Wacholtz,
Anthony. Ultimate Collection of Pro Baseball Records. Capstone Publishers 32p $33.99 978-1-4296-8714-0 2013 ms/jr VG-BNS
Series: For the
Record Sports
nonfiction
This is a highly entertaining and well-researched volume from Sports Illustrated
for Kids, and it should be a hit with young baseball fans. Perfect for browsing, this volume contains
tables of “the best of” and “the worst of” in many statistical areas, with interesting anecdotal information, as well as explanations of historically significant facts. Photos of famous players from the early days
of baseball to the present are included on the pages detailing their
records. Each chapter addresses a new
aspect of the game - hitting, pitching, teams, and post-season play.
While no volume for young readers can
include every baseball statistic, it would have been interesting to include the
perfect games in the pitching chapter. And,
while the author intended to make this book upbeat and interesting for young
readers, some mention could have been made about the steroid controversy and
the records of Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.
That omission notwithstanding, most of the book is entertaining and
informative and will appeal to elementary and lower-middle-school baseball fans.
Bibliographical references and a link
to FactHound for additional web-based information are included, as well as a
comprehensive index. This book is part
of the For the Record series.
There are four books in the series at this time, and its focus is the presentation of
selected professional sports statistics. The books in the series are perfect for browsing. Capstone has worked in partnership with Sports Illustrated for Kids to create the series.
Baseball Statistics --Pat Naismith
