Before Shohei Ohtani and Babe Ruth there was Robert Lee "Parisian Bob" Caruthers (1865-1911). A wunderkind pitcher and right fielder known throughout the country, he was the star on the mound for five league championships in 10 years, and one of two players in history--along with Ruth--to lead the Major Leagues in ERA+ (adjusted earned run average) and OPS+ (on-base plus slugging plus). Coming from a wealthy family, Caruthers had something other players didn't--leverage. This resulted in several holdouts, including one which took him to Europe. This first full-length biography rediscovers one of baseball's most interesting characters and first two-way stars.

The Dodgers Encyclopedia is the definitive book on Los Angeles and Brooklyn Dodgers baseball. It traces the history of one of Major League Baseball's most successful organizations, from the misty beginnings of its predecessors in rural Brooklyn more than 140 years ago, through their formative years in the major leagues, as a member of the American Association from 1884 through 1889, to a full-fledged representative of the National League since 1890. It covers the exciting and oftenzany years in Brooklyn through 1957, as well as a long and successful sojourn in Southern California during the last half of the 20th century.

Baseball has existed since the mid 1800's and has been the occupation for thousands of men through history. Defining the best amongst such a wide array of players always sparks a debate, as the Hall-of-Fame in Cooperstown is seen as the debate settler, a place where only legends reside. However, the Hall-of-Fame has overlooked many of the game's star players, failing to immortalize them with their peers. Ghosts of Baseball's Past details the careers of ball diamond legends who have been past over by Hall-of-Fame voters. So take a look inside and decide for yourself whether players like Bert Blyleven, Ted Kluszewski, Riggs Stephenson and more deserve to dwell in Cooperstown. Read about Herb Score, Turkey Mike Donlin and Buddy Lewis, and help keep the names of these legends alive.

Since 1876, approximately 16,000 young men have enjoyed at least a taste of glory by appearing in big league games, many of them only a few times. By the end of the 2009 season, out of the millions who have aspired, fewer than three thousand individuals had had the good fortune to be a major league regular for five or more seasons. The median age at which they hung up their spikes was 35. However, 197 men played in their last big league contest at the age of 30 or younger. With a focus on the stories of 15 greats and near-greats, this book provides information on these 197 men. Why did their careers end so soon? The reasons are varied and include drug and alcohol abuse, suicide, illness, injury, banishment, and declining ability among others.

With almost 150 years of baseball history, the stories of many players from before 1900 were long obscured. The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) first attempted to remedy this in 1989 by publishing a collection of 136 fascinating biographies of talented late-1800s players. Twenty-three years later, "Nineteenth Century Stars" has been updated with revised stats and re-released in both a new paperback and in ebook form.

This encyclopedia of the Cardinals baseball team includes extensive profiles for the top 200 players, a synopsis of the careers of every team player, stories, statistics, game-by-game accounts of every season, and information on every manager.

Featuring every relevant team record, statistic, and award winner from the St. Louis Cardinals’ incredible past, this book includes a comprehensive collection of Redbirds all-time leaders in every conceivable category, from hits to strikeouts. From Dizzy Dean’s 30 wins or Lou Brock’s 938 career stolen bases to Bob Gibson’s single-season ERA of 1.12 or Mark McGwire’s 70 home runs in a season, this reference captures the legends and lore of the Cardinals. More than a collection of statistics, this guide provides profiles of the men behind the records and explores the context in which they were set while featuring stories which, in many cases, are even more fascinating than the actual records. Historical game details and evocative photographs blend with compelling statistics and the great players responsible for them to capture the rich history of this storied and celebrated franchise.