On September 10, 1934, grizzled reliever Burleigh Grimes helped the Pittsburgh Pirates to an inconsequential 9-7 win over the New York Giants in the Polo Grounds. For Grimes, the September contest marked his 270th and final win. For baseball, it marked the last time a legal spitballer would win a major league contest. Though the pitch had been banned in 1920, the American and National leagues both agreed to grant two exemptions per team to spitballers who were already in the majors. In 1921, both leagues agreed to extend grandfather provisions to cover the veteran spitball pitchers for the remainder of their careers. Under the extended rule, 17 pitchers were granted exemptions for their careers. This work looks at the lives and careers of these 17: Red Faber, Burleigh Grimes, Jack Quinn, Urban Shocker, Stan Coveleskie, Bill Doak, Ray Caldwell, Clarence Mitchell, Dutch Leonard, Ray Fisher, Dick Rudolph, Allen Sothoron, Phil Douglas, Allan Russell, Doc Ayers, Dana Fillingim and Marvin Goodwin.

The dying art of the hidden-ball trick dates back to the early days of pro baseball, with seven successful executions documented in 1876 alone. This ruse occurs when a baseman conceals the ball instead of returning it to the pitcher. When the runner steps off the base, he is summarily tagged out with the hidden ball. The trick has been used some 264 times with success, a rarity roughly in the class of the no-hitter. The hidden-ball trick has produced many hilarious stories throughout the years, and even enjoyed a renaissance of sorts in 2013 when it was employed twice late in the season. In Finding the Hidden-Ball Trick: The Colorful History of Baseball's Oldest Ruse, every known execution of the hidden-ball trick in the major leagues is documented, compiled from decades of research. This book recounts how the hidden-ball trick has completed triple plays, ended games, resulted in two arrests, cost a Hall of Famer a managing job, and even occurred in a World Series. Stories include how Fred Merkle gained revenge on Johnny Evers, how Gary Carter was caught to end a game-on his birthday-and how Lou Boudreau was nabbed the day after saying the play was obsolete. In addition to a complete chronological listing of every documented ruse, Finding the Hidden-Ball Trick also includes descriptions of tricks that went awry and a list of unsubstantiated accounts. This unique compilation of baseball stories will be of interest to baseball scholars and fans alike.

After many years of being an also-ran in the National league, the Pittsburgh Pirates' fortunes changed dramatically following the 1899 season after a monumental deal with the Louisville Colonels. The addition of star players such as Fred Clarke, Honus Wagner, Tommy Leach and Deacon Phillippe allowed Pittsburgh to become the first baseball dynasty of the twentieth century as they won National League pennants in 1901, 1902 and 1903. Without question, the 1902 Pirates aggregation was the greatest of those three squads. This definitive historical account examines the record-breaking 1902 Pittsburgh season, the politics that shaped baseball's landscape during that time period and the players who were responsible for allowing that squad to claim its rightful place in baseball history.

They were coming off a seemingly endless string of losing records. They were considered years away from legitimate contention. They were derided and disregarded as a matter of course. But in 2015 the New York Mets changed their course and changed their story. The result was the best kind of amazin'. Against all expectations, these Mets surged from the starting gate, hung tough when adversity threatened to overwhelm their budding chances, and fortified themselves for a stretch drive few could have foreseen. In short order, they proceeded to capture a division title, raise a pennant, and lay claim to the heart of their city. With an unforgettable cast of characters including Matt Harvey, David Wright, Jacob deGrom, Yoenis Cespedes, and Daniel Murphy, the tale of the 2015 National League champion New York Mets is told for the ages in Amazin' Again. Author Greg Prince cocreator of Faith and Fear in Flushing, the blog that has distilled the heart and soul of Mets fandom for more than a decade traces the trajectory of this championship season, from its roots in a long-ago amateur draft to its climax within the cauldron of Citi Field's first World Series. In between, Prince re-creates the emotions of a year that culminated in the Mets making New York their kind of town once again. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

The last time the Chicago Cubs played in the World Series, World War II had just ended. The last time they won a World Series, World War I had not yet begun. But from 1906-1910 the Cubs not only played in the World Series four of the five years, they won two World Championships, as well. It was a time when the Cubs ruled baseball, and no one could have imagined the roller coaster adventures that were ahead for this grand old franchise. In The Last Chicago Cubs Dynasty: Before the Curse, Hal Bock tells the story of this legendary team, the characters who were central to its success, and the misfortunes which have plagued the team ever since. Stars such as pitcher Mordecai "Three Finger" Brown and the double-play combination of Tinker to Evers to Chance are profiled, as are opponents who caused the Cubs unending headaches, like superstar pitcher Christy Mathewson and immortal shortstop Honus Wagner. A chronology and cast of characters set the stage for the reader before Bock delves into the early history of the Cubs and the assembly of what would become a dynasty. With talent to spare and just a little bit of luck going their way, the Chicago Cubs were unstoppable. But when an angry fan issued a curse on the team during the 1945 World Series, some believe it marked the beginning of the end for this storied franchise. Featuring 100-year-old images from historic baseball cards, profiles of Hall of Fame legends, and a foreword by Cubs supporter and TV star Joe Mantegna, The Last Chicago Cubs Dynasty will appeal to all baseball fans, but especially to those always-passionate Cubs enthusiasts from around the nation.

*Finalist for the 2007 Seymour Medal of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR).*

*Winner of the 2007 Robert Peterson Book Award of the Negro Leagues Committee of the Society for American Baseball*

When to Stop the Cheering? documents the close and often conflicted relationship between the black press and black baseball beginning with the first Negro professional league of substance, the Negro National League, which started in 1920, and finishing with the dissolution of the Negro American League in 1957. When to Stop the Cheering? examines the multidimensional relationship the black newspapers had with baseball, including their treatment of and relationships with baseball officials, team owners, players and fans. Over time, these relationships changed, resulting in shifts in coverage that could be described as moving from brotherhood to paternalism, then from paternalism to nostalgic tribute and even regret.

Dating back to 1869 as an organized professional sport, the game of baseball is not only the oldest professional sport in North America, but also symbolizes much more. Walt Whitman described it as "our game, the American game," and George Will compared calling baseball "just a game" to the Grand Canyon being "just a hole." Countless others have called baseball "the most elegant game," and to those who have played it, it's life. The Historical Dictionary of Baseball is primarily devoted to the major leagues it also includes entries on the minor leagues, the Negro Leagues, women's baseball, baseball in various other countries, and other non-major league related topics. It traces baseball, in general, and these topics individually, from their beginnings up to the present. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 900 cross-referenced entries on the roles of the players on the field-batters, pitchers, fielders-as well as non-playing personnel-general managers, managers, coaches, and umpires. There are also entries for individual teams and leagues, stadiums and ballparks, the role of the draft and reserve clause, and baseball's rules, and statistical categories. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about the sport of baseball.

The third in the Diamond Communications series, this little paperback offers insight, wisdom and humor tailored especially for fans of the St. Louis Cardinals.

Though very few teams can accurately be called dynasties, the 1940s Cardinals certainly made a strong case. Detractors argue that World War II made the 40s an asterisk decade, with a huge loss of talent and significant changes to the ball and to the game itself. During that era, though, the Cardinals dominated the National League, winning four pennants and three World Series titles, and their rosters included names like Musial and Slaughter. This is the history of the Cardinals during the 1940s, a decade that saw many of the greatest St. Louis clubs while war and integration significantly altered the game. Chapters follow the Cards year-by-year, covering each season with description, statistics and analysis. Interwoven throughout are the stories of wartime changes, including the loss of players like Branch Rickey; the death of Judge Landis; the Pacific Coast League's demand for major league status; the first attempt at a players' union; Mexican League talent raids; and the Cardinals' early attempts to thwart integration. An appendix offers complete individual hitting and pitching statistics.

In 1972, the Philadelphia Phillies experienced one of their worst seasons in franchise history, finishing with an abysmal 59-97 record. Yet throughout this disastrous season, Steve ""Lefty"" Carlton proved to be a diamond in the rough. In his first year with the club, he led the league with 27 wins, eight shutouts, and a sizzling 1.98 ERA, earning an astounding 45.8 percent of Philadelphia's wins. He also won his first Cy Young award, the first pitcher to do so with a last-place team. This work chronicles Carlton's magical season, including the Rick Wise-for-Carlton trade, Lefty's 5-1 start following the players' first-ever strike, his 15-game winning streak, and a number of memorable games along the way. Interviews with Phillies icons, Hall of Famers, and legendary sports writers add insights to this account of Carlton's remarkable achievements amidst one of the most calamitous period in Phillies history.

Has any sport executive had as many words written about him as Branch Rickey? A one-time catcher, Rickey managed the St. Louis Browns and Cardinals at the end of the deadball era before serving as vice president of the Dodgers and general manager of the Pirates. Possessed of one of the most creative minds in the game's long history, Rickey made early use of statistical analysis, pioneered the farm system, and pressed for the expansion of major league baseball. But he is best known for integrating organized baseball, signing Jackie Robinson to a contract at a time when the U.S. armed forces were still segregated and the Civil Rights movement was years away. A courageous move, the signing also stands as proof of Rickey's foresight; by tapping the Negro Leagues, he enlarged the pool of exploitable talent. Soon after, major league ties to the talent-rich Caribbean were cinched up, and years later scouts sign players from Asia and all over the globe. Based on hundreds of interviews and vast amounts of research, including exclusive access to Rickey's own papers, ""Branch Rickey"" was originally published in 1982. It still stands as the definitive biography of the legendary executive. The McFarland edition includes updates and revisions, new photographs, a foreword by Branch B. Rickey, and a new preface.

Baseball and board game collectors alike will be thrilled with this wonderful new book. Illustrated in full-color, it contains nearly every baseball board or table game produced from the 1860s to the 1960s. With the games reflecting the evolution of the National Pastime, this is a visual history of the game. Information about the games is included in accurate captions, and the context for the games in the history of the professional game is provided by the helpful text. There is a wealth of information for collectors, including tips on the dating of games and rating their condition. There is also a price guide to help the collector assess a fair value for the games. All in all this is an important new book for collectors and historians of the game. In a time when board games are giving way to the fast pace of computers, this is a delightful reminder of simpler times. All in all, this is an important new book for collectors and historians of the game. In a time when board games are giving way to the fast pace of computers, this is a delightful reminder of simpler times.Memorabilia from the National Pastime, also published by Schiffer Publishing.

Biography of Orioles' shortstop Cal Ripken that highlights his career and emphasizes his development as a role model.

The study of baseball history and culture reveals the national game as a contested field where debates about sport, character, work and play, the country and the city, labor, race, and a host of other issues, circulate. Understanding baseball, then, calls for careful consideration of several different perspectives and what each contributes to the conversation. Intended as a readable textbook for undergraduates (and perhaps advanced high school students) and their instructors, Understanding Baseball is designed to offer insights and inroads into baseball history as a rewarding academic subject worthy of careful scholarly attention. Each chapter introduces a specific disciplinary approach to baseball - in this edition, history, economics, media, law, and fiction - and covers representative questions scholars from that academic field might consider.

The 1909 World Series featured Hall of Fame players Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner and was the first championship to extend to Game Seven, the final and deciding game. This work examines the entire regular season of both the Tigers and the Pirates but pays special attention to the seven games of that World Series. Each player is given his due, with a complete biographical sketch. Includes 60 photographs, complete club statistics, box scores for each game, and tables on the acquisition of each player as well as information on how they departed.

The New York Yankees history is filled with great achievements, outstanding performances, and unprecedented success. For more than 40 years, from 1921 to 1964, the Yankees and their fans had much to cheer about the team won 29 pennants and 20 world championships and featured such greats as Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford. Yankee haters waited endlessly for thefall of the seemingly unbeatable team from New York, and finally, in 1965,the Yankees began to flounder. The team didnt win anything for the next eleven years.

Each losing season, from 1965 through 1975, is fully covered in this book. The author maintains that in their long losing streak and mediocrity, the Yankees somehow acquired a more endearing quality that had not previously existed. The team that had once offered its fans Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle and other greats now offered Bill Robinson, DannyCater, Jerry Kenney and Jake Gibbs, and standouts Bobby Murcer, Mel Stottlemyre, Thurman Munson and Roy Whitemen who knew the Yankees long and glorious history, but also knew first-hand the decade of frustration and disappointment that Yankees players and fans had to live through.

In this book, authors H.A. Dorfman and Karl Kuehl present their practical and proven strategy for developing the mental skills needed to achieve peak performance at every level of the game.The theory and applications are illustrated by anecdotes and insights from major and minor league players, who at some point discovered the importance of mastering the inner game in order to play baseball as it should be played. Intended for players, managers, coaches, agents, and administrators as well as fans who want a more in-depth look at the makeup of the complete baseball player.

Night games transformed the business of professional baseball, as the smaller, demographically narrower audiences able to attend daytime games gave way to larger, more diversified crowds of nighttime spectators. Many ball club owners were initially conflicted about artificial lighting and later resisted expanding the number of night games during the sport's existential struggle to balance ballpark attendance and television viewership in the 1950s. This first-ever comprehensive history of night baseball examines the factors, obstacles and trends that shaped this dramatic change in both the minor and major leagues between 1930 and 1990.

Here is a guide for the rookie who is just taking the field in the wide world of baseball memorabilia. The authors offer both money-making and money-saving insight on collecting uniforms, equipment, autographs, Hartland statues, Ethan Allen All-Star Baseball, and much, much more. Learn the best strategies for visiting shows and even the Hall of Fame induction weekend in Cooperstown. The real charm of this book is that it ventures beyond the straight investment potential of baseball collectibles to address collecting for the pure fun of it. Between these covers are contributions from collectors of all kinds, who all share their love of the game not only through their diverse collections, but also with memories, anecdotes, and humor that would appeal to any baseball lover. Learn 10 reasons why baseball is the greatest game there is, and the 10 best and 10 worst baseball movies of all time. Test your knowledge with the challenging "Culminating Activity" the authors have prepared for you. With full-color photography, price information, and a useful source directory this book belongs in the library of every baseball fanatic.

Following the 1919 Black Sox scandal, baseball needed men willing and able to pump life back into the game during tough times. Numerous ballplayers stepped forward and left their mark on the national pastime as it continued to thrive and grow during a decade that became known as the Roaring Twenties, a raucous, happy time period when a free-spirited nature prevailed. In Baseball's Roaring Twenties: A Decade of Legends, Characters, and Diamond Adventures, Ronald T. Waldo recounts the rollicking escapades surrounding a distinctive collection of players, managers, and umpires that truly personified this era of baseball history. Waldo includes a mix of unique stories and amusing tales surrounding baseball greats like Babe Ruth, Connie Mack, Rabbit Maranville, and Casey Stengel, alongside less famous diamond performers such as Duster Mails, Jay Kirke, Jimmy O'Connell, and Possum Whitted. The fans-who were every bit as important in helping the game grow during the '20s-are also given their due with a chapter of their own. From the story of Heinie Mueller unceremoniously pushing his attractive cousin out of sight when he saw manager Branch Rickey approaching to the tale of minor league hurler Augie Prudhomme literally following the sarcastic directive from pilot George Stallings to burn his uniform, Baseball's Roaring Twenties provides an entertaining perspective of baseball during this singular decade. Amusing and informative, this book will be of interest to baseball fans and historians of all generations.

This combination reference book and history covers the inroads and achievements made on professional ball fields by Latin American athletes, the Major Leagues' greatest international majority. Following an ""on this date in Hispanic baseball history"" format, the author takes a commemorative look at generations of players from Central and South America, from the earliest pioneers through the well-known stars of today. An appendix cross-references players and their accomplishments by country of origin.

Baseball analysts often criticize pitcher win-loss records as a poor measure of pitcher performance, as wins are the product of team performance. Fans criticize WAR (Wins Above Replacement) because it takes in theoretical rather than actual wins. Player won-lost records bridge the gap between these two schools of thought, giving credit to all players for what they do - without credit or blame for teammates' performance - and measuring contributions to actual team wins and losses. The result is a statistic of player value that quantifies all aspects of individual performance, allowing for robust comparisons between players across different positions and different seasons. Using play-by-play data, this book examines players' won-lost records in Major League Baseball from 1930 through 2015.

While Jackie Robinson and the Negro Leagues have been well documented, few baseball fans know about the Japanese American Nisei Leagues, or of their most influential figure, Kenichi Zenimura (1900-1968). A phenomenal player who excelled at all nine positions, Zenimura possessed a gift for using the game to transcend the ignorance and intolerance of his era. As a player, captain, and manager, he worked tirelessly to promote Japanese American baseball, leading goodwill trips to Asia, helping to negotiate tours of Japan by Negro League all-stars and Babe Ruth, and establishing a 32-team league behind the barbed wire of Arizona's Gila River Internment Camp during World War II. This first biography of the "Father of Japanese-American Baseball" delivers a thorough and fascinating account of Zenimura's life.

This book - the first in the English language to contain an exhaustive collection of Japanese baseball data - presents basic statistical information and listings for every Japanese professional baseball season from 1936 through 1997. The first part contains yearly breakdowns of team standings; qualifiers for batting and earned run championships; leaders in home runs, runs batted in, wins and strikeouts; all-star game results; Japan Series results; Best Nine selections; Gold Glove selections; and award winners. Sections on career records and single-season records are provided in the second part of this work. Appendices list no-hit, no-run games, Japanese Hall of Famers, and records of foreign tours of Japan by professional teams.