Everyone knows that baseball is a game of intricate regulations, but it turns out to be even more complicated than we realize. What truly governs the Major League game is a set of unwritten rules, some of which are openly discussed (don't steal a base with a big lead late in the game), and some of which only a minority of players are even aware of (don't cross between the catcher and the pitcher on the way to the batter's box). In <i>The Baseball Codes</i>, old-timers and all-time greats share their insights into the game's most hallowed—and least known—traditions. For the learned and the casual baseball fan alike, the result is illuminating and thoroughly entertaining. <br> <br>At the heart of this book are incredible and often hilarious stories involving national heroes (like Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays) and notorious headhunters (like Bob Gibson and Don Drysdale) in a century-long series of confrontations over respect, honor, and the soul of the game. With <i>The Baseball Codes</i>, we see for the first time the game as it's actually played, through the eyes of the players on the field.<br> <br>With rollicking stories from the past and new perspectives on baseball's informal rulebook, <i>The Baseball Codes</i> is a must for every fan.