Books about Myth busting from Amazon.com

With a blend of statistical analysis, opinion, love for the game, and a healthy dash of humor, authors Michael Kun and Adam Hoff challenge the myths and beliefs that have long afflicted football. No subject is off limits. The greatness of the 1972 Miami Dolphins? Skewered. America’s Team? Put in its place. Pittsburgh’s Berkowitz Fish Sandwich? Praised, obviously. Joe Namath? Well, he gets a little bit of everything. The Football Uncyclopedia gives equal time to owners and champions, stadiums and cities. It rushes to the defense of everyone from Shaun Alexander to Kurt Warner and of everything from the Heisman Trophy to Randall Cunningham’s marble business. It focuses on player legacies, NFL history, and hot-button issues, but it also delves into topics like celebrity misbehavior, on-air kisses, and the film Ace Ventura: Pet Detective.The Football Uncyclopedia covers the names, the nuances, and everything in between that make football an enduring American phenomenon.

Michael Kun — Pulitzer Prize-nominated author — and Howard Bloom — former newspaper reporter and columnist — explain that, contrary to popular belief, a walk is not always as good as a hit. They argue that it’s not always wrong to root against the home team. They contend that the Houston Astros’ jerseys were not the ugliest jerseys ever worn in the major leagues. They rail against the common misconception that Tinkers-to-Evers-to-Chance was a great double play combination. They insist that Shoeless Joe Jackson did not bat right-handed, he did not go barefoot, and he did not refuse to accept money to throw the World Series. They heap scorn upon those who believe Joe DiMaggio was ever “The Greatest Living Baseball Player.” And they offer a sound rebuke to anyone who thinks a baseball book can’t be smart, funny and informative all at the same time.

The Baseball Uncyclopedia is a witty and irreverent guide that debunks some of the mythology, opinions and widely held beliefs about baseball that fans have clung to for generations.