The SABR Bookshelf: Spring 2015
Here are the SABR Bookshelf listings for Spring 2015.
To get your NEW book listed on The SABR Bookshelf, make sure a review copy is sent to: The SABR Bookshelf, Cronkite School at ASU, 555 N. Central Ave. #416, Phoenix, AZ 85004. An e-book file will also suffice; please send the e-book in PDF, EPUB or Kindle/MOBI format to jpomrenke@sabr.org.
To ensure a listing in The Baseball Index — SABR’s online catalog of baseball research materials at www.baseballindex.org — make sure a review copy is sent to The Baseball Index, 4025 Beechwood Pl., Riverside, CA 92506.
Bolded names indicates that the author(s) is a SABR member. Click here for a list of publishers found in the SABR Bookshelf, along with their contact information.
All new SABR Bookshelf listings can be purchased at the SABR Bookstore, powered by Amazon.com. In addition, check out new books published by SABR at SABR.org/ebooks.
’75: The Red Sox Team that Saved Baseball
Edited by Bill Nowlin and Cecilia M. Tan
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SABR | $9.99 (ebook) | 978-1-9335-9996-0 | SABR |
- Summary: An updated version of the original 2005 publication, ’75 tells the life stories of the 37 players who made up the Red Sox roster, from stars like Yaz, Fisk, and El Tiante, to the mop-up men and bench-warmers who were along for the ride.
Who’s on First: Replacement Players in World War II
Edited by Marc Z. Aaron and Bill Nowlin
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| SABR | $9.99 (ebook) | 978-1-9335-9990-8 | SABR |
- Summary: Biographies and essays about some of the 533 players who made their major-league debuts during the four seasons the U.S. Was at war during World War II.
Red Sox Nation: The Rich and Colorful History of the Boston Red Sox
By Peter Golenbock
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Triumph Books | $15.90 (sftcvr) | 978-1-62937-050-7 | Amazon |
- Summary: New York Times-bestselling author has a complete oral history of “the Sawx.” He focuses on the colorful characters and legends, updated through the 2013 championship season.
Throw Like A Woman
By Susan Petrone
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Story Plant | $25.95 (hdcvr) | 978-1-6118-8199-8 | Amazon |
- Summary: A novel about a woman with a blazing fastball who becomes an Internet sensation and earns a contract with the Cleveland Indians.
Baseball Stadium Insider: A Dissection of All Thirty Ballparks, Legendary Players, & Memorable Moments
By Matt Lupica
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Squirrel Books | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-1-6063-5250-2 | Amazon |
- Summary: A guide to all 30 major-league stadiums in use as of 2015, including highlights of their unique features and notable games that have taken place there.
Cincinnati Reds Legends
By Mike Shannon
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Squirrel Books | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-1-6063-5231-1 | Amazon |
- Summary: A profile of 40 Reds legends, from the Wright brothers to Frank Robinson to Joey Votto.
One Fine Summer
By Kevin Zahn
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Createspace | $13.95 (sftcvr) | 978-1-5024-1686-5 | Amazon |
- Summary: Inspired by the author’s experience, this novel is about a baseball club formed for inner-city youths in 1980s Baltimore.
The League of Outsider Baseball: An Illustrated History of Baseball’s Forgotten Heroes
By Gary Cieradkowski
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Touchstone | $23.95 (hdcvr) | 978-1-4767-7523-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: The award-winning graphic artist dives deep into baseball’s forgotten history, with illustrated profiles of stars from the Negro Leagues, barnstorming teams, semipro leagues, and foreign players.
New Mexico’s Pueblo Baseball League (Images of Baseball)
By James D. Baker, Herbert Howell, and Marie A. Cordero
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcadia Books | $21.99 (sftcvr) | 978-1-4671-3280-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: A book of photographs that tells the story of how baseball has been played in New Mexico’s pueblos since before 1900 to today.
Willie Keeler: From the Playgrounds of Brooklyn to the Hall of Fame
By Lyle Spatz
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowman & Littlefield | $40.00 (sftcvr) | 978-1-4422-4653-9 | Amazon |
- Summary: The first full-length biography of Hall of Famer Wee Willie Keeler, one of the 19th century’s most accomplished hitters.
The Nats and the Grays: How Baseball in the Nation’s Capital Survived WWII and Changed the Game Forever
By David E. Hubler and Joshua H. Drazen
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowman & Littlefield | $65.00 (hdcvr) | 978-1-4422-4574-7 | Amazon |
- Summary: An examination of how World War II affected the two teams in the nation’s capital: the Nationals of the American League and the Homestead Grays of the Negro Leagues.
Baseball’s Top 10: Ranking the Best Major League Players by Position
By Robert Kuenster
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowman & Littlefield | $35.00 (hdcvr) | 978-1-4422-4568-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: A ranking of baseball’s best players by position, including biographical information, individual achievements, stats, and quotes.
Finding the Hidden Ball Trick: The Colorful History of Baseball’s Oldest Ruse
By Bill Deane
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowman & Littlefield | $42.00 (sftcvr) | 978-1-4422-4433-7 | Amazon |
- Summary: The hidden-ball trick dates back to the early years in baseball, and Deane reveals many amusing stories and creative ways in which the strategy was successful.
The Game Must Go On: Hank Greenberg, Pete Gray, and the Great Days of Baseball on the Home Front in WWII
By John Klima
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Dunne Books | $27.99 (hdcvr) | 978-1-2500-6479-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: The story of American baseball during World War II, both the players who left to join the war and the ones who continued playing on the home front.
Pinstripes and Penance: The Life Story Of John Malangone
By Michael Harrison
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jarndyce & Jarndyce Press | $23.00 (sftcvr) | 978-0-9910077-7-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: A biography of former Yankees prospect John Malangone, who struggled with memories of a childhood tragedy. A companion to the award-winning documentary “Long Road Home.”
The Astrodome: Building an American Spectacle
By James Gast
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aspinwall Press | $14.99 (sftcvr) | 978-0-9905-2821-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: Architect James Gast reveals how a group of businessmen in Houston put their heads together and built the Astrodome, with revealing interviews and unique photos.
Z-Score: How a Statistic Used in Psychology Will Revolutionize Baseball
By John G. Cottone and Jason Wirchin
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story Bridge Books | $24.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-9903-9393-1 | Amazon |
- Summary: The authors present a new approach for comparing great baseball achievements by using a common psychological statistic.
The St. Paul Saints: Baseball in the Capital City
By Stew Thornley
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Historical Society Press | $19.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-8735-1958-8 | Amazon |
- Summary: A history of the St. Paul Saints in all their incarnations, from the American Association teams before the Twins arrived to the colorful independent teams of the recent past.
Mashi: The Unfulfilled Baseball Dreams of Masanori Murakami, the First Japanese Major Leaguer
By Robert K. Fitts
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Press | $28.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-8032-5521-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: With extensive interviews, Fitts covers Murakami’s career from his Japanese school days, through his two years with the San Francisco Giants, and then the rest of his career back in Japan.
The Colonel and Hug: The Partnership that Transformed the New York Yankees
By Steve Steinberg and Lyle Spatz
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Press | $34.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-8032-4865-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: The Seymour Medal-winning author duo is back with the story of how Jacob Ruppert and Miller Huggins transformed the New York Yankees from a Deadball Era laughingstock to the championship dynasty of the 1920s.
Crack of the Bat: A History of Baseball on the Radio
By James R. Walker
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Press | $28.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-8032-4500-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: From owners’ original resistance to “giving away their games”, to the current market, where radio stands behind tv and the internet, Walker covers the history of baseball on the radio.
A Game of Their Own: Voices of Contemporary Women in Baseball
By Jennifer Ring
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Press | $29.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-8032-4480-1 | Amazon |
- Summary: A look at contemporary women’s baseball, mostly through the eyes of participants, tracing not merely their lives on the field, but how they got there and what they are doing outside the game.
In Pursuit of Pennants: Baseball Operations from Deadball to Moneyball
By Mark L. Armour and Daniel R. Levitt
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Nebraska Press | $34.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-8032-3497-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: Following up on their acclaimed “Paths to Glory” (2003), Armour and Levitt analyze a group of compelling, winning baseball teams over the past hundred-plus years, focusing on their decision making and how they assembled their championship teams.
The On-Base Specialist: A New Model for Baseball Offense
By Bill Hagedorn
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9765-2 | Amazon |
- Summary: Hagedorn argues for the emergence of a new type of offensive player whose main value is in his ability to get on base and to tire pitchers by forcing them to make more throws than they desired.
A Scout’s Report: My 70 Years in Baseball
By George Genovese with Dan Taylor
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9730-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: George Genovese was one of baseball’s greatest scouts and his players populated the San Francisco Giants, especially their outfield, through the 1960s and 1970s.
Big Sam Thompson: Baseball’s Greatest Clutch Hitter
By Roy Kerr
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9708-9 | Amazon |
- Summary: One of the dominant hitters of the 1890s, Thompson is often overlooked today. But Kerr makes a strong case for his inclusion among the game’s greatest.
Bibb Falk: The Man Who Replaced Shoeless Joe
By William A. Cook
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9691-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: A biography of the University of Texas coaching legend, who first came to fame as an untested rookie outfielder with the Chicago White Sox after the Black Sox Scandal.
Honus Wagner and His Pittsburgh Pirates: Scenes from a Golden Era
By Ronald T. Waldo
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9667-9 | Amazon |
- Summary: A biography of Wagner told not only from the point of view of the great shortstop but of his teammates, the era he played in and his adversaries from around the National League.
Tearin’ Up the Pea Patch: The Brooklyn Dodgers 1953
By Andrew Paul Mele
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9620-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: The story of the NL-pennant winning 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers, a “Boys of Summer” juggernaut that led the league in virtually every offensive category.
A Calculus of Color: The Integration of Baseball’s American League
By Robert Kuhn McGregor
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $39.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-9440-8 | Amazon |
- Summary: This work analyzes the American League’s slow approach to integration in the post-World War II years, setting an admirable background picture and then dealing with individual clubs with a useful focus on economics.
The Complete Baseball Scorekeeping Handbook
By Andres Wirkmaa
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $35.00 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-7994-8 | Amazon |
- Summary: After a brief introduction, with multiple examples of standard plays, Wirkmaa works his way through the rulebook noting and explaining the scoring of odd plays or judgement calls.
The Negro Southern League: A Baseball History, 1920-1951
By William J. Plott
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $39.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-7544-5 | Amazon |
- Summary: The Negro Southern League was a minor league in Black Ball, but it contributed notable players to both the major Negro Leagues and MLB. Satchel Paige and Willie Mays are notable graduates and Plott traces the three-decade history of the league.
The Miracle Braves, 1914-1916
By Charles C. Alexander
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-7424-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: Noted biographer Charles Alexander produces a work which covers not just the remarkable pennant victory of the 1914 Braves, but follows them through the next two seasons when they flailed in their attempts to duplicate the magic.
Reporting Baseball’s Sensational Season of 1890: The Brotherhood War and the Rise of Modern Sports Journalism
By Scott D. Peterson
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $35.00 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-7368-7 | Amazon |
- Summary: Peterson follows coverage of the Baseball Brotherhood war of 1890 through the lives of three reporters: Henry Chadwick for the owners, Tim Murnane for the players, and Ella Black as an advocate for women journalists.
Understanding Baseball: A Textbook
By Trey Strecker, Steven P. Gietschier, Mitchell Nathanson, John A. Fortunato, and David George Surdam
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-7240-6 | Amazon |
- Summary: Five academics offer chapters on the history, economics, law, media, and fiction of baseball as a textbook to frame a course on the game.
The Boyer Brothers of Baseball
By Lew Freedman
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| McFarland & Co. | $29.95 (sftcvr) | 978-0-7864-7099-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: Not only do we get Ken and Clete, we get Cloyd, Lynn, Wayne, Ron and Lenny — all of the seven Boyer brothers who played professional baseball. Cloyd actually gets most of the chapters with his long minor league career.
The Joy of Ballpark Food: From Hot Dogs to Haute Cuisine
By Bennett Jacobstein
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ballpark Food Publications | $27.50 (sftcvr) | 978-0-6923-3654-0 | Amazon |
- Summary: A culinary tour of all 30 major-league stadiums, from the first peanuts and Cracker Jack to the proliferation of new offerings during the 21st century.
Mystery Ball ’58: A Season-Long Whodunit
By Jeff Polman
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grassy Gutter Press | $12.99 (sftcvr) | 978-0-692-38201-1 | Amazon |
- Summary: A mystery story that combines the Golden Era of baseball with the Golden Era of pulp fiction to tell the story of an ex-minor league pitcher who found a dead body in the grandstand at the Giants’ Opening Day in San Francisco.
The Dad Report: Fathers, Sons, and Baseball Families
By Kevin Cook
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| W.W. Norton & Co. | $26.95 (hdcvr) | 978-0-3932-4600-1 | Amazon |
- Summary: A trip inside the clubhouses and homes of baseball’s families, including the Boones, Bondses, Griffeys — and the author’s own father, a minor-league screwball pitcher and a lovable rogue.
Marvin Miller: Baseball Revolutionary
By Robert F. Burk
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Press | $35.00 (hdcvr) | 978-0-2520-3875-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: This is the first full biography of Miller, the man who changed the economics of baseball and redistributed more of the game’s potential wealth from fans to players.
The Hidden Game of Baseball: A Revolutionary Approach to Baseball and Its Statistics
By John Thorn and Pete Palmer
| Publisher | Retail Price | ISBN | Buy it |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago Press | $22.50 (sftcvr) | 978-0-2262-4248-4 | Amazon |
- Summary: A new edition of an old classic that altered the views of a generation of stats-minded fans. With a new foreword by Keith Law, Thorn and Palmer reveal the statistics that shaped the foundations of the game.
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