On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson stood in for his historic first at-bat in the major leagues. The opposing pitcher? Johnny Sain of the Boston Braves. Frankie Baumholtz was the batter when Stan Musial made his debut-as a pitcher. Most baseball fans remember Eddie Gaedel, a 3-foot, 6-inch midget who played a game for the St. Louis Browns. But few remember Jim Delsing, the man who was sent in to pitch run for Gaedel. Sain, Baumholtz, Delsing and 43 other former major leagurers remember their unique places in baseball history here. Some of the events were historic, such as Ron Blomberg's walk on April 6, 1973, the first time a designated hitter had come to bat in the majors. Some, such as Jim Mason's homer in his only World Series at-bat, are mere oddities. And a few feats were simply bizarre, including Stu Miller's non-pitch in the 1961 All-Star game when the wind literally blew him off the mound in mid-windup.

Inside Pitch: A Closer Look at Classic Baseball Moments

Sports & Outdoors

Skipper, John C.

Baseball

McFarland Publishing

They are known by a variety of names, many of them unprintable. Like the big league players, they are the very best in their profession and spend years honing their craft, yet some fans pretend to believe they are incompetent boobs. They are the men in blue on the baseball diamond, major league umpires. In this work, nineteen umps provide their unique insight on some of the most important and pivotal moments in baseball history. Don Denkinger recounts his call that turned the 1985 World Series. "Red" Flaherty and Bill Kinnamon recall the excitement of Roger Maris' 61st homer. From these men and Bill Jackowski, Bill Haller, John Rice, Dutch Rennert, John Kibler, Bill Valentine, Terry Cooney, Andy Olsen, Marty Springstead, Doug Harvey, Ken Burkhart, Ed Runge, Hank Morgenweck, Art Frantz, Jerry Neudecker, and Steamboat Johnson, we get a different view of the game and a new appreciation for the job the umpires do on a daily basis.

Umpires: Classic Baseball Stories from the Men Who Made the Calls

History

Americas

McFarland

""Recommended"--Library Journal; "top-notch"--Booklist/RBB; "a good general information book"--ARBA. This biographical dictionary provides pertinent information on all 237 of the Hall of Fame inductees. Statistical summaries are complemented by revealing insights into little-publicized aspects of the careers of baseball's greatest achievers. A brief history of the Hall of Fame is also included"--Provided by publisher.

A Biographical Dictionary of the Baseball Hall of Fame

Biographies & Memoirs

A Biographical Dictionary of Major League Baseball Managers

Draws on interviews with team owners, players, and coaches to profile six hundred major league baseball managers, offering an analysis of each manager's style and tactics and providing a statistical summary of each manager's career.

Reference

Encyclopedias & Subject Guides

On September 29, 1945, the Chicago Cubs' fireball pitcher Paul Erickson threw a curve ball to Tommy O'Brien of the Pittsburgh Pirates with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. O'Brien's knees buckled, as any hitter's knees would when he expects a fastball but gets a curve instead. O'Brien had reason to be surprised--it was Erickson's first curveball of the game, and some even claim that it was his first of the year. The ball crossed home plate for strike three. The Cubs won 4-3 and captured the National League championship. The Cubs' journey to the National League pennant in 1945 is detailed here. The author interviewed nine surviving members of the 1945 Cubs, including pitchers Erickson, Hank Borowy, Hank Wyse and Claude Passeau, second baseman Don Johnson, shortstop Lenny Merullo, backup catcher Dewey Williams, first baseman Phil Cavaretta, and outfielder Andy Pafko, and includes their recollections of that magical Cubs season.

The Cubs Win the Pennant!: Charlie Grimm, the Billy Goat Curse, and the 1945 World Series Run

When in 1911 Phillies pitcher Grover Cleveland Alexander set the National League record for wins by a rookie (28), it was a sign of things to come. Alexander went on to win 373 games over his 20-year career, the third highest total in major league history, and he would lead the league in ERA four times, shutouts seven times, complete games six times, and wins six times. But he also became a deeply troubled man. After the Shell-Shocked pitcher returned from World War I, he would battle alcoholism, epilepsy, and personal demons that damaged his reputation and proved disastrous for his life outside of baseball. This biography sheds new light on the pitcher and the man, focusing on Alexander's personal life, especially his complex relationship with his wife, Aimee, as well as their marriages and divorces. His Hall of Fame career, wartime service, and long decline are also documented.

Wicked Curve: The Life and Troubled Times of Grover Cleveland Alexander

McFarland Company

Charles "Dazzy" Vance became known as the strike out king after leading the National League in strikeouts seven years in a row. Dazzy mesmerized opposing hitters with a blazing fastball, off-the-tabletop curve, a high leg kick and a sleeve on the undershirt of his pitching arm with slits cut into it that would flutter and distract batters as he delivered the pitch. This famed baseball pitcher was in the minor leagues for 10 years and didn't make it to the majors to stay until he was 31. He retired at age 44 just missing his goal of winning 200 games. He finished with 197 victories. In 1955, he became the first Brooklyn Dodgers player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. This biography covers the life of Vance, including the Major League Hall of Fame career and his personal life off the diamond. Also included is a list of Dazzy's lifetime statistics, from 1915 through 1935, containing his 1934 World Series Game. Conversations held with family, friends, sports writers and teammates are quoted throughout this biography.

Dazzy Vance: A Biography of the Brooklyn Dodger Hall of Famer

Charlie Gehringer was the best second baseman of his era. He is regarded by many as the best two-strike hitter of all time and his seemingly effortless fielding ability earned him the nickname of "The Mechanical Man." Sports writers groused that he was too quiet to be a star. Charlie replied that he didn't hit with his mouth. This work follows Gehringer's career from the day a scout spotted him on the sandlots of Michigan in 1923 to his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1949 and into his life after baseball.

Charlie Gehringer: A Biography of the Hall of Fame Tigers Second Baseman

Leaders & Notable People

In In January 1936, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson and Walter Johnson became charter members in an exclusive club: the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. By 2008, the membership had grown to 286 individuals, including players, managers, coaches, umpires, executives, and pioneers. In addition, the Hall of Fame has recognized 32 broadcasters and 59 writers with its Frick and Spink awards. This extensively updated and revised edition provides essential information for every individual honored by or elected to the Hall of Fame, including the historic Class of 2006, which saw enshrinement of 17 previously overlooked greats from the Negro Leagues and pre-Negro Leagues. Each entry includes biographical information and career highlights, as well as the year of induction or recognition. Year-by-year statistics are included for the players, along with a list of transactions. More than 80 photos are new to the second edition.

Smaller in population than several U.S. cities, the state of Iowa has become an unexpected and unparalleled proving ground for would-be presidential candidates. The Iowa caucuses provide a unique brand of retail politics, on the decline in an age of multi-million dollar advertising blitzes. Potential candidates have gone to extraordinary lengths to impress Iowa's voters, dying their hair, changing their wardrobes, posing--and giving speech after speech. This book chronicles the most important events of each Iowa caucus since 1972 and reveals how the unassuming Midwestern state came to be an unlikely powerhouse in presidential politics.

The Iowa Caucuses: First Tests of Presidential Aspiration, 1972-2008

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Skipper, John C.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Skipper, John C.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Skipper, John C.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Inside Pitch: A Closer Look at Classic Baseball Moments

Umpires: Classic Baseball Stories from the Men Who Made the Calls

A Biographical Dictionary of the Baseball Hall of Fame

A Biographical Dictionary of Major League Baseball Managers

The Cubs Win the Pennant!: Charlie Grimm, the Billy Goat Curse, and the 1945 World Series Run

Wicked Curve: The Life and Troubled Times of Grover Cleveland Alexander

Dazzy Vance: A Biography of the Brooklyn Dodger Hall of Famer

Charlie Gehringer: A Biography of the Hall of Fame Tigers Second Baseman

A Biographical Dictionary of the Baseball Hall of Fame

The Iowa Caucuses: First Tests of Presidential Aspiration, 1972-2008