The Los Angeles Dodgers entered 2024 with their sights set on a November parade. For the star-studded roster, winning the World Series was more than just a goal; it was the only choice.

Following a blockbuster offseason that featured the record-breaking signing of Shohei Ohtani, the Boys in Blue set forth on their path to championship glory. While there were memorable highlights along the way, such as Ohtani's historic 50-50 milestone and All-Star Teoscar Hernandez's Home Run Derby win, the team also battled through setbacks in the form of numerous injuries to what should have been an unshakeable pitching staff.

On Top of the World chronicles this extraordinary journey through expert reporting from the Los Angeles Daily News and dozens of dynamic photos. Relive thrilling postseason performances against the rival San Diego Padres and the New York Mets, Freddie Freeman's unforgettable walk-off grand slam that kicked off the Fall Classic and the moment of euphoria after defeating the powerhouse New York Yankees to win it all. This commemorative book also includes feature stories on popular figures like Ohtani, Freeman, Hernandez, Mookie Betts, Fernando Valenzuela and more.

Test Your Philadelphia Phillies Knowledge

The Ultimate Philadelphia Phillies Trivia Book is a staple for anyone who loves baseball, sports trivia, and the Phils. You will be tested on your knowledge of mind-blowing facts from the early days of the franchise, as well as the current era of Phillies baseball led by the likes of Bryce Harper, Andrew McCutchen, and Jake Arrieta.

In these pages, you will find answers to over 350 trivia questions as well as hundreds of interesting facts, including:

• Who was the first Phillie to be named National League Rookie of the Year?
• Country singer Tim McGraw is the son of former Phillies pitcher, Tug McGraw.
• Ryan Howard appeared on which TV sitcom that featured a character of the same name?
• What is the name of the Phillies' mascot?
• The Phillies are the oldest continuous same-name, same-city franchise in American professional sports.

Whether you're a lifelong Phils fan or are simply looking to hit one out of the park on MLB Trivia Night at your local bar, The Ultimate Philadelphia Phillies Trivia Book is a grand slam.

The Ultimate New York Mets Trivia Book is a staple for anyone who loves baseball, sports trivia, and the Mets.

You will be tested on your knowledge of mind-blowing facts from the early days of the franchise as well as the current era of Mets baseball led by the likes of Pete Alonso, Robinson Cano, and Michael Conforto.

Within these pages, you will find answers to over 350 trivia questions as well as hundreds of interesting facts, including:

• What is the name of the Mets' mascot?
• Country singer, Tim McGraw is the son of former Mets pitcher, Tug McGraw.
• Who was the first manager of the Mets?
• Darryl Strawberry is one of only three MLB players to have played for all four former and current New York teams- the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants.
• On September 21, 2001, 10 days after the deadly 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Mike Piazza hit a home run in the first professional sporting event in New York since the attacks.

Whether you're a lifelong Mets fan or are simply looking to hit one out of the park on MLB Trivia Night at your local bar, The Ultimate New York Mets Trivia Book is a grand slam.

Larger than Life. In the history of American sports, rare is the athlete who fits that description better than Don Drysdale. On the mound, the towering 6-foot-5 righthander intimidated National League hitters for more than a decade, amassing career totals of 209 wins, 2,486 strikeouts...and hitting 154 batters, a stat he lead the major leagues in four times. Off the field, Drysdale's personality dominated every room he walked into. With a smile as immense as the sun, Drysdale's contemporaries included Frank Sinatra and Howard Cosell.

In Up and In, longtime Orange County Register sportswriter Mark Whicker takes readers on a remarkable journey through Drysdale's life and career. Featuring exclusive interviews with Drysdale's teammates, broadcasting, and colleagues, this new biography paints a complete portrait of an unparalleled baseball life - from Drysdale's early years in Van Nuys to his sudden passing in 1993 at age 56.

About the Book

Burial at Home Plate offers a colorful look at the Pittsburgh Pirates, with an emphasis on offbeat moments in team history. Read about the doubleheader completed underwater; the Pittsburgh outfielders whose pursuit of a batted ball was halted by a gun-wielding Cincinnati fan; the pitcher who earned a victory while taking a nap; the dead man who tied a franchise record for games played; the sparrow that flew from beneath batter Casey Stengel's cap; and the rookie who struck out while seated on the bench.

Burial at Home Plate touches on the indoor game that was rained out; the throng of 50,000 that turned out in Pittsburgh for a game played more than 400 miles away; the tipsy pitcher who fell asleep inside the tarp during a game; the future MVPs who delivered their first major league hits while still in the minors; the FBI agent who pinch hit for Ralph Kiner; and the Pirates manager who disproved the notion that you can't steal first base.

Burial at Home Plate also shines the spotlight on the Green Weenie, the alabaster plaster, Aunt Minnie, the Rickey Dinks, Destiny's Darlings, Dr. Strangeglove, eephus pitches and-the inspiration for the book's title-a strange pre-game interment that took place at home plate.

About the Author

Bob Fulton has written extensively about the Pittsburgh Pirates for regional and national publications such as Sports History, Pittsburgh Magazine, The National Pastime, Pittsburgh Sports Now, Pennsylvania, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game program and On Deck, formerly the official magazine of the Pirates. His work has also appeared in American Heritage, Football Digest, The NCAA News, NFL Exclusive, Delta Sky, Marathon and Beyond, Basketball Weekly, Referee, The Elks Magazine, Collegiate Baseball and Sports Heritage, among others. Fulton is the author of The Summer Olympics: A Treasury of Legend and Lore; Never Lost a Game (Time Just Ran Out); Top Ten Baseball Stats: Interesting Rankings of Players, Managers, Umpires and Teams; and Pirates Treasures: Facts, Feats, Firsts in Pittsburgh Pirates History. In addition, his story on the major league debut of 15-year-old pitcher Joe Nuxhall was included in an anthology, The Ol' Ball Game. Fulton, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, resides in Indiana, Pa.

Test Your Baltimore Orioles Knowledge!

The Ultimate Baltimore Orioles Trivia Book is a staple for anyone who loves baseball, sports trivia, and the O's.

You will be tested on your knowledge of mind-blowing facts from the early days of the franchise right up to the current era of Orioles baseball, led by the likes of Renato Nunez, Pedro Severino, and John Means.

In these pages, you will find answers to over 350 trivia questions as well as hundreds of interesting facts, including:

• Which team name did the Orioles franchise once go by?
• The Baltimore Orioles have hosted three MLB All-Star Games so far.
• Who was the first manager of the Orioles franchise?
• Baltimore Orioles pitchers have thrown 9 no-hitters.
• The Baltimore Orioles' mascot is named The Oriole Bird.

Whether you're a lifelong fan of the Orioles or are simply looking to hit one out of the park on MLB Trivia Night at your local bar, The Ultimate Baltimore Orioles Trivia Book is a grand slam.

Now fully revised with new illustrations and diagrams, the classic--and still the greatest--book on hitting from the last baseball player to break the magic .400 barrier, Ted Williams.

Ted Williams was arguably the greatest pure hitter who ever lived. A lifelong student of hitting, he sought advice from every great hitter--and pitcher--he met. Drawing on that advice, as well as his own legendary life in baseball, Williams produced the all-time batting classic, The Science of Hitting. Using its detailed illustrations, anecdotes, and concise coaching, players of all skill levels will learn how to improve their fundamentals and gain keen insights into the finer points of hitting, including:

-How to Think Like a Pitcher and Guess the Pitch
-The Three Cardinal Rules for Developing a Smooth Line-Driving Swing
-The Secrets of Hip and Wrist Action
-Pitch Selection
-Bunting
-Hitting the Opposite Way

The Science of Hitting is a must-read for all baseball players looking to improve their turn at bat and for all coaches and parents teaching the sport.

Are you a die-hard Braves fan?

Now you surely will be with The Ultimate Atlanta Braves Trivia Book. If you want to know all the ins and outs (every great baseball team has a few!) of one of the most famous hardball teams ever in the NL and MLB-then this book is for you.

The next time you walk into a bar, your friend's, or even your father-in-law's place for Trivia Night, you'll be a smash hit knowing about Braves legends like Hank Aaron and Chipper Jones; pitchers like Greg Maddux, Spahn, and Sain; classic catchers like Lopez and Torre; and sluggers like Dale, Dusty, and Eddie.

What ultimate Atlanta Braves trivia will you score with this valuable book? Catch the answers to all these tricky trivia questions and tons more:

• How many pennants and World Series championships have the Braves won in their illustrious history?
• What fantastic event happened to the Braves and their loyal fans in 1957?
• Which NL team is Atlanta's biggest rival, and why?
• Which fleet Braves outfielder was nicknamed the Road Runner?
• Which Braves hurler transitioned from starter to reliever and just got better?

Dear Die-Hard Fan: your ultimate Atlanta Braves trivia book comes with 15 chapters chock-full of questions, answer pages, and fun factoids about your favorite team. Quiz Night coming? Be ready! Have a blast with your trivia book all about the incredible Atlanta Braves!

But things don't always work out the way we want.

On the verge of achieving his lifelong dream after notching a league-high 14 wins in Triple A, Tony looked ahead to 2010 with optimism. That's when Japan came calling, offering a significant salary hike in exchange for forgoing a likely forthcoming big-league debut.

The Diamondbacks agreed to release Tony so he could play for Tokyo's Yakult Swallows, the renowned Yomiuri Giants' intra-city rivals.

At the time, the only thing he had in common with the country was a love for baseball. He did not know the language and was unfamiliar with Nippon Professional Baseball and essentially everything else. On his own in a strange land, the burning desire to one day make the major leagues never subsided. He knew the odds were against him, as less than one quarter of gaijin (Japanese for foreigner) ballplayers who go to Japan appear in the majors at any point thereafter.

First-year struggles led to multiple demotions and his end-of-year release. But when you're chasing a dream, you expect to encounter several obstacles. Tony refused to be deterred. Over six seasons in Japan, the starter became a reliever and then a closer. After a strong 2015 season, in which he guided his long-suffering Swallows to the Japan Series, he finally got the call he had been waiting for. Signing with the Texas Rangers in December, Tony would make his first major-league appearance on April 5, 2016, at age thirty-two. He'd go on to pitch four seasons with the Rangers and Chicago Cubs, fulfilling a lifelong dream.

Through extensive research and reporting, Aaron Fischman worked directly with Tony to tell his story of perseverance, determination, and never giving up on your dream.

Aaron Judge, the hulking superman who carried an easy aw-shucks demeanor from small-town California to stardom in the Big Apple, had long established his place as one of baseball's most intimidating power hitters. Baseballs frequently rocketed off his bat like cannon fire, dispatching heat-seeking missiles toward the Judge's Chambers seating area in right field, sending delirious fans scattering for souvenirs.

But even in a high-tech universe where computers measure each swing to the nth degree, Roger Maris's American League mark of sixty-one home runs seemed largely out of reach. It had been more than a decade since baseball wiped clean the stains of its performance-enhanced era, in which cartoonish sluggers Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Barry Bonds made a mockery of the record book.

Given a more level playing field against pitchers sporting hellacious arsenals unlike anything Babe Ruth or Maris could have imagined, only an exceptional talent could even consider making a run at sixty-one homers. Judge, who placed the bet of his life by turning down a $213.5 million extension on the eve of the regular season, promised to rise to the challenge.

In the most thorough telling yet of an all-time-great Yankees performance (Jeff Passan, New York Times bestselling author), veteran Yankees beat reporter Bryan Hoch unravels the remarkable journey of Judge's run to shatter Maris's beloved sixty-one-year-old record. In-depth, inspiring, and with an expert's insight, 62 also investigates the more significant questions raised in a season unlike any other, including how--and where--Judge will deliver his encore.

From its inception, Sports Illustrated has chronicled baseball's greatest spectacle: the World Series. Now, SI celebrates the grandeur and spirit of the Fall Classic with a deluxe commemorative book featuring the magazine's iconic photography alongside classic stories from legendary writers.

Along with overviews of notable teams and championships, this new volume includes stats, facts, and anecdotes spanning World Series history. The nostalgic past meets the electric present in this ultimate examination of baseball's storied event.

Bringing MLB history to life by diving into the legendary SI archives, Sports Illustrated The World Series is essential for every baseball fan's collection.

From spring training to the World Series, 1978 gave baseball fans one of the sport's greatest seasons, full of legendary moments like the battle between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox for the American League East pennant, Gaylord Perry's three thousandth strikeout, Tom Seaver's only career no-hitter, Willie McCovey's five hundredth home run, and Pete Rose's marathon forty-four-game hitting streak. The 1978 season played out against a backdrop of disco music, bell-bottom pants, and gas-guzzling cars, while Hollywood answered a desperate longing for a simpler time with nostalgic offerings such as Grease, The Buddy Holly Story, American Hot Wax, Animal House, and Superman. Robin Williams became a household name with a guest appearance on the popular TV show Happy Days, Atlantic City debuted its first casino, and Jill Clayburgh symbolized the emerging independence of women in An Unmarried Woman.

In a memorable end to the baseball season, Reggie Jackson and Bucky Dent led the Yankees to their second consecutive World Series over the Dodgers after losing the first two games, then winning four in a row. With a month-by-month approach, David Krell breaks down major events in both baseball and American culture at large in 1978, chronicling in novelistic detail the notable achievements of some of the greatest players of the era, along with some of the national pastime's quirkiest moments, to capture an extraordinary year in baseball.

Calling all St. Louis Cardinals fans!

The Ultimate St. Louis Cardinals Trivia Book is a staple for anyone who loves baseball, sports trivia, and the Redbirds.

You will be tested on your knowledge of mind-blowing facts from the early days of the franchise when Stan Musial owned The Gateway to the West, as well as the current era of Cards baseball led by the likes of Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright. Within these pages, you will find answers to over 350 trivia questions as well as hundreds of interesting facts, including:

• Cardinals legend Stan Musial was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by which former United States President?
• Before the start of games, Ozzie Smith would do a __________ on his way out to the shortstop position.
• Tony La Russa is the St. Louis Cardinals' all-time winningest manager with a record of 1,408-1,182 (.544 W-L%).
• Which reality TV show did former Cardinal Jim Edmonds star on with his ex-wife Meghan?
• Bravo TV host Andy Cohen named his dog after which Cardinals pitcher?

Whether you're a lifelong Cards fan or are simply looking to hit one out of the park on MLB Trivia Night at your local bar, The Ultimate St. Louis Cardinals Trivia Book is a grand slam.

The New York Yankees have dominated Major League Baseball with 27 World Series titles. From Babe Ruth to Aaron Judge, discover the superstars and iconic moments that put this team on top.

The 50 most historically significant games of baseball's first all-professional team

Choosing the 50 greatest games is hard to do; ranking them is even harder. Now every Reds fan can relive memories of baseball before and after the Big Red Machine, debate about these choices, or make a list of their own.

Highlighting these moments is a unique way of telling the great story of the Cincinnati Reds. While many fans will know about Frank Robinson, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Tony Perez, how many will remember names like Bumpus, Bubbles, and Noodles, who each had their moments of glory in a Reds uniform? It's easy for players and moments to disappear in a history that spans 150 years, but baseball roots run deep in Reds country. Classic Reds keeps those roots strong.

Test Your Minnesota Twins Knowledge!

The Ultimate Minnesota Twins Trivia Book is a staple for anyone who loves baseball, sports trivia, and the Twins. You will be tested on your knowledge of mind-blowing facts from the early days of the franchise, as well as the current era of Twins baseball led by the likes of Jose Berríos, Max Kepler, and Miguel Sano.

In these pages, you will find answers to over 350 trivia questions as well as hundreds of interesting facts, including:

Which team name did the Twins franchise once go by?

The Minnesota Twins franchise has hosted five MLB All-Star Games.

Who was the first manager of the Twins' franchise?

The Minnesota Twins have had seven no-hitters thrown in franchise history

The Minnesota Twins' current mascot is named T.C. Bear.

Whether you're a lifelong fan of the Twins or are simply looking to hit one out of the park on MLB Trivia Night at your local bar, The Ultimate Minnesota Twins Trivia Book is a grand slam.

For the first time in league history, NBA coaches and general managers are just as likely to have played Division III basketball as they are to have played in the NBA. While the number of former D3 players working in the NBA is higher than ever, small college alums have served in leadership positions since the league's founding. They shaped the NBA into what it is today, playing integral roles in the Lakers' initial success in Los Angeles, the inception of several expansion franchises, the creation of the popular All-Star Weekend dunk contest, the globalization of the league, and more.

Their improbable and inspiring journeys tell a bigger story - the history of small college athletics, the evolution of coaching and management in the NBA, and the hiring practices in the most competitive fields. Their alma maters were small, but their impact on the game, and the implications of their success, loom large.