I know this article is a little different and contradicts bloggers in this internet age, but bear with me!
This past weekend I was reading the latest Sports Illustrated Issue, the one with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and their newest pick-up LeBron James.
I will admit it that I have always been a sucker for a good sports read, whether it be, SI, ESPN The Magazine, or since I discovered this whole new world we call the business of baseball, books focused of the economics of the game.
In SI’s newest article, a two-page spread featuring Lady Gaga in some sort of bubble bikini or something is on the left, while the right side is full-page writeup, that more or less states a fact that maybe lost on all of us in this generation of up to the millisecond information.
One worry of the internet is how it could destroy the magazine, or book industry, turning a genuine form of print into a dinosaur. Contrary to popular belief, “readership is increasing, and adults between 18 and 34 are among the most dedicated readers.”
While everything is done online these days, so is the ordering of subscriptions, and books etc…
Seemingly, the internet age, once thought to eliminate print, is actually helping its growth.
Online searching, increases viewership, thus driving subscribers to new sites.
Simple right…
So, while we are on the topic of subscriptions, reading, and online purchases, I thought I would introduce a book, that some may have read, debated or have discussed for years: “The Numbers Game” by Alan Schwarz; foreword by Peter Gammons of ESPN.
Anyone interested in the history of statistics for the game of baseball, this is the book for you.
Baseball is a sport so entrenched by numbers that the mention of .406, *61, 190, .367, 755, 56, or even *73, brings along a story or a tall tale within seconds of its mention.
Yet, where did the obsession come from?
Did it gain momentum with Bill James and his abstracts, was it brought to light by Allan Roth, or has it been a fixture in our minds since Henry Chadwick gave it a life of its own?
Either way, it is a, I wont’ say gut wrenching thriller!, instead a unique adventure for anyone that loves baseball and the numbers that go with it.
If anyone out there has read it, let me know what you think, I would love to hear your thoughts.
Devon Teeple is an author for the Business of Sports Network, which includes the Biz of Baseball, the Biz of Football, the Biz of Basketball and the Biz of Hockey. He is a former professional baseball player with the River City Rascals & Gateway Grizzlies. Devon is also available for hire or freelance opportunities.
Devon is a former student within Sports Management Worldwide’s Baseball General Manager Class. Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective and is a intern with The Football Outsiders and contributor with the Plymouth River Eels.
Currently, Devon is a Branch Manager at a financial institution in Southern Ontario Canada. He can be reached at devon@thegmsperspective.com , thegmsperspective@yahoo.com or devon@businessofsportsnetwork.com
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Hi Devon,
Nice work. I, too, was surprised that books are still selling fairly well in this day and age. I did read “The Numbers Game”. It’s a fascinating read. That book put Canadian Allan Roth back in the collective baseball conscience, and is probably the single-most reason that Roth was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame this year.
Did you hear they are making a Money Ball movie that will star Brad Pitt as Billy Beane?
Thanks again for your great work.
Kevin
Hey thanks again for the comment Kevin.
I really understood the value of Mr. Roth’s value, when I was doing research for my Canadian Hall of Fame article.
His accomplishments are truly amazing.
I heard about the Moneyball movie but I heard that production or something like that had been postponed?
I think the Money Ball production is back on again now. I’ve heard that Brad Pitt will be in it, as will Jonah Hill (the guy from Superbad), if you can believe it.