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Elysian Fields
Q u a r t e r l y
B A C KkI S S U E S



EFQ 11:1 - Winter, 1992 (PREMIER ISSUE)
Cover: The Elysian Fields

EFQ's inaugural issue touched all the bases, with a terrific analysis by Ethan Casey of The Sporting News' blatant support of the Tigers and MLB's greed-driven assault on classic ballparks; a wonderful perspective on "radio" baseball by Robert Warde; Murray Browne's interesting examination of Bill James place in baseball lore; Cliff Peale's revealing interview with Roger Kahn twenty years after The Boys of Summer; Historian John Thorn's intriguing research piece on the "true" father of baseball; Staff Writer's humorous "This Ain't the MRB Anymore"; a special philosophy section featuring B. Lanning's application of Sun Tzu's aphorisms in the "Art of Baseball," Ted Cohen's examination of the concept of "tie goes to the runner," and Louis Phillips' clever translation of Aristotle's "On Baseball"; poetry by Rodney Torreson, Mick Hatten, and Jack Jadick; and Robert Hamblin's fictional "The Day Baseball was Banned at Brice's Crossroads."

Single Issue:- $10.00 - 112 pages
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EFQ 11:2 - Spring, 1992
Cover: Original Comiskey Park

Our second issue focuses on "Ballparks", with a particular emphasis on the destruction and "replacement" of Comiskey Park. Architect Philip Bess, who (we believe) designed a much better alternative in his chapbook City Baseball Magic, examines the economic pressures that dictated and architectural realities that resulted from the building of the new White Sox stadium, and offers a model for how all ballparks should be built in the future. Ballpark author and Sox fan Doug Bukowski recounts the political maneuverings behind the new stadium, as well as its numerous shortcomings, and Bob Krizek probes fan reactions at the wake of the old and birth of the new Comiskey. Historical pieces include Jack Ziegler's "The Last Giants Game in the Polo Grounds" and John Thorn's engaging "Rube Waddell - The Peter Pan of Baseball." J. Bryant Steele explains why an average fan should be "Commissioner for Life," and Doug Hoekstra gives us the poignant short story "Hector (Villanueva)." The issue also includes poetic humor by Louis Phillips and Jack Jadick, stadium-themed poetry by Bill Meissner and George Bowering, and book reviews of Baseball Palace of the World, Queen of Diamonds, Blue Ruin, and The Ginger Kid.

Single Issue: SOLD OUT


EFQ 11:3 - Summer, 1992
Cover: Babe Ruth

What can we say? Another quality issue features several interesting perspectives on the game, incl. George Gmelch's "Superstition and Ritual in American Baseball," Bart Schneider's superb reflection on Ty Gainey's attempt to make it back to a game that has passed him by, Jack LaZebnik's annual report on opening day in St. Louis, and Brian Glassman's look at perennial mediocrity in Cleveland. On "historical grounds", Joseph Cardello recreates Game 6 of the 1889 World Series, "The Greatest of Them All;" John Thorn recalls early pitching sensation Jim Creighton, who died tragically in 1861 before his name became a household word; and John Holway questions whether Cobb and Hornsby sat out to preserve .400 batting averages. Poetry by Hugh Abernethy, Jr., and Michael Koenig, and book reviews of The Seventh Babe, Diz: The Story of Dizzy Dean..., Lost Ballparks, and The Mysterious Death of Big Ed Delahanty.

Single Issue: SOLD OUT


EFQ 11:4 - Fall, 1992
Cover: Sandy Koufax (Univ. of Cinc.)

Prolific baseball author Peter Bjarkman headlines this issue with his cover story on "Baseball and the American-Jewish Immigrant Experience," which includes a sizable bibliography and several pages of stats. Joe Marx and Anthony Gargiulo, Jr. offer thoughtful reminiscence of time spent at Memorial Stadium and Wrigley Field, respectively, Murray Browne rates ballparks' effects on player averages, and veteran Twins fan Mike Finley opts for free agency. Dan Gabriel, Eric Rohmann, and Judy Plapinger contribute fictional accounts of young boys whose love for the game is subjected to family complications, while George Lausch reveals the true story behind the disappearance of Joe DiMaggio's bat during his 56-game hitting streak. Poetry by Rodd Whelpley, Hugh Abernethy, Jr., and B. Sachs, and book reviews of In the Shadows of the Diamond, Box Socials, and The ‘67 Red Sox and the Impossible Dream, as well as a survey of ballpark books by John Pastier.

Single Issue: SOLD OUT


EFQ 12:1 - Winter, 1993
Cover: Curt Flood

Our Hot Stove issue focuses on "Baseball & Economics," with an essay from Eugene McCarthy (former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate) on "Baseball Deregulation and Free Enterprise," from Leon Battista, Jr., on developing a "systematic quantitative analysis" for determining baseball salaries, and from Patrick Mackin on how "Corporate Freeloaders in Stadium Skyboxes" adversely affect baseball. Historian Cynthia Bass offers an entertaining account of the famous World Tour of 1884, while Ralph Graber sheds light on the seldom noted scandal of 1924 involving Jimmy O'Connell and Cozy Dolan. Some fine "fan" essays include Tony Foley's remembrance of his 1987 "World Series" wedding, Larry Baldassaro's diary on the countdown to Robin Yount's 3000th hit, and Jon Kerr's account of his season-long tour of several baseball parks. Also, poetry on Arnold Rothstein and "Prehistoric Baseball," and reviews of baseball "business" books The Diamond Revolution, Baseball and Billions, and Diamonds are Forever.

Single issue: SOLD OUT



EFQ 12:2 - Spring, 1993
Cover: Anna May Hutchison, Racine Bells

Finally, an issue devoted primarily to "women & baseball." Reflective pieces include Jean Hastings Ardell on baseball's importance to women's experiences, Michelle Jones "On Being a Fan," Camille Minichino on growing up as a passionate follower of the Boston Braves, and Ellen Stolfa on "Baseball 101" at Comiskey Park. Historical pieces include Diane Helmer's excerpts on the All American Girls Professional Baseball League; Cynthia Bass on the summer of 1890, when the fifteen year-old N.L. competed with the fledgling Player's League; and David Pietrusza with a story about Grace Coolidge, "The First Lady of Baseball." Other highlights include the Portsider's hilarious account of Stormin' Sherry Norman, the first woman in major league baseball, Rory Metcalf's excellent "Ragging Judy" about a female ump, and our interview with Elinor Nauen, poet and editor of the acclaimed Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend. Besides some excellent poetry by Michelle Jones, Hannah Wilson, Clara Sneed, Nevenah Smith, and others, Peter Bjarkman examines the shabby treatment of women in baseball literature. This issue also includes an interesting theory from Talmage Boston on the real truth about Abraham Lincoln and baseball.

Single issue:- $12.50 - 112 pages
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EFQ 12:3 - Fall, 1993
Cover: Jimmie Foxx

A fine issue that features a full-length play on Ty Cobb by Michael Riccards, some of the timeless baseball "portraits" by noted photographer Bruce Murray, and a reminiscence by Bill Murphy on the day Carl Yastrzemski came to rural Topsfield, Mass. Other highlights include Mike Shaler's excellent piece on "Franchise Stability and Expansion" (in view of the Giants near move to St. Pete, Fl. and continuing threats by other teams), Richard Thompson's historical account of how Harvard beat the Red Sox in a spring exhibition in 1916, Jeffrey DeMark's short yet sweet portrayal of "Willie Mays and the Vaportrail of Fame," Jack LaZebnik's always witty report on opening day in St. Louis, Robert Dodge's fictional "The Catch" about a struggling minor leaguer, and Robert Moss's interesting analysis of the real-life identity of the title character in Bernard Malamud's The Natural. Book reviews on The Cleveland Indian, The Outfielder, Gil Hodges, and Collision at Home Plate, and nine "innings" of ballplayer poems, including Chet Nichols, Billy Martin, Harlond Clift, Luke Easter, and Donnie Moore.

Single issue:- $12.50 - 112 pages
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EFQ 12:4 - Winter, 1994
Cover: Photo of baseball glove

A shorter-length issue devoted to "The Poet's Game." 28 pages of poetry, including works by Donald Werner, Peter Williams, Oliver Trager, Hugh Abernethy, Jr., Elinor Nauen, Bob Mitchell, Louis Phillips, and James Kaufman. Also, Heather Henderson's memoir "For Real," a fictional account of award-winning poet Hana Schulman's secret major league debut; John Poff's essay on the significance of the ball and bat in baseball and how they relate to a new understanding of "Casey at the Bat"; and reviews of two books of poems, The Museum of Clear Ideas and Hummers, Knucklers, and Slow Curves.

Single Issue:- $7.50 - 64 pages
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Complete 3 issue lot of Volume 12
$25.00 ppd
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EFQ 13:1 - Spring, 1994
Cover: Sandlot action at Vero Beach

Subtitled "Other Fields, Other Leagues," this issue features Larry Baldassaro's interview with Phil Garner, Robert Dodge's hilarious fictional work "The Penis," Nick Trujillo's clever "Five Reasons Why Nolan Ryan Should Not Be Elected to the Hall of Fame," and several historical accounts, including Paul Gertsen's look at the defunct Northern League Aberdeen Pheasants, Robert Cole's "The Last Days of Baseball Barnstorming" (with a focus on Jackie Robinson and Willie Mays), and Sheldon Cohen & Jim Keenan on "Jimmie Crutchfield's Baseball World." Poetry includes "The Saliva Series," "Until the Lights Go Out," and ‘Minor League Wives," and our "Baseball by the Books" section includes Peter Bjarkman's review of the recent (overdue) spate of books on the Negro Leagues, as well as book reviews of When the Game Was Black and White, Billy Sunday and Big-Time American Evangelism, Past the Bleachers, and Coming Apart at the Seams.

Single issue:- $10.00 - 112 pages
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EFQ 13:2 - Summer, 1994
Cover: Joe Jackson

In our "Field of Dreams" issue, editor Steve Lehman reflects on the perfect ballpark and the experience to be had there; Roger Aden examines the spiritual significance of the endless pilgrimage of fans to the real Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa; Robert Heilman offers a timely piece on baseball, community, and the American Legion World Series in tiny Roseburg, Oregon; Dale Rigby writes of little league stardom and the adult burdens that accompany it; and Mark Evans reminisces about his first visit to Wrigley's field of dreams. Historian Cynthia Bass contributes another engrossing fictional history piece in "One Nothing," the story of the famous Joe Wood - Walter Johnson pitching matchup in 1912; Peter Bjarkman offers his version of baseball fiction's "All-Time All Star Team"; humorist Staff Writer remembers a mythical "field of bad dreams"; and author Luke Salisbury recalls a fictional meeting between Ty Cobb and J. Edgar Hoover. Throw in some fine poetry on Casey Stengel at the Field of Dreams, Red Barber in heaven, and the delicious excitement before a game, as well as excellent book reviews on The Lip, The Toughest Job in Baseball, and Ballpark: Camden Yards and the Building of an American Dream, and well, we feel like we again nailed an extra-base hit.

Single Issue:- $7.50 - 96 pages
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EFQ 13:3 - Fall, 1994
Cover: Phil Rizzuto

Highlights include former professional ballplayer John Poff's fine piece on the fragility of a baseball career (entitled "Please Release Me"), Larry Baldassaro's conversation with the effusive "Scooter" Phil Rizutto, Talmage Boston's historical review of underrated manager Bill McKechnie and the 1939 Reds, Jack Harshman's lively review of the National League's little known baseball history in New England, and Brian Glassman's first-hand accounts of the "end" at Cleveland's Municipal stadium and "the beginning" at Jacob's Field. The issue also includes fictional accounts by John Azrak (the poignant "During a Rain Delay," about a husband and wife coping with grief), Josh Russell (about a ballplayer whose girl friend is leaving him), and R.C. Binstock (bittersweet memories of a father evoked while visiting the Hall of Fame); poetry "The Pharmacist" and "Fading Star"; Peter Bjarkman on the "boom industry" in "Women and Baseball" histories; and book reviews of Baseball and Men's Lives, The Era 1947-57, and Harry Hooper: An American Baseball Life.

Single issue:- $10.00 - 112 pages
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EFQ 13:4 - Winter, 1994-95
Cover: John Pregenzer

Published in the midst of the baseball strike, this solid issue is packed with several reasons why we love the game, especially Tony Laiolo's cover piece "A Great Cup of Coffee," which details the wonderful story of John Pregenzer, who had a brief big league career with the Giants in 1963-64, yet enjoyed a huge fan club following (that included several national celebrities), a feat seemingly possible (at that time) only in San Francisco. Other highlights include Richard Crepeau's one-game look at Michael Jordan in the minors, John Dodge's novel suggestion that baseball be regulated like a public utility, Ethan Zuckerman's account of game 6 of the 1993 World Series as viewed from Ghana, West Africa, Joseph Cardello's historical review of the Dodgers pennant collapse of 1930, Tom Goodman's affectionate look at his worship of the Baltimore Orioles strictly through the radio airwaves, Patric Verrone's inventive humor about a "Ball That Sits in Cooperstown," poignant fiction from David Grann (on the amusing yet sometimes vicious world of little league) and Gene Carney (about a widowed ballplayer recalling his long gone world series glory), and Robert Moss' fine account of a week spent watching minor league baseball in upstate New York. Book reviews include The Curse of Rocky Colavito, The Meaning of Nolan Ryan, and The Politics of Glory.

Single issue:- $10.00 - 112 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 13
$30.00 ppd
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EFQ 14:1 - Spring, 1995
Cover: Donnie Moore (illustration)

One of our finest issues, primarily due to John Poff's powerful cover story entitled "Donnie Moore: A Racial Memoir," which is arguably the best writing we've ever published, and to editor Steve Lehman's moving tribute about a close friend dying of cancer but still able to cling to the beauty of baseball. Poff, who played several years in the minors and briefly with the Phillies and Brewers, offers a candid, razor sharp portrayal of the cultural phenomenon of racism (albeit often subtle) among white athletes, the continued institutionalized racism practiced at the organizational level of baseball (with few black managers, coaches, and executives), and his own battle to face the inherent prejudice and fear that white ballplayers feel towards a successful teammate of color not in the mold of a likeable (to whites) Michael Jordan or Ken Griffey Jr. This issue also includes engaging fiction by Andrew Muldoon ("Run Trey" about a minor leaguer who wants to own the basepaths) and Josh Russell ("The World's Foremost Fungo Hitter..."); John Rossi's excellent historical piece on the collapse of the 1964 Phillies; Bill McGill's reflection on memories of Wrigley Field and John Shanley's poignant reminiscence of what he lost with the destruction of Forbes Field; Bob Harrison's conversation with poet Gene Fehler; and poetry by Penelope Scambly Schott, John Ventola, and others. "Baseball by the Books" includes a look at books on the art of pitching, and reviews of Lords of the Realm, Never Just a Game, Ebbets Field to Ellis Island, All My Octobers, and Baseball's Golden Age: The Photographs of Charles M. Conlon.

Single issue:- $10.00 - 112 pages
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EFQ 14:2 - Summer, 1995
Cover: Fidel Castro (illustration)

Apparently, interrupting the play on the field only intensifies the quality of the writing off the diamond, as this issue demonstrates. Highlights include Eugene McCarthy's opinion piece on the politics of international sports in "Diamond Diplomacy," Doug Bukowski's insightful commentary on the politics of the strike, Mike Shaler's historical review of second place teams that won 100 games or more; John Pastier's incisive critique of Ken Burn's Baseball documentary; and Bill Donahue's remembrance (w/ photos and illustrations) of his great-great uncle Tim Donahue, an outspoken and sturdy backstop for the N.L. Chicago Colts (now Cubs) in the late 1890's. The issue also features two fine, uniquely original works of fiction ("A Secret Life with the Babe," by George Whitney and Roger Kirby, and Brett Rhyne's "How It All Got Started"); poetry on Carl Furillo and Jackie Robinson, and poems by Clara Sneed and Rodney Torreson; and book reviews of Pure Baseball and Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend.

Single issue:- $7.50 - 96 pages
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EFQ 14:3 - Fall, 1995
Cover: Chief Bender (illustration)

The so-called "hostage" issue, printed in ‘95 but not released until 1998. Highlights: Steve Lehman's essay on "Reluctant Spring" training; Chris Christensen on the importance of not having interleague play; fan essays by Jack LaZebnik and Tom Olkowski; Todd Fuller's five-page poetic tribute "Mound"; Ray Pace's hilarious Hawaiian pidgin version of Casey at the Bat; fine illustrations (of Oh, Ruth, Spahn, DiMaggio, Gibson, and Clemente) and aphorisms from Go (author of The Tao of Baseball); Peter Bjarkman on the "Nature and Appeal of Baseball's Literature"; Larry Blakely's reminiscence of his surprise little league homerun; and Paris Mentis' fictional piece on a young ballplayer trying to catch a scout's eye. Add poems by Dan Rourke (the wonderful "Catch Me," about a foul ball looking for the right home) and Pete Gunn (on Earl Torgeson, Vada Pinson, and Joe Jackson), and book reviews of You Gotta Have Wa and Hitting into The Wind, and we think this issue was worth the long wait.

Single issue:- $7.50 - 96 pages
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Complete 3 issue set of Volume 14
$20.00 ppd
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EFQ 15:1 - Winter, 1998
Cover: Juan Marichal

Our first issue after a two and one-half year layoff shows that some veterans improve with age (especially with talented authors in the "bullpen"). It features a fictionalized story about two retired ballplayers by W.P. Kinsella. historical accounts of the famed Koufax-Marichal rivalry by Peter Bjarkman and of the 1908 "Hitless Wonder" White Sox by Richard Partin, a comparison of poetry and baseball by Lynn Rigney Schott (daughter of former major league player and manager Bill Rigney), a fine portrayal of a diverse little league by Dan Gabriel, and a humorous reflection on managers ("Fat Guys in Polyester") by George Bowering. Other highlights include poetry from Brooke Horvath, James Kaufman, and Ken Waldman, a fun short drama by Josh White, Sean Connolly's fictional "The Roar," and a poignant reminiscence of childhood baseball by Allen Dennis.

Single issue:- $7.50 - 96 pages
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EFQ 15:2 - Spring, 1998
Cover: Nellie Fox

Two for two in 1998. Highlights: A retrospective on Nellie Fox by David Ginzl, a glimpse at the social change wrought by the 1964 World Series by Bill McGill, fiction by Kevin Michaels ("Sister Carrie") about a relationship that unravels at the ballpark, a manifesto for a new baseball fan organization, a conversation with female professional ballplayer Anita Selvaggio, and Mike Lipstock's remembrance of his idol Sid Gordon. Also, "The Tryout" by David Allen Evans; John Rossi on Jackie Robinson's first game in Philadelphia; poetry on a struggling hurler, Scott Taylor's first major league start, and a frustrated minor league manager, as well as tributes to Dummy Hoy and Jimmy Blake; and book reviews of Jackie Robinson, A False Spring, Hardball, and A Prayer for the Opening of the Little League Season.

Single Issue:- $7.50 - 96 pages
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EFQ 15:3 - Summer, 1998
Cover: Roberto Clemente

Highlights: A cover story on Roberto Clemente's difficult first season in Pittsburgh by Andrew O'Toole; Paul Chaplin's biting commentary on Bud Selig; fiction by Christopher Scanlan (about a mom who is forced to take over as coach of her daughter's little league team), Thomas Shane (an end of innocence in the summer of Maris and Mantle), and Henry Marchand (two career criminals take in a game at Tiger Stadium); Charles Smith's analysis of the statistical absurdity of the slugging average; and Chris Christensen's "paradox of the strike zone." Also, an interview with baseball fan and singer/songwriter Jeff Arundel, commentary by George Bowering, poetry on baseball stadiums, and book reviews of Bunts, Man on Spikes, and Ballpark.

Single issue:- $7.50 - 96 pages
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EFQ 15:4 - Fall, 1998
Cover: Fred Merkle

We close out 1998 with what editor Steve Lehman says may be our best issue ever. Highlights include a cover story on Fred Merkle's lifetime burden by Chris Christensen; ballpark commentary by Don Dewey; reflections on a game at Fenway by Richard Crepeau and on little league baseball in 1960's Brooklyn by Jernigan Pontiac; fiction by Richard Peterson ("How to Write a True Baseball Story'), Joanne Azen Bloom (minor league wives, girl friends, and life on the move), Thomas Snee (a stubborn Iowa farmer finally takes his family to a Cubs game), and Josh White (a mythical Red Sox vs. Cubs World Series); and poetry by Hannah Wilson, Rebecca Parfitt, John Judson, and others. Also, sportswriter Chuck Pickard on triples, a profile of Jeff Campbell's "Hungry for Music" baseball CD's, and book reviews of Invincible Summer, The Ripening of Pinstripes, Home Field: Nine Writers at Bat, and Field of Schemes: How the Great Stadium Swindle Turns Public Money into Private Profits.

Single issue:- $7.50 - 96 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 15
$25.00 ppd
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EFQ 16:1 - Winter, 1999
Cover: Babe Ruth

We're particularly proud of this issue's wonderful mix of stories and perspectives: The great Babe is recalled with humor and admiration by former big leaguer Bill Werber (as told to Paul Rogers); Mark Stang relates his secret life as a baseball photographer; Christine MacKinnon reports from Red Sox Nation; and Murray Browne searches for baseball on the web. Editor Steve Lehman comments on baseball's apocalyptic salary structure and Frank Rashid writes about the lost battle for Tiger Stadium. Fictional pieces include Rick Wilber's fine story of baseball and reconciliation ("Run Down West"), Thomas Shane's poignant "The Final Out" (about a veteran playing out the string), Todd Stanley's humorous look at Hitler's baseball career, and Tom Goldstein's satirical view of commercialism in baseball. Poetry from Joel Barr, Michael Bielawa, Joseph Stanton, and others; and book reviews of The Glory of Their Times (audio), Creating the National Pastime, Jackie Robinson: Race, Sports, and the American Dream, Snow in August, and Once Around the Bases.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 16:2 - Spring, 1999
Cover: Richie Ashburn

Highlights: Robin Roberts collaborates with Paul Rogers to recall the likeable, irreverent Richie Ashburn; Yankee fan Neil deMause laments the excesses of baseball's richest team; Don Dewey explores one-team baseball careers; Ed Goetz questions the ethics of "beaning a dweeb"; Mark Steinmetz treats us to a fine photo essay in "Little League Lens"; Anthropology professor and former ballplayer George Gmelch offers an insightful, academic look at first year ballplayers in the minor leagues; and Phil Bess suggests fifty irrefutable reasons why old ballparks are better. Fiction from William McGill on the chase for McGwire's 70th homerun ball ("Homer Happy") and Steve Feldman on a batter's perfect year at the plate ("The Human Season"). Fine poetry from Alvin Greenberg, Mikhail Horowitz, Bob Mitchell, Gene Fehler, and others; and book reviews of Judge and Jury, Owning a Piece of the Minors, and Kinsella's Magic Time.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 16:3 - Summer, 1999
Cover: Bobby Brown

Paul Rogers' lengthy, insightful interview with former A.L. President Bobby Brown and Peter Bjarkman's exploding the myth of Fidel Castro as big league pitching prospect highlight another fine issue, which also includes editor Steve Lehman's review of baseball's ignorance about addiction; Paul Chaplin's review of Bud Selig's afflictions; Chris Christensen's disenchantment with baseball's homerun derby; and Rick Wilber's enchantment with baseball in Tampa Bay. Two poignant memoirs include Dan Stoneking on an afternoon spent talking and fishing with the great Joe DiMaggio and EFQ founder Ken LaZebnik's remembrance of a baseball fan and friend who recently lost a battle with ALS. Joseph Connolly's "Heinie Manush Tries for Third" is a wonderful story of an elderly man coping with grief and separation, while John Rosengren's "Couldfield" relates a country ballplayer with a knack for the HBP. More fine poetry from John Poff, Edward Rielly, Lynn Rigney Schott, and others, and book reviews of Take Two and Hit to Right, Baseball's Pivotal Era, and Underworld.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 16:4 - Fall, 1999
Cover: Eddie Waitkus

Highlights: Fittingly, at the end of the century, several essays explore major league baseball's lost soul, from editor Steve Lehman's bittersweet reflections on Tiger Stadium's final days and Michael Rogner's plea to save Fenway Park to Chris Christensen's defense of baseball purists and John Cunningham's account of his pilgrimage to minor league parks; Laura Wulf shares her keen photographic eye with a selection of her portfolio on "Women in Baseball"; Ron Visco and Bruce Markusen revisit the Eddie Waitkus tragedy; former college pitcher Gary Chesney recalls an old-timers game against ex-big leaguer Clyde Wright; and George Gmelch offers another academic study on minor league ballplayers. Fiction includes Rick Wilber's "Where Garagiola Waits" fantasy of a major league career reborn, Mark Schraf's "Heads" (a near-tragedy at the ballpark exposes a fan's phony bravado), and Tom Snee's "First Start" (parents anxiously watch their son's first big league game). Great poetry by James Hubley, Michelle Jones, Frank Van Zant, and others, and book reviews of Where They Ain't, Bullet Bob Comes to Louisville, and A Clever Base-Ballist.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 16
$25.00 ppd
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EFQ 17:1 - Winter, 2000
Cover: Conrado Marrerro

Baseball historian Peter Bjarkman's excellent biographical sketch of former major league pitcher Conrado Marrero and his storied fifty-year career as a legend in Cuban baseball is the centerpiece of our first effort in the new century. Other highlights include Neil deMause on extravagant Safeco Field; Don Dewey on really radical realignment; fan memories of encounters with one-time rookie sensation Bill Gullickson and the great Ted Williams; Staff Writer on aliens, Roswell, and baseball on the eve of the new millennium; a wonderful photo essay that eloquently captures black semipro baseball that still "lives" in rural South Carolina; and a look at how Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier also led to an integration of baseball fiction. Fine poetry by Mikhail Horowitz, John Judson, Brian Cronwall and others; fiction by Hannah Wilson (a wonderful tale about an older woman battling cancer who finds solace in baseball) and novelist Gordon McAlpine (an unexpected appearance in the ballpark by a former ballplayer entitled "A Butterfly's a Butterfly"); and book reviews that include The Independent Carolina Baseball League, Smoke, and Where Garagiola Waits.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 17:2 - Spring, 2000
SPECIAL EDITION 25TH ISSUE
Cover: Nadine Hazelwood

Highlights: Another incisive column by editor Steve Lehman that examines the real issues in the John Rocker controversy; Red Shuttleworth looks at baseball from his dual perspective as a community college coach with a ball playing son; former big leaguer John Poff, author of the powerful Donnie Moore piece from EFQ issue 14:1, offers yet another terrific behind-the-scenes view of life in the minors with his fictionalized "Amphetamine Story #1"; photographer Laura Wulf shares her wonderful portfolio of "women playing baseball" photos with a series of images from a short-lived women's pro league and from the 1998 Women's National Championship; Larry Fangman contributes a raucous one-act play in which Hoss Cartwright, Charles Manson, and Emily Dickinson all gather at the ballpark in pursuit of Mark McGwire's 71st home run ball; and George Gmelch provides another installment of his fascinating series on ballplayers climbing the pro ranks. Fiction by Art Grillo (about a fantasy camp attendee in a mid-life crisis) and Steve Feldman (a Royals cookbook is the recipe for a broken marriage), and fine poetry from Lynn Rigney Schott (on her dad Bill Rigney), Sarah Freligh (a no-hitter trilogy), and William Snyder (a duo on Babe Ruth). Also, an historical piece on little known 19th century second base pioneer Ross Barnes; memories of Little League; humor by Staff Writer; the All-Ailment team; and book reviews that include first Dave Moore Award winner The Pride of Havana and 2000 award finalist Havana Heat.

Single issue:- $8.95 - 112 pages
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EFQ 17:3 - Summer, 2000
Cover: Bucky Harris

A revealing interview with longtime NBC commentator Bob Costas on his new book (Fair Ball) and other baseball matters is the "plum" in this issue, but there's also lots of other great stuff, including a cover story by Bruce Markusen and Ron Visco on the 1924 Senators' remarkable 7th game World Series victory; terrific fiction about a troubled relationship ("Batting Cleanup" by Ben Greenman) and a superhero ballplayer ("Sarah, Sarah" by novelist Gordon McAlpine); a wonderful, nostalgic look back at baseball in Philadelphia where a kid living in the row houses behind Shibe Park could actually watch the exciting World Championship Athletic teams from "Bleachers in the Bedroom"; a poignant look at the tragedy and simplicity of baseball in Nicaragua; a new stat by Matt Baron for evaluating home run prowess ("The Home Run Power Ratio"); the hypocrisy behind the planned trashing of Fenway Park; Staff Writer's hilarious recollection of his final game; the All-Shakespeare team; fine poetry by Bob Jacob, Craig Paulenich, Linda Kittell, and others; and book reviews of Dizzy and the Gas House Gang, The Goose is Loose, and John Holway's The Baseball Astrologer and Other Weird Tales.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 17:4 - Fall, 2000
Cover: Jake Powell

Highlights: Chris Christensen's well-researched cover story debunking the myths surrounding the Jake Powell incident, a 1930s precursor to John Rocker's foray into bigotry last Winter; a thirteen- page feature on the organization Save Fenway Park! and its efforts to preserve and renovate that historic place in Boston; a look at the new Pac Bell Park by Bay area resident Mike Shaler; Jodi Ayres' poignant memoir (Playing with the Boys), detailing her experience with ignorance, sexism, and friendship while playing on a boys' high school baseball team; terrific fiction about a homeowner and the filming of Home Run Derby (Canceling Home Run Derby by David Monahan), an usher at Dodger Stadium (Dodger Blue by Jordan Henry), and a young stadium worker's infatuation with Dick Stuart (Concessions for Dr. Strangeglove by Steven Bills); Mickey Weintraub's Evening the Score, an amusing account of his minor league experiences and ballpark pranks in the late 1940s; Staff Writer's hilarious recollection of a unique baseball-teaching invention; the All-Romance team; fine poetry from John Poff, Sarah Freligh, Bill Meissner, and others; the EFQ Quotation Quiz; and six lengthy book reviews (including Full Count, More Than Merkle, Lefty Grove, and Past Time–Jules Tygiel's latest literary effort.)

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 17
$25.00 ppd
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EFQ 18:1 - Winter, 2001
Cover: Lefty Gomez

An amusing cover story by Paul Rogers that captures the humor of the loveable Lefty Gomez, a HOF'er whose pitching talent was often overshadowed by his self-deprecating wit, is the feature piece in an issue that also includes an analysis by Doug Pappas of the "baloney" in Baseball's so-called "Blue Ribbon Report"; an exploration of the joys of amateur baseball in the Cape Code League by Adam Ferber; a look by Michael Rogner at how Disney's invasion of central Florida has mothballed the classic Tinker Field; Jay Thomas on his experience as bat boy for a day at Wrigley Field in 1980; terrific fiction about an estranged father and son (They Don't Play Polo at the Polo Grounds by Robert Rubino), a talented youngster who seems to lose his skills literally overnight (Slump by Jerry Gabriel), and the joys and sadness of a father and daughter making a trip to a doomed ballpark (Comiskey Ritual by Pamala Gasway); Staff Writer's hilarious account of a juiced-up pitcher in the fictitious Mexican Border League; fine poetry from Craig Paulenich, Sarah Freligh, Manly Johnson, Tony Gloeggler, and others; the EFQ Quotation Quiz; and six lengthy book reviews (including Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life, How All This Started, Rube Waddell, and The Head Game—Roger Kahn's latest book).

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 18:2 - Spring, 2001
Cover: Martín Dihigo

Prolific author (and Latin American baseball expert) Peter Bjarkman details the career of baseball's least known Hall-of-Famer, Martín Dihigo, in a cover story about the first Cuban-born player enshrined in Cooperstown; novelist Elizabeth Bales Frank ex-plains Why Baseball is the Sexiest Game; George Felton reports on his fondness for expectorating ballplayers in Throwing the Spitter; artist James Sturm provides a wonderful twenty-four page illustrated excerpt from his graphic novel, The Golem's Mighty Swing; Robert Diemer recalls following his beloved Cleveland Indians in the 1995 World Series from halfway across the globe; fiction about a Vietnam veteran and one-time star passing on tips to a younger player (Look into My Eyes by Robert Pope) and facing God on the mound (Pilgrim at the Plate by Frank Fyffe); Staff Writer remembers a pitcher who always brought rain; poetry from Tim Peeler, Bill Meissner, H.R. Coursen, Becka McKay, and Jim Gill; the EFQ Quotation Quiz (Literary Baseball); the All-New Testament team; and five lengthy book reviews.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 18:3 - Summer, 2001
Cover: Hugh Mulcahy

Our 30th issue features a cover story by Paul Rogers on Hugh Mulcahy, a hard-throwing righty who missed his most productive baseball years while spending almost five full seasons serving as a GI in World War II. There's also a great historical look at the development of semipro and amateur ball in the African American communities of Buffalo, New York in the nineteenth century by Kevin Grzymala; fine fiction about baseball, adolescence, and first love (Fear Makes a Fielder's Choice by Robert Rubino), the surprise appearance of a baseball hero at a local Dunkin' Donuts (Home Run Herschel by Ezra Olman), and a minor league pitcher struggles with control problems (From the Stretch by Andrew Bomback); a personal reminiscence of baseball in Cuba just after the revolution from Roberto González Echevarría (author of the award-winning 1999 book, The Pride of Havana); another hilarious column from ageless Staff Writer (about baseball in the Philippines and Japanese soldiers hiding in caves); the All- Meteorological Team; fine poetry from Pamela Yenser, Bill Meissner, Tim Peeler and others; the EFQ Quotation Quiz; and four books reviews (including The Final Season, Much More Than a Game, and Fouled Away, a new biography on Hack Wilson).

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 18:4 - Fall, 2001
Cover: Del Wilber

Highlights: A wonderful cover story by writer and novelist Rick Wilber about growing up in a baseball family and watching his heroes, including his major league father Del Wilber, grow old; Sim Ramirez laments the loss of his team, the Albuquerque Dukes, to the business of baseball; Jay Thomas recounts his sometimes hilarious adventures as a high school coach Teaching Einstein the Hit-and-Run; Peter Toot recalls an historic major league first in Breaking the Latino Barrier; excellent fiction about star-crossed lovers and the Ray Chapman tragedy (Robert Rubino's Dead Man's Curve), an unlikely challenger to Joe DiMaggio's all-time hit streak (The Pariah by Glen Singer), and a fading minor league pitcher still hoping for a chance at The Show (This Tiny Altitude by JB Powell); Dan Gabriel explains The Myth of the Failing Hitter; David Ginzl "hits the trifecta" in visits to Wrigley, Fenway, and Tiger Stadium; Staff Writer remembers his Nutty Beginnings; fine poetry by Gene Fehler, Robert Fink, Louis Phillips, and others; the All-Yuletide team; book reviews of Inside Pitch, Shoeless Joe, Extra Innings, and others; and a poignant reflection on County Stadium's demise.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 18
$25.00 ppd
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EFQ 19:1 - Winter, 2002
Cover: Minnie Minoso

Our cover story features another historical piece from Latin baseball expert Peter Bjarkman, who examines the career of 1950s AL sensation, Minnie Minoso, the Cuban Comet; Joe Sheehan of Baseball Prospectus shreds Bud Selig in a very timely column; John Nunes pays tribute to Tony Gwynn's career and his grace as a player; John Judson, a former minor leaguer, recalls the time a team of talented black barnstormers ("The Zulu Colored Giants") visited his little New England community and took on the town's best; Murray Browne extracts the nuggets from the agate type on the back of those old Topps baseball cards in The Numbers Game; Fine fiction from Michael Bourdaghs about friendships unraveling at a 1984 Twins game ("A Hazard of New Fortunes"), as well as Marc Estrin's unique piece about Kafka's cockroach, Gregor Samsa, attending his first baseball game and Peter Kovochich's poignant look at a father and son watching their old ballpark torn down piece-by-piece ("A Game of Forgiveness"); Another hilarious column from the ancient Staff Writer, about a new birthing method, a Russian-emigre podiatrist, and the Kwiguk (Alaska) Contractions; fine poetry from Bill Meissner, Joseph Stanton, Kim Chapman, David Rogner, Gene Fehler, and others; the All-Cosmopolitan team; and six book reviews (Baseball and the American Dream; Hal Chase; Elston and Me: Swing Batta!; The National Game; and a combo-review of several children's books).

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 19:2 - Spring, 2002
Cover: Eddie Klep

Larry Gerlach offers a superlative cover story on Eddie Klep, the man who broke the color line in the Negro leagues in 1946; Robert Nishihara provides a humorous yet somber look at the state of the 2002 Montreal Expos; Jack Bushnell explains the magic of baseball in his wonderful essay, "Why Baseball Matters"; filmmaker Kelly Candaele, consultant to A League of Their Own (and brother of former major leaguer Casey), analyzes the art of the steal and what has been lost in "Sacred Thieves"; Lorie Roth recalls how she fell in love with baseball in 1961 ("Maris, Mudcat, and Memory"): Excellent fiction by John Doble about a left-handed phenom ("Lefty"), by Karl Lindholm about baseball and Vietnam ("Vietnam Stories"), and by Sanford Tweedie on celebrity at the ballpark ("In the Stands"); Another darkly humorous tale from Staff Writer, this time about a "baseball tragedian" obsessed with the sadder points of the game; fine poetry about Bob Gibson's dominance, the lure of Fenway Park, grand old Gilmore Field, missing a father at the ballpark, and facing a blazing fastball at a young age; five book reviews (POW Baseball in World War II; Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man; Ernie Harwell; Sleeper Cars and Flannel Uniforms; and Memories of a Ballplayer); the 2001 Dave Moore Award; the All- Audubon Team; and more.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 19:3 - Summer, 2002
Cover: Pete Reiser

Paul Rogers' cover story details the tragic life of Pete Reiser, the popular phenom whose hell-bent playing style may have kept him from becoming one of baseball's all-time greats. Mark Feierstein's humorous "Contraction Diplomacy" posits the idea of post-9/11 MLB expansion to Cuba, while Robert Nishihara argues that increased steroid use doesn't account for baseball's home run explosion. Jack LaZebnik provides his annual account of Opening Day in St. Louis (with a twist); Jamie Spencer offers a fine essay on the allure of baseball, her hero Bobby Bonds, and redemption; Herbert Goldstone presents "The Fatal Out," a clever Shakespearean account of a mythic team's at bat; and Murray Browne gives a quirky perspective on the notion of baseball's declining popularity. Excellent fiction by Scott Turner about majesty and tragedy at Shea Stadium ("Foul Pole"), by Robert Rubino about baseball trivia ("The Fan Who Knew Too Much"), and by Robert Pope about rivalry and ambition ("Number Nine"). Also, the latest from Staff Writer (a tale of hemp baseball in the Cal. Mixed Nuts League); the usual assortment of fine poetry and prose; several book reviews (Dancing on the Basepaths; Waiting for Godot's First Pitch; The Lives of the Two-Headed Baseball Siren; The New Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract and Win Shares; Taking in a Game; and Charles Alexander's Breaking the Slump); the All-Horticulture Team; and more.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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EFQ 19:4 - Fall, 2002
Cover: Helen Callaghan

Our 35th issue features a wonderful reflection by filmmaker Kelly Candaele, consultant to the film A League of Their Own, on growing up with his mom, Helen Callaghan, a former star of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the 1940s. Other highlights include an interview with singer- songwriter/baseball balladeer Chuck Brodsky; why Wrigley Field might face extinction; "Announcer- speak" by Dennis Gould; a Ted Williams retrospective by John Nunes; plus remembering the 1967 Red Sox by Robert Dobrusin and Burt Shotton's Brooklyn Dodgers by Robert Moss. Excellent fiction includes Brian Tanguay's ("The Rookie"), about a late-blooming star whose brush with his past threatens a pennant drive; Larry Fangman's hilarious "The Longest Inning," about an infield beset with tragedy; and Scott Winkler's poignant tale ("Burning Gorman Thomas") of a young baseball fan, farm life, and the 1982 Brewers near-championship season. "Terror in the Desert" is the latest humorous tale from Staff Writer, this time about a base-ball entrepreneur colliding with a young Iraqi politician in the Egyptian desert. Also, fine poetry on pitching and catching, the age-old lament of Cubs and Red Sox fans, and the wonderful "Agbayani"; five book reviews (Sixty Feet Six Inches, The Putnam baseball histories reprints, Clearing the Bases, The Faith of 50 Million, and A Legend in the Making); the All-Nautical Team; and more.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 19
$25.00 ppd
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Issue 20:1 - Winter, 2003
Cover: Dolf Luque

Our cover story features the last installment by Peter Bjarkman on Cuban greats, this time focusing on Adolfo Luque, the first Cuban star in the U.S. major leagues. Other features: Tim Walker laments the rootlessness of baseball fandom; Herschel Cozine reflects on what went wrong in Mudville; Murray Browne envisions baseball clones of the future; Staff Writer explores homeland security and our national pastime; Karl Bracken recalls a baseball contest behind the gates of San Quentin while Bob Carson remembers an encounter with condiments at Cleveland Stadium; and we present our annual Dave Moore Award for baseball's most important book in 2002. Wonderful fiction includes Rick Wilber's timeless fantasy piece on Stephen Crane and the modern game ("Stephen to Cora to Joe"); Daniel Wolff"s "Thomas's Mirror" (about a scientific ballplayer with a special edge); and Roy Andrews's delightful "Part of the Game" (about a father-son rivalry). Also, the usual assortment of fine poetry; six book reviews; the All-Civil War Team; and more.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 20:2 - Spring, 2003
Cover: Chick Stahl

Our cover story features another tale by Chris Christensen from baseball's dark side, this time about early 1900s star, Chick Stahl, a handsome, bon vivant, player-manager for the Boston Americans who took his own life under suspicious circumstances. Other features include Gary Cozine's reflection on baseball virtues and the transmission of values ("Pop Fly in the Son"); former big leaguer John Poff's poetic memoir on summer baseball in Mexico during his first pro season; Staff Writer's hilarious tale of the origins of Donkeyball; A. H. Block's argument for a new, more accurate way to figure a pitcher's ERA; Louis Phillips's humorous take on the influences of Red Sox angst on poet T. S. Eliot; and the fourth annual Dave Moore Award winner. Excellent fiction includes Andrew Bomback's "The Catcher" (a Harvard-educated Japanese-American ballplayer with a unique minor league assignment); Glen Singer's "The Designated Hitter" ( an aging slugger with lots of baggage gets one last chance to crack the majors); and Dean Hulse"s "Fringe Benefits" (two fans reflecting on life atop a walkway at Wrigley). Also, fine poetry on T-Ball and Little League, the hidden value in shared experiences, and growing up with baseball; five book reviews (The Cuban Prospect, Louis Sockalexis, Shut Out, Baseball's Natural, The Last Commissioner); the All-Bohemian Team; and more.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 20:3 - Summer, 2003
Cover: Bibb Falk

Our cover story examines the life of Bibb Falk, the man who replaced the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson in the White Sox outfield and went on to become one of the greatest coaches in college baseball history. Other features include Eric Enders' powerful exposé of the politicalization of the Hall of Fame and the Bull Durham anniversary fiasco; Kevin Donovan's comprehensive plan for fixing baseball ("A Road Map for Baseball's Future"); memoir pieces about playing Little League in defiance of a military dad and remembering Shibe Park and Dick Allen in 1965; and Staff Writer's hilarious tale of a corked bat caper gone bad. Excellent fiction includes an excerpt from Ken LaZebnik's new play, "League of Nations," a humorous, candid portrayal of baseball's new multiculturalism; Jim Scott's "From Concentrate" (a weak-hitting big league second baseman bulks up to keep his job); and William Patton's "The Red Glove" (an evocative tale of a new baseball mitt and the Roberto Clemente-era Pirates). Also, fine poetry on baseball vendors, the Braves-Yankees rivalry, as well as Michael Cantor's wonderful "Octina for Wally Pipp"; five book reviews (Moneyball, Paths to Glory, The Tour to End All Tours, Triumph and Tragedy in Mudville, The End of Baseball As We Knew It); the All-Pugilistic Team; and more.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 20:4 - Fall, 2003
Cover: Croquet Wickets

Our cover story is Mikhail Horowitz's wonderful review of baseball folklore as depicted by the "Perfect Game" exhibit at the American Folk Art Museum in New York City. Other features include Brian Mulligan's historical account of Ernie Lombardi's semi-tragic Hall-of-Fame career; Iowa Road Trip (a bittersweet visit to some sacred minor league parks and the Field of Dreams); Dennis Fletcher's loving essay ("Evolution") on the unfolding of life against the backdrop of baseball; John Bergez's memoir about a key 1997 contest at Candlestick Park evoking the Giants-Dodgers longstanding rivalry and Tom Phillips's account of how sometimes a Little League team gives a coach a "Perfect Season"; and Staff Writer's hilarious but twisted tale of Ralphin' Bobby Scarffen, a pitcher who threw more than just a baseball on the mound. Excellent fiction includes Dan Spencer's "Knowing the Signs" (a veteran plays out the string in the Federal League); Jay Elliott's "In the Zone" (an umpire makes all the right calls); and Bill Murphy's "The Dark Horse" (an American expatriate takes one final shot at baseball glory in Hungary). Also, fine poetry on baseballs as souvenirs, Satchel Paige and inequality, and the pull of the diamond; five book reviews (Stealing Lives, May the Best Team Win, The Last Good Season, Before the World Series, Rob Neyer's Big Book of Baseball Lineups); the All-Equestrian Team; and more.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 21:1 - Winter, 2004
SPECIAL EDITION 40TH ISSUE
Cover: Terri Lynn Herbst

Our 40th edition, 112-page issue features one of the most unique and entertaining pieces of fiction that we've published, Ray Slater's "The Pheasant, the Devil, and the Relief Pitcher"—a story that he originally described to us as sort of like "Bull Durham meets the Exorcist." Other fiction includes Bob Pope's delightful "The Meaning of Poetry," about playing second fiddle to a guy that gets all the breaks; and Bruno Rescigna"s "Play-by-Play," a humorous and poignant conversation between an aging broadcaster and a young producer who wants to modernize the radio booth. Other highlights include David Shield's excellent piece ("Bring the Pain") about what causes big league players to suffer on-field yips (think Rick Ankiel); San Diegan John Nunes's fond remembrance of Jack Murphy Stadium; Michael Hinken's reflection on a former backstop ("Ex-Catcher"); and the always hilarious Staff Writer, writing this time about diamond misery caused by a pear ("The Sweetest Game in Town"). There's also a "dog and pony show" in the issue (memoir pieces "The Zen Grace of Catch" and "The Pony"), the All-Onomatopoeic Team, and several brilliant poems. Book reviews include Foul Ball (the 2003 Dave Moore Award winner); Baseball Fever; Beyond the Shadow of the Senators; and Ron Briley's Class at Bat, Gender on Deck and Race in the Hole.

Single issue:- $8.95 - 112 pages
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Issue 21:2 - Spring, 2004
Cover: Che Guevara

Our cover story, "Waiting for Che—Chasing Illusions in the Modern-Era Cuban Ballpark," isn't really about Che Guevara, but longtime contributor Peter C. Bjarkman does a nice job of capturing the flavor of a bygone era that still exists in the island nation of Fidel. By contrast, Chris Christensen ("Home Run Hormones") laments the acknowledged presence of steroids in this country's major leagues and how that undermines the sanctity of many cherished baseball records. "Bad Case: A Fifty-Year Love Affair" is Kurt Rheinheimer's wonderfully affectionate essay about the Baltimore Orioles' highs and lows during the team's first half-century, while Bob Gorman explores the darker side of the game in his historical piece, "Kill the Umpire," about an amateur contest that actually had that result. Fiction includes M. Frias May's "Jack Creek" (a Mexican pitching sensation is courted by an eccentric big league scout); Dennis McFadden's "The Hartsgrove Graves" (A young boy dreams of seeing a game at Forbes Field while his dad chases lost glory as a semipro pitcher); and Tom Snee's clever "How I Began My Career in Real Estate" (A washed-up minor leaguer describes his final at bat). Other highlights: Staff Writer's "The Old Political Shell Game," a laughing-out-loud tale of money, corruption, and the prosthetic-limb industry; "Early Exit," a memoir piece about a polio-stricken Giants fan who finally makes it to a game; the All- Theatrical Team; and several evocative poems contrasting birds with baseball, the ritual Jewish seder with growing up a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, and remembering a baseball wound. Book reviews include The Last Best League (a Dave Moore Award finalist); Press Box Red, and Black Baseball Entrepreneurs.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 21:3 - Summer, 2004
Cover: Masanori Murakami

Neil deMause, co-author of Field of Schemes, joins EFQ as a semi-regular columnist with a "debut" piece about Citizens Bank Park in Philly; Detroit native Tom Faulkner recounts the Tigers woeful 2003 season in "The Team from Worse"; Jack and Ken LaZebnik collaborate about Opening Day in St. Louis, Bob Mustin reports on the minor league game in Asheville, NC, and John Frey recalls baseball at Shibe Park and a visit with old-timer Zack Wheat. Two historical essays cover postwar U.S. baseball tours of Japan, while a wonderful selection of fiction includes Sam Esquith's "Devotions," a story of the choices baseball presents us; Norman German's "The Havana Home Run," a highly amusing tale about a Cuban baseball phenom and a famous American novelist; and Bill McGill's "Holding On, Letting Go," involving a veteran ballplayer trying to hang onto baseball and his marriage. Fine poetry includes a selection of remembrances by longtime contributor Red Shuttleworth about various baseball personalities, Lynn Rigney Schott's emotive "On Deck" (about her late father Bill Rigney) and soldier Brian Turner's "Bucky Dent," a poem about faith, hope, and love. Also, the All-Pastoral Team, plus book reviews of Ballpark Blues (a 2003 Dave Moore Award finalist), Willie's Time, Launching the Legend, The Ticket Out, and The Meaning of Ichiro.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 21:4 - Fall, 2004
Cover: Billy Sunday umpiring

Like the Red Sox' fantastic run, our final issue of 2004 is a classic. Highlights include Daniel Tonneson's "Stranded in Burma," the bittersweet tale of Maung Maung Tin, the Far East's best unknown player; Neil deMause's excellent analysis of George Steinbrenner's stealth plan to replace Yankee Stadium; Herschel Cozine's lament on the folly of baseball's Designated Hitter; Louis Phillips's cure for baseball's free agent free-for-all: time-sharing of players; Jack Bushnell's wonderful essay ("A Baseball Boy Turns Fifty") on the grip baseball has on our subconscious and daydreams; Wendy Knickerbocker's interesting historical account of baseball player turned preacher, "Billy Sunday, the Baseball Evangelist"; Staff Writer's clever take of Richard Nixon's foray into baseball during Watergate ("Tricky Dick's Double Switch"); Douglas Downey's memoir about the day he struck out Babe Ruth; and Carlos Delgado's quiet protest against the U.S. war in Iraq. Fiction: John Hurst's "The Day We Buried the Tombstones" (a sandlot team features a surprise sparkplug in right field) and Larry Blakely's "Fleetwood Walker's Birthday Bash" (an old-time Negro leaguer takes one last swing at the fences). Poetry: Two tales of Red Sox woe and suffering; baseball and remembrance; baseball as jazz. Book Reviews: Hal Chase; Negro League Baseball and The Numbers Game (both 2004 Dave Moore Award finalists); Blackout; and A Day in the Bleachers.

Single issue:- $7.95 - 96 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 21
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Issue 22:1 - Winter, 2005
Cover: Sal Maglie

Our lead story is the bittersweet tale of the Montreal Expos' final days ("Adieu Expos") by David Monahan, bookended by Neil deMause's account of how MLB blackmailed Washington, D.C. into a lucrative stadium deal to host the new Washington Nationals. George Mitrovich provides an inside scoop on the Red Sox' amazing playoff comeback against the Yankees while Richard Crepeau reminds us that Cub fans shouldn't look too far past mediocrity at Wrigley. Other highlights include Dan Skwire's historical account of the first collegiate baseball game (Williams vs. Amherst); Judith Testa's memoir of a Dodger fan who secretly admired Sal Maglie; Lorie Roth's perspective about "Mothers, Daughters, and Baseball"; another hilarious installment of Staff Writer in which the lifting of the "curse" is revealed to be the work of the Devil; and the 2004 Dave Moore Award finalists. Fine fiction by Andrew Bomback ("I Believe in the Lord," a tale of tragedy and redemption) and Joshua Weber ("The Declaration of Asterisks," a futuristic scenario in which all the greats of the game find new life in baseball), and poetry that features Jilly Dybka's ode to Dock Ellis ("No-No on LSD") and the late Hannah Wilson's "The Player to be Named Later." Book reviews include The 10th Man, Pete Reiser; Double Play, and an essay on the Duane Decker novels about the mythical Blue Sox minor league team.

Single issue: $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 22:2 - Spring, 2005
SPECIAL EDITION 45TH ISSUE
Cover: Fenway Park

Tom Larsen, a longtime Phillies fan, recounts an incredible day at the Vet with his manic depressive brother in a tale entitled, "The Old Ball Game"; ballpark columnist Neil deMause weighs in on the heartening decision of the Red Sox to stay put in Fenway; Cathy Brown writes about the "Golden Oldies," like her grandpa, who still play baseball into their seventies and eighties; Steve Shymanik offers an intriguing critique of Michael Lewis's bestselling Moneyball; Billy O'Callaghan, a native of Cork, Ireland, gives a delightful foreign perspective on the national pastime; and Robert Lee Mahon describes the loneliest position in baseball with a memoir entitled "The Right Fielder." Our historical essay focuses on the Federal League challenge of the vaunted reserve clause in 1914 (by attorney Patrick Mears), and Bonnie Thompson's "Can of Corn," about the intertwining of love, baseball, and relationships is a marvelous story that you won't want to miss. Of course, there's also fine poetry about pitchers, missed signs, the "madness of first baseman," knothole days, and the secret language of baseball; the humor of "The Portsider,"; the regular quotation and trivia quizzes; book reviews of Juiced; September Swoon; Luckiest Man; and The Sizzler; and the much anticipated announcement of the 2004 Dave Moore Award winner.

Single issue: $8.95 112 pages
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Issue 22:3 - Summer, 2005
Cover: Opening Day in Washington, D.C.

Ted Leavengood pens our cover article about the return of baseball to the Nation's Capital; Neil deMause laments George Steinbrenner's plan to demolish historic Yankee Stadium; Doug Bukowski relates his daughter's quest to play youth baseball in "Softball by Gender, Baseball by Choice"; Michelle Valois recalls her grandmother's cherished "Good Radio for Baseball"; and sports historian Stanley Arnold details "The Rise of Black Professional Baseball in Philadelphia, 1850–1910." Memoir includes Glen Singer's boyhood tales of the lowly St. Louis Browns and Vietnam vet Stephen Banko's fond recollections of his time as Thurman Munson's 1969 army teammate. Fiction includes Misha Angrist's wonderful story ("Venn Diagram") about a disaffected Jewish kid in Pittsburgh who finds guidance in Dock Ellis's rebellious ways, and Staff Writer's hilarious account of what happens when modern technology collides with baseball at a poultry plant ("A Chicken Pluckin' Like No Other").Fine poetry includes Rita Moe's "Knothole Days" (the first trip to a ballpark) and Dale Ritterbusch's "Fred Haney Mismanages History" (remembering Brave slugger Joe Adcock). Also, the All-Space Team, and book reviews of Baseball Before We Knew It, Breaking into Baseball, Mental Toughess, 3 Days in August, and Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx is Burning.

Single issue: $7.95 - 96 pages
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Issue 22:4 - Fall, 2005
Cover: Neil Robinson (Memphis Red Sox)

Our featured article is Glenn Stout's recounting of the real facts behind the alleged "Curse of the Bambino," a tale of anti-Semitism rather than Babe Ruth being sold to the Yankees to finance the play No, No, Nanette. Other highlights include Mike Shaler's suggestion that expansion to 48 teams is in baseball's best interest; a poignant tale of returning to baseball after leukemia ("Back on the Field" by Matt Tullis); and a wonderful fictional story of a young woman a la Ila Borders who makes it to the minor leagues ("Casey on the Mound" by Marshall Cook). Memoir includes noted baseball author (of If I Never Get Back fame) Darryl Brock's tale of watching the "Shot Heard 'Round the World" on a black and white TV as a young boy in L.A., and Glen Singer's memories of the amazing 1957 summer of the Milwaukee Brave "Hurricane" Hazle. The always hilarious Staff Writer is in fine form with "Field of Screams," a story about what happens when Hollywood, bad script writing, and baseball collide on a corn field in Iowa, while fine poetry includes Ron Visco's "The Village Umpire" (after Longfellow) and David Hickey's "The Afterlives of Ted Williams," which posits the results of cloning Teddy Ballgame. Also, the All-Metropolitan Team, and book reviews of Negro League Baseball (featuring the wonderful photography of Ernest Withers), Praying for Gil Hodges, Satchel Paige's America, The Book on the Book, and The American Indian Integration of Baseball.

Single issue: $7.95- 96 pages
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Complete 4 issue set of Volume 22
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Issue 23:1 - Winter, 2006
Cover: Ebbets Field

Who hit the last home run at Ebbets Field? It wasn't Campy or the Duke, but a high school kid named Red Ruffino, who is part of Leo Callahan's delightful "The Last Homer at Ebbets" historical piece. The issue also includes a photo essay on mothballed Tiger Stadium by Tom Sanders; a woman who can throw heat (Craig Idlebrook's "My Wife's Fastball"); two looks at the World Champ Sox ("And That's a White Sox Winner" by Doug Bukowski and "Dream Summer" by Billy Lombardo); the 2004 Dave Moore Award finalists; and the always hilarious Staff Writer, who presents "The Art of Pitching Unmasked," a tale of a mysterious Mexican wrestler turned pitcher who descends upon the La Jolla art colony. Pitching is also the theme of two entertaining memoir pieces (Phil Stein's "I'll Just Erase His Name," about earning a minor league contract after a PCL tryout, and former Pirate announcer Nellie King's "Facing Down Dodger Blue," the story of his major league debut), fiction by Billy O'Callaghan ("The Game of Life," about a country kid with an amazing curveball), and Louis Phillips's poetic "Don Larsen's Perfect Game." Other highlights include Michelle von Euw's poignant "The Show," the bittersweet story of a Negro League great who finally gets the call from Cooperstown; the usual assortment of fine poetry (e.g., Jilly Dybka's "Like a Wild Pitch" and Thom Ingram's "Ode to a Dying Quail"); and book reviews of Cap Anson, Here's to You, Jackie Robinson, The Juice, and Brushing Back Jim Crow. Plus the All-Macho team.

Less than 30 copies remaining. Single issue: $15.00- 96 pages
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Issue 23:3 - Summer, 2006
Cover: Yankee Stadium

Yankee Stadium to be demolished? Absurd. What about all that great history, including Mickey Mantle's mammoth blast on Memorial Day, 1956? Ed Weathers captures the majesty of the grand old park with his quirky, poignant remembrance("Hitting the Facade"), which is our cover story. What are the similarities and distinctions of baseball and cricket? Read Tom Brennan's "It's a Hard Game," a humorous and informative essay about the topic. Sometimes baseball is the only topic around which conversation can happen, a theme that Elizabeth Frank explores beautifully in "The Family Language." Then again, there are also subjects on which we almost never agree, a topic that Staff Writer tackles with "True Believers," the previously unknown tale of a worldwide religious brouhaha acted out on the baseball diamond. "Shotgun Wedding" is true crime researcher Mark Gribben's account of how a woman's affair with ballplayer Case Patten in early twentieth-century Kansas City led to a forced marriage that ended in tragedy. Fine fiction includes Tom Snee's "Elmira," a tale of a high school romance that butts up against the pull of a baseball career, while Andy Bailey's "High and Inside" is a story of the pain that one untimely pitch can inflict on many participants in a high school championship game. Poetry selections focus on the timeless nature of baseball, the agony of knowing your team will blow the big game, and the end of a historic big league career (Michael Schein's "Farewell to Edgar") Book reviews include The Greatest Ballpark Ever (winner of the 2005 Dave Moore Award), Forging Genius, Smithsonian Baseball, Peach, and Mind Game.

Single issue: $7.95- 96 pages
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Issue 23:4 - Fall, 2006
SPECIAL EDITION 50TH ISSUE
Cover: Stan Musial

"Stanley Frank Musial: A Paean" is a loving tribute to the legendary Redbird who did it right on and off the field. "Baseball Chatter" reminds us of how every day life plays itself out in the ballpark; "Waiting for the Revolution" is a humorous look at socialism and baseball colliding at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium. Neil deMause relates the sad tale of Yankee Stadium's sudden demise, while Ralph Nader questions the greed of Boss Steinbrenner. "The Old Neighborhood" is an evocative tale of growing up in the Italian part of Windsor, Ontario, and living and dying with the Detroit Tigers, while "Beat 'Em Bucs" relates the cruelty that can befall an outsider at a parochial school in Yankee country. Our historical essay features the 1979 Montreal Expos, that team's first real contender, and there's a reminiscence of Don Larsen's fifty-year-old World Series perfecto. Poetry includes "Bon Chul Koo and the Hall of Fame," an extraordinary 7-page reflection on a trip to the Hall of Fame), and book reviews cover the much-publicized Game of Shadows, Tris Speaker, All Those Mornings . . . At the Post, and Wrong Side of the Wall: The Blackie Schwamb Story. There's also a film review of Spaceman: A Baseball Odyssey; the always clever "Portsider" column (fungoes, fear, & missed deadlines), the All-Grifters team, and more!

Single issue: $8.95 -112 pages
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Complete 3 issue set of Volume 23
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Complete lot of 46 back issues
$275.00 ppd
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Specially Priced EFQ Back Issue Lots

EFQ STARTER LOT

Acquaint the baseball fan in your life with the wonderful world of literary baseball. Five different issues (our choice), including our inaugural 1992 edition, at a special introductory rate.

$25.00 ppd
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EFQ INSIDER TEN-PACK

For the baseball fan who's an avid reader about the game and knows the great works of fiction, the essays of Roger Angell, and the wonderful Fireside anthologies—but inexplicably has never heard of EFQ, this mini-collection is sure to be a hit. Our choice of ten different issues, including the inaugural 1992 edition (issue 11:1) and the first "return" issue in 1998, number 15:1, which features a fictional piece ("The Lime Tree") by W.P. Kinsella.

$50.00 ppd
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EFQ CLASSIC COLLECTION

A whole winter's worth of reading! Twenty different EFQ issues including the inaugural 1992 edition and the Winter, 1995 issue (No. 14:1), featuring ex-major leaguer John Poff's profound essay on racism in baseball and the role it may have played in pitcher Donnie Moore's suicide.

$100.00 ppd
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EFQ DELUXE PACKAGE

Complete run of all 46 available back issues and the seven remaining Minneapolis Review of Baseball issues, plus a FREE copy of Ken LaZebnik's Calvinisms and Philip Bess's City Baseball Magic, a blueprint for how modern ballparks should really be designed.

$295 ppd.
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Minneapolis Review Of Baseball


If you enjoy Elysian Fields Quarterly, you'll also love it's predecessor, The Minneapolis Review of Baseball! Although the MRB is a shorter (64 pages), saddle-stitched publication, the great writing you find in EFQ began with the many fine contributors to the MRB. Each cover also features the fine artwork of baseball illustrator Andy Nelson.

Only seven issues remain available:


MRB 7:4 - Fall, 1988
Cover: Ghosts of Chicago
(the Black Sox)

Highlights: "Baseball and the Law" section focuses on the struggle over who controls players' publicity rights, ownership of a Rotisserie League franchise (in a fictional divorce court), "When the Commissioner was the Law," and "The Rules of the Game." Fan accounts include the "Assault on Comiskey Park" and the "nighting" of Wrigley Field, and a reminiscence about making the team in the summer of 1942. Reviews of The Conduct of the Game and Bowie Kuhn's Hardball.

Single copy: $5.00 56 pages
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MRB 9:1 - Winter, 1990
Cover: Ballplayer buttoning jersey

Hi-lites: Commentary on free agency, a smorgasbord of eighteen baseball poems, an interview with musician David Frishberg, Peter Bjarkman's 22-page bibliographical survey of baseball fiction since 1973, a review of Kinsella's The Further Adventures of Slugger McBatt, and a review of books on hitting by George Lausch.

Single copy: $5.00
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MRB 9:2 - Spring, 1990
Cover: Baseball manager

Hi-lites: Five poems (incl. "Cool Papa Bell"), four works of fiction, a history of the short-lived 1909-12 Minnesota-Wisconsin league, "Memoirs of a Neo-Baseball Fan," Peter Bjarkman's review of the winter baseball tradition in the Caribbean as well as his intriguing "investigative" book review of "Damon Rice" and Rice's historical "fictional" work: Seasons Past: The Story of Baseball's First Century..., and a book review of Short Season.

Single copy: $7.50
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MRB 9:3 - Summer, 1990
Cover: House of David player

Hi-lites: Baseball in Europe, Heroes (Willie Mays and the fallen Vida Blue), and Mortality are examined through essay, poetry, and book reviews (The Warsaw Sparks and The Pitch That Killed); Robert Moss recalls "Radio Days and the Boys of Summer"; Four fan correspondents report on the game in St. Louis, Chicago, Cleveland, and Japan; and a fictional piece on an obsessive quest for an autograph in "An Aberration Regarding New Ulm."

Single copy: $7.50
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MRB 9:4 - Fall, 1990
Cover: Meeting at the Mound

Hi-lites: Editor Steve Lehman clarifies the MRB's position on baseball research; Themes of Love Affairs (two poems and four works of fiction), Box Scores (especially "What Doesn't Show Up" in them by Ken LaZebnik), and The Pale Hose Review (four poems and Judy Aronson's fan diary); commentary on the cultural state of the game entitled the "Conservative Curve Ball"; and the MRB catalogue (for nostalgia buffs).

Single Issue: SOLD OUT


MRB 10:1 - Winter, 1991
Cover: Ballplayer blowing bubble

Hi-lites: Tenth anniversary issue. Editor Steve Lehman tells how "it all began."; special focus on Learning the Game, with seven poems, two fiction pieces, and one memoir; an encounter with a salesman of "vintage" Astroturf; "The Geography of Major League Baseball Player Production, 1876-1989" (with lots of charts and graphs); the oldest living N.L. player recalls "Roger Bresnahan and HIs Era"; several book reviews (umpires, Pan-American baseball, and If I Never Get Back), and Judy Aronson's fan diary.

Single Issue: SOLD OUT



MRB 10:2 - Spring, 1991
Cover: Lou Gehrig

Hi-lites: Theme of Baseball's Religious Heart (includes three essays, six poems, and a powerful article on Rawling's exploitation of female workers in Costa Rica and Haiti who, for pennies a day, assemble the balls used in major league play); Nine "Moments in Baseball History" captured in poems; a response to an earlier essay ("The Conservative Curveball") and the author's response; and a book review of Men At Work.

Single copy: $5.00
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MRB 10:3 - Summer, 1991
Cover: Mickey Cochrane

Hi-lites: Theme of Baseball & The Fine Arts, with sections on Music (incl. "The Baseball Fugue"), Sculpture (photos of the work of Brian Glassman and A. Thomas Schomberg), Painting (the murals of Andy Nelson), and Photography (the photos of baseballs by James Henkel); essay on "The Athletic and Aesthetic Affinities Between Baseball and Tennis"; book reviews of Pete Rose books My Story and Hustle; and fan reports from Chicago, Baltimore, Cleveland, and St. Louis.

Single copy: $5.00
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MRB 10:4 - Fall, 1991
Cover: Slugger

Hi-lites: The last issue of the MRB! Although this issue stills has a thematic motif ("Kranks, Hounds, and Collectors"), it represents the transitional bridge to the current EFQ. It may also be the best MRB produced. Ed Goetz recalls the importance of running out a hit; Robert Warde laments the injustice of how decisions are awarded to pitchers; Tom Olkowski shares the brotherhood of the "International Baseball Conspiracy"; Chris Burrell examines the "Commerce of Card Collecting" while Jack Jadick reflects on the real purpose of card collecting; an interview with the "Iron Fan of Baseball"; Steve Sullivan's hilarious portrayal of a World Series played on Mars; Richard Gaughran explores our society's habit of connecting baseball and nationalism in a way that perverts reality, as viewed in the context of the Gulf War, commercialism, and the movie The Natural; an interesting memoir about Rod Carew's birth; three poems; and book reviews of The Last .400 Hitter, Stolen Season, and I Had a Hammer.

Single copy: $7.50
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Complete lot of 7 MRB Issues
$30.00 ppd
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