BOOK COVER -- TITLE -- COPYRIGHT -- CONTENTS -- INTRODUCTION -- CHAPTER 1 A WORLD SPORT WITH AMERICAN ORIGINS -- NORTH AMERICA -- MAJOR AND MINOR LEAGUES -- LITTLE LEAGUE AND COLLEGE BASEBALL -- LATIN AMERICA -- ASIA -- CHAPTER 2 PLAYING THE GAME -- THE FIELD AND EQUIPMENT -- BALL AND BATS -- GLOVES -- OFFENSE -- HITS AND RUNS -- TYPES OF HITS -- DEFENSE -- BALLS AND STRIKES -- FIELDING -- THE PITCHER -- THE INFIELDERS -- THE OUTFIELDERS -- THE UMPIRES -- LENGTH OF A GAME -- CHAPTER 3 HISTORY OF THE GAME -- EARLY YEARS -- ISSUES OF RACE -- NEGRO LEAGUES -- BLACKS IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES -- MOVEMENT AND EXPANSION -- CHAPTER 4 THE MODERN GAME -- FURTHER EXPANSION AND INNOVATIONS -- LABOR ISSUES -- FREE AGENCY -- STRIKES -- RENEWED INTEREST -- THE STEROID SCANDAL -- CHAPTER 5 NOTABLE PLAYERS -- HALL OF FAMERS -- BABE RUTH -- JACKIE ROBINSON -- HANK AARON -- WILLIE MAYS -- CONTEMPORARY PLAYERS -- RANDY JOHNSON -- DEREK JETER -- ALBERT PUJOLS -- ICHIRO SUZUKI -- CONCLUSION -- GLOSSARY -- FOR MORE INFORMATION -- WEB SITES -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- INDEX -- BACK COVER.