Table Of Contents:
Introduction Michael Lewis 8
Inside the Park
Spring Has Sprung Frank Deford 15
A Day of Light and Shadow Jonathan Schwartz 34
No Place in the Shade Mark Kram 49
A Day of Prowess Robert Frost 57
The Ballad of Joe Moock Steve Rushin 61
An Outfielder for Hiroshima Mark Harris 71
Dream of Glory on the Mound George Plimpton 81
The Most Exciting 12 Seconds in Sports Roy Blount Jr. 96
Towering Shots
The Year, the Moment and Johnny Podres Robert Creamer 110
The Importance of Being Barry Richard Hoffer 115
End of the Glorious Ordeal Ron Fimrite 127
Williams Does It! Richard Hoffer 131
Heady Stuff Tom Verducci 136
You Had to See It to Believe It Rick Reilly 143
Hand It to Cal Richard Hoffer 146
One of a Kind
Heaven Help Marge Schott Rick Reilly 154
The Guiding Light Steve Wulf 169
The Transistor Kid RobertCreamer 181
He Does It by the Numbers Daniel Okrent 193
The Bird Fell to Earth Gary Smith 204
Master of the Joyful Illusion William Barry Furlong 220
The Spirit of St. Louis Rick Reilly 231
Max Steve Wulf 234
Giants
Aches and Pains and Three Batting Titles Myron Cope 248
The Mick Always Swung from the Heels Richard Hoffer 259
The Left Arm of God Tom Verducci 263
The Quiet Warrior Esmeralda Santiago 279
'Everyone Is Helpless and in Awe' Roy Blount Jr. 286
Going Fishing with the Kid John Underwood 301
600 and Counting Tom Verducci 315
God's Squads
Motley Crew Steve Rushin 320
The Worst Baseball Team Ever Jimmy Breslin 333
Lost in History William Nack 343
Hey, Chicago, Wait Till This Year Rick Telander 357
At the End of the Curse, a Blessing Tom Verducci 365
A Series to Savor Steve Rushin 381
Opposite Fielders
You Can Take the Boy Out of the Country Mark Kram 390
Son of Ball Four Jim Bouton 399
Hub Hails Its Hobbling Hero Peter Gammons 415
Love, Hate and Billy Martin Frank DeFord 421
The Benching of a Legend Roger Kahn 435
At Full Blast Jeff Pearlman 441
Me and Hutch Jim Brosnan 447
Totally Juiced Tom Verducci 459
Good Stuff
The Sound of Summer Steve Ruskin 472
Tiger Tales Leigh Montville 475
Waiting Game Jack McCallum 480
Against the Grain Steven Cannella 486
You Could Look It Up
From the Hill to the Hall Herbert Warren Wind 492
Baseball's Johnny Appleseed Harold Peterson 503
Still a Grand Old Game Roger Kahn 515
This Old House William Nack 545
Acknowledgments 559
Special Features:
Great Baseball Writing, 1954-2004
