The Politics of Glory: How Baseball's Hall of Fame Really Works [Hardcover]

Bill James (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2, 1994

Takes a close look at the Baseball Hall of Fame, explaining how it operates, who controls it, how they make decisions, and how players are elected, using the continuing battle over former Yankee Phil Rizzuto to illuminate the controversy. 25,000 first printing. $50,000 ad/promo.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

James, the acknowledged authority on baseball statistics ( The Baseball Abstract ), discusses how players have been selected in the past and are chosen now for the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, N.Y. The Baseball Writers of America, which picks contemporary players, has been sparing in its inductions, he argues, while the groups (now called the Veterans Committee) that have picked past players have been overly generous. The criteria for selection are so nebulous and the voting so capricious that nobody should be surprised at any choices, James cautions. The hook on which he hangs his study is the battles over whether Phil Rizzuto and Don Drysdale belong in the Hall of Fame. Neither does, he concludes. James shows that injustices have been perpetrated and presents his own sensible criteria. The book is filled with such a plethora of numbers that its main appeal may be more to statisticians than to baseball fans, although James maintains that ultimately statistics are all there are: everything else, in time, is forgotten. Photos not seen by PW .
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

James, a baseball statistics analyst (e.g., The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract, Villard, 1988. rev. ed.) gives an often harsh critique of the operation of the Baseball Hall of Fame. After colorfully relating the shrine's history with both praise and scorn, James attacks the voting procedures, especially in the case of the Veterans Committee, which in the institution's early years filled the roster with friends and teammates. Along with his own choices regarding who deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and who does not, James offers "better" methods for future selection. More detailed and analytical than Brent Kelley's The Case For ( LJ 2/1/92), this is strongly recommended.
- Morey Berger, St. Joseph's Hosp. Medical Lib., Tucson
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 452 pages
• Publisher: Macmillan (May 2, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0025107747
• ISBN-13: 978-0025107748
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.7 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,002,189 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A must for Baseball Nerds., February 18, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Politics of Glory: How Baseball's Hall of Fame Really Works (Hardcover)

If you really care if Phil Ruzzitto should or should not be in the Hall of Fame this is the book for you. Bill James is the dean of sabrematicians, the guys who study baseball statistics for what those numbers can tell us about the game. The Politics of Glory uses statistics to examine the players who are in the Hall of Fame and makes some judgments as to whether they should be there and looks at players who are not in the Hall of Fame and makes similar judgments. The book is fun to read for anyone who likes baseball. The statistical methods are easy to follow and is written with a good humor that makes this potentially dry subject very intersting.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The book has some value..., August 10, 2006

By 

Bookworm - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Politics of Glory: How Baseball's Hall of Fame Really Works (Hardcover)

... you're enjoy it more if you have a degree in math. It makes several interesting arguments why Drysdale and Rizzuto shouldn't be in the HOF. Nice discussion on the merits of Milt Pappas versus Drysdale. I never realized that the Veterans Committee had let in so many questionable candidates. Fortunately I think that the HOF has resolved that problem thanks largely to Joe Morgan's efforts (Thank you Joe!). I had heard the story on how Rick Ferrell got elected by the VC, maybe the least deserving member ever elected by the VC to the HOF. I had heard it was unanimous, but it was only 14 of 18 veterans who voted him in (blame Jim Campbell on this one).

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Knowledgeable stats man and quality analysis., May 7, 2004

By 

Leila G. Wheeler (Clearfield, Utah United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Politics of Glory: How Baseball's Hall of Fame Really Works (Hardcover)

This book is very thought provoking and honest.I love the way he analyzes players from different eras by using that eras stats to base his quality assessments on. Maybe not all hall of famers belong there, but the truth is statistics sure say a lot.When will he come out with an updated hall of fame book?