The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract » (Revised)

In 1985, Bill James, already recognized as baseball's most brilliant analyst, scholar, and author, unveiled a masterwork called The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract. Today, the work is widely considered to be one of the greatest baseball books ever. Now, the greatest just got better.

The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract is really two books in one. The first, "The Game," is an incisive, decade-by-decade history of baseball. For each decade, James provides a bulleted summary that includes not only all the expected information -- best records, highest batting average -- but also a range of eccentric details, from the heaviest player to the worst-hitting pitcher. The second part of the Abstract, "The Players," ranks history's top one hundred managers and players in each position. The rankings yield several surprises, based as they are on a fascinating and persuasive new method James has dubbed "Win Shares."

A fascinating history full of James's beloved wit and penetrating insight, here is the ultimate argument-settler for armchair experts, and the new bible for baseball fans everywhere.

Publishers Weekly

A premier baseball analyst and brand name, James (The Bill James Player Ratings Book, The Bill James Guide to Baseball Managers) releases a revised edition of his 1985 classic, with expanded player and team histories and reconsidered commentary. Divided into two sections, "The Game" and "The Players," this comprehensive and opinionated tome describes the evolution of the sport over the decades (uniforms in the 1890s, best minor league teams of the 1930s, the Negro Leagues, etc.) and the characteristics of its players (stats, injuries, habits and proclivities). The thumbnail player sketches in the second section (the 100 greatest players at each position) vary widely in content and tone: the entry on Lefty Gomez includes a page on his public-speaking abilities, while of Kevin Brown, James merely writes, "I don't root for him, either, but he is a great pitcher." (James has assigned the rankings according to a statistical rating formula he calls Win Shares, which he explains conceptually and mathematically.) The game section, though, is the standout. It may not contain detailed statistical leaders or standings for each year, or even who won each World Series, but it does offer information on new stadiums, the competitiveness of different leagues and shifts in the way the game was played. At the end of each chapter, a "decade in a box" lists major statistics and Jamesian awards, varying from the quantitative (the team with the best record) and the qualitative (the best switch hitter) to the quirky (the decade's ugliest player). (Dec.) Forecast: There are enough baseball and Bill James fans to ensure steady sales, and the pub date near enough to the World Series might encourage a few extrareaders. A uniquely personal, even iconoclastic guide, this belongs in baseball libraries to counterpoint The Baseball Encyclopedia and Total Baseball. Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.