Fair Ball

4 Cassettes 6 hours
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It's Costas unplugged--a provocative, no-holds-barred assessment of the troubled state of Major League Baseball, with innovative strategies for restoring the thrill of genuine competition and rescuing fans from the forces that have diluted the sheer joy of the game.

No one calls ballgames better than Bob Costas, and no one is more knowledgeable and eloquent about baseball and its timeless appeal. Now, from his ideal perspective as an authority and true fan, the renowned broadcaster shares his honest, unflinching views on the subversive forces that are diminishing the game for fans - and proposes realistic changes that can be made to protect and promote the game's best interests.

Taking a bold and refreshing stance, Costas examines the growing financial disparity which has resulted in more than two-thirds of the teams in major league baseball having no chance of contending for the World Series. He takes a hard look at how talent-starved teams are increasingly marketing themselves by promoting family entertainment at the ballpark over star attractions on the field. And he presents a withering critique of the wild-card system, the designated hitter and short-sighted league realignment proposals that are compromising the competitive flavor of the game.

Filled with stories of games and players as only Costas can tell them, and superbly balanced by his unbridled appreciation for what he calls the "moments of authenticity" that can still make baseball inspiring, FAIR BALL is a vision of our national pastime as it can be, a game that retains its traditional appeal while remaining a central part of American life for the next century.