A HISTORY OF BASEBALL

Comedian Greg Proops--a regular panelist on the U.K. and U.S. versions of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"--hosts this barnstorming trip through baseball from its uncertain origins (Was it invented by General Abner Doubledayin 1835? Is it derived from cricket? Or was it played by pharaohs in ancient Egypt?) through the major league strike of 1994. Peppered with interviews of ballplayers, historians, agents, and journalists, Proops's narrative takes listeners on walks through cricket fields, baseball stadiums, and spring training camps. Archival recordings of classic baseball broadcasts help tell the stories of Shoeless Joe Jackson, Babe Ruth, Jackie Robinson, Ted Williams, and Joe DiMaggio. Proops gives a lively, affectionate portrait of the American pastime with all its warts and glory. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]