Just some of the praise for THE DICKSON BASEBALL DICTIONARY
“That rarest of sports books, a valuable reference work that provides absorbing and enlightening reading.”—Sports Illustrated
“… a chatty, exhaustively researched, lavishly illustrated…compendium”—New York Times
“… is not only a staggering piece of scholarship but well-written to boot. Mr. Dickson really poled this one. He got all of it. He hit a dinger. He … well you get the idea.”—Wall Street Journal
“… a book that whets your appetite, as much as a ballpark hot dog…wonderful illustrations from the living literature of baseball and a slew of photos and drawings further illuminating the men and the scenes that have enriched the language of the game. The dictionary offers… seductive scholarship on almost every page.”—Washington Post
“Paul Dickson’s indefatigable research and reportorial lucidity have given us a fascinating history of the event that forever changed our world.”—Walter Cronkite
“Anyone who loves baseball will want this book. Abundantly illustrated… great browsing.”—San Francisco Chronicle
“A gold mine of information… sheer entertaining reading on every page.”—Cincinnati Enquirer
“Probably the most complete guide ever compiled of the language and terminology of the ‘national pastime’… an unfailing delight for the true fan.”—Parade
“God dwells in the details. So do all real baseball fans. This wonderful book has every lexigraphical nuance and detail associated with our most beautiful and complex sport. Neophytes will learn and experts will simply enjoy.”—Stephen Jay Gould
“The first complete dictionary of our all-American game, this is an exciting, useful book for both sports fans and word buffs… A fascinating and valuable source of information for all who love baseball and the American language. For the first time we have a dictionary that shows the true impact of a major sport on the American language and our culture.”—Stuart B. Flexner, Editor-in-Chief of Random House Dictionaries (from 1st edition in 1986)
“Dickson’s baseball dictionary is a reference resource, an argument settler, a map of our richest sporting language — and, most of all, a delight.”—Daniel Okrent, author of The Ultimate Baseball Book and Nine Innings
“Published in 1989 and again in 1999, this baseball classic has been expanded by more than 30 percent to include over 10,000 terms. Another home run, presumably.”-- Library Journal, November 1, 2008
"Baseball Dictionary" in a new life - revised and expanded by Paul Dickson weighs in at 974 pages and a hefty fifty dollar price tag from WW Norton...this is deep, definitive, daunting - a thesaurus of all things baseball.”--Harvey Frommer, THE BOOK REVIEW: Spring Baseball Books, February 22, 2009
“I will readily admit that I am a baseball nut. Are you? If you are, then I have the perfect book for you: The Dickson Baseball Dictionary. The creation of Paul Dickson, the third edition of this fabulous volume will be published by WW Norton in March, just in time for baseball season.” ---Vick Mickunas, Dayton Daily News
“Baseball’s place in the presidency says something about both institutions, in Dickson’s opinion. ‘Even people who know little about baseball, know the symbolism and metaphors—hit and run, on deck, a home run,’ he said.” ---Mark Herrmann, Newsday
“A must-have for everyone who seeks to understand the spirit of America and, most especially, our politics: you'll learn why an easy question is a 'softb all, ' a tricky one, a 'curve ball, ' and why sometimes we may have to 'play hardball.' We want leaders who 'can step up to the plate, ' free of 'screwball' ideas from 'out of left field.' You will learn from this book and you will treasure this book, just as I have. It is an invaluable American thesaurus.” -- Mark Shields
“Dickson, with help from hundreds of eager baseball writers and scholars, has again produced a delightful, thorough and anecdotal volume of diamond terms ancient and timely. I've authored eight baseball history books myself, and I bow to Dickson's accomplishment. It's certainly a historically great contribution to the joys and learning of baseball.”—William B. Mead author of “Even the Browns” and seven other baseball books.
“Do you know what “bees in the hands” means in baseball terms? It is an expression for the stinging sensation a batter’s hands feel with the pitch strikes the the handle or the end of the bad, usually on a cold day.The Billy Martin Rule? The practice by which umpires go out of their way to make calls against a certain individual.As you can imagine, this title of this book is pretty self explanatory. The copy I got is only the letter “B”, but the real book comes with all 26 letters! As a big baseball fan AND nerd, this kind of book is cool to read. It’s not the type of book that you read cover to cover, but is good to have as a coffee table book to glance through. Unfortunately, this book does not explain what Tim McCarver is talking about.”--- Letters On Pages--The Best Non-Fiction Book Reviews…Ever, January 2, 2009
“How do you improve - significantly - on something that is already first-rate?
Speaking for myself, I honestly don't know, but you could ask Paul Dickson, because he seems to have the answer. Otherwise, he could never have come up with his third edition of "The Dickson Baseball Dictionary". As one who purchased and read - cover to cover, I must confess - the previous two editions of Mr. Dickson's formidable work on the rich, vast and altogether fascinating vernacular of baseball, I can truly say that this latest incarnation of his superlative work of lexicography is mind boggling in its scope, and thoroughly excellent in its execution. Don't kid yourself by thinking you don't want or need to have it simply because you may already have a previous edition. This latest one is the real deal: no doubt about it. So do yourself a favor and buy it, and tell all your friends of like mind about it as well. Trust me, they'll thank you for it.”—Andy Wirkmaa, author of Baseball Scorekeeping: A Practical Guide to the Rules
I can't stop reading it! Thorough without being pedantic, the 3rd edition is a delight to read. I looked up dozens of specific entries and they were so good I decided just to read it, starting at "A" (Scoreboard abbreviations for Assist and Attendance) and keep going. (Go ahead--ask me anything!) For completeness, look up "Fan", "Bullpen", "Sabermetrics" or "Hole". For pure entertainment, see "Gopher Ball", "Yogiism" or "Kissing Bandit". For fascinating illustrations, consult "Triple Play", "Crank" or "Slider". The lack of plot development is hardly an impediment to enjoyment. This version is a quantum leap from Dickson' New Dickson Dictionary second edition, which itself was a watershed achievement. There should be a new word added, though. How about "Dicksonary"?—D. Bruce Brown, SABR, Columbia , MD.
Enough baseball books are published each spring to fill a dugout. This season's lineup includes:
• The Dickson Baseball Dictionary: Third Edition by Paul Dickson (Norton, $49.95). An expanded edition (18,000 definitions in 974 pages) from the Samuel Johnson of baseball, who defines terms such as Nintendo slider, "a pitch that breaks unexpectedly over the plate, as if remotely controlled."-Bob Minzesheimer, USA TODAY, March 25, 2009
“I will readily admit that I am a baseball nut. Are you? If you are, then I have the perfect book for you:The Dickson Baseball Dictionary. The creation of Paul Dickson, the third edition of this fabulous volume will be published by WW Norton in March, just in time for baseball season.” —-Vick Mickunas, Dayton Daily News
“This book is very cool.” --Rachel Maddow on her show, April 8, 2009
“The Dickson Baseball Dictionary” by Paul Dickson, (Norton, 974 pages, $49.95). This third revised edition is one of the truly classic books on baseball. Baseball is a game of unusual slang with a unique language that changes constantly. Dickson traces many odd expressions and colorful terms as they have evolved over centuries. This magnificent volume will make the perfect gift for diehard fans. --Vick Mickunas, The Book Nook, The Dayton Daily News, April 6, 2009
"Dickson, Paul. The Dickson Baseball Dictionary. 3d ed. Norton. 2009. 900p. illus. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-393-06681-4. $49.95. REF
Published in 1989 and again in 1999, this baseball classic now boasts more than 10,000 entries and 18,000 definitions. The author of many best-selling books, including Baseball's Greatest Quotations, Baltimore native Dickson has devoted 25 years to creating the definitive guide to the language, lingo, and lexicon of baseball for the sport's fanatics and lovers of language as well as nine-year-olds looking for a clear definition of the infield fly rule. The terms and phrases cover everything from statistics and strategies to the history of terms and the date they came into play. BOTTOM LINE This grand book is truly a baseball lover's dream come true. From the first to the last page, it provides an enjoyable experience for readers to treasure. Of special note are the handsome presentation, adequate type size, and editorial care taken with photos and layout that makes the book accessible wi thout compromising comprehensiveness. An essential guide to America's pastime. [Not available online.]” --Kathleen A. Welton, Chicago, Library Journal, 5/1/2009
If you’re a baseball fan and . . . you’re curious about the etymology of the phrase out in the left field or you need a refresher on the infield fly rule. Well for 20 years, the authority, the baseball Bible, if you will, has been “The Dickson Baseball Dictionary.” --Melissa Block, All Things Considered
Dickson’s discursive dictionary … a delight for former sandlot players, lexical scholars and members of the hot-stove league. --William Safire, The New York Times Magazine
A wonderful companion volume. . . . enough to last a fan through a 162-game season and the playoffs. … What a treasure to have at hand with a long season ahead. --David Broder, The Washington Post
"Baseball-loving dads need this book now. It's the perfect gift any time, but to receive it at the start of baseball season--well, it doesn't get any better than that.” --Marilyn Crain, Baltimore Examiner
