Major League Baseball Profiles, 1871-1900, Volume 1: The Ballplayers Who Built the Game
Nemec, a member of the Society for American Baseball Research and the author of several quiz books about the sport, backs all of his work with amazing research and obvious passion for the game. This is a richly detailed two-volume set (available separately) that presents biographical sketches of hundreds of people who contributed to the early decades of major-league baseball.       The first volume, The Ballplayers Who Built the Game, is a treasure trove of the more obscure figures from early in the sport. Chapters are divided according to the positions of the players. Basic statistical records and colorful nicknames are included for each player. Information regarding the lives of players, both on and off the diamond, helps to make the sketches particularly appealing. For example, pitcher Harry McCormick briefly earned stardom in the National League by being an early adapter of the curveball and displaying terrific control. Following his playing days, McCormick was employed as a barge tender on the Erie Canal before an early death due to cholera.            Trivia is entertaining, but the heart of this work is wonderful biographical prose. Major League Baseball Profiles provides a fascinating and unique view of the scores of individuals who played a role in laying the foundation for the modern game. It is an indispensible resource for anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of the formative years of big-league baseball. --Jim Frutchey