baseball
Books for Baseball Fans
Every sport has its legends and lore. But somehow baseball seems to have more of both than any other sport—at least for Americans.
Just why this should be so is not clear. For some, like Ken Burns, baseball defines America; for others, it's even simpler: baseball has a long and well-documented history, with statistics and stories dating from its earliest days. You really can compare the exploits of Babe Ruth and Henry Aaron, Sandy Koufax and Rube Waddell, or Willie Mays and Tris Speaker.
More important, baseball has inspired some of the best sports writing of all time. The books below provide an introduction for novice fans and much food for thought for veterans. We invite you to explore them.
Eliot Asinof
Eight Men Out : The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series
$10.36
Superbly done history of the Black Sox scandal—how it came about, the conditions which made it possible, the major players (ballplayers, owners, gamblers, and league officials), and the long-term effect on the game.
A. Bartlett Giamatti
A Great and Glorious Game:
Baseball Writings of A. Bartlett Giamatti
$11.16
One of the most beloved of baseball's commissioners, A. Bartlett Giamatti was also a thoughtful and gifted writer who left the presidency of Yale University to serve the game he loved. An excellent collection by one of the greatest figures in the history of the game.
Roger Kahn
The Jackie Robinson Reader : Perspectives on an American Hero
$11.16
Jackie Robinson changed the face of baseball and captured the attention and hearts of America when he strode onto Ebbett's Field on Opening Day, 1947, as a Brooklyn Dodger. He broke baseball's color line, paved the way for African-American players in all professional sports, and became a pivotal figure in the struggle for racial equality. The Jackie Robinson Reader gathers together writings that demonstrate the cultural impact of Robinson's actions and the life of the man himself.
Tim McCarver
Tim McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans
$16.10
McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons is just that: a packed, at times densely penned, manual for smart and inquisitive fans, written up to their hunger for good, solid, challenging insight into the game's tactics, strategies, and maneuverings. McCarver goes into impressively thorough detail, which is his ultimate strength and occasional weakness; he assumes you've already got at least a baseball B.A. If you don't know a cut fastball from a four-seamer, you might consider applying elsewhere until you do, but if you are indeed up to the demands of a provocative graduate seminar, McCarver's quite a professor.
George F. Will
Men at Work : The Craft of Baseball
$11.20
Published to the accolades of critics and sportswriters and the raves of thousands of readers everywhere, this phenomenal coast-to-coast bestseller is an incisive, intelligent and always fascinating analysis of America's favorite pastime. Will gives a unique look at this intricate sport, including in-depth profiles of Tony Gwynn, Cal Ripkin, Jr., Tony LaRussa, and Orel Hershiser.
