"A cross-referenced collection of facts, folklore and untold tales about key figures, events and institutions. Easy-to-find answers to the most common (and obscure but fascinating) baseball questions." - USA Today
"A great starting point for newbies of the game." - Ron Kaplan, "501 Baseball Books Fans Must Read Before They Die"
"Surprisingly, there is no other book so comprehensive, concise or readable." - St. Paul Pioneer-Press
"Instructive and fun." - Chicago Sun-Times
**Selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame Bookstore in Cooperstown**
Lose yourself in all the marvelous memories and hallowed history of America’s national pastime with "The Book of Baseball Literacy: 3rd Edition." From the gloveless pioneers of the 1840s to the strife-ridden headlines of the 2000s, this comprehensive reference offers nearly 700 important baseball yarns, stats, and stories—cross-referenced and hyperlinked—in a style as lively as the game itself. Incredibly thorough, never dull, the book answers these and countless other questions:
- Who was Ray Chapman, and why is he important?
- Did Abner Doubleday really invent baseball?
- What is sabermetrics?
- Who set off the Pine Tar Incident?
- Where was the first organized baseball game?
- Were the Cubs cursed by a billy goat?
- What are waivers and options?
Written by SABR member and former college baseball broadcaster David H. Martinez and even selected as required reading for a college course on baseball history, "The Book of Baseball Literacy: 3rd Edition" puts over a century and a half of legends and lore, right in your mitt. It will settle arguments and provoke them, answer questions and ask them. It’s a must for veteran baseball fans—and a perfect way to get up to speed on baseball history for newcomers.