The Cultural Encyclopedia of Baseball, 2d ed.

By Jonathan Fraser Light

Book Overview

More than any other sport, baseball has developed its own niche in America's culture and psyche. Some researchers spend years on detailed statistical analyses of minute parts of the game, while others wax poetic about its players and plays. Many trace the beginnings of the civil rights movement in part to the Major Leagues' decision to integrate, and the words and phrases of the game (for example, pinch-hitter and out in left field) have become common in our everyday language.

From AARON, HENRY onward, this book covers all of what might be called the cultural aspects of baseball (as opposed to the number-rich statistical information so widely available elsewhere). Biographical sketches of all Hall of Fame players, owners, executives and umpires, as well as many of the sportswriters and broadcasters who have won the Spink and Frick awards, join entries for teams, owners, commissioners and league presidents. Advertising, agents, drafts, illegal substances, minor leagues, oldest players, perfect games, retired uniform numbers, superstitions, tripleheaders, and youngest players are among the thousands of entries herein. Most entries open with a topical quote and conclude with a brief bibliography of sources for further research. The whole work is exhaustively indexed and includes over 120 photographs.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786420871
• ISBN13: 9780786420872
• Release Date: July 2005
• Publisher: McFarland
• Length: 1112 Pages
• Weight: 6.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.0" x 2.2" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Excellent and facinating

Great book. A non-statistical encyclopedia of baseball, exploring the legends, myths and truths of baseball lore. I would say the only improvement would be an updated edition every ten years or so. Great job by Light (hard to believe one guy did all of this)! The book explores just about every possible topic. This book needs more press and should be part of every fan's library.

A truly awesome work of research!

An A-to-Z encyclopedia of everything you need to know about the national pastime. Light has done a herculean task of compiling a tome that reminds all of us why we love baseball. I would highly recommend this book to any baseball fan.

Awesome Reference Book for Anything Baseball!!

This reference contains references to almost anything that you could want to know about the history of the sport. The anecdotes and quotes add a special touch that stats books don't capture. The range of references includes not only the players in all of the leagues (Major, minor, black and womens), but also information about the equipment and environment which baseball has been played in. I would highly recommend this encyclopedia to anyone who has a baseball fan in the house!

There's a gem on every single page. A perfect gift.

I'm a baseball history buff, and this book is outstanding. It is full of capsules, nuggets, and factoids to keep me occupied for hours on end. No matter who your favorite team, player or event, this book has stuff you never knew...or even knew you wanted to know!It claims they took 7,000 hours to write it. I don't doubt that a minute. If you love baseball, or know someone who does, get this book now!

Authoritative, addictive, and amusing baseball lore.

Authoritative and fun to read. What more can you ask of a reference book? This is not a book of statistics. Obviously a "labor of love," Light has dug up and cross-checked thousands of baseball-related facts about the game's people, places, history, equipment, records, legends, etc...including the inside scoop on many famous "incidents." According to the forward by its Director of Research, the Hall of Fame staff was so impressed with Light's work that they pitched in to help. The author is thorough. I thought I knew a lot about baseball till I started reading Light's book. My estimate: 90% of the stuff in here was new to me. Example: there's a section on "Fastest Pitchers" that includes a fascinating story of a "1950s phenom and flame-thrower" named Steve Dalkowski. Never heard of him. Light writes in a short, crisp style that encourages reading. The book is addicting. Like any good encyclopedia, you start off on one topic, then your eye catches something else and off you go exploring... then you wonder where the last two hours went. Our 17 yr. old son casually picked up the book and disappeared with it for entire afternoon ... he came back and pronounced the book, "totally awesome." High praise, indeed. The author's wry wit, uncommon in an "encyclopedia," is evident in many entries. For example, in the section on "Fans:" Light writes, "On May 15, 1921, Ty Cobb went into the stands and attacked a particularly vehement heckler. Cobb apparently ignored the fact that the fan had lost his hands in a printing accident. Cobb was suspended for 10 days." Much of the fun of the book is found in the numerous quotations sprinkled liberally on virtually every page. Light seems to take particular delight in the many gaffs of announcer and former ball player, Jerry Coleman, e.g. "There's a fly to deep center field. Winfield is going back, back. He hits head against the wall. It's rolling toward second base!" How it is physically set up: a one volume, quality-bound work, organized alphabetically by topic. It is generous with "white space" ... thus avoiding the "densely packed," intimidating look of many reference books. It has boldface references to related subjects elsewhere covered in the book ...which sets you off on your expedition. The word "classic" is over-used. But Light has written a classic baseball book. Get it...for yourself or for a fan you love. You won't regret it.