The New Bill James Historical Baseball AbstractIn 1985, when Bill James, by then already baseball's "Sultan of Stats" "(The Boston Globe)" and author of a bestselling annual compendium entitled "The Baseball Abstract," wrote a 700-page book entitled "The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract," he produced an immediate classic. Lawrence Ritter, author of "The Glory of Their Times," called it one of the three greatest baseball books ever written. Jonathan Yardley of "The Washington Post" wrote, "My own shelf of genuinely first-rate baseball books is very small, but a place will have to be found on it for this one." It's back. "The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract," like the original, is really several books in one. The Game is a history of baseball, decade by decade, from the 1880s through the 1990s. For each decade, the "New Abstract" offers a bulleted summary incorporating the obvious -- highest batting average, best won-lost record by team -- and the eccentric. Included in the latter are such categories as Heaviest Player (for the 1930s: Jumbo Brown, a 6'4" 295-lb. pitcher), Most Admirable Superstar (for the 1960s: Roberto Clemente), Worst-Hitting Pitcher, B |
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American League Babe Ruth ball ballplayer baseball history batting average best players better Bill Billy Bobby Boston Cardinals career catcher center fielder Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Collins Cubs Dave Davis decade defensive Dodgers double plays Eddie fans field Frank George Giants going Gold Glove guys Hall of Fame hitter home runs homers Honus Wagner Hornsby infield Jimmy Joe DiMaggio John McGraw Johnny league player league teams led the league Lombardi Louis major league manager Mickey Mike minor MVP Award National League Negro League never nickname outfield park percentage Pete Philadelphia Phillies pitch pitcher putouts record Red Sox Robinson rookie runner runs scored second base second baseman shortstop star stolen bases strikeouts teammates Ted Williams things third base third baseman throw Tommy Tony traded Ty Cobb umpire walks White Sox Willie Win Shares World Series Yankees York