In this novel, the careers of a golden boy rookie hitter for the Cubs and a hard-hitting Mets pitcher take very different paths. The baseball is thrilling, but it is what happens off the field that makes this story a classic.

"Lupe Wong is going to be the first female pitcher in the Major Leagues. She's also championed causes her whole young life. Some worthy ... like expanding the options for race on school tests beyond just a few bubbles. And some not so much...like complaining to the BBC about the length between Doctor Who seasons. Lupe needs an A in all her classes in order to meet her favorite pitcher, Fu Li Hernandez, who's Chinacan/Mexinese just like her. So when...

A narrative account of the friendship shared between the Hall of Fame catcher and the Yankees pitcher describes their annual reunions in Florida during spring training, offering insight into Berra's role in mentoring younger players.

An obsessed baseball fan celebrates his love of the American pastime while sharing information on the ins and outs of the game, from the difference between a split finger fastball and a forkball, why the first-base coach uses a stopwatch, obscure rules, pitching and hitting, fielding, and umpires.

Howie Traveler never made it as a player-his one major league hit and .091 batting average attest to that. He was cursed with that worst of professional maladies, the ill fortune of almost. Now after years of struggling up the coaching ladder, Howie's finally been given his shot: as manager of the Cleveland Indians. But America's pastime has changed. Whether Howie can spot a small flaw in a batter's swing won't matter if he can't manage his superstar...

In 1957, inspired by what she is learning about civil rights and armed with knowledge of female ball players, ten-year-old Katy Gordon fights to be allowed to play Little League baseball.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, tucked away in upstate New York in a small town called Cooperstown, is far from any major media market or big league stadium. Yet no sports hall of fame's membership is so hallowed, nor its qualifications so debated, nor its voting process so dissected. Since its founding in 1936, the Hall of Fame's standards for election have been nebulous, and its selection processes arcane, resulting in confusion among...

The former Red Sox coach discusses his eight-year tenure with the team, chronicling the challenges posed by managing difficult players, satisfying multiple owners with different expectations, and dealing with both championship and losing seasons.

A fascinating and charming encyclopedic collection of baseball firsts, describing how the innovations in the game-in rules, equipment, styles of play, strategies, etc.-occurred and developed from its origins to the present day. The book relies heavily on quotations from contemporary sources.

"Even the most die-hard baseball fans don't know the true story of William "Blockade Billy" Blakely. He may have been the greatest player the game has ever seen, but today no one remembers his name. He was the first--and only--player to have his existence completely removed from the record books. Even his team is long forgotten, barely a footnote in the game's history. Every effort was made to erase any evidence that William Blakely played professional...