The Infield Fly Rule is the most misunderstood rule in baseball and perhaps in all of sports. That also makes it the most infamous. Drawing on interviews with experts, legal arguments and a study of every infield fly play in eight Major League seasons, this book tells the complete story of the rule. The author covers the rule's history from the 19th century to the modern game, its underlying logic and supporting arguments, recent criticisms and calls for repeal, the controversies and confusion it creates, and its effect on how the game is played.
The Infield Fly Rule follows a spirited group of New England teen age baseball players through a baseball season. They roam from town to town in their eccentric coach's converted bus, from ball field to ball field chasing the American sports dream, seeking adventure, both on and off the field. Encountering both victory and defeat, they learn about baseball, camaraderie, and the vagaries of life. It is a story of contrasting personalities, competition, and challenges, but also of love, friendship, victory, and perseverance. Led by a quixotic coach and his loyal assistants, the team experiences all the joys and sorrows of growing up with the great game of baseball.
A great overview for novices and a precise reference guide for devoted fans! Admit it: Even if you’re a die-hard fan of our national pastime, sometimes an umpire’s call can be baffling. And for newer fans, Major League Baseball’s nuanced rules—developed and revised over many decades—can be downright perplexing. Now updated throughout with the latest changes, including specifications about the universal designated hitter and limits on defensive shifts, the Baseball Field Guide lays out every rule in plain English. You’ll learn to answer all these questions and more: Do you know the twenty-two ways a pitcher can be charged with a balk? Can you list all seven ways a batter can safely get to first base? Obstruction or interference—who’s at fault when things get rough? What are the rules that apply before and after a game? What happens when spectators are the ones who misbehave? How well do you understand the infamous Infield Fly Rule (and why does it exist)? This is the clearest explanation anywhere of the rules of baseball. Designed for quick and intuitive searches, this entertaining reference will help you understand every aspect of the game and add to your enjoyment of the sport.
The highly anticipated follow-up to Bishop Robert Barron's hugely successful Catholicism: A Journey to the Faith As secularism gains influence, and increasing numbers see religion as dull and backward, Robert Barron wants to illuminate how beautiful, intelligent, and relevant the Catholic faith is. In this compelling new book—drawn from conversations with and narrated by award-winning Vatican journalist John L. Allen, Jr.—Barron, founder of Word on Fire Catholic Ministries, proclaims in vivid language the goodness and truth of the Catholic tradition. Through Barron’s smart, practical, artistic, and theological observations as well as personal anecdotes—from engaging atheists on YouTube to discussing his days as a young diehard baseball fan from Chicago—To Light a Fire on the Earth covers prodigious ground. Touching on everything from Jesus to prayer, science, movies, atheism, the spiritual life, the fate of Church in modern times, beauty, art, and social media, Barron reveals why the Church matters today and how Catholics can intelligently engage a skeptical world.
The essential resource for players and fans of the game. Included are the sport's official playing rules, pitching regulations, referee signals, and field diagrams for fast and slow pitch, both 12 inch and 16 inch.
A brilliant, entertaining deconstruction of basketball, drawing on the expertise of board-game creators, magicians, therapists, and more Basketball is the second-most popular sport in the world—an insanely complicated game built on a combination of athleticism, craftiness, rules, intangibles, and superstardom. However, while it’s enjoyable to watch, the real reason it works is because it’s a game of culture, art, and all the things that make us human. How to Watch Basketball Like a Genius deconstructs the sport from top to bottom and then puts it back together again, detailing its intricacies through reporting and dozens of interviews with experts. These experts, however, are a diverse group: wine critics weighing in on LeBron’s ability to delegate on the fly, magicians analyzing Chris Paul’s mystifying dribbling techniques, cartographers breaking down Steph Curry’s deadeye three-point shooting. Every chapter treats basketball to a multi-disciplined study that adventures far beyond the lines of the court, examining key elements of the sport from some surprising and revealing angles. There’s a reason it has conquered the world, and every game is a chance to learn about pop culture, fashion, history, science, art, and anything else that bounces our way.
In 1965, the Minnesota Twins were an endless surprise. Baseball was the nation s sport, and it gave people a little break from the world. The Minnesota Twins powerful lineup drew huge crowds in cities such as New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. But in an upper Midwest storm-filled year, the Minnesota Twins were the perfect storm. When the World Series between the Twins and the Dodgers arrived Minneapolis was vibrant with red, white, and blue bunting. The Twins scored six times in the third inning of the first World Series game ever played in Minnesota. Decades after the 1965 World Series fans lined up for autographs of their heroes. This is the story of the team, the players, the games of the 1965 Minnesota Twins.
Written BY Umpires...FOR Umpires. This is the definitive book for baseball umpires at the High School level and below. A complete manual covering Umpire Mechanics for 2, 3, and 4 umpires with illustrations and explanations for virtually every play and runner configuration.
The Infield Fly Rule follows a spirited group of New England teen age baseball players through a baseball season. They roam from town to town in their eccentric coach's converted bus, from ball field to ball field chasing the American sports dream, seeking adventure, both on and off the field. Encountering both victory and defeat, they learn about baseball, camaraderie, and the vagaries of life. It is a story of contrasting personalities, competition, and challenges, but also of love, friendship, victory, and perseverance. Led by a quixotic coach and his loyal assistants, the team experiences all the joys and sorrows of growing up with the great game of baseball.
