Stefan Fatsis sends his “stunningly perfect, consummately perfect, why-would-anyone-use-anything-else? perfect” glove to be restored by the glove designer at Rawlings. Frank Deford makes the case that the baseball cap may be the most universal article of clothing ever designed. Roger Angell considers why it is that pitchers are “so much livelier and more garrulous than hitters.” George Plimpton reflects on the slow demotion of aging or slumping players from pitcher to first base, to the outfield. United by the authors’ fervent love of the game, each chapter in this book reminds us of the unique role baseball plays in our national history and collective imagination. In addition to the authors mentioned above, the lineup includes: • Kevin Baker • Jeff Greenfield • Katherine A. Powers • Michael Shapiro • John Thorn • Sean Wilentz • And more! Published previously as Anatomy of Baseball and Great Baseball Stories , this wide-ranging collection now includes pieces by A. Bartlett Giamatti, Gay Talese, Matthew McGough, and George Vecsey. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

The 142nd edition of the world's most famous sports book emerges in sprightly mood, and, with full reports of England's eventful tour of South Africa, it is more up-to-date than any previous Wisden . Wisden 2005 explains how the mighty confusion of Indian TV bankrolls the game. One great Australian, Richie Benaud, pays homage to another, Keith Miller. And there is a full history of chucking controversies, reports on South Africans' lingering love affair with Hansie Cronje and, from Sri Lanka, how cricket rose to the challenge of the terrible tsunami. And there are full reports of an amazing cricketing year: the world records for Brian Lara, Murali and Shane Warne, and coverage of every match of England's astonishing winning sequence that took them from Jamaica to Johannesburg - and a dozen Test victories - in just ten months. Elsewhere Wisden brings news of the ground where it hasn't rained in 15 years, the brothel that caters solely for professional cricketers and how an electric buggy, a TV camera and 15 hot air balloons stopped play. And there's an interview with cricket's most famous Slovak goalkeeper. All this - and much more - makes Wisden Cricketers' Almanack the essential companion for every follower of cricket.