Synopses & Reviews
In this unique book, Paul Dickson celebrates one of the most unusual traditions in all of sports--the baseball scorecard. Within the history of the scorecard are some of baseball's greatest moments. From the first scorecard introduced in 1845, to the scoring system devised by direct-marketing genius L. L. Bean; from presidential scoring habits to batting titles decided by official scorers, to Phil Rizzuto's inspired scoring symbol "WW," ("Wasn't Watching"), Dickson delights in his subject, offering unique insights and memorable anecdotes. Among the book's many illustrations is a gallery of historic scorecards, including Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, Babe Ruth's famous "called" home run, and Cal Ripken's record-breaking 2,131st consecutive game.
In addition, Dickson provides basic and advanced scoring techniques for beginners and experts alike, a year-by-year timeline of rule changes, a guide to baseball's quirkiest statutes, stories of famous scoring blunders, and many more unexpected rewards. For those who keep or have kept score, this book will be an elixir. For those who haven't, it will be a revelation. For baseball fans everywhere, it is a treasure.
Review
"A celebration of one of baseball's most divine and unique pleasures, the art of painting a picture of an entire game using only a No. 2 pencil and a blank program lineup sheet."--
USA Today Baseball Weekly"If you are scoring at home, mark this book down as an extra-base hit. Dickson has done it again."--Sporting News
"The definitive book on the subject."--Jon Miller, ESPN announcer
"No other American sport has anything that genuinely approximates the scorecard."--Thomas Boswell
Description
Includes bibliographical references(p. 105-110) and index.
About the Author
Paul Dickson is the author of more than forty books, including The Joy of Keeping Score, The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary, Baseball's Greatest Quotations, and Baseball: The Presidents' Game. In addition to baseball, his specialties include Americana and language. He lives in Garrett Park, Maryland.