No, this is not an all encompassing history of baseball, but if you are looking for a quick read on baseball's history this book would be perfect for you. I finished it in two sittings, but I feel the author knows what he is talking about and it is worth five stars. Author Rossi correctly points out that baseball's problems, for the most part, are not new ones. He correctly points out that baseball's future is up in the air at this time, and unlike decades past, baseball is faced with other sports as competition for the interests of individuals. The problem of unequal television revenue among the different teams ranks as the key problem that baseball owners must solve. The book is easy reading, but for a book that is 235 pages long the author does a great job covering baseball's history. It will be a keeper in my extensive library of baseball books.

It seems as though nothing has changed throughout baseball history. It always was and still is repleat with gambling and alcholism. There is no delay in getting to the details. Mr. Rossi jumps right in and never lets up with facts, figures and insights. It has ample doses of baseball statistics throughout history, but does not give ample attention to the days current events. There simply isn't room. I'm not a baseball fan, but I enjoyed reading this book.

A quality, readable short history of baseball. However in only 200+ pages this book is superficial in its treatment of major events. I am not sure to whom Mr. Rossi was directing his book. It was too brief to be a book for serious fans, and probably best for the casual fan. Clearly it was well researched and well written. I find the best baseball books focus on an era and weave more of the current events into the book. Summer of 49, The Boys of Summer, and A Clever Base-Ballist(1880's) are examples of these type of books. Mr. Rossi set out to write a survey of many eras and I do not fault him for that lofty purpose. However it seems that he had an opportunity to write a more full treatment of each era covered.

A great resource as to the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that has actually shaped baseball, it's impact on the game itself, and how all of it ties in with American culture and society.

This is probably different than most baseball books you may have read. This isn't a wistful recollection of Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, and the Big Red Machine. In fact, the owners are more of a focus of this book than the players. You will learn how baseball, the economy, and social life throughout American history have often been intertwined. It's as much a history book as a baseball book.

While the book covers all of baseball's time periods, the best parts cover the sport's beginnings in the mid-1800s through the 1930s. The author seemed to especially skimp on the chapters covering 1970 to today. Also, this book includes tons of numbers, and as such, might prove to be tedious reading for the casual fan. Perhaps some additional pictures or other graphics could have been included to break up the chapters a little better.

I wouldn't call this my favorite sports book of all time, but it's certainly worth reading.