Men at Work: The Craft of Baseball

In his classic tribute to America's pastime—now with a new introduction—political commentator, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, and lifelong sports enthusiast George F. Will travels from the baseball field to the dugout to the locker room to get to the root of the game we all love. He breaks down the sport to its four basic components, managing, pitching, hitting, and fielding, and analyzes the way four of its notables, manager Tony La Russa, pitcher Orel Hershiser, outfielder Tony Gwynn, and shortstop Cal Ripken Jr., approach the game. One of the most acclaimed sports books ever written, Men at Work is a revelatory, and often surprising, study of professional baseball.

George Will quoted Wes Westrum in this book - "Baseball is like church. Many attend, but few understand." This book increased my understanding of the game and as a result has added to my enjoyment of baseball. I see things I didn't see before I read this book - the nuances of the game have become more clear.

I did not believe I could love the game more, but after reading this book, I do! I would highly recommend this book to both students of the game and to newcomers looking to understand the game.


Will breaks down a complex game into four manageable pieces.   October 10, 1997
derykm@siu.edu (Carbondale, Illinois)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

Ever wondered what goes on behind closed doors as the coaches meet before a game, or how much sign stealing really ocurrs? The answers to these questions and much more about the behind-the-scenes goings on of the great game of baseball are in this magnificent book by the conservative political columnist George F. Will. Will takes you behind closed doors with Tony LaRussa, the best manager in the game. He also takes you to the pither's mound with Orel Hershiser, to the batter's box with Tony Gwynn, and to the shortstop's position with Cal Ripken, Jr. And when he gets you there, he explains every thing that is going on in everyone's head and he does it with stunning detail, and first-hand knowledge that will keep you begging for more after you finish. Will's book is a must have for even the casual baseball fan.


A Baseball Gem   February 18, 1998
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

If you have ever had any doubt that baseball is a slow paced, boring sport that withers in comparison to football, basketball, and hockey, then this book is definitely for you. In it, George Will explains the simple pleasures of baseball and the tremendous perfections in which it involves. He goes into great detail of the managers roles, the pitchers roles, the batters roles, and the fielders roles, focusing mainly on Tony LaRussa, Orel Hershieser, Tony Gwynn, and Cal Ripken respectively, but often throwing in stories of other baseball greats. Will gives tremendous insite of the finer points of the game which should be appreciated by any true sports fan. He shows how baseball is not only a game of physical skill, but of tremendous mental skill, and a little bit of luck. I found this book to be amazingly interesting and insiteful. Already being a baseball fan it taught me to enjoy the game on a whole knew level, the strategic level of it and I highly recommend it to any baseball fan, or sports fan for that matter.


Simply the best baseball book available...   November 15, 2002
Azim Jessa (Las Vegas, NV USA)
15 out of 17 found this review helpful

So insightful and so true, even 10 years after the book was published. A must for any fan of THE GAME.


Excellent   February 27, 2006
David Blanton (New York, New York)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

This is a fascinating journey into the national pastime. George Will writes economically and wisely not only about what the game is, but also what it once was. The evolution of the sport - although that is certainly not the focus of the book - is illuminating for anyone who is interested in how institutions come to change. Will brings a deep explanation to the chief facets of the game - managing, pitching, hitting and defense. Ultimately they groove together to form a gorgeous tapestry of understanding. There's a word for this kind of non-fiction work: indispensable.