Koppett's Concise History of Major League Baseball

Koppett's Concise History of Major League Baseball by Koppett, Leonard. paperback edition. ISBN: 9780786712861.

Baseballs greatest asset is the richness of its lore, and Leonard Koppett has made the entire treasure of the games history accessible in one enjoyable volume. In his lively narratives on the shape and significance of each season from baseballs nineteenth-century beginnings to the updated and expanded sections on the last decade, Koppett explains the changes in baseball-the-game and baseball-the-business that forged the major leagues we know today. Each chapter recounts trends, players, and events during different eras; offers succinct seasonal recaps, and summarizes how the consequences of that particular baseball era set the stage for the next. On the origins and evolution of on-the-field play—from the 1880s origin of pitching high and tight then low and away, to modern-day use of body armor at bat—plus statistics and record-breaking achievements, Koppetts got it covered. On business and organizational controversies, such as the introduction of night baseball, radio and TV broadcasting, free agency, strike actions, divisional play-offs, and the policies of owners and commissioners, Koppetts got it covered. One-stop reading for the most essential stories, statistics, and opinions on the major leagues, Koppetts Concise History of Major League Baseball is the most original baseball reference available.