Sports & Recreation : Baseball

Written and compiled by baseball expert Dan. Schlossberg, this book is chock-full of the best trivia,. information, and fun facts about the game. Featuring. interviews with players, managers, and other. baseball professionals, as well as never-before-told. stories, Baseball Bits is sure to hit a home run with. just about anyone who’s interested in the game. But that’s not all, because beyond the stories and. trivia, the die-hard fan also wants the most recent. information that affects this season. Inside each. book is a password that lets readers log onto a. website for up-to-the-minute information only. available there. The site is guaranteed to be updated. at least once a month—more frequently during the. season—to provide readers with everything they. need to know about the current season, including:. • The latest trades, and how they’ll affect particular. teams. • The best players’ current stats. • Who is about to break major records more...

Price: $16.95

A fantastic and far-flung compilation of stats, figures, and little-known nuggets about our national pastime. An addictive read, sure to spark conversation wherever baseball is spoken, The Baseball Maniac's Almanac is part reference, part trivia, part brain teaser--and absolutely the greatest, most unusual and thorough compendium of baseball stats and facts ever compiled-- all verfied for accuracy by the Baseball Hall of Fame. Renowned sportswriter Bert Sugar, with his trademark tough-guy swagger, presents thousands of fascinating lists, tables, data, and stimulating facts about:.:.; Individual players and teams.; Managers • Player relatives.; The Hall of Fame.; Annual awards.; The World Series.; All-Star Games.; A list of the all-time statistical leaders for all all the major league teams PLUS: A truly unforgettable ''miscellany'' section answers such mind-boggling questions as, ''Which major-leaguers have palindromic surnames?'' and ''Which players born under each zodiac sign have hit the most career home runs?''. more...

Price: $12.95

Put your game into overdrive with this complete guide to harnessing your athletic instincts. In baseball, a five-tool player possesses the five most important skills: hitting for power, hitting for average, defense, arm strength, and speed. But there is one essential skill that brings it all together: Baseball's Sixth Tool . It's that extra something, an X-factor that can make a good player great. In this fully illustrated, information-packed guide, coach Mark Gola shows you how to use your smarts to channel your instincts, psych out your opponents, deal with pressure, and much more. Whether you're in Little League or heading for the majors, you'll find all the answers in these 105 helpful tips written expressly to teach you how to: Fire up your baserunning without increasing speed; Step up your defensive play using keen observation and communication; Master pitching with super-smart strategies; Perfect your swing by getting prepared before you step to the plate; And become the all-around all-star player that every coach wants more...

Price: $18.95

Josh Hamilton was the first player chosen in the first round of the 1999 baseball draft.  He was known not only for his gargantuan homeruns, his speed on the bases and his fielding talent but also for his caring and humble character. He was destined to be one of those rare "high-character " superstars.  But in 2001, working his way from the minors to the majors, all of the plans for Josh went off the rails in a moment of weakness.  What followed was a 4-year nightmare of drugs and alcohol, estrangement from friends and family, and his eventual suspension from baseball.BEYOND BELIEF details the events that led up to the derailment. Josh explains how a young man destined for fame and wealth could allow his life to be taken over by drugs and alcohol. He will chronicle the details of the depths of his addiction.But Josh's story is one of redemption and triumph. It is inspirational, life-affirming and, since Josh credits his finding faith in Christ for saving his life, it is also the memoir of a spiritual journey that breaks through pain and heartbreak and leads to the rebirth of his major-league career. Josh Hamilton makes no excuses and places no blame on anyone other than himself. He takes responsibility for his poor decisions and believes his story can help millions who battle the same demons. "I have been given a platform to tell my story" he says. "I pray every night I am a good messenger." more...

Price: $17.99

An inspiring look at the heroism and heartbreak of the 1975 World Series. In a year when the nation sorely needed a diversion from the harsh news of the day, it arrived in the form of a Fall Classic that would live up to its name and never be forgotten. The Boys of October takes the reader back to those 12 exhilarating days in 1975, when the field was guarded by greatness--Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench--as the ragtag Boys from Beantown faced Cincinnati's ''Big Red Machine.''. Their triumphs and tribulations are all here, from Fisk's historic winning homer in the wee hours of Game Six, to the series' nail-biting finale, decided by a single, heart-stopping run. Through it all, the Boston Red Sox embodied the spirit of the game, in victory and defeat, to give us the series we needed-- and one we'll never forget. Against the backdrop of one turbulent summer, The Boys of October celebrates baseball and the heroes who made it what it is. more...

Price: $24.95