Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Author David Vincent is the recognized expert on home runs, and he covers all the bases when it comes to the long ball in this book. Vincent is at his best detailing rule changes through the years, factors affecting home run production and home run trivia.

There are lots of interesting charts, graphs, lists and factoids that serious baseball fans will find appealing. The book walks the line between a reference book and commentary.

Vincent debunks several myths, including the common perception that expansion dilutes pitching and that there's a correlation between home run production and illegal drug use at the beginning of the 21st century.

Vincent contends that charges of a correlation between home run production in the 1990s and illegal drug use are emotional, overblown and misleading. He says the charges are not based on factual evidence but rather on conjecture and are more inflammatory than informative.

In chapter 12, Vincent lists 18 factors (in no particular order) that could possibly explain the increased home run production since the 1990s. All baseball fans would be well served to read this chapter closely.

While Vincent cautions baseball fans to wait for the evidence before condemning certain sluggers, his publisher's choice for the cover is interesting. What two home run hitters do you put on the cover of a book that is "The definitive history of baseball's ultimate weapon"? Babe Ruth, of course, is a given. Who's your other choice? Hank Aaron (who broke Babe's career record)? Barry Bonds (the single season record holder with 73 and likely all-time home run king)? Sammy Sosa (three 60-plus home run seasons)? Mark McGwire (first to break Roger Maris' single-season record)?

How about neither? The publisher seemed to be playing it extremely safe by selecting Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals, who entered 2007 with 250 career home runs after six seasons. While Pujols may end up being one of the greatest home run hitters, he had not won a home run title or hit 50 home runs in a season when he graced the cover of Vincent's book.

What with the homer rampage, I thought this book would be a great perspective on Bonds about to break the all-time record and the people about to join the 500-homer club this season. And is it ever! What I didn't expect was to find out that the recent homer rampage isn't really all that out of the ordinary, and some interesting explanations for why Bonds has hit so many homers. David Vincent doesn't accept that "steriods" is the only answer, and as the man with the most homer knowledge he can back things up with facts as well.

I highly recomment this book to any and all baseball fans, but especially those who dig the long ball.

I enjoyed this book tremendously and often found myself reading excerpts to my wife because I found them so fascinating. However, the early days of baseball with the different rules, stranger names and the myriad of facts that go with that era was very dry and hard to embrace. But I made it through that section and gained a greater appreciation of the players who helped make baseball the greatset game in the world. This book is the definitive history of the most exciting play in all of sports, the HOME RUN! If you love baseball, you will enjoy this book.