March 22, 2009 Paul Dickson to Talk About His "Baseball Dictionary"

“The Dickson Baseball Dictionary” by Paul Dickson has been called an indispensable resource for hard-core sports fans, as well as anyone newly interested in the national pastime. Dickson will discuss his book during a Books & Beyond program sponsored by the Center for the Book and the Humanities and Social Sciences Division on Wednesday, April 15, at noon in the Mumford Room, sixth floor, Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E. The event is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. “The Dickson Baseball Dictionary” has become an essential resource for those who love the game. Drawing on dozens of 19th- and early 20th-century periodicals, as well as contemporary sources, the dictionary’s illuminating definitions trace the earliest appearances of terms both well-known and obscure. More than 25 years in the making, with the help of more than 300 baseball and lexical experts, this new third edition expands the second edition by more than 30 percent, to more than 10,000 terms with 18,000 individual entries. The book introduces words and phrases from around the world of baseball, including those introduced by Latin American ballplayers and statistical expressions relating to fantasy baseball. Packed with more than 250 photos—many rare and previously unpublished —“The Dickson Baseball Dictionary” is for fans of all ages. Sports Illustrated has called Dickson’s book “absorbing and enlightening.” Dickson has spoken at the Library about his work before, having delivered the inaugural Judith P. Austin Lecture and, with co-author Thomas Allen, discussed their book, “The Bonus Army: An American Epic.” “The Dickson Baseball Dictionary” will be available for $35 during the program, and Dickson will autograph copies. The Center for the Book was created in 1977 to stimulate public interest in books and reading. For information about its programs, publications and national reading-promotion networks, visit www.loc.gov/cfbook/. The Library of Congress, the nation's oldest federal cultural institution, is the world's preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled collections and integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library’s rich resources and treasures may also be accessed through the Library’s website www.loc.gov and via interactive exhibitions on a new, personalized website at myLOC.gov.