Opening Day is almost here! Spring training is well underway, and the official start of baseball season is on March 30th. Get ready for the season with this collection of titles on national and local baseball history. More titles can be found in the 796.357 section of the library's nonfiction collection on the upper level. 

History 

• The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Big Swings, and a Hit by Ron Shelton: This title chronicles the fascinating history behind the making of the hit sports movie Bull Durham.  

• Game Faces: Early Baseball Cards from the Library of Congress by Peter Devereaux: This work showcases rare and colorful baseball cards from the early days of baseball history.  

• K: A History of Baseball in Ten Pitches by Tyler Kepner: Follow the history of baseball through a detailed look at ten different types of pitches.  

• Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series that Changed Baseball by Luke Epplin: Follow the story of the integration of the Cleveland Indians and their quest for a World Series title.  

• Swing Kings: The Inside Story of Baseball’s Home Run Revolution by Jared Diamond: Read about the captivating story of the home run boom and its effects on the way the game is played.  

Notable Players 

• 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente by Wilfred Santiago: This graphic novel biography of Roberto Clemente follows his journey from an impoverished childhood to baseball fame. 

• The Baseball 100 by Joe Posnanski: This unique title tells the story of baseball through the lives of 100 of its greatest players. 

• Sho-Time: The Inside Story of Shohei Ohtani and the Greatest Baseball Season Ever Played by Jeff Fletcher: This biography traces Shohei Ohtani’s path from his youth and time in Japanese baseball through his historic 2021 season.  

• True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson by Kostya Kennedy: This biography of Jackie Robinson focuses on four transformative years of his athletic career: 1946, 1949, 1956, and 1972.  

Local Lore 

• The Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball by Charles Fountain: This work covers the famous 1919 Chicago White Sox World Series scandal.  

• The Chicago Cubs: Story of a Curse by Rich Cohen: Read about the history of the Chicago Cubs and relive the historic 2016 World Series win.  

• Game of My Life: Chicago White Sox: Memorable Stories of White Sox Baseball by Lew Freedman: More than twenty former and current players share their favorite White Sox memories and experiences.  

• Let’s Play Two: The Legend of Mr. Cub, the Life of Ernie Banks by Ron Rapoport: Read the definitive biography of Chicago Cubs legend Ernie Banks.  

• Ten Innings at Wrigley: The Wildest Ballgame Ever, with Baseball on the Brink by Kevin Cook: This title outlines the dramatic story of a legendary 1979 game between the Chicago Cubs and the Philadelphia Phillies.  

• Tinker to Evers to Chance: The Chicago Cubs and the Dawn of Modern America by David Rapp: This title discusses Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance and the early history of the Chicago Cubs. 

Movies & Documentaries 

• Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns: Watch the definitive documentary of America’s favorite pastime. 

• The Catcher Was a Spy: This film based on a true story follows Moe Berg, a professional baseball player and top-secret spy, as he helps the U.S. win the race to build the atomic bomb.  

• Chicago Cubs: The Heart and Soul of Chicago: This entertaining and heartfelt work features interviews with Cubs fans, legends, and experts.  

• Field of Dreams: Rewatch the classic baseball story of an Iowa farmer who builds a baseball diamond in his cornfield. 

Available Online 

• After Jackie: Black Baseball in the 1950’s: Log in to Hoopla to watch this documentary about baseball players after Jackie Robinson who continued to fight for equality. 

• Fastball: Log into Hoopla and follow Hank Aaron and Derek Jeter as they talk with pitchers and explore the science behind the fastball pitch. 

• A Nice Little Place on the North Side: Wrigley Field at One Hundred by George F. Will: Log in to Libby to listen to this digital audiobook about the history of Wrigley Field.  

• Play Ball!: The Rise of Baseball as America’s Pastime: Log in to Kanopy to watch The Great Courses series on the history of baseball.  

• Reel Baseball: Films from the Silent Era: Log in to Kanopy to watch a selection of early baseball films from the silent film era.