20 Best Baseball Books Ever (2023 Update)

New york times bestseller * winner of the casey award for best baseball book of the year “an instant sports classic.” —new york post * “stellar.” —the wall street journal * “a true masterwork…880 pages of sheer baseball bliss.” —bookpage (starred review) * “this is a remarkable achievement.” —publishers weekly (starred review) a magnum opus from acclaimed baseball writer joe posnanski, the baseball 100 is an audacious, singular, and masterly book that took a lifetime to write. the entire story of baseball rings through a countdown of the 100 greatest players in history, with a foreword by george will.longer than moby-dick and nearly as ambitious,​the baseball 100 is a one-of-a-kind work by award-winning sportswriter and lifelong student of the game joe posnanski that tells the story of the sport through the remarkable lives of its 100 greatest players. in the book’s introduction, pulitzer prize–winning commentator george f. will marvels, “posnanski must already have lived more than 200 years. how else could he have acquired such a stock of illuminating facts and entertaining stories about the rich history of this endlessly fascinating sport?” baseball’s legends come alive in these pages, which are not merely rankings but vibrant profiles of the game’s all-time greats. posnanski dives into the biographies of iconic hall of famers, unfairly forgotten all-stars, talents of today, and more. he doesn’t rely just on records and statistics—he lovingly retraces players’ origins, illuminates their characters, and places their accomplishments in the context of baseball’s past and present. just how good a pitcher is clayton kershaw in the twenty-first- century game compared to greg maddux dueling with the juiced hitters of the nineties? how do the career and influence of hank aaron compare to babe ruth’s? which player in the top ten most deserves to be resurrected from history? no compendium of baseball’s legendary geniuses could be complete without the players of the segregated negro leagues, men whose extraordinary careers were largely overlooked by sportswriters at the time and unjustly lost to history. posnanski writes about the efforts of former negro leaguers to restore sidelined black athletes to their due honor, and draws upon the deep troves of the negro leagues baseball museum and extensive interviews with the likes of buck o’neil to illuminate the accomplishments of players such as pitchers satchel paige and smokey joe williams; outfielders oscar charleston, monte irvin, and cool papa bell; first baseman buck leonard; shortstop pop lloyd; catcher josh gibson; and many, many more. the baseball 100 treats readers to the whole rich pageant of baseball history in a single volume. chapter by chapter, posnanski invites readers to examine common lore with brand-new eyes and learn stories that have long gone unheard. the epic and often emotional reading experience mirrors posnanski’s personal odyssey to capture the history and glory of baseball like no one else, fueled by his boundless love for the sport. engrossing, surprising, and heartfelt, the baseball 100 is a magisterial tribute to the game of baseball and the stars who have played it.

The authors of the acclaimed and history-making nationwide best-seller the civil war now turn to the other defining american phenomenon. their subject is baseball. during eight months of the year, it is played professionally every day; all year round, amateurs play it, watch it, and dream about it, losing themselves in a base runner's progress around the diamond, in the elemental clash between pitcher and batter, in the outfielder's lonely vigil. ty cobb, satchel paige, babe ruth, jackie robinson, joe dimaggio, hank aaron, not gods exactly, not even necessarily heroes, but truly gifted human beings acting out universal fantasies that, for whatever reason, are most perfectly expressed on a baseball field. all this and more rings through geoffrey c. ward and ken burns's moving, crowded, fascinating history of the game – a history that goes beyond stolen bases, triple plays, and home runs (although they, too, are here) to demonstrate how baseball has been influenced by, and has in turn influenced, our national life: politics, race, labor, big business, advertising, social custom, literature, art, and morality. the book covers every milestone of the game: from the rules drawn up in 1845 by alexandercartwright to the american league's introduction of the designated hitter in 1973, from the founding of the brotherhood of professional base ball players in 1885 to the seven-week players' strike of 1981, from the 1924 negro world series (kansas city monarchs vs. philadelphia hilldales) to jack roosevelt robinson's major-league debut in 1947, from the first curve ball in 1867 (pitched by candy cummings of the brooklyn excelsiors) to nolan ryan's seventh and last no-hitter in 1991. nine essays by notable baseball enthusiasts, exploring their individual preoccupations with the game, complement the narrative. and a wealth of pictures, many in full color, document baseball's evolution since the mid-nineteenth century and bring to life its most memorable practitioners. monumental, affecting, informative, entertaining, and sumptuously illustrated – baseball is a book that speaks to all americans.

Sure to generate debate, discussion, and a few dust-ups among baseball fanatics, baseball's best 1,000 ranks the best players of all time, providing fascinating career and biographic stats perfect for pouring over. a revised and up-to-date edition of baseball's best 1,000, a must-have book for baseball fans obsessed with stats, quick facts, and the age-old debate of who is the best player in history and why. using various (and completely subjective) criteria including lifetime statistics, personal and professional contributions to the game at large, sportsmanship, character, popularity with the fans, and more, sports writer derek gentile ranks the best players of all time. along with a ranking, information on each player is presented, including the teams on which he has played throughout his career, positions played, lifetime statistics, and a brief biography–as well as a photograph. baseball's best 1,000 is sure to spark controversy and debate among fans.

Winner of spitball magazine's 2002 casey award for best baseball book of the year "an essential read." -john henry, principal owner of the boston red sox with a new introduction by celebrated baseball writer roger kahn and a new afterword by the author, updating john henry's first year of ownership after nearly six decades of the yawkey dynasty, the legacy of the late will mcdonough, and the author's return to his native boston after a seventeen-year absence, shut out has reopened the discussion of baseball, race, and boston with a new candor. "sport is not always a metaphor . . . but in this instance the story of race and the red sox is an exceedingly accurate mirror of the story of race and boston, and thus race and america." -jonathan yardley, washington post "one of the best baseball books i have ever read, and in fact one of the best non-fiction books i have read in years. to simply call it a baseball book is to do it a disservice, in that people interested in american history, race relations in america, and simply human nature might not read it, which would be their loss." -lisa winston, usa today's sports weekly "shut out…is the first book detailing and analyzing the racial problems of the red sox…it is required reading for anyone who cares about the history of racial prejudice and the game of baseball." -louis p. masur, the nation a native of boston, howard bryant is a journalist for the boston herald. his work has appeared in red sox century, yankees century, and top of the heap: a yankees collection.

“football is force and fanatics, basketball is beauty and bounce. baseball is everything: action, grace, the seasons of our lives. george vecsey’s book proves it, without wasting a word.”—lee eisenberg, author of the number in baseball, one of the great bards of america’s grand old game gives a rousing account of the sport, from its pre-republic roots to the present day. george vecsey casts a fresh eye on the game, illuminates its foibles and triumphs, and performs a marvelous feat: making a classic story seem refreshingly new. baseball is a narrative of america’s can-do spirit, in which stalwart immigrants such as henry chadwick could transplant cricket and rounders into the fertile american culture and in which die-hard unionist baseballers such as charles comiskey and connie mack could eventually become the tightfisted avatars of the game’s big-money establishment. it’s a celebration of such underdogs as a rag-armed catcher turned owner named branch rickey and a sure-handed fielder named curt flood, both of whom flourished as true great men of history. but most of all, baseball is a testament to the unbreakable bond between our nation’s pastime and the fans, who’ve remained loyal through the fifty-year-long interdict on black athletes, the black sox scandal, franchise relocation, and the use of performance-enhancing drugs by some major stars. reverent, playful, and filled with vecsey’s charm, baseball begs to be read in the span of a rain-delayed doubleheader, and so enjoyable that, like a favorite team’s championship run, one hopes it never ends. “vecsey possesses a journalist’s eye for detail and a historian’s feel for the sweep of action. his research is scrupulous and his writing crisp. this book is an instant classic—a highly readable guide to america’s great enduring pastime.”—the louisville courier journal

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.

Why does a curveball curve? what is a “can of corn”? why was joe dimaggio called the “yankee clipper”? who wrote “take me out to the ball game”? how many times did ty cobb steal home? in this edition of baseball miscellany, the fascinating history and lore of our national pastime is finally revealed! for example, the reason a curveball curves is that its spin drags a layer of air across one surface of the ball faster than it does across the opposite surface. a “can of corn” is slang for an easy-to-catch fly ball, the term originating from a general store clerk reaching up and dropping a can from a high shelf. the lyrics to “take me out to the ball game” were written in 1908 by vaudeville star jack norworth, who, while riding the subway, was inspired by a sign that said “baseball today—polo grounds.” and the great ty cobb stole home a whopping fifty-four times—fifty more than the career leader in total stolen bases, rickey henderson. packed with all manner of delightful surprises, beautiful illustrations and photographs, and delicious nuggets of information, baseball miscellany demystifies the origins and customs of america’s most celebrated game. from spring training through the world series, you’ll be entertained with fun, little-known facts. why do baseball players wear stirrup socks? who invented the catcher’s mask? what major-league team passed up on signing eighteen-year-old willie mays in 1949?

From babe ruth to joe dimaggio, satchel paige to dizzy dean, see all the greats step up to the plate in baseball legends alphabet. written and illustrated with all-star quality, this book is sure to hit a home run with every lover of baseball.

As america's pastime since the mid-1800s, baseball offers the sights, sounds, and even smells that are deeply entrenched in our culture. but for some, the experience can be less sensory. some, such as ryan spaeder and kevin reavy, live for baseball statistics. stats give the game historical context and measurables for past, present, and predictive analysis.incredible baseball stats helps tell unique baseball stories, showcasing extraordinary stats and facts in baseball history, through the 2015 season. for example, in 2015, the nationals’ bryce harper broke out in a major way. he batted .330/.460/.649 with 42 home runs en route to his first mvp award. it was his fourth mlb season, but he was still younger than nl rookie of the year kris bryant. he became the youngest player to lead the league in both on-base percentage and homers in the same season since ty cobb in 1909. through 2015, he has a career .902 ops (143 ops+), the same ops and adjusted ops that henry aaron had through his first four seasons—and hammerin’ hank was nearly a year older!

In this fourth edition, benjamin g. rader updates the text with a portrait of baseball's new order. he charts an on-the-field game transformed by analytics, an influx of latino and asian players, and a generation of players groomed for brute power both on the mound and at the plate. he also analyzes the behind-the-scenes revolution that brought in billions of dollars from a synergy of marketing and branding prowess, visionary media development, and fan-friendly ballparks abuzz with nonstop entertainment. the result is an entertaining and comprehensive tour of a game that, whatever its changes, always reflects american society and culture.

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.

This used book is in acceptable condition. now with complete fielding statistics for all players and pitchers, the baseball encyclopedia is bigger and better than ever. all the major league players are covered–from aaron to zuverink–and a new section highlights the stars of the old negro leagues. colorful and comprehensive, the baseball encyclopedia is recognized by major league baseball as the official record of the game and its players.

All the baseball stats for every level of the game in one bookthe only definitive baseball annual on the market, the baseball america almanac is a book whose value only grows year to year. it includes statistics and award winners for all levels of professional baseball with summaries and stats from the majors, minors, partner leagues, college baseball, foreign leagues and international competition. it covers what happened in baseball all around the globe in 2021.

Yankee fan? red sox fan? dodger fan? do you think you know everything about baseball from the black sox to the white sox? then test yourself . every era of is represented from cap anson to mike trout, cy young to clayton kershaw, ty cobb to jose altuve, babe ruth to giancarlo stanton.match wits with the father of baseball trivia, david nemec, a ten-time national champion as he presents more than 200 baseball stumpers that are artfully designed to test the depth of the reader’s knowledge about the game since 1871, including.who is the most recent major leaguer to compile 100 or more hits, 20 or more complete games, and 20 or more decisions in the same season? no, the answer is not who you think! who is the only pitcher to hurl a minimum of 5,000 career innings and surrender fewer hits per 9 innings than walter johnson? what team had a record of 52–62 when the strike shut down the 1994 season but was on track to qualify for postseason play with the lowest winning percentage ever by a division or league first-place finisher? incredible baseball trivia is the ultimate test for knowledgeable baseball fans!

The definitive biography of one of baseball's most enduring and influential characters, from new york times bestselling author and baseball writer marty appel. as a player, charles dillon "casey" stengel's contemporaries included babe ruth, honus wagner, and christy mathewson . . . and he was the only person in history to wear the uniforms of all four new york teams: the dodgers, giants, yankees, and mets. as a legendary manager, he formed indelible, complicated relationships with yogi berra, joe dimaggio, mickey mantle, and billy martin. for more than five glorious decades, stengel was the undisputed, quirky, hilarious, and beloved face of baseball–and along the way he revolutionized the role of manager while winning a spectactular ten pennants and seven world series championships. but for a man who spent so much of his life in the limelight–an astounding fifty-five years in professional baseball–stengel remains an enigma. acclaimed new york yankees' historian and bestselling author marty appel digs into casey stengel's quirks and foibles, unearthing a tremendous trove of baseball stories, perspective, and history. weaving in never-before-published family documents, appel creates an intimate portrait of a private man who was elected into the baseball hall of fame in 1966 and named "baseball's greatest character" by mlb network's prime 9. casey stengel is a biography that will be treasured by fans of our national pastime.

National bestseller – from the new york times baseball columnist, an enchanting, enthralling history of the national pastime as told through the craft of pitching, based on years of archival research and interviews with more than three hundred people from hall of famers to the stars of today.the baseball is an amazing plaything. each pitch has its own history, evolving through the decades as the masters pass it down to the next generation. from the earliest days of the game, when candy cummings dreamed up the curveball while flinging clamshells on a brooklyn beach, pitchers have never stopped innovating.in k: a history of baseball in ten pitches, tyler kepner traces the colorful stories and fascinating folklore behind the ten major pitches. each chapter highlights a different pitch, from the blazing fastball to the fluttering knuckleball to the slippery spitball. infusing every page with infectious passion for the game, kepner brings readers inside the minds of combatants sixty feet, six inches apart.filled with priceless insights from many of the best pitchers in baseball history–from bob gibson, steve carlton, and nolan ryan to greg maddux, mariano rivera, and clayton kershaw–k will be the definitive book on pitching and join such works as the glory of their times and moneyball as a classic of the genre.

Baseball continues to be a popular game both as a spectator sport and as a pastime. since the publication of baseball for dummies, 3rd edition, baseball teams have changed, new mlb stadiums have been built, and rules have been updated. this updated 4th edition brings you the latest information on the players, the places, and above all, the game. baseball for dummies is for baseball fans at all levels, from players and coaches to spectators who love the game. baseball hall of fame player joe morgan explains baseball with remarkable insight, using down-to-earth language so everyone from the casual observer to the die-hard fan can gain a fuller appreciation of the sport. ● improve your hitting, pitching, and fielding ● find a baseball team to play on, from little league on up ● evaluate stats, players, and records ● coach baseball or umpire effectively complete with morgan's personal lists of top-ten toughest pitchers, smartest players, and most strategic managers, baseball for dummies gives you all the inside tips, facts, and stats so you can have major league fun!

Relive baseball's history and evolution through remarkable stories and more than 1,000 striking photographs. the most comprehensive baseball book available, this colorful volume covers every season of the major leagues since 1876 with intriguing analysis, thorough statistics, and little-known facts.

In this book of insightful numbers and statistical reference, the mackays give us a wide view of the magnificent athletes that is the game of baseball. position players such as mike lowell and hideki matsui, pitchers such as bronson arroyo and a.j. burnett and many more highlight the pages of this volume of sports history that will take you on a journey through america's favorite pastime.

For more than a hundred years, the red sox have meant all sorts of things to all sorts of people, often all at once — elation, frustration, nostalgia, nausea, amazement, bewilderment, love, and loss. but one thing is certain: the boston red sox are the most interesting team ever to take the field. red sox century tells the red sox story in its entirety for the first time, from the team's inception in 1901 and its early peak in 1918, when it won its fifth and last world series; to the glory years, which saw the rise of such greats as cy young, babe ruth, teddy ballgame, and yaz and witnessed the "impossible dream" of 1967; to the near misses in 1975, 1986, and 2003. the sox are still chasing that elusive sixth world championship — a championship that fate seems not to want them to have.now updated through the 2003 season, and including new writing from tom boswell and 275 photographs, red sox century is the “definitive look at fenway’s finest . . . artistic, well researched, and elegant” (boston globe). this is a book that no self-respecting red sox fan should be without.