Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks

Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks
by Zack Hample

Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks
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Book Summary Information

Author: Zack Hample
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-03-27
ISBN: 0307280322
Number of pages: 272
Publisher: Vintage

Book Reviews of Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks

Book Review: Slightly above beginner
Summary: 4 Stars

Your view of this short book depends on how much you know about baseball already and how much you want to know. Being that you are looking at it and the title, you are at least a little interested. I found myself speed reading through some sections, but others sections I read with great interest due to knowledge base or lack thereof. The author loosely organizes the book on sections about player positions, stadiums, and so forth. Organization is not a strong part of this book. But, there are some great facts in here. For 200 pages, I learned a lot.

Summary of Watching Baseball Smarter: A Professional Fan's Guide for Beginners, Semi-experts, and Deeply Serious Geeks

Whether you're a major league couch potato, life-long season ticket-holder, or teaching game to a beginner, Watching Baseball Smarter leaves no territory uncovered. In this smart and funny fan's guide Hample explains the ins and outs of pitching, hitting, running, and fielding, while offering insider trivia and anecdotes that will surprise even the most informed viewers of our national pastime.

What is the difference between a slider and a curveball?
At which stadium did "The Wave" first make an appearance?
How do some hitters use iPods to improve their skills?
Which positions are never played by lefties?
Why do some players urinate on their hands?

Combining the narrative voice and attitude of Michael Lewis with the compulsive brilliance of Schott's Miscellany, Watching Baseball Smarter will increase your understanding and enjoyment of the sport-no matter what your level of expertise.

Zack Hample is an obsessed fan and a regular writer for minorleaguebaseball.com. He's collected nearly 3,000 baseballs from major league games and has appeared on dozens of TV and radio shows. His first book, How to Snag Major League Baseballs, was published in 1999.

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