Strike Four

The Evolution of Baseball

Richard Hershberger

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN:
  9781538121153
• Edition: 1

Baseball began as a schoolyard game, brought to America by the colonists. It evolved rapidly over the second half of the nineteenth century, with innovations and rule changes continuing throughout the twentieth century and into the modern era. But why and how did these changes take place?

In Strike Four: The Evolution of Baseball, Richard Hershberger examines the national pastime's development, from the reasoning behind new rules and innovations to the consequences of these changes—both intended and unintended—that often led to a new round of modifications. Topics examined include the dropped third strike, foul territory, nine innings, tagging up, balls and strikes, tie games, equipment, the infield fly rule, and many more.

Ultimately, this book provides the reader with a narrative history of how baseball evolved from an informal folk game to the sport played in ballparks around the world today. As such, Strike Four is a wonderful reference for sports fans and historians of all generations.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Foreword
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Premodern Baseball
• Strikeouts and the Dropped Third Strike
• Foul Territory and Dead Balls
• Three-Out Innings
• Tagging Runners, Nine Men, and Force Plays
• Balks and Stolen Bases
• Nine-Inning Games
• The Diamond
• The Fly Game
• Tagging Up
• Swift Pitching and the Balk
• Called Strikes and the Base on Balls
• Implementing Balls and Strikes
• The Early Strike Zone
• The Early Umpire
• The Fielding Revolution
• The Ball and Bat
• Overrunning First Base
• Extra Innings, Tie Games, and Suspended Games
• Fair-Fouls and the Foul Pole
• The Batter’s Box
• Curveballs and Overhand Pitching
• The Modern Pitch Delivery and Balk
• Hit by Pitch
• Gloves and Mitts
• Catchers’ Equipment and the Catcher’s Box
• Four Balls and Three Strikes, Foul Tips, and the Modern Strike Zone
• The Infield Fly Rule
• The Modern Umpire
• Player Substitutions
• The Foul Strike
• The Spitball
• The Pitcher’s Mound
• The Designated Hitter
• Video Replay Review
• The Future
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index
• About the Author