To the ardent Major League baseball fan, statistics make the game. Base hits are exciting, but the rabid fan wants to know how a particular batter fares against a particular pitcher with a particular count with men on base. Or, who holds the record for the most grand slams hit against left-handed pitching after the fourth inning. Stats like these can be found in the team media guides or on team web sites.

But what about the other stats and records? For example, what U.S. president holds the record for most season opening ceremonial first pitches? Who are the only two players to be traded for themselves?

This is where "Moon Shots and Short Hops" comes in. For the sincere fan, it answers the questions he never thought to ask. It is a collection of facts and figures about the game that few people know and even fewer have ever thought about. Divided into chapters, each covering one aspect of the game, Moon Shots even has a collection of players who have the same names as rock stars.

Jammed with facts and figures, Moon Shots fills in the gaps that watching the game or listening to the commentary just can't provide.

To the ardent Major League baseball fan, statistics make the game. Base hits are exciting, but the rabid fan wants to know how a particular batter fares against a particular pitcher with a particular count with men on base. Or, who holds the record for the most grand slams hit against left-handed pitching after the fourth inning. Stats like these can be found in the team media guides or on team web sites.

But what about the other stats and records? For example, what U.S. president holds the record for most season opening ceremonial first pitches? Who are the only two players to be traded for themselves?

This is where "Moon Shots and Short Hops" comes in. For the sincere fan, it answers the questions he never thought to ask. It is a collection of facts and figures about the game that few people know and even fewer have ever thought about. Divided into chapters, each covering one aspect of the game, Moon Shots even has a collection of players who have the same names as rock stars.

Jammed with facts and figures, Moon Shots fills in the gaps that watching the game or listening to the commentary just can't provide.

What is AHMO? It's the stuff that champions are made of. AHMO Power recounts the true story of a Texas high school football legend in the words of the players and coaches who made it happen. Think of any winning football team cliche, and it probably describes the 1977 Wylie Pirates--a team from a small Texas town that epitomizes the fanaticism Texans have about high school football. The Pirates electrified the entire Wylie population of about 3,500 in 1977 by running the table in the University Interscholastic League's Class 2A playoffs--all the way to the state championship. A little heart will go a long way toward winning. They were the best team on the field in each playoff game, and they never quit. The road to the state title was filled with adversity. One of the Pirates' best players left the team before the season started. They lost two of the first three games of the season. Many of the teams they faced in the playoffs were superior when it came to size and speed. But the Pirates had the hearts--and the smarts--to overcome these things. They also had AHMO on their side.