Book Description

A forgotten classic from the Golden Age of baseball, with tips, advice, and priceless anecdotes from the immortal Joltin' Joe

Even people who don't give a hoot about baseball know of Joe DiMaggio, a true American icon. Arguably the greatest hitter of all time­­his consecutive-game hitting record of 56, set in 1941, stands to this day­­he was also one of the best and most graceful center fielders in baseball history. He led the Yankees to nine World Series titles and, at the height of his career, was the most popular man in America. What few people know or remember, however, is that Joe DiMaggio also wrote (and McGraw-Hill published in 1948) a paean to the game titled Baseball for Everyone. We are pleased to offer again this long-forgotten treasure for baseball fans everywhere.

Baseball for Everyone is a leisurely tour through the nuances of the game as played at all levels from sandlot to the big leagues. For aspiring young players and rabid fans alike, it provides the insight and higher understanding that only a player at the top of the game could offer. It explores the finer points of playing each position, lingers on the pitcher's craft, and dwells on the psychology as well as the mechanics of hitting. In addition to DiMaggio's timeless advice and insights on all aspects of the game, there are colorful stories and action photos of many players now enshrined in baseball's Hall of Fame, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Lou Gehrig. There is also a special chapter featuring "How to Score" by the late Red Barber, the voice of baseball for millions of Americans for nearly half a century. Written with the "boy's-own-book" innocence that characterized much of the writing of its day, Baseball for Everyone is a charming tribute to America's game, a wonderful piece of Americana, and a treasury of baseball history and lore. It eloquently underlines how much in baseball is timeless, but also what has changed.


From the Back Cover

Even people who don't give a hoot about baseball know of the immortal Joe DiMaggio, a true American icon. Arguably the greatest hitter of all time--his 56-game hitting streak, set in 1941, stands to this day--he was also one of the best center fielders in baseball history.

DiMaggio led the Yankees to ten World Series titles and, at the height of his career, "Joltin' Joe," as he was dubbed in a hit tune of the same name written in his honor in 1941, was the most popular man in America. When Baseball for Everyone was published in 1948, kids everywhere could get baseball tips and lore from the greatest player ever.

With the reissue of this best-selling classic, a new generation can learn from the best, while those who remember the Yankee Clipper can revisit wonderful memories. Baseball for Everyone is an informal tour through the game as played at all levels, from sandlots to the big leagues, and provides aspiring young players and enthusiasts alike with insights and a depth of understanding that only a player at the top of the game can offer. Packed with fascinating anecdotes, Baseball for Everyone explores the finer points of playing each position, with special attention given to the pitcher's craft and the psychology and mechanics of hitting.

In addition to DiMaggio's timeless advice and guidance, Baseball for Everyone also features helpful tips and colorful stories by and about many players now enshrined in baseball's Hall of Fame, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Lou Gehrig, along with archival action photos of the players. There is also a special chapter, "How to Score," in which the late Red Barber, the voice of baseball for millions of Americans for nearly half a century, explains how to score a baseball game.

A fascinating and intimate look at the art and science of baseball, as told by the Yankee Clipper himself, Baseball for Everyone is for all who love the game and savor the legends surrounding it.

A forgotten classic from the Golden Age of baseball, with tips, advice, and colorful anecdotes from the immortal Joltin' Joe

"Baseball for Everyone has much to recommend it to every baseball-minded reader."--New York Times

"No one played with more pride than The Great DiMaggio. Every game he strived to be the best player in the world. Perfection was his goal, and no one ever came closer. Once he was asked why he pushed himself so hard on the field. He replied, 'I always think there might be someone out there in the stands who has never seen me play.' . . .

What's so marvelous about this book is that DiMaggio's advice and tips about the game are as relevant today as they were then, because in fact, though the world has changed greatly, the game of baseball never really changes. . . . DiMaggio's knowledge of the game and his reverence for it come through on every page."
--from the foreword by Peter Golenbock, author of Dynasty: The New York Yankees 1949 - 1964 and Bums: An Oral History of the Brooklyn Dodgers


About the Author

Joe DiMaggio (1914 - 1999) played for the Yankees from 1936 to 1951, with time out for military service in World War II. In a poll taken in the 1940s, he topped George Washington as "the greatest American of all time."

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Even people who don't give a hoot about baseball know of the immortal Joe DiMaggio, a true American icon. Arguably the greatest hitter of all time - his 56-game hitting streak, set in 1941, stands to this day - he was also one of the best center fielders in baseball history. DiMaggio led the Yankees to ten World Series titles and, at the height of his career, "Joltin' Joe," as he was dubbed in a hit tune of the same name written in his honor in 1941, was the most popular man in America. When Baseball for Everyone was first published in 1948, kids everywhere could get baseball tips and lore from the greatest player ever." With the reissue of this best-selling classic, a new generation can learn from the best, while those who remember the Yankee Clipper can revisit wonderful memories. Baseball for Everyone is an informal tour through the game as played at all levels, from sandlots to the big leagues, and provides aspiring young players and enthusiasts alike with insights and a depth of understanding that only a player at the top of the game can offer. Packed with fascinating anecdotes, Baseball for Everyone explores the finer points of playing each position, with special attention given to the pitcher's craft and the psychology and mechanics of hitting.

SYNOPSIS

Even people who don't give a hoot about baseball know of the immortal Joe DiMaggio, a true American icon. Arguably the greatest hitter of all time—his 56-game hitting streak, set in 1941, stands to this day—he was also one of the best center fielders in baseball history.

DiMaggio led the Yankees to ten World Series titles and, at the height of his career, "Joltin' Joe," as he was dubbed in a hit tune of the same name written in his honor in 1941, was the most popular man in America. When Baseball for Everyone was published in 1948, kids everywhere could get baseball tips and lore from the greatest player ever.

With the reissue of this best-selling classic, a new generation can learn from the best, while those who remember the Yankee Clipper can revisit wonderful memories. Baseball for Everyone is an informal tour through the game as played at all levels, from sandlots to the big leagues, and provides aspiring young players and enthusiasts alike with insights and a depth of understanding that only a player at the top of the game can offer. Packed with fascinating anecdotes, Baseball for Everyone explores the finer points of playing each position, with special attention given to the pitcher's craft and the psychology and mechanics of hitting.

In addition to DiMaggio's timeless advice and guidance, Baseball for Everyone also features helpful tips and colorful stories by and about many players now enshrined in baseball's Hall of Fame, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and Lou Gehrig, along with archival action photos of the players. There is also a special chapter, "How to Score," in which the late Red Barber, the voice of baseball for millions of Americans for nearly half a century, explains how to score a baseball game.

A fascinating and intimate look at the art and science of baseball, as told by the Yankee Clipper himself, Baseball for Everyone is for all who love the game and savor the legends surrounding it.

A forgotten classic from the Golden Age of baseball, with tips, advice, and colorful anecdotes from the immortal Joltin' Joe

"Baseball for Everyone has much to recommend it to every baseball-minded reader."—New York Times

"No one played with more pride than The Great DiMaggio. Every game he strived to be the best player in the world. Perfection was his goal, and no one ever came closer. Once he was asked why he pushed himself so hard on the field. He replied, 'I always think there might be someone out there in the stands who has never seen me play.' . . .