Jayson Stark

Paying homage to some of the great "names" in the history of this great game. Each player profile within has the following: general demographic information (name they played under, their full name at birth, date of birth/death, years active in the majors, positions played, etc.) etymology/definition of each part of their given name baseball biography (generally, how they made it to the majors, what they did while they were there) best day (a recap of a great day in their major league career) the wonder of his name (why his name is memorable) not to be confused with (names that sound and/or look like the player's name) fun anagrams (anagrams of their given names, just because) ephemera (factoids, tidbits, trivia about the player, details regarding their parents, their family and their life after baseball)

A hilarious, fascinating, and revealing view of the national pastime from the 1930's to the present, Pouring Six Beers at a Time offers a treasure trove of stories by a man once dubbed the P. T. Barnum of Major League Baseball, current Philadelphia Phillies Chairman Bill Giles. His 70 plus years of behind-the-scenes stories are an invaluable treat that no baseball fan will want to miss. From sound effects man for the radio broadcasts of the Cincinnati Reds as a teenager to owner of the Philadelphia Phillies, Bill Giles has been involved in virtually every aspect of the game of baseball. Highlights from his fascinating life include taking overnight train rides with the Reds as a young boy, witnessing the birth of indoor baseball in Houston, bringing the marketing of baseball into the modern era—helping to establish traditions and promotions that are now standard, and signing some of the greatest players in modern history with names such as Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Joe Morgan, and Curt Schilling.

The home run is indeed baseball's ultimate weapon. It can change a game in a heartbeat, making a tight game into a blowout or a seemingly easy win into a nail-biter. Homers are majestic, powerful, and awe inspiring. And sluggers are the sport's biggest stars, from the days of Babe Ruth through Barry Bonds.David Vincent, called "The Sultan of Swat Stats" by ESPN, delves into the long history of the home run with great detail and color. He starts when the rules of the game were highly unstable and sometimes the definition of a home run could change in a park from year to year; follows through the "Deadball Era," when the home run was rare; explores the explosion Babe Ruth brought to baseball in the 1920s; discusses how both world wars affected homer statistics; looks at great home run races such as Maris versus Mantle in 1961; assesses the effects of the juiced ball, juiced players, thin air, and smaller ballparks; and so much more.If there is something to know about home run history, look to David Vincent for the answer-Major League Baseball does. With Home Run: The Definitive History of Baseball's Ultimate Weapon, now you can know it too. A 1990s Nike commercial proclaimed that "chicks dig the long ball." In this thorough and colorful look at baseball's ultimate weapon, David Vincent shows you why.

The home run is indeed baseball's ultimate weapon. It can change a game in a heartbeat, making a tight game into a blowout or a seemingly easy win into a nail-biter. Homers are majestic, powerful, and awe inspiring. And sluggers are the sport's biggest stars, from the days of Babe Ruth through Barry Bonds.David Vincent, called "The Sultan of Swat Stats" by ESPN, delves into the long history of the home run with great detail and color. He starts when the rules of the game were highly unstable and sometimes the definition of a home run could change in a park from year to year; follows through the "Deadball Era," when the home run was rare; explores the explosion Babe Ruth brought to baseball in the 1920s; discusses how both world wars affected homer statistics; looks at great home run races such as Maris versus Mantle in 1961; assesses the effects of the juiced ball, juiced players, thin air, and smaller ballparks; and so much more.If there is something to know about home run history, look to David Vincent for the answer-Major League Baseball does. With Home Run: The Definitive History of Baseball's Ultimate Weapon, now you can know it too. A 1990s Nike commercial proclaimed that "chicks dig the long ball." In this thorough and colorful look at baseball's ultimate weapon, David Vincent shows you why.