The 34-Ton Bat: The Story of Baseball as Told Through Bobbleheads, Cracker Jacks, Jockstraps, Eye Black, and 375 Other Strange and Unf (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9780316200936)

An unorthodox history of baseball told through the enthralling stories of the game's objects, equipment, and characters.

No sport embraces its wild history quite like baseball, especially in memorabilia and objects. Sure, there are baseball cards and team pennants. But there are also huge balls, giant bats, peanuts, cracker jacks, eyeblack, and more, each with a backstory you have to read to believe. In The 34-Ton Bat, Sports Illustrated writer Steve Rushin tells the real, unvarnished story of baseball through the lens of all the things that make it the game that it is.

Rushin weaves these rich stories -- from ballpark pipe organs played by malevolent organists to backed up toilets at Ebbets Field -- together in their order of importance (from most to least) for an entertaining and compulsive read, glowing with a deep passion for America's Pastime. The perfect holiday gift for casual fans and serious collectors alike, The 34-Ton Bat is a true heavy hitter.

Author: Steve Rushin
ISBN-10: 031620093X
ISBN-13: 9780316200936
Publisher: Little Brown and Company
Language: English
Published: 10/15/2013
Pages: 352
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.90w x 1.30d

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/29/2013
Booklist 09/01/2013 pg. 30
Kirkus Reviews 09/15/2013
Shelf Awareness 11/01/2013