Summary

The Inside Pitch and More: Baseball’s Business and the Public Trust, written by former American League President Gene Budig, investigates the human and corporate sides of our nation’s pastime. Throughout the course of this book, the author systematically engages the myriad concerns of Major League Baseball, past, present, and future.

In The Inside Pitch and More, baseball’s economic prosperity is examined, as well as issues that hinder and threaten that perpetuity. Lately, baseball has been increasingly menaced by the popularity of other athletic venues - basketball, football, etc. Budig goes through the proposed methods of revitalizing the game of baseball. He emphasizes the need for a reevaluation of the relationship between the sport and its fan base so that the baseball will resume its role as America’s favorite pastime.

Based on his six years as president of the American League, Budig has composed a fascinating book, which is written to be enjoyed by the casual baseball fan as well as the serious student of this sport or sports management in general. The book is unique in that it is the first work to really dissect the sport of baseball by a retired high-ranking official with a wealth of information on the subject.

Contents

-1. Acknowledgements
0. Introduction
1. A Matter of Time
2. Of Importance to Many
3. It is a Financial Issue
4. Winners Everywhere
5. A Quick Lesson in History
6. Things Were Changing
7. Seeds of Change Were Sown
8. A Game on the Ropes
9. Mounting Evidence
10. Sports, a Large Enterprise
11. A Welcome Outcome
12. Sharing the Wealth
13. Growing the Game in the 2000s
14. One Path to Econommic Growth
15. A Game Set Apart
16. Where It All Started
17. Twice a Winner
18. The People Who Run the Game
19. A Time of Change
20. Not Your Average Job
21. The Economic Case of the 2000s
22. The Designated Hitter's Time Has Come
23. The Reformatted All-Star Game
24. The Rose Dilemma
25. A Thought on Sammy Sosa
26. The Challenge Facin College Athletics
27. Sports and Modern Journalism
28. The Importance of Competitiveness
29. Added Thoughts
30. Readings
31. About the Author

Author

Gene Budig was the president of Major League Baseball's American League from 1994 to 1999.

Reviews

"Anyone who enjoys or cares about the game of baseball will find The Inside Pitch very enjoyable."
Ted D. Ayres

"The Inside Pitch... and More is not inside; it's right over the plate for a terrific strike."
Al Neuharth, founder of USA Today

"[The Inside Pitch] explores many complex issues facing the game with unusual clarity."
Bud Selig, Commissioner of Major League Baseball

"[The Inside Pitch] is fair and balanced, and its contents should be of interest to anyone following the course of baseball."
Bob DuPuy, President of Major League Baseball