The Boston Red Sox are one of the most iconic teams in all of professional sports, representing not just a city or a state, but an entire region--they're New England's sole entry into MLB. Baseball immortals Tris Speaker and Babe Ruth wore a Red Sox uniform early in their careers, and many other great players, including Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski, Jim Rice, Wade Boggs, and Pedro Martinez have played for New England's beloved ball club. Sports historian Robert W. Cohen has chosen the 50 best ever to play for the Sox and profiles their exploits. Chances are you'll find your favorite player here.

This text gives readers the chance to experience the unique character and personalities of the African American game of baseball in the United States, starting from the time of slavery, through the Negro Leagues and integration period, and beyond. For 100 years, African Americans were barred from playing in the premier baseball leagues of the United States-where only Caucasians were allowed. Talented black athletes until the 1950s were largely limited to only playing in Negro leagues, or possibly playing against white teams in exhibition, post-season play, or barnstorming contests-if it was deemed profitable for the white hosts. Even so, the people and events of Jim Crow baseball had incredible beauty, richness, and quality of play and character. The deep significance of Negro baseball leagues in establishing the texture of American history is an experience that cannot be allowed to slip away and be forgotten. This book takes readers from the origins of African Americans playing the American game of baseball on southern plantations in the pre-Civil War era through Black baseball and America's long era of Jim Crow segregation to the significance of Black baseball within our modern-day, post-Civil Rights Movement perspective. Presents a wide variety of original materials, documents, and historic images, including a never before published certificate making Frederick Douglass an honorary member of an early Black baseball team and author-conducted personal interviews Chronological chapter organization clearly portrays the development of Black baseball in America over a century's time Contains a unique collection of period photographs depicting the people and sites of Black baseball A topical bibliography points readers towards literature of Black baseball and related topics

MILLIONS OF AMERICAN BASEBALL FANS KNOW, WITH ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY, that umpires are simply overpaid galoots who are doing an easy job badly. Millions of American baseball fans are wrong.
"As They See 'Em "is an insider's look at the largely unknown world of professional umpires, the small group of men (and the very occasional woman) who make sure America's favorite pastime is conducted in a manner that is clean, crisp, and true. Bruce Weber, a "New York Times "reporter, not only interviewed dozens of professional umpires but entered their world, trained to become an umpire, then spent a season working games from Little League to big league spring training. "As They See 'Em "is Weber's entertaining account of this experience as well as a lively exploration of what amounts to an eccentric secret society, with its own customs, its own rituals, its own colorful vocabulary. Writing with deep knowledge of and affection for baseball, he delves into such questions as: Why isn't every strike created equal? Is the ump part of the game or outside of it? Why doesn't a tie go to the runner? And what do umps and managers say to each other during an argument, really?
Packed with fascinating reportage that reveals the game as never before and answers the kinds of questions that fans, exasperated by the cliches of conventional sports commentary, pose to themselves around the television set, Bruce Weber's "As They See 'Em "is a towering grand slam.

While a multitude of books on Major League Baseball have been written by those within the industry, this book is the voice of an educated and opinionated fan. Included are comprehensive examinations of players, teams, and the game itself, with a chronological emphasis on the 1980 through 2013 seasons. Within these pages, bold and intriguing arguments are made on the topics of statistical analysis and strategy. Unorthodox tactics and elements are presented which could revolutionize the game if implemented. The presentation of new statistical categories offers readers an opportunity to compare contemporaries as well as the careers of baseball legends to modern stars utilizing new criteria. This book also serves as an alternative baseball almanac, as it chronicles over three decades of Major League Baseball listing leaders in new or obscure statistical categories, as well as identifying and analyzing various trends throughout the game. An array of lists, charts, and graphs enliven the text which will delight any stats junkie. Beer in the Bleachers examines various facets of America's Pastime, including attendance, stadium design, and the much debated topic of the Hall of Fame, which has reached a crossroads due to the recent eligibilities of Steroid Era stars. Arguments regarding who should have won various awards and suggestions to improve the league are also presented. Beer in the Bleachers offers the viewpoint of a fan regarding where the game has been, where it is now, and where it may be headed in the near future.