Baseball ABC

Introducing children to a great American pastime as well as the alphabet, a collection of alphabetically arranged memorabilia and paraphernalia shows how A is for Ted Willam's Autograph, B is for Lou Gehrig's Bat, and so on.

Grade 1-3-This high-gloss publication is sure to hit home with young baseball enthusiasts who will be treated to trivia, lore, and facts concerning America's favorite pastime. Mayers uses the ABC approach to showcase professional terminology, equipment, teams, players, etc. All of the letters are displayed in lower case; various teams' insignias provide other examples of some letters. The corresponding full-color photographs dominate the page and are explained briefly in the captioned text. Entries range from the obvious, g for glove, to the more obscure, p for pine tar. All in all, an eye-catching and entertaining addition to sports shelves.
Tom S. Hurlburt, La Crosse Public Library, WI
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Released to coincide with the 125th anniversary of the sport, this meager book (an "official publication of Major League Baseball") rounds up bits and pieces of baseball lore and disperses them according to the letters of the alphabet. Most of the letters themselves are taken from the logos of major league teams; a few vexatious initials, like "F" and "Z," are shown in ordinary typefonts). Each letter is represented by one or two objects or phenomena related to the game: caps and cards are discussed alongside a "C" that will look familiar to fans of the Chicago Cubs; six quotes by baseball legends are collected on a page devoted to "Q"; and photos of the World Series trophy and ticket stubs for past World Series games are presented for the letter "T." It's a curious mix of information: though some of the trivia, anecdotes and playing pointers will be of interest to young baseball buffs, other entries seem arbitrary or insignificant. For example, a picture of a vendor hawking refreshments fills the page given over to "V." Short on action photos, the book does offer several intriguing vintage pictures, including a team shot of the 1947 Cuban X-Giants from the Negro League. Ages 4-up.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.