Since Cuba's Esteban Bellan made his debut for the Troy Haymakers of the National Association in 1871, Latin Americans have played a large role in the major leagues. Nearly 15 percent of big league rosters are made up of Latinos, while the region's colorful and competitive winter leagues have been a proving ground for up-and-coming major league players and managers. Early Latin American stars were barred purely because of the color of their skin from playing in the major leagues. Players such as Jose Mendez and Martin Dihigo (the only player elected to the U.S., Cuban and Mexican halls of fame) made their marks on the Negro Leagues, turning the leagues' barnstorming tours into major attractions in many Caribbean countries. This history of the players and events that make up the rich tradition of Latin American baseball gives a unique insight to this long-neglected area of baseball.

Nearly a century after his final major league appearance, Christy Mathewson is still considered one of the greatest right-handed pitchers in the history of baseball. Mathewson ranks in the top ten among pitchers for wins, shutouts, and ERA, and in 1936 he was honored as one of the inaugural members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Playing in the early twentieth century, Mathewson was the nation's first All-American hero, a man of Christianity inspiring the values of millions while bringing dignity to a game that had previously been reserved for rougher characters. In Christy Mathewson, the Christian Gentleman: How One Man's Faith and Fastball Forever Changed Baseball, Bob Gaines delivers a close and personal look at the extraordinary life and soul of a gifted man living in a unique time. After growing up in a loving, Christian home and attending Bucknell University under the careful watch of his childhood pastor, Mathewson struggled to find his footing in the unsavory world of professional baseball. Seen as an "intellectual college boy" whose shy personality was misinterpreted as an aloof arrogance, Mathewson's faith and character were put to the test. Through strong will and an unusual partnership with John McGraw-a manager his exact opposite in everything but a desire to succeed and a fervent belief in God-Christy became the most admired and respected man on his team. Christy Mathewson, the Christian Gentleman features details on Christy's childhood and college years not documented by other sports historians-information discovered by the author in Mathewson's hometown, the churches he attended, and college archives. Including timeless images, this book brings to life Mathewson's amazing career, faultless character, and unwavering faith.

This book describes the physics of baseball and softball, assuming that the reader has a basic background in both physics and mathematics. The physics will be explained in a conversational style, with words and illustrations, so that the explanations make sense. The book provides an excellent opportunity to explain physics at a relatively simple level, even though the primary objective is to explain the many subtle features concerning the physics of baseball. For those readers who already know quite a bit of physics and who will be comfortable with mathematical equations, additional material of this nature will be provided in appendices. The latest research findings and statistical data have been incorporated by the author. The book also contains many simple experiments that the reader can perform to convince themselves that the effects described do indeed exist.

Most Atlanta Braves fans have taken in games at both Turner Field and SunTrust Park, have fond memories of the team's pitching dominance in the '90s, and proudly watched Chipper Jones get inducted into the Hall of Fame. But only real fans have traveled to Florida to watch the Fire Frogs, can recall all 14 of the franchise s no-hitters, and can tell you the only man to play for the Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta Braves. 100 Things Braves Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource guide for true fans of the Atlanta Braves. Whether you're a die-hard booster from the days of Hank Aaron or a recent supporter of Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson, these are the 100 things all fans need to know and do in their lifetime. Veteran sportswriter Jack Wilkinson has collected every essential piece of Braves knowledge and trivia, as well as must-do activities, and rank them all from 1 to 100, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist as you progress on your way to fan superstardom.

When Jackie Robinson made his debut at Ebbets Field on opening day in 1947, the Brooklyn Dodgers became the first major league team with a black player anywhere in its organization. By the end of the Golden Era of baseball, a period in and around the 1950s, there would be an unprecedented number of notable black players in the major leagues, including Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Roberto Clemente, Willie Mays, and Jackie Robinson. While this era is defined by integration, it was also the age of the "boys of summer" Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankee dominance, and the first major change in the geographic landscape of the big leagues in half a century. In The Golden Era of Major League Baseball: A Time of Transition and Integration, Bryan Soderholm-Difatte explores the significant events and momentous changes that took place in baseball from 1947 to 1960. Beginning with Jackie Robinson's rookie season in 1947, Soderholm-Difatte provides a careful and thorough examination of baseball's integration, including the struggles of black players who were not elite to break into the starting lineups. In addition, the author looks at the dying practice of player-managers, the increasing use of relief pitchers and platooning, the iconic 1951 pennant race between the New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers, and more. Soderholm-Difatte also tells the stories of three central characters to this era, whose innovations, strategies, and vision changed the game-Branch Rickey, who challenged the baseball establishment by integrating the Dodgers; Casey Stengel, whose 1949-1953 Yankees won five straight championships; and Leo Durocher, whose spy operations was a major factor in the Giants' 1951 pennant surge. In an age when baseball was at the forefront of American society, integration would come to be the foremost legacy of the Golden Era. But this was also a time of innovative strategy, from the use of pinch hitters to frequent defensive substitutions. Concluding with an overview of how baseball is still evolving today, The Golden Era of Major League Baseball will be of interest to baseball fans and historians as well as to scholars examining the history of integration in sports.

Pop Flies and Line Drives recounts highlights of the author's personal visits with former professional baseball players who played in the 1940s and '50s when he was growing up.

There are very few major personalities in the world of sports who have so much to say about our National Pastime. And even fewer who are as well respected as Bill White.
Bill White, who's now in his mid 70s, was an All-Star first baseman for many years with the New York Giants, St.Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies before launching a stellar broadcasting career with the New York Yankees for 18 years. He left the broadcast booth to become the President of the National League for five years.
A true pioneer as an African-American athlete, sportscaster, and top baseball executive, White has written his long-awaited autobiography in which he will be candid, open, and as always, most forthcoming about his life in baseball. Along the way, White shares never-before-told stories about his long working relationship with Phil Rizzutto, insights on George Steinbrenner, Barry Bonds, Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Bob Gibson, Bart Giamatti, Fay Vincent, and scores of other top baseball names and Hall of Famers.
Best of all, White built his career on being outspoken, and the years fortunately have not mellowed him. UPPITY is a baseball memoir that baseball fans everywhere will be buzzing about.

Keith Hernandez revolutionized the role of first baseman. During his illustrious career with the World Series-winning St. Louis Cardinals and New York Mets, he was a perennial fan favorite, earning eleven consecutive Gold Gloves, a National League co-MVP Award, and a batting title. But it was his unique blend of intelligence, humor, and talent--not to mention his unflappable leadership, playful antics, and competitive temperament--that transcended the sport and propelled him to a level of renown that few other athletes have achieved, including his memorable appearances on the television show Seinfeld. Now, with a striking mix of candor and self-reflection, Hernandez takes us along on his journey to baseball immortality. There are the hellacious bus rides and south-of-the-border escapades of his minor league years. His major league benchings, unending plate adjustments, and role in one of the most exciting batting races in history against Pete Rose. Indeed, from the Little League fields of Northern California to the dusty proving grounds of triple-A ball to the grand stages of Busch Stadium and beyond, I'm Keith Hernandez reveals as much about America's favorite pastime as it does about the man himself. What emerges is an honest and compelling assessment of the game's past, present, and future--a memoir that showcases one of baseball's most unique and experienced minds at his very best.

Herbert Jefferis Pennock (1894-1948) was a Hall of Fame pitcher for the dynastic 1920s New York Yankees. Considered one of the best left-handed pitchers in history, Pennock won 241 games on the mound, never lost in his five World Series starts, and came within four outs of pitching the first no-hitter in a World Series in 1927. More than just a great pitcher, Pennock was well-respected by teammates and locals alike. He was known as a principled, practical gentleman, with an intellect that matched his pitching skills and a humanity that bested both. In Herb Pennock: Baseball's Faultless Pitcher, Keith Craig recounts Pennock's ascent from well-to-do Kennett Square to the heights of major league baseball. Signed by the Philadelphia A's legendary Connie Mack as an 18-year-old school boy, Pennock would flourish into a dependable pitcher for the New York Yankees. He was part of the iconic Murderer's Row team and played a crucial role in their World Series victories. For 22 seasons, Pennock's forte was control, not power; he studied each hitter, every at bat, and exploited all weaknesses. When Pennock's playing career came to an end, he used that same single-minded diligence as the General Manager of the woeful Philadelphia Phillies, where he reinvented the team through the careful development of its farm system that resulted in the 1950 pennant-winning Whiz Kids. Including interviews with Pennock's family members and Kennett Square residents who personally knew the baseball legend, Herb Pennock: Baseball's Faultless Pitcher is the first biography to paint such a complete picture of Pennock and the times he lived in. Featuring original photographs provided by his family, this book delivers an invaluable look into the life of a great ballplayer, savvy front-office executive, and honorable man.

Impressively researched and well written, this valuable study by a business professor at the Universiy of North Florida. . . traces the erosion of the reserve clause and the rise of arbitration in salary disputes, examining the participants in negotiations--players, owners, managers, agents, even commissoners--and showing the stake each has in the money game. Many striking points are made, i.e., there is no discrimination in salaries of minority players and there is little relationship between pay and performance. "Publishers Weekly"

Jennings . . . gives a detailed account of collective bargaining in baseball during the last 25 years, leading up to the owners' lockout this year. He discusses the participants on both sides and how disunity among the club owners has contributed to the union's ability to achieve large bargaining gains. He also deals with salary arbitration and how it has been used to settle pay disputes, noting that it can resemble 'a high-stakes crapshoot' that leaves management incapable of controlling a teaM's payroll costs. For aficionados of the sport, this book provides clarifying insight into the complicated issues of baseball's labor relations and offers fascinating anecdotes and a shrewd commentary on the diverse and colorful personalities involved.

"New York Times Book RevieW"

Kenneth M. Jennings examines union-management relations in professional baseball, bringing together all the information the sports fan needs to follow the issues surrounding player-management arbitration in this unique industry. Covering the history of collective bargaining action in baseball from 1869 to the 1990 season, this book examines the issues that influence those high-profile player-management-owner negotiations. "Balls and StrikeS" reveals: how in recent years the Major League Baseball Players' Association (MLBPA) has successfully parlayed owner disunity into substantial gains for its members; that baseball, in a statistical sense, surprisingly exhibits little discrimination against black and Hispanic players; how there is very little relationship between pay and performance in professional baseball. Baseball fans and sports journalists as well as professionals in management and labor relations, will find "Balls and StrikeS" a fresh and exciting look at America's favorite pastime.

"Balls and StrikeS" presents the confrontations and relationships between players and management from the perspective of several hundred collective bargaining participants--the union and management officials who negotiate the labor agreement and the players who must approve and live with it. Kenneth M. Jennings derives his perspective from a variety of media sources, related biographies, autobiographies, and articles. The result is a highly readable book about owners, commissioners, agents, the media, manager-player relations, player pressures including drug and alcohol problems, race and ethnic issues, and player mobility and salaries. The book discusses the history of collective bargaining action in baseball from 1869 to 1966; the year Marvin Miller became president of the MLBPA, through the 1970s and Miller's successful bargaining efforts, into the 1980s and the opening of the 1990 season. "Balls and StrikeS" discusses key participants in the collective bargaining process--owners, agents, the media, managers, and players--and concludes with a look at contemporary industrial relations issues in professional baseball: drug and alcohol abuse; racial discrimination; and the relationship between pay and performance.

The Cincinnati Reds are recognized as one of the great teams in baseball history. Left fielder George Foster-an integral part of the Reds' back-to-back World Championships in 1975-1976-has never received proper credit for his contribution to their legacy. In 1977, Foster became the most feared slugger in the National League, batting .320, with 52 home runs and 149 runs batted in to win the NL MVP Award, establishing a new single-season home run record for the Reds' franchise that still stands. Yet Foster's big year was not enough to stem the emergence of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who roared out of the gate and ran away with the NL West Division pennant. This book tells the story of Foster's record-setting season and puts his pre-steroid era achievements in proper perspective. The author chronicles the subsequent decline of the Big Red Machine and the rest of Foster's big league career, including his disappointing tenure with the New York Mets.

The greatest relief pitcher of all time shares his extraordinary story of survival, love, and baseball.
Mariano Rivera, the man who intimidated thousands of batters merely by opening a bullpen door, began his incredible journey as the son of a poor Panamanian fisherman. When first scouted by the Yankees, he didn't even own his own glove. He thought he might make a good mechanic. When discovered, he had never flown in an airplane, had never heard of Babe Ruth, spoke no English, and couldn't imagine Tampa, the city where he was headed to begin a career that would become one of baseball's most iconic. What he did know: that he loved his family and his then girlfriend, Clara, that he could trust in the Lord to guide him, and that he could throw a baseball exactly where he wanted to, every time.
With astonishing candor, Rivera tells the story of the championships, the bosses (including The Boss), the rivalries, and the struggles of being a Latino baseball player in the United States and of maintaining Christian values in professional athletics. The thirteen-time All-Star discusses his drive to win; the secrets behind his legendary composure; the story of how he discovered his cut fastball; the untold, pitch-by-pitch account of the ninth inning of Game 7 in the 2001 World Series; and why the lowest moment of his career became one of his greatest blessings.
In "The Closer, "Rivera takes readers into the Yankee clubhouse, where his teammates are his brothers. But he also takes us on that jog from the bullpen to the mound, where the game -- or the season -- rests squarely on his shoulders. We come to understand the laserlike focus that is his hallmark, and how his faith and his family kept his feet firmly on the pitching rubber. Many of the tools he used so consistently and gracefully came from what was inside him for a very long time -- his deep passion for life; his enduring commitment to Clara, whom he met in kindergarten; and his innate sense for getting out of a jam.
When Rivera retired, the whole world watched -- and cheered. In "The Closer, "we come to an even greater appreciation of a legend built from the ground up.

During the 19th century, baseball was a game with few rules, many rowdy players and just one umpire. Dirty tricks were simply part of a winning strategy-spiking, body-blocking, cutting bases short or hiding an extra ball to be used when needed were all OK. Deliberately failing to catch a fly in order to have the game called due to darkness was also acceptable. And drinking before a game was perhaps expected. Providing brief bios of dozens of players, managers, umpires and owners, this book chronicles some of the flamboyant, unruly and occasionally criminal behavior of the baseball's early years.

How Dominicans contribute to Major League Baseball and what they receive in return. From Juan Marichal and Pedro Martinez to Albert Pujols and Juan Soto, Dominicans have long been among Major League Baseball's best. How did this small Caribbean nation become a hothouse of baseball talent? To many fans, the answer is both obvious and disconcerting: pro teams use their riches to develop talent abroad, creating opportunities for superhuman athletes and corrupt officials, while the rest of the population sees little benefit. Yet this interpretation of history is incomplete. April Yoder traces how baseball has empowered Dominicans in their struggles for democracy and social justice. While the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo saw the sport as a means of cementing its power at home and abroad, the Dominican people fashioned an emancipated civic sphere by seeing their potential for democratic success in their compatriots' baseball success. Later, Dominicans articulated demands for democracy, economic opportunity, and civil rights through successful calls for public support of amateur and professional baseball. Today, Dominicans continue to demand that incentives for the baseball industry foster human as well as economic development. A revelatory and innovative history, Pitching Democracy restores agency to the Dominican people and honors their true love of the game.

"A great and insightful" (Keith Hernandez, New York Mets legend and broadcaster) New York Times bestselling account of an iconic team in baseball history: the 1969 New York Mets--a last-place team that turned it all around in just one season--told by '69 Mets outfielder Art Shamsky, Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver, and other teammates who reminisce about that legendary season and their enduring bonds decades later. The New York Mets franchise began in 1962 and the team finished in last place nearly every year. When the 1969 season began, fans weren't expecting much from "the Lovable Losers." But as the season progressed, the Mets inched closer to first place and then eventually clinched the National League pennant. They were underdogs against the formidable Baltimore Orioles, but beat them in five games to become world champions. No one had predicted it. In fact, fans could hardly believe it happened. Suddenly they were "the Miracle Mets." Playing right field for the '69 Mets was Art Shamsky, who had stayed in touch with his former teammates over the years. He hoped to get together with star pitcher Tom Seaver (who would win the Cy Young award as the best pitcher in the league in 1969 and go on to become the first Met elected to the Hall of Fame), but Seaver was ailing and could not travel. So, Shamsky organized a visit to "Tom Terrific" in California, accompanied by the #2 pitcher, Jerry Koosman, outfielder Ron Swoboda, and shortstop Bud Harrelson. Together they recalled the highlights of that amazing season as they reminisced about what changed the Mets' fortunes in 1969. In this "enjoyable tale of a storybook season" (Kirkus Reviews), and with the help of sportswriter Erik Sherman, Shamsky has written the "revealing" (New York Newsday) After the Miracle for the 1969 Mets. "This heartfelt, nostalgic memoir will delight baseball fans of all ages and allegiances" (Publishers Weekly). It's a book that every Mets fan must own.

The interest in America's favorite pastime is at an all-time high, especially among collectors. From children collecting the latest baseball cards, to adults who seek any object related to baseball. In this book Peter Capano explores the great variety of objects that are being sought after. Hartland statues, noddlers, toys, dolls, silks and leather, pennants, coin, and many more items being sought after by today's collector are illustrated in full color with explanatory material and a price guide. An excellent overview of this growing field of collecting. Available in the spring of 1989...in time for the baseball season!

Lefty and Tim is the dual biography of Hall of Fame pitcher Steve "Lefty" Carlton and catcher Tim McCarver, detailing their relationship from 1965, when they played with the St. Louis Cardinals, through 1980, when they played for the Philadelphia Phillies. Along the way McCarver became Carlton's personal catcher, and together they became the best battery in baseball in the mid-to-late 1970s. At first glance Carlton and McCarver appear like an odd couple: McCarver was old school, Carlton new age. At the beginning of his career, McCarver believed that the catcher called the pitches, encouraged the pitcher when necessary, and schooled the pitcher when he deviated from the game plan. But Lefty, who pioneered the use of meditation and martial arts in baseball, was stubborn too. He wanted to control pitch selection. Over time, Carlton and McCarver developed a strong bond off the diamond that allowed them to understand and trust each other. In the process, Steve Carlton became one of the greatest left-handers in the history of Major League Baseball, an achievement that would not have been possible without Tim McCarver as his catcher. Not only did McCarver mentor Carlton as a young hurler with the Cardinals, but he helped resurrect Carlton's career when they were reunited in Philadelphia midseason in 1975. Carlton won his second Cy Young Award with McCarver behind the plate in 1977. Told in the historical context of the time they played the game, Lefty and Tim recounts the pair's time in the tumultuous sixties, with the racial integration of the St. Louis Cardinals and the dominance of pitching, and in the turbulent seventies, characterized by MLB's labor tensions, the arrival of free agency, and the return of the lively ball that followed the lowering of the pitcher's mound in 1969.

If you were much of a boy growing up in the Maspeth section of Queens in the late 1930s and 1940s, you had the baseball fever. It seemed contagious, but it struck mostly from within. . . . Often, in later years, when I was writing a long series of books on the game, some well-intended philistine would ask to have explained to him the fascination with baseball. I offered my stock answer: 'If you have to ask the question, you'll never understand the answer.' With this small confession Donald Honig begins his charming memoir of a life devoted to the charms of baseball, including the many great figures of the game he has known in the past half-century. Mr. Honig brings to these tales his characteristic intelligence and wit, a passion for the integrity of the game, and a gift for creating memorable images from little-known episodes as well as those never-to-be-forgotten moments in baseball history.

One of only twenty-nine Major Leaguers to play in four different decades, Jerry Reuss pitched for eight teams, including the Pittsburgh Pirates twice. So when Reuss tells his story, he covers about as much of baseball life as any player can. Bring In the Right-Hander! puts us on the mound for the winning pitch in game 5 of the 1981 World Series, then takes us back to the schoolyards and ball fields of Overland, Missouri, where Reuss first dreamed of that scene. His baseball odyssey, dedicated to the mantra "work hard and play harder," began in 1969 with his hometown team, the Saint Louis Cardinals (who traded him three years later for mustache-related reasons). Reuss carries us through his winning seasons with the Dodgers, taking in a no-hitter and that World Series triumph, and introducing us to some of baseball's most colorful characters. Along the way, as the grizzled veteran faces injuries, releases, and trips to the Minors, then battling his way back into the Majors to finish his career with the Pirates, we get a glimpse of the real grit behind big-league life, on and off the field.

In 1914 the Boston Braves experienced the greatest come-from-behind season in baseball history. A perennially woeful team, the Braves rose from the ashes of last place-fifteen games behind on July 4th-to battle in the World Series against the Philadelphia Athletics, one of the most dominant teams of all time. Baseball fans witnessed one of sport's most spectacular comebacks, and Boston's National League team earned a new designation: "The Miracle Braves." Baseball's Greatest Comeback: The Miracle Braves of 1914 follows the Boston Braves through this rollercoaster year, from their miserable start to their inspiring finish. A collection of likeable, determined, and highly unconventional ballplayers, the Braves endeared themselves to fans who rooted enthusiastically for the team. Sitting in last place midway through the season, the youthful group of castoffs and misfits, many of whom had been rejected by other major league teams, followed the lead of Walter "Rabbit" Maranville, Johnny "The Crab" Evers, and George "Big Daddy" Stallings to turn things around. The Braves battled their way up the standings, finishing the second half of the season with a miraculous 52 and 14 record. They went on to defeat John McGraw's powerful New York Giants for the pennant and found themselves face-to-face with the talented Philadelphia Athletics in the World Series. On the 100th anniversary of this memorable season, the 1914 Boston Braves are still remembered as one of the greatest comeback teams in baseball history. Full of timeless images and memorable characters-including a fanatically superstitious manager, a cheerfully madcap star, and an obsessively driven, yet highly sensitive captain-this book will inform and entertain baseball fans and sports historians alike.

September 26, 1981, millions of viewers watched on NBC television as Nolan Ryan pitched his fifth no-hitter. Late in the game, commentator Tony Kubek asked Joe Garagiola, "Did you ever see anybody throw faster than Nolan Ryan?" Without hesitating, Joe replied, "Sure. Rex Barney". Joe Garagiola contributes the foreword for this story of Rex Barney, the man who threw faster than Feller, faster than Ryan; whose pitching career sped by quicker than his fastball because he could not control it. Barney became a legend as part of the most exciting era of the Brooklyn Dodgers - 1943 to 1951 - when Jackie Robinson came in and Leo Durocher switched to the hated New York Giants. Two months after Leo's departure, Barney no-hit the Giants in the Polo Grounds. In his own inimitable style, Rex tells the story of his battle to control his fastball and, later, his own life, and his struggles to overcome illness and a near-fatal stroke. Along the way, Rex takes the reader into dugouts, clubhouses, and broadcast booths to meet many of the managers, stars, and scrubinis he has known during his fifty years in baseball.