SABR Scouts Committee Publishes Book

The scouts committee of SABR has published a book entitled: Can He Play? A Look at Baseball Scouts and Their Profession , edited by yours truly and Bill Nowlin.

They dig through tons of coal to find a single diamond. They spend countless hours traveling miles and miles on lonely back roads and way too much time in hotels. Their front offices expect them to constantly provide player reports and updates. So much of their time is spent away from family and friends, missing birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays. Their best friend is Rand McNally. Always asking the question, “CAN HE PLAY?” Such is the life of a professional scout.

CAN HE PLAY? collects the contributions of 26 members of the Society for American Baseball Research on the subject of scouts, including biographies, interviews and historical essays. The book touches on more than a century of scouts and scouting with a focus on the men (and the occasional woman) who have taken on the task of scouring the world for the best ballplayers available. In CAN HE PLAY? we meet the “King of Weeds,” a Ph.D. we call “Baseball’s Renaissance Man,” a husband-and-wife team, pioneering Latin scouts, and a Japanese-American interned during World War II who became a successful scout—and many, many more.  Among the legendary scouts profiled are Paul Krichell, Tom Greenwade, Pop Kelchner, Charlie Barrett, Cy Slapnicka, Howie Haak, Epy Guerrero, Joe Cambria, Gene Bennett and Bob Zuk.

For those interested in learning more about scouts and scouting, and helping contribute to our understanding and appreciation of the profession, please consider joining SABR and the Scouts Committee .

SABR members can download a free copy or buy printed copies at a reduced price until February 29, 2012.  Non-members can order copies as well.  Ordering information is available at www.sabr.org then click on digital library.