Home Run: The Definitive History of Baseball's Ultimate Weapon

Description

The home run is indeed baseball's ultimate weapon. It can change a game in a heartbeat, making a tight game into a blowout or a seemingly easy win into a nail-biter. Homers are majestic, powerful, and awe inspiring. And sluggers are the sport's biggest stars, from the days of Babe Ruth through Barry Bonds. David Vincent, called"The Sultan of Swat Stats" by ESPN, delves into the long history of the home run with great detail and color. He starts when the rules of the game were highly unstable and sometimes the definition of a home run could change in a park from year to year; follows through the "Deadball Era," when the home run was rare; explores the explosion Babe Ruth brought to baseball in the 1920s; discusses how both world wars affected homer statistics; looks at great home run races such as Maris versus Mantle in 1961; assesses the effects of the juiced ball, juiced players, thin air, and smaller ballparks; and so much more. If there is something to know about home run history, look to David Vincent for the answer-Major League Baseball does. With Home Run: The Definitive History of Baseball's Ultimate Weapon, now you can know it too. A 1990s Nike commercial proclaimed that "chicks dig the long ball." In this thorough and colorful look at baseball's ultimate weapon, David Vincent shows you why.

"Everything you wanted to know about the home run is in this book. . . .from charts to anecdotes, history to histrionics." "David Vincent hit it out of the park with "Home Run"." ." . . .delves into the long history of the home run with great detail and color." "David Vincent [is] the guru of home runs." When you hit a home run, it s like no other feeling in the game. Everything becomes slow motion, and for those 15 20 seconds from the time you make contact until you touch home plate it really feels like things come to a standstill. The feeling never gets old obviously some home runs are more significant than others, but each one is almost as exciting as the first one. Jim Thome, Chicago White Sox--Jim Thome" "In the history of American sports, there is nothing as sacred as the home run. It was that way a century ago, and it will be that way a century from now. Take a trip back, back, back with David Vincent as he visits the legend of the long ball."--Chris Berman, ESPN--Chris Berman (12/06/2006) "David Vincent knows more about home runs than any person has a right to know."--Dave Niehaus, Seattle Mariners broadcaster--Dave Niehaus "When you hit a home run, it's like no other feeling in the game. Everything becomes slow motion, and for those 15-20 seconds from the time you make contact until you touch home plate it really feels like things come to a standstill. The feeling never gets old--obviously some home runs are more significant than others, but each one is almost as exciting as the first one."--Jim Thome, Chicago White Sox--Jim Thome -In the history of American sports, there is nothing as sacred as the home run. It was that way a century ago, and it will be that way a century from now. Take a trip back, back, back with David Vincent as he visits the legend of the long ball.---Chris Berman, ESPN--Chris Berman (12/06/2006) -David Vincent knows more about home runs than any person has a right to know.---Dave Niehaus, Seattle Mariners broadcaster--Dave Niehaus -When you hit a home run, it's like no other feeling in the game. Everything becomes slow motion, and for those 15-20 seconds from the time you make contact until you touch home plate it really feels like things come to a standstill. The feeling never gets old--obviously some home runs are more significant than others, but each one is almost as exciting as the first one.---Jim Thome, Chicago White Sox--Jim Thome -I suggest that you wear your glove and pay attention while reading this book. Never have more home runs flown off the printed page. David Vincent has chronicled America's long and giddy obsession with the long ball, delivering a fusillade of dingers, taters, circuit clouts, and four-ply wallops. Nice work.---Leigh Montville, author of The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth--Leigh Montville (12/28/2006) "I suggest that you wear your glove and pay attention while reading this book. Never have more home runs flown off the printed page. David Vincent has chronicled America's long and giddy obsession with the long ball, delivering a fusillade of dingers, taters, circuit clouts, and four-ply wallops. Nice work."--Leigh Montville, author of The Big Bam: The Life and Times of Babe Ruth--Leigh Montville (12/28/2006)