Dating back to 1869 as an organized professional sport the game of baseball is not only the oldest professional sport in North America but also symbolizes much more. Walt Whitman described it as our game the American game and George Will compared calling baseball just a game to the Grand Canyon being just a hole. Countless others have called baseball the most elegant game and to those who have played it its life. The Historical Dictionary of Baseball is primarily devoted to the major leagues it also includes entries on the minor leagues the Negro Leagues womens baseball baseball in various other countries and other nonmajor league related topics. It traces baseball in general and these topics individually from their beginnings up to the present. This is done through a chronology an introductory essay appendixes and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 900 crossreferenced entries on the roles of the players on the fieldbatters pitchers fieldersas well as nonplaying personnelgeneral managers managers coaches and umpires. There are also entries for individual teams and leagues stadiums and ballparks the role of the draft and reserve clause and baseballs rules and statistical categories. This book is an excellent access point for students researchers and anyone wanting to know more about the sport of baseball. show more