How to Watch Baseball

The Lessons

Sixteen chapters, 1953

Each is bylined by a major leaguer who was playing that season, runs two to four pages, and closes with a short list of cues telling a fan where to point their eyes. Every one carries its diagram, rebuilt so it moves.

They are printed here in the booklet’s order, which is roughly the order of a ball game: pitching first, then hitting, then base running, then the defense against it, and the umpires last of all.

All 16

  1. Smart PitchingControl or ChaosRobin Roberts, Philadelphia Phillies
  2. Fifth InfielderThe Pitcher Plays a Dual RoleBob Lemon, Cleveland Indians
  3. Field GeneralThe Catcher Is “Boss Man”Roy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers
  4. Power HittingBaseball’s Muscle MenRalph Kiner, Pittsburgh Pirates
  5. Hit and RunA Good Stunt, If You Can Do ItStan Musial, St. Louis Cardinals
  6. Diamond TrickWhen the Hand Calls for Finesse — BuntPhil Rizzuto, New York Yankees
  7. Where Speed CountsDividends Paid All AroundMickey Mantle, New York Yankees
  8. The Squeeze PlayIt Can Be Suicide or MurderGeorge Kell, Boston Red Sox
  9. Skillful Base RunningJudgment Means More Than SpeedPhil Rizzuto, New York Yankees
  10. Checkmating BuntsMoving Day Around the InfieldWhitey Lockman, New York Giants
  11. Foiling Double StealsNo Siesta for the CatcherRoy Campanella, Brooklyn Dodgers
  12. Cut-offs and RelaysTraps Designed for the GullibleGeorge Kell, Boston Red Sox
  13. The Double PlayA Lifeline for the PitcherRed Schoendienst, St. Louis Cardinals
  14. Scientific GardeningThe Box Score Is Not the Whole StoryStan Musial, St. Louis Cardinals
  15. MastermindingOffensive StrategiesPaul Richards, Chicago White Sox
  16. Don’t “Kill the Umpire”If You Did, You’d Kill BaseballBill Stewart, Dean of National League Umpires