Hailed as "a staggering piece of scholarship" (Wall Street Journal) The Dickson Baseball Dictionary is the most complete resource on the lexicon of baseball in the English language. More than twenty-five years in the making, with the help of more than 400 baseball and lexical experts, this masterful third edition, expanded by more than 30 percent, with over 10,000 terms and 18,000 definitions, provides the comprehensive history and meanings of words and phrases from around the world of baseball. Drawing on dozens of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century periodicals, as well as contemporary sources, Paul Dickson's brilliant, illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of our most treasured baseball expressions ("tearin' up the pea patch," "can o' corn," "catbird seat," etc.). Termed "baseball's Webster," Dickson has spent nearly a decade painstakingly revising and writing new definitions, for words both well-known and obscure, including those introduced by Latin-American ballplayers, and statistical expressions relating to fantasy baseball and the SABR/Moneyball era. More than 200 photos throughout the book-many rare and previously unpublished-illuminate various historical and contemporary terms. Because of its deep and broad coverage, its authoritativeness and its rich and colorful descriptions, The Dickson Baseball Dictionary will prove indispensable to baseball fans and word lovers alike.
Industry Reviews
"Always attuned to lore and language, Dickson ventures far beyond dugout expressions that have already dug out a place in common American speech." -- Rob Kyff - Hartford Courant "[E]xtraordinary book...of value beyond the cost. If you or someone you love has an interest in [baseball, this] will be [a] welcome addition to any collection...so readable, so accessible, and such a pleasure to dip into, to research into, or to just sit down and read for the narrative flow." -- James Srodes - Washington Times "A wonderful companion volume...enough to last a fan through a 162-game season and the playoffs...What a treasure to have at hand with a long season ahead. " -- David Broder - The Washington Post "If you're a baseball fan and...you're curious about the etymology of the phrase out in the left field or you need a refresher on the infield fly rule. Well for 20 years, the authority, the baseball Bible, if you will, has been The Dickson Baseball Dictionary. " -- Melissa Block - All Things Considered "This magnificent volume will make the perfect gift for diehard fans." -- Vick Mickunas - The Dayton Daily News "This book is very cool." -- Rachel Maddow - The Rachel Maddow Show "An indispensable guide to the language of baseball." -- John Curtis - San Diego Union-Tribune "Dickson's discursive dictionary...a delight for former sandlot players, lexical scholars and members of the hot-stove league. " -- William Safire - The New York Times Magazine
