Synopses & Reviews
Hailed as "a staggering piece of scholarship" () is the most complete resource on the lexicon of baseball in the English language. More than twenty-five years in the making, with the help of more than 400 baseball and lexical experts, this masterful third edition, expanded by more than 30 percent, with over 10,000 terms and 18,000 definitions, provides the comprehensive history and meanings of words and phrases from around the world of baseball. Drawing on dozens of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century periodicals, as well as contemporary sources, Paul Dickson's brilliant, illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of our most treasured baseball expressions ("tearin' up the pea patch," "can o' corn," "catbird seat," etc.). Termed "baseball's Webster," Dickson has spent nearly a decade painstakingly revising and writing new definitions, for words both well-known and obscure, including those introduced by Latin-American ballplayers, and statistical expressions relating to fantasy baseball and the SABR/ era. More than 200 photos throughout the book--many rare and previously unpublished--illuminate various historical and contemporary terms. Because of its deep and broad coverage, its authoritativeness and its rich and colorful descriptions, will prove indispensable to baseball fans and word lovers alike.
Review
"A must-have for everyone who seeks to understand the spirit of America and, most especially, our politics: you'll learn why an easy question is a 'softball,' a tricky one, a 'curve ball,' and why sometimes we may have to 'play hardball.' We want leaders who 'can step up to the plate,' free of 'screwball' ideas from 'out of left field.' You will learn from this book and you will treasure this book, just as I have. It is an invaluable American thesaurus." Mark Shields
Review
"This grand book is truly a baseball lover's dream come true. From the first to the last page, it provides an enjoyable experience for readers to treasure. Of special note are the handsome presentation, adequate type size, and editorial care taken with photos and layout that makes the book accessible without compromising comprehensiveness. An essential guide to America's pastime.
Review
"[E]xtraordinary book...of value beyond the cost. If you or someone you love has an interest in [baseball, this] will be [a] welcome addition to any collection...so readable, so accessible, and such a pleasure to dip into, to research into, or to just sit down and read for the narrative flow." Hartford Courant
Review
"Baseball-loving dads need this book now. It's the perfect gift any time, but to receive it at the start of baseball season--well, it doesn't get any better than that." James Srodes Washington Times
Review
"A wonderful companion volume...enough to last a fan through a 162-game season and the playoffs....What a treasure to have at hand with a long season ahead.
Review
"If you're a baseball fan and...you're curious about the etymology of the phrase out in the left field or you need a refresher on the infield fly rule. Well for 20 years, the authority, the baseball Bible, if you will, has been . " David Broder The Washington Post
Review
This magnificent volume will make the perfect gift for diehard fans. --Vick Mickunas
Review
This book is very cool. --Rachel Maddow
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An indispensable guide to the language of baseball. --John Curtis
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Dickson’s discursive dictionary…a delight for former sandlot players, lexical scholars and members of the hot-stove league. --William Safire
Review
"Always attuned to lore and language, Dickson ventures far beyond dugout expressions that have already dug out a place in common American speech." Rob Kyff
Review
"Baseball belongs to the same class of folklore as, say, jazz, hamburgers and even hip-hop — but to employ Ken Burnsian hyperbole about the significance of its wordplay is a tough sell. It is what it is. As Dickson writes, it's 'low-key and light' — slang for its own sake. In other words, the richness of baseball's old, weird vernacular is pure, pointless creativity." Nick Stillman, The Nation (Read the entire )
Synopsis
The expanded and now-definitive work on the language of baseball — "absorbing and enlightening reading" (Sports Illustrated).
Synopsis
Drawing on dozens of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century periodicals, as well as contemporary sources, Paul Dickson s brilliant, illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of our most treasured baseball expressions ( tearin up the pea patch, can o corn, catbird seat, etc.). Termed baseball s Webster, Dickson has spent nearly a decade painstakingly revising and writing new definitions, for words both well-known and obscure, including those introduced by Latin-American ballplayers, and statistical expressions relating to fantasy baseball and the SABRMoneyball era. More than 200 photos throughout the book many rare and previously unpublished illuminate various historical and contemporary terms. Because of its deep and broad coverage, its authoritativeness and its rich and colorful descriptions, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary will prove indispensable to baseball fans and word lovers alike. "
Synopsis
Hailed as "a staggering piece of scholarship" (Wall Street Journal) The Dickson Baseball Dictionary is the most complete resource on the lexicon of baseball in the English language. More than twenty-five years in the making, with the help of more than 400 baseball and lexical experts, this masterful third edition, expanded by more than 30 percent, with over 10,000 terms and 18,000 definitions, provides the comprehensive history and meanings of words and phrases from around the world of baseball.
Drawing on dozens of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century periodicals, as well as contemporary sources, Paul Dickson's brilliant, illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of our most treasured baseball expressions ("tearin' up the pea patch," "can o' corn," "catbird seat," etc.). Termed "baseball's Webster," Dickson has spent nearly a decade painstakingly revising and writing new definitions, for words both well-known and obscure, including those introduced by Latin-American ballplayers, and statistical expressions relating to fantasy baseball and the SABR/Moneyball era. More than 200 photos throughout the book--many rare and previously unpublished--illuminate various historical and contemporary terms.
Because of its deep and broad coverage, its authoritativeness and its rich and colorful descriptions, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary will prove indispensable to baseball fans and word lovers alike.
Synopsis
Hailed as a staggering piece of scholarship (Wall Street Journal), The Dickson Baseball Dictionary has become an indispensable resource for those who love the game. Drawing on dozens of nineteenth and early twentieth-century periodicals as well as contemporary sources, illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of terms both well known and obscure. More than twenty-five years in the making, with the help of more than three hundred baseball and lexical experts, this new edition is expanded by more than thirty percent to over 10,000 terms with 18,000 individual entries. It introduces words and phrases from around the world of baseball, including those introduced by Latin-American ballplayers, and statistical expressions relating to fantasy baseball and the SABR/Moneyball era. Packed with more than 250 photos — many rare and previously unpublished — The Dickson Baseball Dictionary will delight everyone from the youngest fan to the hard-core aficionado.
Synopsis
The expanded and now-definitive work on the language of baseball--"That rarest of sports books, a valuable reference work that provides absorbing and enlightening reading." ()
About the Author
Paul Dickson is the author of several bestselling books, including Baseball's Greatest Quotations, The Hidden Language of Baseball, and The Joy of Keeping Score. He lives in Garrett Park, Maryland.