The Game Behind The Scenes Continues And Concludes Peter Morris's Superb Encyclopedia Of The National Pastime. The Initial Volume, The Game On The Field, Was Called By Library Journal Charming, Densely Packed, Yet Entirely Accessible.... This Is Heaven For Fans Of The Game And A Required Addition To All Baseball Collections. Endlessly Fascinating, Impeccably Researched, And Engagingly Written, This Treasure Trove Will Surprise, Delight, And Educate Even The Most Knowledgeable Fan By Dispelling Cherished Myths And Revealing The Source Of Many Of Baseball's Features That We Now Take For Granted. Together, Both Volumes Of A Game Of Inches Contain Nearly A Thousand Entries That Illuminate The Origins Of Items Ranging From Catchers' Masks To Hook Slides To Intentional Walks To Cork-center Baseballs To The Reserve Clause Of Baseball's Basic Agreement. The Volume On The Game Behind The Scenes Concentrates On Ballparks, Fans, Marketing, Statistics, The Building Of Teams, And Other Related Aspects Of The Game--but This Is Much More Than Just A Reference Guide. Award-winning Author Peter Morris Explains The Context That Led Each New Item To Emerge When It Did, And Chronicles The Often Surprising Responses To These Innovations. Of Few Books Can It Genuinely Be Said That Once You Start Reading, It's Hard To Put It Down, But A Game Of Inches Is One Of Them. It Belongs In The Pantheon Of Great Baseball Books, And Will Give Any Reader A Deeper Appreciation Of Why Baseball Matters So Much To Americans. - Publisher. Building A Team. Minor Leagues ; Trades And Sales ; Roster Restrictions ; Scouting And Player Development ; Miscellaneous -- Ballparks. The Parks ; The Dirt ; The Basics ; The Amenities ; Items Added For Spectators -- Fans. Getting Them In The Door ; Root, Root, Root For The Home Team ; You Can't Beat Fun At The Old Ballpark ; Souvenirs -- Marketing And Promotions. Planned Days And Events ; Promotional Concepts And Themes ; Mass Media -- Statistics -- Money. The Transition From Amateurism To Professionalism ; Owners Grab The Reins ; Players Seek A Bigger Share ; Negotiations ; Contracts ; Commercialization -- Variants -- Inclusion. African Americans ; Women ; Other Minorities -- Participants -- Competition. Determining A Champion ; Postseason Championships ; Bling Bling ; Youth ; Is Competition Necessary At All? ; Other Modes And Types Of Competition -- Spreading The Word. The Writer's Game ; Baseball In Other Media ; Broadcasting Refinements -- Traveling Men. Getting From Game Go Game ; Spring Training -- As American As Apple Pie. Wrapping The Game In The Flag ; Talking The Talk -- Miscellany. Keeping Up Appearances ; Rituals ; Customs, Traditions, And Taboos ; Legends And Shrines ; Injuries And Deaths ; Hodgepodge. Peter Morris. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 355-370) And Index.