An indispensable companion for everyone from the serious baseball researcher to the casual baseball fan, The Baseball Encyclopedia is chock full of statistics, lists, articles and information on players, teams, and all things baseball. Compiled by two professional baseball editors, this most recent edition is based on an all-new and revised database, complete from 1871 through 2003, and best of all, it’s affordable ($25). While the type is smaller – or at least it appears to be so to my aging eyes – and the player information is somewhat more condensed than before, this is still a must-have volume.