Reflections on collecting baseball cards in childhood accompany remarks on the skills and achievements of players whose pictures were found in bubble gum packages

From New York Times bestselling author and former NFL player Tim Green comes a baseball book pulsing with action. Baseball Great offers a baseball story attuned to today’s headlines, a totally involving, character-driven, sports-centered thriller. Perfect for fans of Mike Lupica. As a young reviewer on Brightly.com said: “Great book with many exciting, surprising events that make you want to keep reading." When the school paper calls him “Grant Middle’s best hope for its first-ever city-wide championship,” Josh feels like he’s starting to get noticed—in good and bad ways. Seeing Josh’s talent, his father drags him out of the school baseball tryouts and gets him in the running for the Titans, the local youth championship team coached by Rocky Valentine. All Josh really wants to do is play ball, but now Rocky wants him to gulp down protein shakes and other supplements. Suspicious, Josh and his new friend, Jaden, uncover a dangerous secret—and catch the attention of one man who will do anything to keep them from exposing it.

THE ULTIMATE BASEBALL BOOK has more than lived up to its name. Spanning the complete history of the sport from the fledgling leagues in the late 1870s to the powerhouses of the 1990s and revealing in the process what a remarkable effect baseball has had on our collective experience, this is THE book for any and all baseball fans, certain to grace coffee and bedside tables alike. Designed with that wonderful nostalgia that the sport itself so often evokes, THE ULTIMATE BASEBALL BOOK combines timeless images with a sweeping narrative history as well as essays on various idols and icons by such heavy hitters as Red Smith, Wilfrid Sheed, Roy Blount, Jr., Tom Wicker, and Geoge Will. This new edition covers baseball through the nineties, the decade when home run records fell and the sport reclaimed its hold on America, and celebrates the national game in ultimate style.

The first comprehensive, encyclopaedic work devoted exclusively to every Jewish contributor, large and small, to Major League Baseball. Its packed with: Rare photographs of players on and off the field; Full player statistics; Rare memorabilia; Exclusive original interviews. Jews who impacted upon the Great American Pastime extend far beyond the record strikeouts and round trippers of the legendary Sandy Koufax and Hank Greenberg. And there are scores of ballplayers like Lipman Pike, Shawn Green, Cal Abrams and Eddie Zosky whose little-known Baseball stories will touch or amuse readers of any background. Beyond life-time batting averages, there are intriguing players like catcher Moe Berg who served his country as a secret agent during WWII. While the tragic life of Bruce Gardner may bring tears to readers eyes, the exploits of 'Clown Princes' Al Schact and Max Patkin will have fans rolling with laughter. Nowhere else will one read tributes to great Jewish baseball executives and owners whose vision built some of historys most successful teams. Al Rosen may have gone from the All-Star team to the front-office Hall of Fame, but some of the most famous self-made success stories of this century honed their competitive spirit on the stickball courts of Jewish ghettos. This one-of-a-kind book will be much-in-demand by both baseball and Judaica book buyers.

When was the first World Series played? What MLB pitcher holds the league record with seven no-hitters? Which player stole home 54 times during his career? Learn the answer to these questions and more in The Best of Everything Baseball Book.

Why do we sometimes refer to a left-handed pitcher as a “southpaw?” Why are major league pitchers normally limited to 100 pitches per game? Why was Jack Roosevelt Robinson the first African-American ever to play as part of an official lineup for a team in Major League Baseball? Why is a baseball field sometimes referred to as a diamond? This book provides over 100 questions and detailed answers concerning the traditions, rules, and history of the national pastime. Organized by the sport’s five eras—Dead Ball, Live Ball, Golden Age, Expansion, and Steroid Era—it answers questions about hitting, pitching, fielding, base running, managing, scouting and ownership that vex even the most ardent fans of the game. Moreover, this book is an appreciation of how baseball’s traditions began.

Who's the greatest slugger of all time, Babe Ruth or Ted Williams? Where do Derek Jeter and Cal Ripken Jr. rank on the list of the best shortstops? At third base, would you rather have Mike Schmidt or Brooks Robinson? Is Fenway or Wrigley the better ballpark? This book will end many arguments-and start some new ones. Sports Illustrated's has polled its Major League Baseball experts to determine the ultimate Top 10 in more than 20 categories. The rankings appear alongside stunning photography and classic stories from SI's archives. This is the best of the best in the major leagues, or, more simply, Baseball's Greatest.