Diamonds around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball

Baseball is increasingly popular throughout the world, as evidenced by the many talented players (such as Ichiro Suzuki, Miguel Cabrera, Albert Pujols, and Hideki Matsui) coming to the Major Leagues from around the globe. The influx of such players is testament to the many high-quality professional and amateur leagues that thrive throughout the world. In this reference book—the first of its kind— narrative chapters trace the history of baseball in Australia, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, and throughout the rest of the world. Bjarkman profiles the teams and leading players from each country. He also covers the history of tournament play throughout the world, including Olympic baseball. This volume provides an invaluable and unprecedented source on the growth of America's national pastime into a global phenomenon that one day might feature a true World Series. Backmatter includes a chronology of important events, an annotated bibliography, and contact information for official baseball federations throughout the world.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: Birth of the International Pastime Cuba Canada Japan The Dominican Republic Venezuela Puerto Rico Mexico The Rim of the Caribbean Basin Europe and Africa Asia and Oceania Baseball's Olympic Movements The Caribbean World Series Appendix 1: International Baseball Chronology: Greatest Moments in World Baseball History Appendix 2: International Baseball Annotated Bibliography Appendix 3: International Baseball Federation 2003 Membership Roster

About the Author :
PETER C. BJARKMAN writes extensively about baseball, basketball, and travel-related topics. He has published two previous books on Cuban baseball, plus a history of baseball in Latin America and more than three dozen other titles treating major league baseball, NBA basketball, and NCAA basketball. His recent work includes team history encyclopedias on the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Celtics, and New York Knicks. A fluent Spanish speaker, Bjarkman has twice been featured on Cuban national television discussing Cuban League baseball and the Cuban national team, the only American to claim this distinction during the 40-plus years of the Cuban Revolution.

Review :
?[P]rovides a thorough discussion of the tradition of baseball around the globe and effectively shows that the sport is indeed an international one....Diamonds around the Globe will appeal to baseball followers who are interested in discovering the global dimension of the game. It is recommended for public and college libraries.?-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin ?[W]ell researched and beautifully produced....The author has also provided us with a fascinating Introduction which provides an historical analysis of the international game and its problems....All in all, a fine work.?-Reference Reviews ?Diamonds around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball is studded with facts about international playing, revealing the evolution of baseball in each country or region, discussing globalization influences, and covering the history of tournament play and teams around the world.?-MBR Bookwatch ?It's an attempt to do for the rest of the world what the Baseball Encyclopedia does for Major League Baseball.?-The Cincinnati Enquirer ?This fascinating story of cultural exchange and adaptation will be welcomed in any library serving baseball enthusiasts.?-Lawrence Looks at Books ?Truly a triumph of research and good writing, this gem should be on the reference shelves of any library boasting a serious baseball collection.?-Library Journal "ÝP¨rovides a thorough discussion of the tradition of baseball around the globe and effectively shows that the sport is indeed an international one....Diamonds around the Globe will appeal to baseball followers who are interested in discovering the global dimension of the game. It is recommended for public and college libraries."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin "ÝW¨ell researched and beautifully produced....The author has also provided us with a fascinating Introduction which provides an historical analysis of the international game and its problems....All in all, a fine work."-Reference Reviews "[W]ell researched and beautifully produced....The author has also provided us with a fascinating Introduction which provides an historical analysis of the international game and its problems....All in all, a fine work."-Reference Reviews "Diamonds around the Globe: The Encyclopedia of International Baseball is studded with facts about international playing, revealing the evolution of baseball in each country or region, discussing globalization influences, and covering the history of tournament play and teams around the world."-MBR Bookwatch "It's an attempt to do for the rest of the world what the Baseball Encyclopedia does for Major League Baseball."-The Cincinnati Enquirer "This fascinating story of cultural exchange and adaptation will be welcomed in any library serving baseball enthusiasts."-Lawrence Looks at Books "Truly a triumph of research and good writing, this gem should be on the reference shelves of any library boasting a serious baseball collection."-Library Journal "[P]rovides a thorough discussion of the tradition of baseball around the globe and effectively shows that the sport is indeed an international one....Diamonds around the Globe will appeal to baseball followers who are interested in discovering the global dimension of the game. It is recommended for public and college libraries."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin