Author(s): Nicholas Henning

Sport

Nicholas Henning's affectionate and authoritative survey of modern Australian baseball takes readers through the two iterations of the Australian Baseball League. But it is much more than a history. The author's astute observations come from a deep understanding of and a love for the game. He draws on first-hand recollections of many of the famous and the lesser-known players of the past 30 years. With Henning's accompanying commentary they relate the ups and downs of Australian baseball since its first professional organisation in 1989. Players of the past and the young players of today tell of their triumphs and their struggles as they worked towards the dream of playing for one of the storied American big league teams. Their stories are of talent, determination, rivalry, luck and above all, the strong bond among players of all generations; there are the "baseball families" with two or more generations or brothers involved in the game, those who made it all the way to the "show" - MLB in the United States - and those who laboured behind-the-scenes to keep the game alive for so many years, including many ex-players who continue to "give back" to the game they love. Through the eyes of both Australian and American players the reader gains a unique perspective on a game that is played and followed with great intensity in Australia. It is the story of modern Australian baseball through the eyes of those who know it best.