Eyewitness: Baseball (Hardcover)

by James E. Kelley (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Eyewitness Baseball tells the story of America's pastime--from its beginnings in 19th-century English schoolyards to its current status as one of the world's favorite games. Broken down into helpful sections on the diamond, umpires, pitching, batting, the hall of fame, the Babe, and so on, each topic is clearly explained and illustrated with several photographs. Especially interesting are the sections on player equipment--from shoes to helmets and from mitts to balls--and the way these items have evolved over time. For example, in the early years catchers' mitts were little more than a round leather pillow with a space for the hand to fit in the back--a far cry from the smaller, more flexible gloves worn today. Trivia fans will find much fodder here, from the required weight of official baseballs (between 5 and 5.25 ounces) to the one day a year the Cincinnati Reds change their name (St. Patrick's Day, when they become the Greens). All of the great ballplayers are here, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Satchel Paige, Mark McGwire, and Ken Griffey Jr. Packed with useful information, baseball fans of all ages will enjoy--and learn from--this beautiful book. (Ages 9 and older) --Sunny Delaney

Review
...a mini museum between the covers of a book. [Eyewitness series] -- The New York Times

Another photo-filled guide that brings non-fiction alive for kids in a fun-to-read format. -- Grand Rapids Press

Any true-blue fan would love to get his or her mitts on this info-packed guide to the world of baseball. -- Atlanta Journal Constitution

Kids who love baseball will love... this big book with gorgeous illustrations..." -- Ft. Worth Morning Star-Telegram

These books' striking visual impact will draw in even the most casual readers. [Eyewitness series] -- School Library Journal

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN; 1st edition (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789452413
• ISBN-13: 978-0789452412
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #514,377 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's a homerun!, February 5, 2001

By A Customer

I'd been trying to teach my six-year old son about the game when I came across this book. It really helped explain how everything works and the pictures were a perfect way to keep him engaged. It even taught me some stuff I didn't know!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Part history of baseball and part how-to-play-the-game, April 10, 2002

By	Lawrance M. Bernabo (The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)

There is a little bit about everything in "Eyewitness: Baseball." Ultimately, James Kelley's book focuses as much on how the game is played as its history. So while there are chapters on Babe Ruth, World Series Heroes and the Baseball hall of Fame, young readers will also learn about bats and balls, baserunning, baseball cards and statistics. There are sections on Little League, Women in Baseball, the Negro Leagues, and International Baseball. Like I said, young readers will learn a little bit about many different facets of the game. There are dozens of photographs, not only of great players but various types of equipment and memorabilia. One of the nice touches are the little notational details which are used to explain the mechanics of Raul Mondesi throwing the ball in from right field, that Jackie Robinson never played the outfield despite what it says on his 1954 Topps baseball card, and points out the Carlton Fisk's bat in a photo of him urging his home run fair in Game 6 of the 1975 World Series. While it is true that the more you already know about baseball the more you will enjoy this illustrated extravaganza, it will also serve to let younger fans know all the rich history of the game that is out there for them to explore because for every photograph of a contemporary superstar like Mark McGwire and Derek Jeter there are pictures of Grover Cleveland Alexander and Yogi Berra. I was surprised that a single book would try to both educate youngsters about the history fo the game and instruct them on how to improve their play, but "Eyewitness: Baseball" actually succeeds in doing a bit of both.

5.0 out of 5 stars Eyewitness books: Baseball, July 26, 2001

By	Kim Wilkoff - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eyewitness: Baseball (Eyewitness Books) (Library Binding)

My 4 year old loves for us to read this to him before bed. He loves the pictures and we find the writing interesting. A great find.