- Paperback: 456 pages
- Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 2nd Edition edition (7 Feb 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0764552341
- ISBN-13: 978-0764552342
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 18.8 x 2.9 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 833,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
Baseball For Dummies
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
“There may not be anyone alive who knows more about baseball than Joe Morgan.”
—Bob Costas, NBC Sports Broadcaster
—Bob Costas, NBC Sports Broadcaster
“This book has something for everybody, from longtime fans to Little Leaguers.”
—New York Newsday
It’s known as America’s National Pastime. It’s nicknamed “The Greatest Game Ever Invented.” No question about it: baseball is a way of life for millions, whether they’re watching from the bleachers or sluggers in their own right. After more than 150 years as an all–American sport, baseball lingo is even part of our everyday language. With all its history and influence, baseball is a phenomenon we should at least be able to yak about at the water cooler—even if we never set foot on the diamond.
Whether you don’t know the difference between a shortstop and a backstop, dabble in a bit of fantasy baseball, or need to perfect your split–fingered fastball, the second edition of this classic guide shows you the ropes. Ever wondered how great outfielders get a good jump on an incoming ball? Why the bases are 90 feet apart? Baseball For Dummies has answers to those questions, along with loads of All–Star tips on:
- Rules of the game
- Improving your hitting, pitching, and fielding
- Finding a team to play on, from Little League on up
- Coaching and umpiring effectively
- Getting more out of a trip to the ballpark than hotdogs and ice cream
- Evaluating stats, players, and records
Baseball Hall–of–Famer Joe Morgan—who played with the Cincinnati Reds in two World Series championships—teams up here with sportswriter Richard Lally to coach you through everything from keeping a scorecard to hitting like a Major Leaguer. In their down–to–earth style, they cover all the bases, including:
- Getting in shape, from warm–ups to free weights
- Playing the field: batting, baserunning, pitching, and defense from catcher to shortstop
- Landing the best seats in the park
- Baseball online, on the air, and on the newsstand
- How to play fantasy baseball
- How to snag off–the–field baseball jobs
- All–time and current Top Ten players, pitchers, fielders, and more
- A glossary of “baseball speak”
You’ll get a baseline knowledge—and find out details and trivia even the most die–hard fans don’t know. If you’re looking to walk the walk, or just be able to talk the talk, step up to the plate: Baseball For Dummies delivers the goods.
About the Author
Joe Morgan played on two Cincinnati Reds World Series championship teams and was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1990. He and sportswriter Richard Lally also wrote Long Balls, No Strikes.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
For those of you who still believe that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, we bring you a line from the gangster movie Donnie Brasco: "Fuhgedaboudit!" Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
For those of you who still believe that Abner Doubleday invented baseball in Cooperstown, New York, we bring you a line from the gangster movie Donnie Brasco: "Fuhgedaboudit!" Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The problem with calling a book Baseball for Dummies is that you assume it's meant for people who don't know about the game. Although this is primarily for such people, there is much joy to be had from this book by people who already have a good understanding.
Of course it starts with the basics ('What is Baseball?') but then moves onto the ins and outs of playing from how to throw a curve through to where does the second baseman go when a runners on second and its a base hit to left. All the way through it starts off simple and builds up to be all encompassing with foot notes from Joe Morgan, Keith Hernandez, Bob Gibson, etc... to add a pros perspective. You'll even begin to understand the ins and outs of the infield fly.
It then moves onto the infrastructure of american baseball. From T-ball to the majors. Explains what all the stats mean and how they are worked out and then onto how to score a game. It also helps you learn how to follow the game, from where to find information, how to set up a fantasy league, good parks to go to and where best to sit.
It is all rounded off with 'The Part of Tens' which gives examples of the ten best players ever, ten best fielders ever, etc... Which is dated to when the book was published but we can forgive that.
This really is everything you could ever hope to learn about baseball and all the things you didn't really care to know thrown in aswell! It presents the game from the perspective of the novice, the player, the fan and the baseball junky. No stone is left unturned and you will never find anything else out there that covers as much ground as this one tome. It'll even point you in the direction of how to find out even more. This a great book that no matter how long you follow baseball you will always be able to pull it off the shelf and remind yourself of something. You really should get this book and if you're new to this game you need this. Brilliant.
Of course it starts with the basics ('What is Baseball?') but then moves onto the ins and outs of playing from how to throw a curve through to where does the second baseman go when a runners on second and its a base hit to left. All the way through it starts off simple and builds up to be all encompassing with foot notes from Joe Morgan, Keith Hernandez, Bob Gibson, etc... to add a pros perspective. You'll even begin to understand the ins and outs of the infield fly.
It then moves onto the infrastructure of american baseball. From T-ball to the majors. Explains what all the stats mean and how they are worked out and then onto how to score a game. It also helps you learn how to follow the game, from where to find information, how to set up a fantasy league, good parks to go to and where best to sit.
It is all rounded off with 'The Part of Tens' which gives examples of the ten best players ever, ten best fielders ever, etc... Which is dated to when the book was published but we can forgive that.
This really is everything you could ever hope to learn about baseball and all the things you didn't really care to know thrown in aswell! It presents the game from the perspective of the novice, the player, the fan and the baseball junky. No stone is left unturned and you will never find anything else out there that covers as much ground as this one tome. It'll even point you in the direction of how to find out even more. This a great book that no matter how long you follow baseball you will always be able to pull it off the shelf and remind yourself of something. You really should get this book and if you're new to this game you need this. Brilliant.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Despite the "a reference for the rest of us" tag-line, this isn't really a book you can just dip into; at least, not on the first time of reading. Each section carefully builds your understanding from basic principles to the highly technical. The skills sections are particularly instructive, and came as an unexpected bonus over what I was expecting from this book. I eventually decided that the best way to approach it was to read it from cover to cover.
I was initially a little dismayed at how much of this book was devoted to techniques for playing the game. I am, as a 50+ years old Englishman, never going to play this game, but I wanted to find out more about it, having been a fan for a number of years. Reading these sections, however, has given me a much greater insight into the mechanics of playing the game, and goes a long way to explain some of the less obvious actions of the players. Understanding, for example, how they all train to move into the correct position for a particular direction and flight-type of ball just goes to show how professional these players are. Of particular interest to me was how pitchers are able to deliver such speeds from a standing start: the wind-up, body rotation, and planting of the forward foot are all broken down and explained; as is the grip on the ball, and the combination of wrist and arm action for the delivery. Not only is the "how" explained, but also the "why".
It's a great read, and a wonderful insight into the game, with contributions from some of its greatest living exponents. These are names that even I, brought up outside the baseball playing world, am familiar with.
I've given it 4 stars out of 5, only because the data in the reference sections are so out of date. The book was published in 2005, and is well overdue for an update. There are at least three major league teams that have changed their names between then and now, and another three (to my knowledge) have moved statiums. Nearly all of the records mentioned have been broken, and Barry Bonds hadn't even started his epic home run record chase when it came out. It's a minor niggle, and you can at least have fun pencilling in the latest info.
I was initially a little dismayed at how much of this book was devoted to techniques for playing the game. I am, as a 50+ years old Englishman, never going to play this game, but I wanted to find out more about it, having been a fan for a number of years. Reading these sections, however, has given me a much greater insight into the mechanics of playing the game, and goes a long way to explain some of the less obvious actions of the players. Understanding, for example, how they all train to move into the correct position for a particular direction and flight-type of ball just goes to show how professional these players are. Of particular interest to me was how pitchers are able to deliver such speeds from a standing start: the wind-up, body rotation, and planting of the forward foot are all broken down and explained; as is the grip on the ball, and the combination of wrist and arm action for the delivery. Not only is the "how" explained, but also the "why".
It's a great read, and a wonderful insight into the game, with contributions from some of its greatest living exponents. These are names that even I, brought up outside the baseball playing world, am familiar with.
I've given it 4 stars out of 5, only because the data in the reference sections are so out of date. The book was published in 2005, and is well overdue for an update. There are at least three major league teams that have changed their names between then and now, and another three (to my knowledge) have moved statiums. Nearly all of the records mentioned have been broken, and Barry Bonds hadn't even started his epic home run record chase when it came out. It's a minor niggle, and you can at least have fun pencilling in the latest info.
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've been watching baseball in Canada and USA and on TV in UK, and thought I had a reasonable feel for the game. This book however really opens up the inner workings of the baseball game. Joe is a great commentator, and he explains very clearly, its a must read for armchair fans like me and anybody coming into the game. Fantastic read. Highly recommended.
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