Zack Hample

This is a breezy, accessible and often humorous survey of the various positions, strategies, and structure of Major League Baseball. It comes with a very useful glossary that runs the gamut of baseball terms and lingo from a to z. Even a serious fan of the game will find things here that surprise and enlighten. But it should be a fun read even for those (relatively) new to the game. You’ll read it, and then you’ll want to recommend it to a friend. As do I.

This is a pretty good book, as noted by previous reviews, but for a real classic, read "A Thinking Man's Guide to Baseball," by Leonard Koppett.

I've read it several times over the years and still find it interesting and informative. In some ways it may be a bit outdated as it was published in 1967 I believe. The chapter on who's better, Mays or Mantle, is a must read for anyone interested in the history of baseball.

A good coverage of the intricacies of baseball - especially for the parent, spouse or partner of an all-knowing fan. Avoid those long suffering explanations, look it up yourself. Zack Hample writes well and is witty enough that this is a good read even if you are only moderately interested in baseball. This book is likely better to keep around and dip into from time to time than to red straight through.

There's some good information in this book, but the structure and the insistence on the use of emphasis for lingo and unfamiliar terms make the tone condescending.

Disclaimer: I hate Zack Hample (and ANY ballhawks) and find them to be greedy vultures.