The Baseball Codes

January 11, 2010
Nearly as long as baseball has existed in its current form, so too have unofficial rules that professional players have strictly adhered to. Yet as Turnbow demonstrates in this highly entertaining read, every rule of the code has certain variations. Most casual baseball fans are keenly aware of many topics that Turnbow broaches, and some are universally agreed upon—hitters admiring home runs is severely frowned on, as is arguing with one’s manager in public view and being caught stealing signs. But other rules are less cut-and-dried. On the subject of retaliating for a teammate being hit by a pitch: some believe the pitcher should be plunked in his next at-bat, while others say it should be a player with corresponding talent to the hit batter. Turnbow has an example for nearly every conceivable situation, and with quotes from dozens of former major league players, managers, and broadcasters, the reader can better understand the actions that can set off even the most even-tempered ball player. It’s a comprehensive, sometimes hilarious guide to perhaps a misunderstood aspect of our national pastime, and will come in handy should one ever be involved in a beanball war.

February 1, 2010
Baseball's "official" rules can confuse. What about the "unwritten" codes of play? They're a harsher set of principles, lacking the charm or eccentric appeal of the official ones. We know some of these, e.g., "never" rub the spot where you've been hit by a pitch. Turbow and Duca explain the evolution of these codes, with violations often unforgotten and unforgiven by the opposing team. Remember when Rickey Henderson stole second late in a game when his team was ahead 12-5, and he wasn't being held to the bag? A cheap steal for his stats. Code violation. While there are traces of folklore and fair play here, much of this code culture simply comes across as disheartening aggression. But if you like to study these realities of the game, this will appeal.

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2010
Turbow and Duca have filled a void with this entertaining, revealing survey of the varied, sometimes inscrutable unwritten rules that govern the way baseball is played by the pros. The authors add a lot of flavoring here by naming names and instances, both long past and more recent. Great stuff on how and when to retaliate, how to slide, how to give way to a relief pitcher, talking (or not) during a no-hitter, whether to join an on-field brawl (no question, you join in), and the ethics of cheating (former Orioles manager Earl Weaver once told struggling pitcher Ross Grimsley during a game: If you know how to cheat, this would be a good time to start). The authorsboth write on baseball for various publications, and Duca is an official scorekeeper for major league baseballlament a certain unraveling of baseballs codes, due to changes in the game itself, while insisting that theyre still essentially intact. For committed fans who want to dig deeper.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)