This critically acclaimed series features present-day mysteries and legal dramas grounded in events and personalities from the early days of baseball.

Gambling. Cheating. Drug abuse. Outrageous rhetoric. Drunken rioting. Wife-swapping. Racism. Collusion. Those are just some of the baseball scandals we know about. But perhaps there are still more that have never made it into public view - maybe even the worst ones of all. The professional game is a highly profitable enterprise, and protecting its reputation could be critical to its success.

What if there were a secret society of Baseball elders who decided to preserve the sanctity of The Game they by creating a repository where they could bury forever its most explosive secrets? What if these "GameKeepers" formed an underground organization to guard any evidence of these dangerous scandals, a mysterious organization with a failsafe security structure, an inviolable oath of silence for its members, and an ironclad hierarchy of succession to carry forward across the generations? What if it all worked perfectly for nearly a century. Until it didn't. Suddenly new questions arise: Who would control these secrets, and to what end? Would The Game itself survive?

Discover the history as you unravel the mystery.

by Mike Matheny (Author), Jerry B. Jenkins (With)

The New York Times bestselling author of The Matheny Manifesto offers the definitive guide to coaching youth baseball and instilling positive values on and off the field.

Author Biography

Mike Matheny is the author of The Matheny Manifesto, played thirteen years as a catcher for four Major League teams, won four Gold Gloves, and holds the MLB record for most consecutive chances at the position without an error. He was the manager of the St. Louis Cardinals for six seasons--leading the Cardinals to the postseason in each of his first four campaigns and winning the National League pennant in 2013--and the Kansas City Royals for three seasons. He has appeared on Fresh Air, Good Morning America, Fox & Friends, and more.

by Mitchell (Author)

Back Jacket

Searching for a home and a homerun--an overlooked era of Giants and San Francisco history

The San Francisco Giants have been one of the most successful franchises in baseball in the twenty-first century as evidenced by the three World Series Championship flags flying in the breeze over Oracle Park, one of the most beautiful baseball venues in the world. However, the team was not always so successful on or off the field. The Giants and Their City tells the story of a Giants franchise that had no recognizable stars, was last in the league in attendance, and had more than one foot out the door on the way to Toronto when a local businessman and a brand new mayor found a way to keep the team in San Francisco. Over the next 17 years, the team had some very good years, but more than few terrible ones, while trying to find a home in a city with a unique and confounding political culture.

The Giants and Their City relates how the team struggles to win ballgames, find its way back to the playoffs, but also to stay in San Francisco when, at times, it wasn't clear the city wanted them. This book is a baseball story about beloved Giants players like Vida Blue, Willie McCovey, Kevin Mitchell, and Robby Thompson, and includes interviews with Art Agnos, Frank Jordan, Dianne Feinstein, John Montefusco, Will Clark, Kevin Mitchell, Mike Krukow, Dave Dravecky and Bob Lurie among others. The book features descriptions of important events in Giants history like the Mike Ivie grand slam, the Joe Morgan home run, the 1987 playoffs, the 1989 team, the Dave Dravecky game and the earthquake World Series. It's also a uniquely San Francisco story that shows how sports teams and cities often have very complex relationships.

Author Biography

Lincoln A. Mitchell is a native San Franciscan and Giants fan since the mid-1970s. He is an adjunct research scholar at Columbia University's Arnold A. Salesman Institute of War and Peace Studies and the author of five books, most recently San Francisco Year Zero: Political Upheaval, Punk Rock, and a Third-Place Baseball Team.

by Chuck Kimberly (Author)

This account of the four baseball seasons of 1900 through 1903 seeks to capture the flavor of the period by providing yearly overviews from the standpoint of each team and by focusing more deeply on 30 or more players of the era--not only such legendary stars as Cy Young and Willie Keeler, but also relative unknowns such as Bill Keister and Kip Selbach. Each team section is supplemented by a table providing the significant batting and pitching statistics for each regular team member.

The major theme of the period was the baseball war between the National and American leagues from 1900 to 1903. But the broad multi-season, multi-team view allows varying the focus. The pennant races receive due attention but there are other aspects of the baseball drama, such as: the aging star who finds a way to extend his period of dominance (Cy Young); the young, unpolished phenom whose raw talent enables him to excel (Christy Mathewson); and the fierce competitor who risks injury to help his team (Joe McGinnity or Deacon Phillippe).

Author Biography

Chuck Kimberly is a retired contract specialist who worked for the Department of Defense. A member of SABR, he lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

by Charlie Bradford (Author)

Have you ever had that irresistible itch to dive deeper into the world of baseball? Look no further!

This meticulously curated compendium of baseball knowledge is a must-have for every baseball enthusiast, from the die-hard fanatics to the casual admirers that are just beginning to love the sport.

What's included in this straightforward trivia guide:

• Information on the early days of baseball and significant baseball innovations
• Statistics, records and major achievements and milestones in baseball
• Unusual and interesting baseball facts
• Trivia on all 30 big league teams

Whether you're looking to settle a friendly argument, impress your friends with your baseball knowledge, or simply bask in the nostalgia of the game's glorious past, this is your ultimate baseball guide!

by Noel Hynd (Author)

The Giants of The Polo Grounds is the definitive work on baseball's New York Giants and their tenure in New York City. An "Editor's Choice" of The New York Times when it was first published more than 20 years ago, the book was also a Spitball Magazine nominee for the Best Baseball Book of the year. Author Noel Hynd, a former contributor to Sports Illustrated, has now created a new edition that maintains all the previous text, but expands the work to more than 600 pages from the original 375. Included this time are more stories about McGraw, Ott, Durocher and Mays and their opponents, plus more on the men and women from other sports and various fields of entertainment who also were 'giants' of the Polo Grounds: from boxers Jack Dempsey and Sugar Ray Robinson to entertainers Annie Oakley and Tallulah Bankhead to football's Red Grange and soccer's Béla Guttmann. The Giants of The Polo Grounds is the story of a famous team, a renowned ball park, an invincible spirit and America's most vibrant city from the 1880's to the 1950's. The new edition also features more than 100 photos and illustrations, most of them new, some rarely seen. "A grandly digressive history of the national pastime, whose focal point is the Giants, late of NYC... Fans of all ages will treasure the literate crazy-quilt text for its stylist recall of the summer game's roots. - Kirkus"A compelling and comprehensive history of an extraordinary ball club." - New York Times"The owners, stars like Mathewson and Mays, various eccentric players are all here in this vivid history by Sports Illustrated contributor Hynd."Publishers' Weekly"Just plain enjoyable as baseball is supposed to be." - The Pennsylvania Gazette

by Dori Jones Yang (Author)

Twelve-year-old Leon is among a group of 120 boys sent to New England in the 1870s by the Emperor of China as part of a Chinese educational mission. Once there, he falls in love with baseball, even though he's expressly forbidden to play. The boy's host father, who's recently lost his own son in an accident, sees and cultivates Leon's interest, bringing joy back into his own life and teaching Leon more about America through its favorite sport than any rule-bound educational mission could possibly hope to achieve.

Author Biography

Dori Jones Yang is a Seattle-area writer with extensive experience making personal connections across boundaries of culture and time. Raised in Ohio, she lived and worked in Singapore and Hong Kong and covered the opening of China as a journalist for Business Week. Married to a Chinese man, she has traveled widely throughout Asia and has raised a Chinese-American child. Her previous books include a young-adult historical novel set in China at the time of Marco Polo and a middle-grade novel about a girl from China who begins fifth grade in Seattle only to discover she has lost her voice. After studying Chinese for many years, Dori knows what it feels like to struggle to express your thoughts in an unfamiliar language. Learn more at www.booksbydori.com.

by Ben Jackson (Author), Sam Lawrence (Author)

Timmy and his best friend the Little Fart are back again and its baseball season!

If you and your child love to read together, and you've been searching for a beautifully illustrated and hilarious story, then you are going to love reading along with Timmy and the Little Fart as they hit the baseball field.

The Day My Fart Followed Me To Baseball is the perfect baseball book for boys and girls.

The Day My Fart Followed Me To Baseball follows Timmy as he heads out onto the baseball field for the first game of the season. While Timmy is busy on the field, the Little Fart discovers a mischievous way to teach some bullies a valuable lesson.

If you enjoy reading funny books with beautiful illustrations and love having your child read along with you, then make sure you grab a copy of The Day My Fart Followed Me To Baseball.

Discover and giggle along with Timmy and his best friend on their exciting day on the baseball field.

by Lawrence S. Ritter (Author)

"Easily the best baseball book ever produced by anyone." --Cleveland Plain Dealer

"This was the best baseball book published in 1966, it is the best baseball book of its kind now, and, if it is reissued in 10 years, it will be the best baseball book." -- People

From Lawrence Ritter, co-author of The Image of Their Greatness and The 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time, comes one of the bestselling, most acclaimed sports books of all time--a landmark oral history of the game.

Baseball was different in the dead-ball era--tougher, more raw, more intimate--when giants like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb ran the bases. In the monumental classic The Glory of Their Times, the golden era of our national pastime comes alive through the vibrant words of those who played and lived the game. It is a book every baseball fan should read!

Go inside the dugout during baseball's golden age to hear the firsthand accounts of:

• Baseball History Comes Alive: Go beyond the stats and feel what the game was like when it was tougher, more raw, and more intimate, told by the men who were there.
• First-Person Accounts: Listen to the vibrant, unforgettable voices of legends and journeymen alike as they share their personal stories of victory and defeat from baseball's golden era.
• Stories of the Greats: Sit down with icons like Rube Marquard, Tommy Leach, and Sam Crawford, who share candid memories of playing with and against titans like Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth.
• A Timeless Sports Classic: Discover for yourself why this meticulously researched book is considered by many to be the single best book on baseball ever written.

Back Jacket

Baseball was different in earlier days--tougher, rawer, more intimate--when giants like Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb ran the bases. In the monumental classic The Glory of Their Times, the golden era of our national pastime comes alive through the vibrant words of those who played and lived the game.

by Ben Jackson (Author), Sam Lawrence (Author)

Timmy and his best friend the Little Fart are back again and its baseball season!

If you and your child love to read together, and you've been searching for a beautifully illustrated and hilarious story, then you are going to love reading along with Timmy and the Little Fart as they hit the baseball field.

The Day My Fart Followed Me To Baseball is the perfect baseball book for boys and girls.

The Day My Fart Followed Me To Baseball follows Timmy as he heads out onto the baseball field for the first game of the season. While Timmy is busy on the field, the Little Fart discovers a mischievous way to teach some bullies a valuable lesson.

If you enjoy reading funny books with beautiful illustrations and love having your child read along with you, then make sure you grab a copy of The Day My Fart Followed Me To Baseball.

Discover and giggle along with Timmy and his best friend on their exciting day on the baseball field.

by Becker (Author), Gary Stanley Becker (Author), Guity Nashat Becker (Author)

From economics Nobel Laureate Gary Becker and historian Guity Nashat Becker comes this collection of the economist's popular BusinessWeek columns. These 138 essays have fueled numerous debates, touching on hot-button issues from crime to organization of sports. The Beckers' surprising--and uncompromising--positions on drugs ("legalize them"), immigration ("auction off immigration slots"), welfare ("curtail it sharply"), and other topics provide a provocative commentary on our times.

Back Jacket

. . .the 1992 Nobel laureate demonstrates his well-known talent for extending ever further the frontiers of economics. . .in these pieces, the real world is very much at hand.--Business Week. "Becker goes tot he root of the problem. . .brims with fresh insights."--The Wall Street Journal. 1992 Nobel Prize winner Gary s. Becker is one of the few modern economists to apply economic theory to human behavior. His provocative world-view states that our daily actions and choices are influenced more than we know by market forces and economic incentives. In The Economics of Life, Gary Becker and historian Guity Nashat Becker have collected the best of the economist's popular work from his monthly Business Week column along with introductions that bring each topic into present-day focus. Extending well beyond the traditional range of economics, these 138 essays provocatively address modern issues including: the changing role of women in modern economics, crime, immigration, drugs, discrimination against minorities, and many other topics. From legalizing drugs to auctioning off immigration rights, the Beckers do not shy away from advocating controversial changes in public policy and personal behavior. They will set you thinking and perhaps change your mind about the connections between economics and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Author Biography

Gary S. Becker won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1992 for his theory of "economic reasoning." Professor of Economics and Sociology at the University of Chicago, Becker writes a monthly column for Business Week, is a frequent editorialist for The Wall Street Journal, and is a regular guest on such television programs as The McNeil-Lehrer Report and Adam SmithÕs Money World. Guity Nashat Becker is Associate Professor of History at the University of Illinois at Chicago, a Fellow of the Hoover Institution, and a graduate of the Columbia University School of Journalism. She has written several books and appeared on many TV and radio programs. The Beckers live in Chicago.

by Brent Loehr (Author)

by Norman L. Macht (Author)

In The Grand Old Man of Baseball, Norman L. Macht chronicles Connie Mack's tumultuous final two decades in baseball. After Mack had built one of baseball's greatest teams, the 1929-31 Philadelphia Athletics, the Depression that followed the stock market crash fundamentally reshaped Mack's legacy as his team struggled on the field and at the gate. Among the challenges Mack faced: a sharp drop in attendance that forced him to sell his star players; the rise of the farm system, which he was slow to adopt; the opposition of other owners to night games, which he favored; the postwar integration of baseball, which he initially opposed; a split between the team's heirs (Mack's sons Roy and Earle on one side, their half brother Connie Jr. on the other) that tore apart the family and forced Mack to choose--unwisely--between them; and, finally, the disastrous 1951-54 seasons in which Roy and Earle ran the club to the brink of bankruptcy.
By now aged and mentally infirm, Mack watched in bewilderment as the business he had built fell apart. Broke and in debt, Roy and Earle feuded over the sale of the team. In a never-before-revealed series of maneuvers, Roy double-crossed his father and brother and the team was sold and moved to Kansas City in 1954. In Macht's third volume of his trilogy on Mack, he describes the physical, mental, and financial decline of Mack's final years, which unfortunately became a classic American tragedy.

Author Biography

Norman L. Macht is the author of more than thirty books, including Connie Mack and the Early Years of Baseball (Nebraska, 2007) and Connie Mack: The Turbulent and Triumphant Years, 1915-1931 (Nebraska, 2012), as well as biographies of Cy Young, Babe Ruth, and Lou Gehrig. He is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research.

by Mark Kurlansky (Author)

"A fantastic social history" from the author of Salt and Cod (USA Today)

Author Biography

Mark Kurlansky is the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including Cheesecake, The Food of a Younger Land, Cod: A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World; Salt: A World History; 1968: The Year That Rocked the World; and The Big Oyster: History on the Half Shell. He has received the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Bon Appetit's Food Writer of the Year Award, the James Beard Award, and the Glenfiddich Award. He lives in New York City.

by Kevin Nelson (Author), Hank Greenwald (Foreword by)

The Golden Game presents in words and pictures 150 years of baseball history, from sandlot ball in the 1850s and the Pacific Coast League to the western arrival of the Dodgers, Giants, Angels, Athletics, and Padres. Here is a stirring, colorfully written narrative about the state that has been the birthplace and proving ground for more Major Leaguers than any other, including Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, and Jackie Robinson. Blending U.S. and California history as a backdrop to a narrative rich with anecdotes, The Golden Game reveals the significant impact that California has had on baseball history.

Written not just for Californians but for all baseball fans, The Golden Game goes beyond its geographic boundaries to tell the fascinating saga of California baseball and how it has indelibly shaped the national pastime.

Author Biography

Kevin Nelson is the award-winning author of nineteen books. He spent three years researching and writing The Golden Game, traveling around California to uncover the state's storied baseball past. Hank Greenwald is a former Major League Baseball announcer who was for many years the voice of the San Francisco Giants.

by Society for American Baseball Research ( (Author)

by Jim Mudcat Grant (Author), Tom Sabellico (Author), Pat O'Brien (Author)

For most of the first half of the twentieth century, African-Americans were excluded from Organized Baseball. But their love of the game, and their desire to play could not be denied. Despite that ban, "blackball" was being played in just about every cow pasture and field available throughout the country. Black players criss-crossed the country in Negro League games and on barnstorming tours, bringing baseball to places where the Major Leagues never dreamed of going. Many gifted athletes never got the chance to compete in the Majors, until the door was finally opened in 1947 with the signing of Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby. Once given that chance to compete, African-Americans showed the country that they were deserving of the opportunity. Many became superstars, but, on the mound, only 13 African-Americans ever reached the magic plateau of twenty wins in a season. This book tells the story of those thirteen men and a few of their predecessors, the obstacles they faced, and the determination they showed to succeed. But it is a story about so much more than just baseball. Against the backdrop of their grit and determination, it reflects the story of all African-American baseball players through the creation of the Negro Leagues, the evolution of the game, and the parallel integration of baseball and America.

by Robert Charles Cottrell (Author)

When Rube Foster was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981, his rightful place alongside baseball's greatest black heroes was at last firmly established. A world-class pitcher, a formidable manager, and a brilliant administrator, Rube Foster was arguably more influential in breaking down the color barrier in major league baseball than the venerable Jackie Robinson.
Born in 1879, Rube Foster pitched for the legendary black baseball teamsthe Cuban X-Giants and the Philadelphia Giants before becoming player-manager of the Leland Giants and the Chicago American Giants. Long a central figure in black baseball, he founded baseball's first black leaguethe Negro National League in 1920. From its inception, the Negro League served as a vehicle through which many of the finest black players could showcase their considerable talents. Challenging racial discrimination and stereotypes, it ultimately set the stage for future efforts to contest Jim Crow.
Despite the long-standing success of the Negro National League as an influential black institution, Rube Foster was deeply embittered by organized baseball's unmitigated refusal to lift the color barrier. He died a broken man in 1930.
The Best Pitcher in Baseball is the story of a man of unparalleled vision and organizational acumen whose passion for justice changed the face of baseball forever. It is a moving tribute to a man and his dream.

by William M. Simons (Editor)

Widely acknowledged as the preeminent gathering of baseball scholars, the annual Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture has made significant contributions to baseball research. This collection of 15 new essays selected from the 2015 and the 2016 symposia examines topics whose importance extend beyond the ballpark. Presented in six parts, the essays explore Biography: From Mythology to Authenticity, Gender and Generations, Race and Ethnicity on the Base Paths, Ballparks Abandoned and Envisioned, Baseball Cinema, and Business, Law and the Game.

Author Biography

William M. Simons is professor of history at the State University of New York-Oneonta.

by Jim Mudcat Grant (Author), Tom Sabellico (Author), Pat O'Brien (Author)

For most of the first half of the twentieth century, African-Americans were excluded from Organized Baseball. But their love of the game, and their desire to play could not be denied. Despite that ban, "blackball" was being played in just about every cow pasture and field available throughout the country. Black players criss-crossed the country in Negro League games and on barnstorming tours, bringing baseball to places where the Major Leagues never dreamed of going. Many gifted athletes never got the chance to compete in the Majors, until the door was finally opened in 1947 with the signing of Jackie Robinson and Larry Doby. Once given that chance to compete, African-Americans showed the country that they were deserving of the opportunity. Many became superstars, but, on the mound, only 13 African-Americans ever reached the magic plateau of twenty wins in a season. This book tells the story of those thirteen men and a few of their predecessors, the obstacles they faced, and the determination they showed to succeed. But it is a story about so much more than just baseball. Against the backdrop of their grit and determination, it reflects the story of all African-American baseball players through the creation of the Negro Leagues, the evolution of the game, and the parallel integration of baseball and America.

by William M. Simons (Editor)

Widely acknowledged as the preeminent gathering of baseball scholars, the annual Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture has made significant contributions to baseball research. This collection of 15 new essays selected from the 2017 and the 2018 symposia examines topics whose importance extend beyond the ballpark. Presented in six parts, the essays explore baseball's cultural and social history and analyze the tools that encourage a more sophisticated understanding of baseball as a game and enterprise.

Author Biography

William M. Simons is professor of history at the State University of New York-Oneonta.

by Stuart Banner (Author)

The impact of antitrust law on sports is in the news all the time, especially when there is labor conflict between players and owners, or when a team wants to move to a new city. And if the majority of Americans have only the vaguest sense of what antitrust law is, most know one thing about it-that baseball is exempt.

Author Biography

Stuart Banner is Norman Abrams Professor of Law at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. A noted legal historian, he is the author of many books, including most recently American Property: A History of How, Why, and What We Own; Who Owns the Sky? The Struggle to Control Airspace from the Wright Brothers On; and Possessing the Pacific: Land, Settlers, and Indigenous People from Australia to Alaska.

by Society for American Baseball Research ( (Author)

The Baseball Research Journal presents baseball research with a strong analytical approach. Made up of statistical studies, in-depth examinations of playing techniques, and articles focusing on baseball as a business, the Baseball Research Journal draws from the research efforts of members of the Society for American Baseball Research.

by Society for American Baseball Research ( (Author)

by Andres Wirkmaa (Author)

With the aim of providing anyone interested in baseball scorekeeping everything he or she needs to perform the task, this book contains a thorough and comprehensive manual on keeping a scorecard, together with a detailed analysis of each of the numerous, and often complex, official rules governing scorekeeping in baseball (many of which were revised or modified in 2007), as well as scorekeeping issues outside of MLB's rulebook. Myriad examples are given (many drawn from significant and well-known major league games throughout the history of baseball as well as a number of examples drawn from popular culture) of how baseball's scorekeeping rules are applied and dealt with in both routine situations as well as the most difficult and convoluted scenarios. Revised and updated to reflect recent changes to the MLB rulebook, this book is very readable and perfectly accessible to a broad audience.

Author Biography

Wyckoff, New Jersey, attorney Andres Wirkmaa is a retired baseball coach, has served as official scorekeeper for amateur baseball leagues, has been featured on the radio and in MLB articles as a scorekeeping expert, and is a member of SABR.

by Charles R. Jr. Sledge (Author)

The Batter's Out is a book of instructions on how to play baseball defensively. It teaches how to play all nine positions properly on the field by showing how each player moves during the course of a play through illustrations. The Batter's Out is a detailed description of what each player on any given team should do when the baseball is being hit to any given position. The illustrations are colorful and simulate real action. This book also holds a glossary of all the terms used for playing great defense. It's ideal for Parents who want to become Coaches, Coaches who want to improve there coaching skills and Children who dream of playing professional baseball everywhere.

by Charles Fountain (Author)

In the most famous scandal of sports history, eight Chicago White Sox players--including Shoeless Joe Jackson--agreed to throw the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for the promise of $20,000 each from gamblers reportedly working for New York mobster Arnold Rothstein. Heavily favored, Chicago lost the Series five games to three. Although rumors of a fix flew while the series was being played, they were largely disregarded by players and the public at large. It wasn't until a year later that a general investigation into baseball gambling reopened the case, and a nationwide scandal emerged.

Author Biography

Charles Fountain teaches at Northeastern University's School of Journalism. He is the author of several books, including Under the March Sun: The Story of Spring Training.

by Charles Fountain (Author)

In the most famous scandal of sports history, eight Chicago White Sox players--including Shoeless Joe Jackson--agreed to throw the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for the promise of $20,000 each from gamblers reportedly working for New York mobster Arnold Rothstein. Heavily favored, Chicago lost the Series five games to three. Although rumors of a fix flew while the series was being played, they were largely disregarded by players and the public at large. It wasn't until a year later that a general investigation into baseball gambling reopened the case, and a nationwide scandal emerged.

Author Biography

Charles Fountain teaches at Northeastern University's School of Journalism. He is the author of several books, including Under the March Sun: The Story of Spring Training.

by Michael Lee Lanning (Author)

Eleven years before Rosa Parks resisted going to the back of the bus, a young black second lieutenant, hungry to fight Nazis in Europe, refused to move to the back of a U.S. Army bus in Texas and found himself court-martialed. The defiant soldier was Jack Roosevelt Robinson, already in 1944 a celebrated athlete in track and football and in a few years the man who would break Major League Baseball's color barrier. This was the pivotal moment in Jackie Robinson's pre-MLB career. Had he been found guilty, he would not have been the man who broke baseball's color barrier. Had the incident never happened, he would've gone overseas with the Black Panther tank battalion--and who knows what after that. Having survived this crucible of unjust prosecution as an American soldier, Robinson--already a talented multisport athlete--became the ideal player to integrate baseball.

Author Biography

Michael Lee Lanning, who graduated from Texas A&M, served more than twenty years in the U.S. Army, retiring as a lieutenant colonel with the Senior Parachute Badge, Combat Infantryman's Badge, Ranger Tab, and Bronze Star. In Vietnam he commanded an infantry platoon, a recon platoon, and a rifle company. His military career included service as public-affairs officer for Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf and similar work in the Department of Defense Public Affairs office. He has spoken at conferences on the African-American Soldier at the D-Day Museum and Tuskegee University and has appeared on NPR, CBS, and the History Channel.

by Charlie Maher (Author)

The Complete Mental Game is a comprehensive instructional system to guide the baseball player --- at any competitive level---- to take chagre of the process of playing the game, on and off the baseball diamond. Through this book, the baseball player will learn to establish a consistent approach to their continuous development and improvement, not only as a player but also as a person. The book includes guidelines methods and procedures so that the baseball player will learn how to do the following:

* Understand their personality, core values, strong points and limitations--- the player as a Person

* Cope effectively with negative people, places, and things that can put them at risk, while developing a posituve support system---the player as a "Coper"

* Buy into something larger than the individal-- the player as a Teamnate

* Enage prodictively in preparing for each game, take their preapration into the game, be an accurate self evalautor, and make effective adjustments -- the player as a Performer

by Sky Benson (Author)

Do you want to be the rock of your baseball team?

The field leader who calls the shots and leads your pitcher to victory? This book will show you how to become a great catcher. We'll talk about more than just how to catch a ball. You'll learn how to get stronger and last longer in your legs to win the game.

We'll show you how to communicate clearly with your players and teammates. If you want to stay calm under pressure and inspire your team, this book will show you how to build your "mental toughness." This book has everything you need to become a complete catcher. It's full of valuable drills, wise advice, and inspiring ideas. You'll find the information and methods to transform from a catcher to a game-changer, Whether you're a new player just starting or an experienced one who wants to step up your game. With that said, grab your mitt and get ready to Catch! Own your role as the leader behind the game!

by K. P. Wee (Author)

"Barry Bonds is a Hall of Famer. At some point, the best players of their era have to be enshrined. Period. It's part of our game's history."

-Trevor Bauer, 2020 National League Cy Young Award Winner

Sportswriter K. P. Wee asks the question that many MLB fans have been thinking-Should Barry Bonds be in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

In his 22 years in the Major Leagues, Bonds, who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants, was:

• the All-time Home Run leader with 762 home runs
• a seven-time MVP
• a 14-time All-Star
• an eight-time Gold Glove winner

As the final year to vote this home run king in begins, The Case for Barry Bonds in the Baseball Hall of Fame looks at his stunning career from all aspects including his personal life as the son of a baseball legend, as well as never-before told stories of his generosity and mentorship towards other ballplayers. The book also looks at the stories of his distaste for the sports press, as well as the role of racism in professional sports, and how this impacted his career.

Join sportswriter K. P. Wee as he shares insights and interviews from baseball insiders, Hall of Fame voters and baseball legends, as he puts to rest the question "Does Barry Bonds belong in the Baseball Hall of Fame?"

by Scott Longert (Author)

Since the founding of professional baseball, few teams have risen above years of mediocrity only to see their fortunes interrupted by war and tragedy. Fewer still have then rallied to win the World Series. In the early twentieth century, the Cleveland Indians brought the world championship to their city of passionate fans in a spectacular style that has yet to be replicated. The Best They Could Be recaps the compelling story of the ballplayers and team owner who resurrected this proud but struggling franchise. Although the Cleveland ball club had been an active part of professional baseball from the late 1860s and a charter member of the American League, by 1915 the team was on the brink of collapse. Into this dejected atmosphere came new owner James C. Dunn, who, lacking baseball experience, nonetheless had the business savvy to bring his club to the forefront, acquiring superstar center fielder Tris Speaker, Larry Gardner, and other great players. But during the rise of the franchise, the outbreak of World War I interrupted baseball. Then, in 1920, as the Indians were leading the pennant race, shortstop Ray Chapman died after a pitch fractured his skull. The outpouring of sorrow from teammates and fans alike made the Indians more determined than ever to fight their way to the top. Scott H. Longert's entertaining and poignant narrative traces the rise, fall, and rebirth of one of America's most beloved baseball teams.

by Society for American Baseball Research ( (Author)

The flagship publication of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), the Baseball Research Journal is an interdisciplinary peer-reviewed publication presenting the best in SABR member research on baseball. History, biography, economics, physics, psychology, game theory, sociology and culture, records, and many other disciplines are represented to expand our knowledge of baseball as it is, was, and could be played.

by William F. McNeil (Author)

The California Winter League was the first to bring together Negro League teams and white professional teams in one league. It operated from October through February each year from the early part of the century until the late 1940s and generally consisted of one or more Negro League teams, which included Hall-of-Famers Satchel Paige, Turkey Stearnes, Willie Wells, and Cool Papa Bell on their rosters, and three or more white teams, which were made up of major league players who lived in California as well as minor leaguers from the top-rated Pacific Coast League.

This work is the first complete history of the California Winter League from its murky beginnings around 1912 to its golden years from 1924 to 1935 to its final demise in the mid 1940s. It provides an overview of the league and the early years of local amateur ball clubs evolving into the semi-professional league on through 1919. It then provides detailed summaries for the official seasons of 1920 through 1947 and accounts of the exciting pennant races between the Negro League teams and the white professional teams. Appendices provide statistical information: league champions season by season, career leaders in many categories such as batting average, home runs, complete games, victories, and shutouts, batting and pitching statistics for each season, and more.

Author Biography

William F. McNeil is a longtime baseball historian and the author of numerous books on the game. A member of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), he is the recipient of five Robert Peterson awards for increasing the public's awareness of the Negro Leagues. He lives in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

by Robert Charles Cottrell (Author)

When Rube Foster was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981, his rightful place alongside baseball's greatest black heroes was at last firmly established. A world-class pitcher, a formidable manager, and a brilliant administrator, Rube Foster was arguably more influential in breaking down the color barrier in major league baseball than the venerable Jackie Robinson.
Born in 1879, Rube Foster pitched for the legendary black baseball teamsthe Cuban X-Giants and the Philadelphia Giants before becoming player-manager of the Leland Giants and the Chicago American Giants. Long a central figure in black baseball, he founded baseball's first black leaguethe Negro National League in 1920. From its inception, the Negro League served as a vehicle through which many of the finest black players could showcase their considerable talents. Challenging racial discrimination and stereotypes, it ultimately set the stage for future efforts to contest Jim Crow.
Despite the long-standing success of the Negro National League as an influential black institution, Rube Foster was deeply embittered by organized baseball's unmitigated refusal to lift the color barrier. He died a broken man in 1930.
The Best Pitcher in Baseball is the story of a man of unparalleled vision and organizational acumen whose passion for justice changed the face of baseball forever. It is a moving tribute to a man and his dream.

by Donald Dewey (Author), Nicholas Acocella (Author)

As America lurched into the twentieth century, its national pastime was afflicted with the same moral malaise that was enveloping the rest of the nation. Players regularly bet on games, games were routinely fixed, and league politics were as dirty as the base paths. Against this backdrop, Hal Chase emerged as one of the game's greatest players and also as one of its most scandalous characters.

Author Biography

Donald Dewey has published more than thirty books of fiction, nonfiction, and drama, including the history of baseball fans The Tenth Man and the novels The Fantasy League Murders and The Bolivian Sailor. Nicholas Acocella is the author or coauthor of several books on baseball, including (with Donald Dewey) The New Biographical History of Baseball: The Classic and Total Ballclubs.

by Troy Soos (Author)

""Equal parts baseball and mystery are the perfect proportion."" --Robert Parker

The Big Dead Machine

It's 1921, and journeyman infielder Mickey Rawlings finds himself on yet another team, the Cincinnati Reds, who everyone remembers for ""winning"" the 1919 World Series against the infamous Chicago Black Sox. In an effort to refurbish their image, Oliver Perrimen, a die-hard Reds fan cooks up a memorabilia exhibit of the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, who went undefeated in a historic coast-to-coast romp. But before the tour can reach first base, someone strikes Ollie out with a well-placed bullet. Since murder seems to follow Mickey around like a hitting slump he can't quite quit, he starts snagging clues. Soon enough he finds his hands full with a forgotten murder, breaking and entering, and an angry girlfriend. But when the game of his own life is on the line, Mickey Rawlings is a born survivor. At least he hopes. . .

Praise for the Mickey Rawlings Baseball Mysteries

""Full of life."" --The New York Times Book Review on Hanging Curve

""A perfect book for the rain delay. . .a winner!"" --USA Today on Murder at Fenway Park

""Delightful. . .mixing suspense, period detail that will leave readers eager for subsequent innings."" --Publishers Weekly on Murder at Fenway Park

Back Jacket

Troy Soos's Mickey 50Rawlings baseball mysteries are "a perfect marriage between baseball and mystery fiction" (Mystery Readers Journal). Now, with THE CINCINNATI RED STALKINGS, he gives us another intriguing mystery that's sure to win fans for this evocative series.

After winning the 1919 World Series, Cincinnati Reds utility infielder Mickey Rawlings thinks he has something to cheer about -- until he gets involved in murder. It starts when Mickey Rawlings volunteers to help Oliver Perriman, a die-hard Reds fan, organize an exhibit of memorabilia to honor the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. But Perriman gets shot to death and Mickey is next in the line of fire. In Perriman's collection are the explosive clues to a fifty-year-old mystery -- the death of a Red Stockings fan -- and the disappearance of "substitute" player Dick Hurley -- the Mickey Rawlings of his time. As Mickey sets out to solve both the old crime and Perriman's murder, he soon finds himself embroiled in a mix of conspiracy, lies, and murder that can end his career...and his life.

Author Biography

Troy Soos is a critically acclaimed author, teacher, and former research physicist. He is best known for his Mickey Rawlings series of baseball mysteries. His novels have been reviewed in the New York Times, Boston Globe, and USA Today. Soos is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Society for American Baseball Research. He currently lives in Lake Howell, Florida (near Winter Park, Florida).

by Joe Puckett (Author)

The Blues of Summer is the nostalgic true story of a bygone era when baseball ruled the summers of Daniels County, Montana. The book traces how the homesteaders brought the game to northeastern Montana in the early 1900s and how Daniels County -- dubbed "Baseball Country" by the Daniels County Leader -- was always passionate about baseball. Scobey, the county seat, was a magnet for talented baseball players, including Happy Felsh and Swede Risberg from the 1919 Chicago White Sox, who played for the Scobey Giants town team in 1925. The Scobey town team became known as the Plainsmen and won two Montana state AAU and semipro championships in 1958 and 1960. But the book's heart is the story of the Scobey Blues American Legion Baseball team, which began playing in 1930 and won eight Montana state Class B Legion championships for legendary coach Clyde H. "Doc" Norman between 1969 and 1982. Author Joe Puckett, who played on four state Legion championship teams in the late 1970s, tells his baseball story and the story of the teams that came before and after his playing days.

Due primarily to the dwindling population in northeastern Montana, the Scobey Blues Legion program fell into decline and ultimately folded following the 2003 season, with a brief revival attempt from 2016 to 2019. Like the Brooklyn Dodgers of Roger Kahn's The Boys of Summer, the Scobey Blues have faded away, but they will forever live in The Blues of Summer. The book, published on the 100th anniversary of the founding of American Legion Baseball -- "a program of service to the youth of America" -- is a testament to the honor and respect the author holds for its founder, The American Legion. The book was made possible by the local newspaper, the Daniels County Leader, which had closely covered the town and Legion baseball teams for over a century, providing the author with access to its archive of articles and photos.

by Charles A. Peverelly (Author)

The Book of American Pastimes, written by Charles A. Peverelly in 1866, is a comprehensive historical account of the principal baseball, cricket, rowing, and yachting clubs in the United States. The book provides an in-depth look at the origins and development of these sports in America, including the rules and regulations, notable players and events, and the social and cultural significance of each sport. Peverelly's work is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the history of American sports and the role they have played in shaping the country's culture and identity.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

by Suzanne Kamata (Author)

When Christine, an idealistic young American teacher, meets and marries Hideki Yamada, an aspiring Japanese high school baseball coach, she believes that their love with be enough to sustain them as they deal with cultural differences. However, Hideki's duties, and the team of fit, obedient boys whom he begins to think of as a surrogate family, take up more and more of his time, just as Christine is struggling to manage the needs of their multiply-disabled daughter and their sensitive son. Things come to a head when their son is the victim of bullies. Christine begins to think that she and her children would be safer - and happier - in her native country. On a trip back to the States, she reconnects with a dangerously attractive friend from high school who, after serving and becoming wounded in Afghanistan, seems to understand her like no one else.

Meanwhile, Daisuke Uchida, a slugger with pro potential who has returned to Japan after living abroad, may be able to help propel Hideki's team to the national baseball tournament at Koshien. Not only would this be a dream come true for Hideki, but also it would secure the futures of his players, some of whom come from precarious homes. While Daisuke looks to Hideki for guidance, he is also distracted by Nana, a talented but troubled girl, whom he is trying to rescue from a life as a bar hostess (or worse). Hideki must ultimately choose between his team and his family.

The Baseball Widow explores issues of duty, disability, discrimination, violence, and forgiveness through a cross-cultural lens. Although flawed, these characters strive to advocate for fairness, goodness, and safety, while considering how their decisions have been shaped by their backgrounds.

by William M. Simons (Editor)

Selected from the two most recent proceedings of the Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and American Culture (2019 and 2021), this collection of essays explores subject matter centered both inside and beyond the ballpark. Fifteen contributors offer critical commentary on a range of topics, including controversial decisions on the field and in Hall of Fame elections; baseball's historical role as a rite of passage for boys; two worthy catchers who never received their due; the genesis and development of the minor leagues; and baseball's place in popular culture.

Author Biography

William M. Simons is a professor of history at the State University of New York-Oneonta.

by Michael O'Keeffe (Author), Teri Thompson (Author)

Only a few dozen T206 Wagners are known to still exist, having been released in limited numbers just after the turn of the twentieth century. Most, with their creases and stains, look like they've been around for nearly one hundred years. But one--The Card--appears to have defied the travails of time. Its sharp corners and still-crisp portrait make it the single-most famous--and most desired--baseball card on the planet, valued today at more than two million dollars. It has transformed a simple hobby into a billion-dollar industry that is at times as lawless as the Wild West. Everything about The Card, which has made men wealthy as well as poisoned lifelong relationships, is fraught with controversy--from its uncertain origins to the nagging possibility that it might not be exactly as it seems.

In this intriguing, eye-opening, and groundbreaking look at a uniquely American obsession, award-winning investigative reporters Michael O'Keeffe and Teri Thompson follow The Card's trail from a Florida flea market to the hands of the world's most prominent collectors. The Card sheds a fascinating new light on a world of counterfeiters, con men, and the people who profit from what used to be a pastime for kids.

Back Jacket

Only a few dozen T206 Wagners are known to still exist, having been released in limited numbers just after the turn of the twentieth century. Most, with their creases and stains, look like they've been around for nearly one hundred years. But one--The Card--appears to have defied the travails of time. Its sharp corners and still-crisp portrait make it the single-most famous--and most desired--baseball card on the planet, valued today at more than two million dollars. It has transformed a simple hobby into a billion-dollar industry that is at times as lawless as the Wild West. Everything about The Card, which has made men wealthy as well as poisoned lifelong relationships, is fraught with controversy--from its uncertain origins to the nagging possibility that it might not be exactly as it seems.

In this intriguing, eye-opening, and groundbreaking look at a uniquely American obsession, award-winning investigative reporters Michael O'Keeffe and Teri Thompson follow The Card's trail from a Florida flea market to the hands of the world's most prominent collectors. The Card sheds a fascinating new light on a world of counterfeiters, con men, and the people who profit from what used to be a pastime for kids.

by Anne R. Keene (Author), Claudia Williams (Foreword by)

In 1943, while the New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals battled for the World Series title, another legendary team was taking the field on a scrappy diamond in North Carolina. The Cloudbuster Nine wasn't just any baseball team. They were big-league pros turned Navy fighter-pilot cadets, including Ted Williams, Johnny Pesky, and Johnny Sain, training to become America's heroes.

Author Biography

Anne R. Keene has published work in TheNew York Times, the Dallas Morning News, the Raleigh News & Observer, and magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post. A finalist for the prestigious Casey Award, TheCloudbuster Nine was recognized by Newsday magazine as a "Top 12 Baseball Read for the Season." Keene began her career as a speechwriter on Capitol Hill. She is a graduate of the School of Journalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who resides in Austin, Texas.

by Velvet Idole (Author)

Dear Baseball Enthusiasts,

Are you prepared to elevate your love for the game? Look no further than "The Baseball Superstar Handbook." This is the ultimate essential for young baseball fans!

Within the pages of this 72-page activity book, tailored for kids aged 8 and above, you'll uncover:

• Clear explanations of baseball rules
• An expanded baseball vocabulary
• Remarkable baseball records
• Techniques to master baseball skills
• Enjoyable coloring pages and an array of brain-teasing puzzles, including crosswords, dot-to-dot games, word searches, quizzes, and more.

"The Baseball Superstar Handbook" is your passport to becoming a young baseball expert while enjoying every step of the journey. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enrich your baseball knowledge. Secure your copy today and hit a home run with your newfound skills!

This book proudly joins our "Sport Activity Book Series." Explore the wide range of titles we offer.

by Thomas Wolf (Author)

Best Baseball Book of 2020 from Sports Collectors Digest
2021 Seymour Medal Finalist

Author Biography

Thomas Wolf has written numerous articles on baseball history and is the coauthor of Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland.