Triumph and tragedy in Mudville : a lifelong passion for baseball

"Scientific analysis intersects with flat-out fandom. [Gould] could write, he was funny, and he loved, loved baseball."—Booklist Science meets sport in this vibrant collection of baseball essays by the late evolutionary biologist.Among Stephen Jay Gould's many gifts was his ability to write eloquently about baseball, his great passion. Through the years, the renowned paleontologist published numerous essays on the sport; these have now been collected in a volume alive with the candor and insight that characterized all of Gould's writing. Here are his thoughts on the complexities of childhood streetball and the joys of opening day; tributes to Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, and lesser-knowns such as deaf-mute centerfielder "Dummy" Hoy; and a frank admission of the contradictions inherent in being a lifelong Yankees fan with Red Sox season tickets. Gould also deftly applies the tools of evolutionary theory to the demise of the .400 hitter, the Abner Doubleday creation myth, and the improbability of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. This book is a delight, an essential addition to Gould's remarkable legacy, and a fitting tribute to his love for the game. Foreword by David Halberstam Editor’s Note Seventh Inning Stretch: Baseball, Father, and Me REFLECTIONS AND EXPERIENCE Streetball from a New York City Boyhood The Babe’s Final Strike The Best of Times, Almost Innings More Power to Him Rough Injustice Tripping the Light Fantastic Fenway Crowns the Millennium Times to Try a Fan’s Soul Freud at the Ballpark A Time to Laugh HEROES LARGE, SMALL, AND FALLEN Mickey Mantle: The Man versus the Myth Dusty’s Moment This Was a Man The Greatest Athlete of the Century The Amazing Dummy The Glory of His Time, and Ours Eight More Out NATURE, HISTORY, AND STATISTICS AS MEANING Left Holding the Bat Why No One Hits .400 Anymore The Streak of Streaks Letter to Joe DiMaggio, January 3, 1985 The Creation Myths of Cooperstown The Brain of Brawn Baseball’s Reliquary: The Oddly Possible Hybrid of Shrine and University Jim Bowie’s Letter and Bill Buckner’s Legs CRITICISM Diamonds Are a Fan’s Best Friend Angell Hits a Grand Slam with Collected Baseball Essays The Black Men Who Integrated Big League Ball Baseball and the Two Faces of Janus The H and Q of Baseball Sultan of Sentimentality Baseball: Joys and Lamentations Good Sports & Bad "Scientific analysis intersects with flat-out fandom. [Gould] could write, he was funny, and he loved, loved baseball."? Booklist Science meets sport in this vibrant collection of baseball essays by the late evolutionary biologist.Among Stephen Jay Gould's many gifts was his ability to write eloquently about baseball, his great passion. Through the years, the renowned paleontologist published numerous essays on the sport; these have now been collected in a volume alive with the candor and insight that characterized all of Gould's writing. Here are his thoughts on the complexities of childhood streetball and the joys of opening day; tributes to Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, and lesser-knowns such as deaf-mute centerfielder "Dummy" Hoy; and a frank admission of the contradictions inherent in being a lifelong Yankees fan with Red Sox season tickets. Gould also deftly applies the tools of evolutionary theory to the demise of the .400 hitter, the Abner Doubleday creation myth, and the improbability of Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. This book is a delight, an essential addition to Gould's remarkable legacy, and a fitting tribute to his love for the game AMONG STEPHEN JAY GOULD's many gifts was his ability to write eloquently about the interface between his two great passions: baseball and biology. Through the years, the renowned paleontologist published numerous essays on the sport; these have now been collected in a volume alive with the candor and insight that characterize all of Gould's writing