The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baseball [Paperback]

Johnny Bench (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1999

You're no idiot, of course. You know that Babe Ruth was the Sultan of Swat, Mark McGwire is the home run champ, and the '98 Yankees were one of the best teams in baseball history. But when it comes to understanding the finer points of a suicide squeeze or the impact of the designated hitter rule, you feel like a Little Leaguer facing a Randy Johnson fastball. Don't bench yourself just yet! Hall of Famer Johnny Bench--named the greatest catcher and 16th greatest all-around player in history by The Sporting News in 1998-- is here to help you follow the national pastime like a pro. In his fact-filled book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baseball, Johnny gives you:

Product Details

• Paperback: 1 pages
• Publisher: Alpha (1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0028629515
• ISBN-13: 978-0028629513
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #664,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful for anyone interested in the game, April 5, 2000

By 

Phillip Webb (Salem, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baseball (Paperback)

I bought this book for two reasons. One, I am a fan of Johnny Bench and two, my wife wants to learn more about baseball. What I found was a comprehensive "single source" for baseball info. I found the history and insight very interesting (baseball is after all nothing if not history) and the explanations are complete without being to complex for the neophyte to comprehend.

Johnnys personal insight into the game is very interesting, he certainly has the credibility to make observations and lacks the self aggrandizment that plagues so much sports writing (he doesn't include himself in his "All time greatest line up" when most people include him in theirs, deservedly so).

His pointers on the technique are both simple and thorough enough to get anyone started and complete enough to include even pointers on starting a local league and how to properly fill out a scorecard.

Johnny does include his own opinions on many things baseball related and while some may find that irritating, the insight of someone who has actually played the game and played it well are both interesting and compelling whether you agree with him or not.

If a person loves the game of baseball, or simply wants to be able understand the game enough to enjoy it, this book is for you. If you are looking for the "star gazing" and bloated, self serving commentary so common in sports writing, this will seem pretty dry.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good basic guide to baseball, May 13, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baseball (Paperback)

I have both the "Idiot's Guide to Baseball" and "Baseball for Dummies" (I must be really stupid!). While either is acceptable as a good overall guide to baseball, I'd lean toward Johnny Bench's book; there seems to be more 'meat on it', even though I agree with one reviewer that there's a few too many personal anecdotes. One positive about either of the books mentioned is that while many of the 'Idiot's/Dummies' books had way too much 'forced humor', it's kept to a reasonable level on these.

Once you've digested either book, you might consider "Men at Work" by George Wills, "A Thinking Man's Guide to Baseball" by Leonard Koppett, "Tim McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans" and the controversial but enjoyable book, "Ball Four" by Jim Bouton.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 Star Look at Learning the Game!, June 14, 2000

By 

Todd Hawley (San Francisco CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Baseball (Paperback)

Bench imparts his knowledge of the game well in this book. Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of baseball and is full of informative tips. I'm a casual fan and I learned so much reading though this book.

I learned about different pitches, offensive and defensive strategies, what each player's important jobs on defense and offense are, and how the manager tries his best to win the game.

There are also sections at the end of the book containing a glossary of baseball terms, all-time records, and a list of Hall of Famers.

I always admired Bench as a player; now I realize Bench is an excellent student of the game as well.