Baseball by the Rules: An Anecdotal Guide to America's Oldest and Most Complex Sport

Interprets baseball's rules, explains the history behind each decision, and describes how the game has shaped the rules

Following the chapter order of the official baseball rule book, this title delves deeply: it explains the rules and offers details about the development of the game. There is a history of the uniform, an explanation of how to make an illegal bat, an examination of changes in the strike zone and a rehash of the heavy-or-light bat argument. The authors also provide wonderful anecdotes that date back to the 19th century, such as Joe "King" Kelly substituting himself as catcher in the middle of a play so he could catch a pop foul near the dugout; Dan O'Leary running the wrong way around the base paths; Jay Kirke hitting a home run on a ball thrown from the outfield to tag out a runner at home plate. The authors include a section on how to keep score, which is helpful for old fans as well as new. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The authors of this book have accomplished a minor miracle: a volume that describes the rules of baseball in a lively and entertaining manner. Basing their research on the Offical Baseball Rules issued by the Commissioner of Baseball, they have pieced together an anecdotal version of those rules, interspersed with numerous vignettes that have been inserted seemingly for no other reason than that they are quirky and funny. Many of the strange and wonderful characters who are part of the history of baseball, e.g., Casey Stengel, Joe "Ducky" Medwick, Dizzy Dean, etc., are included. For a novice who would like to understand the game's intricacies, this book is a delight to read. Recommended for sports collections. Samuel Simons, Memorial Hall Library, Andover, Massachusetts
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.